“One mysterious club. Four different stories.” The tagline for The Crow Club by director Nopachai Chaiyanam converged all four stories in the season premiere. In The Crow Club Episode 2, three of the crows take a back seat as the series explores just one of the stories.
At the end of Episode 1, Linda (Sirin “Cris” Horwang) awaited her crows’ response as they considered whether to take the jobs they were offered. At the beginning of The Crow Club Episode 2, Rakkhun (Newyear Nawaphat Thannamongkhonsawat) receives a notification that his job offer to Vann (Milk Natchanon Supravorawong) has been accepted.
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Ran (Title Tanatorn Saenangkanikorn) receives a notification that his job offer to Phatee (Pop Pataraphol Wanlopsiri) is pending. Sun (Pon Thanapon Aiemkumchai) receives a notification saying that his job offer to Talay (Sailub Hemmawich Kwanamphaiphan) has been rejected.
Rakkhun grows close to his latest client in an effort to find a ghost.
The Crow Club Episode 2 focuses on Vann and Rakkhun as they begin the process of drawing out the ghost that runs off everyone Rakkhun develops any real chemistry with. Most of the episode sees Vann and Rakkhun trying to trick the ghost into believing that they’re in a relationship so that the ghost will show herself.
The ghost isn’t fooled, but unintentionally, Vann finds himself increasingly drawn to Rakkhun, and vice versa. By the end of the episode, the two are texting, becoming more physically comfortable with one another, and Vann is beginning to treat Rakkhun like a person instead of just another mark. This is exactly what the ghost has been waiting for.
In the midst of all this, Rakkhun is approached at work by Kan (Frank Thanatsaran Samthonglai), the man who ran out on him the day before Rakkhun contacted The Crow Club. Kan apologizes and wants to get back together, but Rakkhun is torn. Vann had just told him the day before that if Kan really loved him, he wouldn’t have run out. He would have faced his fears for Rakkhun.
The Crow Club Episode 2 uses a favored romance trope.
The Crow Club Episode 2 blends two different storytelling models with varying degrees of success. On one hand, it feels like a slow-burn romance. The premise of two fake lovers falling for each other has a very Bridgerton feel to it.
It works really well because Vann and Rakkhun don’t have chemistry right away. There’s no moment where things just click into place. The entire episode is one failed attempt after another to draw out the ghost, but each one moves Vann and Rakkhun one step closer to each other.
On the other hand, The Crow Club Episode 2 is trying to portray the organization as something mystical or at least mysterious. To that end, the choice to chase down the ghost story first feels like too obvious. Unfortunately, because Vann starts not really believing in ghosts, the whole exercise of trying to draw one out doesn’t really land. It ends up feeling forced and absurd.
Newyear Nawaphat Thannamongkhonsawat and Milk Natchanon Supravorawong share brilliant chemistry.
The chemistry between the two men in The Crow Club Episode 2 is unmistakable. Newyear Nawaphat Thannamongkhonsawat plays Rakkhun with a spirited innocence and curiosity. It’s easy to believe that he wants nothing more than to be free to love without a ghost chasing everyone away.
By contrast, Milk Natchanon Supravorawong is brilliant playing Vann as if he’s attempting a bad boy persona. Vann’s a skeptic and it’s clear that he’s taking this job first and foremost because of Rakkhun’s deep pockets. Still, when they stand together, Vann looks at Rakkhun with smoldering eyes and it doesn’t feel like an act.
While other characters and stories get sidelined in The Crow Club Episode 2, it doesn’t feel out of place. The Crow Club is taking an approach that seems to favor allowing a story to breathe.
The series is already establishing relationships worth returning for.
This does the job of detailing important information without every scene turning into a exposition dump. For Vann and Rakkhun, it means that their heavily implied romance has time to grow. The time spent with them makes it easier for audiences to fall for Vann and Rakkhun as they fall for each other.
Despite not really committing to a storytelling lane, The Crow Club Episode 2 succeeds in deepening the bond between Vann and Rakkhun. While it’s still early, it’s clear that the seeds of something much deeper than a ghost story are taking root. More importantly, the time dedicated to Vann and Rakkhun in The Crow Club Episode 2 is more than enough to bring audiences back for more.
The Crow Club Episode 2 is streaming exclusively on Netflix with new episodes airing Fridays.
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The Crow Club Episode 2
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Rating - 7.5/107.5/10
TL;DR
The Crow Club Episode 2 succeeds in deepening the bond between Vann and Rakkhun. While it’s still early, it’s clear that the seeds of something much deeper than a ghost story are taking root.
