Follow us on Twitter | Instagram
The Thai series “Pit Babe” starts off interestingly – a racing-themed drama about motorsports king Babe (yes, that’s his name), who dominates the track and is approached by wannabe racer Charlie for one of his cars. The two strike a deal to enter into a transactional relationship and become too cozy, sparking doubts within Babe’s team about Charlie’s real intentions. Does he really look up to Babe, or is he part of some nefarious plan to sabotage Babe’s career?
Directed by Peter Nopachai Jayanama, “Pit Babe” is based on a web novel and is set in the Omegaverse – a sub-genre of erotic fiction where humans have a secondary sex (Alpha/Beta/Omega) that drives their behavior. However, viewers don’t need to know much about the Omegaverse as the plot in “Pit Babe” doesn’t rely too heavily on the genre’s tropes, at least not for the first half of the series. Instead, the script adds its own new take to the Omegaverse, and the writers don’t even bother to explain how things work. I want to avoid spoilers, so all I can say is that things get pretty ridiculous in the last few episodes.
Pavel Naret Promphaopun portrays the primary protagonist, Babe, and much of the show is driven by his charm. He convincingly embodies the role of a top racer with a need for speed both on the road and in his bed. Pavel adeptly portrays multiple facets of Babe, ranging from an angry young man willing to fight for those he loves, to a vulnerable, sensitive sweetheart who readily trusts those around him and craves affection and adulation. Pooh Krittin Kitjaruwannakul plays his romantic interest Charlie, who is exceedingly cute to look at, but the character is annoying as hell. First, the episodes make it seem like Charlie might be a complex character, but he turns out to be a boring one-dimensional little puppy with incredible luck. There are so many scenes through the show, which would’ve been cringe-worthy, but Pavel is able to make them watchable due to his sincere delivery of the inane dialogues.
The cinematography for the show is engaging, the racing sequences are surprisingly well executed, complete with adrenaline-thumping tracks at the back which make the races fun to watch. Babe’s world of racing, and partying however faces a threat from a scheming businessman called Tony (S Vorarit Vaijairanai), who invests his money in a rival team and uses every trick in the book to derail Babe’s career. Fellow racer and best friend, Way (played by Nut Supanut Lourhaphanich), harbors suspicions about Charlie being a mole. Moreover, Way’s unrequited crush on Babe adds an intrinsic layer of motivation against Charlie’s increasing closeness to Babe. Nut Supanut Lourhaphanich is fetching as the pining friend, has better chemistry with Pavel, however, his character starts out likable and develops into one of the most problematic persons on the show. Too bad.
Thirteen episodes long, “Pit Babe” begins to get challenging to watch midway, with weird twists and turns and a totally laughable villain. S Vorarit Vaijairanai looks menacingly creepy as Tony, however, the character is a bad caricature, who simply shouts, slaps and abuses his minions. Tony’s illegal businesses, which includes flesh-trade, is a major plot in the show and the execution of this sub-plot is completely harebrained.
“Pit Babe” is ultimately a guilty pleasure for fans who crave dramas packed with handsome men, steamy scenes, and just the right amount of drama. However, I found myself struggling to stay engaged in the second half of the series. There are simply too many characters, some of whom could easily have been cut from the show altogether. The series attempts to juggle too many themes and elements, resulting in half-hearted execution, including the fact that some of characters have ‘special powers’.
You can stream “Pit Babe” on iQIYI.
Read Next: Love for Love’s Sake Series Review
Also Read: A Man Called Ove – Orderline Oring (Audio Version Below)