Poly QL Roundup Post
This is something I've been thinking about doing for ages, but my list of QLs with real (vs. they shoulda been) poly themes was so small and didn't seem to be growing that it never seemed worth the bother. But that list has slowly been growing, so I think it's time! I'll try to keep this post updated as more come out. Roughly organized by my favorite depictions for various reasons.
3 Will Be Free
This remains my favorite of all poly QLs. It’s a pretty cool crime/action story--I love a QL with a good plot--and the three main characters have some of the most real-feeling chemistry of any poly show I've seen. Male stripper (Joss), girl who works at a gogo bar (Mild) and son of a rich gangster (Tay) go on the run after killing one of the gang in a conflict. Feelings develop between the three fugitives. Somewhat ambiguous ending as to whether they stay together (if they do it's not as a closed triad) but they definitely still love each other. It’s super good!
Configuration: F/M/M threeway (+M) / Heat: medium / Romance/chemistry: high / Happy ending? Arguable, but I think so
Deep Night
These guys were a subplot but a really great one, my favorite (so far) film depiction of polyamory ever, actually. The series itself is a mixed bag in terms of quality and plot coherence but I enjoyed it overall and it’s worth it especially for this incredible poly storyline. If like me you ever watched a love triangle series with three perfectly lovely people and shouted at the screen "you have two hands!" or "poly is the answer!", this show is balm for the soul. It's one of my two favorite cinematic depictions, next to 3 Will Be Free. Both handled the subject tremendously well, capturing not only the innate sexiness of threeways but the trust, communication, vulnerability and unselfishness needed to make them a lasting success.
(Note: There is a Deep Night special episode that's mostly a recap/clips show of what happened in the series, but there are just a few new moments with the throuple, so it's worth a skim at least.)
Configuration: M/M/M threeway / Heat: medium / Romance/chemistry: high / Happy ending? Yes!
Sannin Fufu / Two Husbands One Wife
I myself am in a three-person marriage and though this was a very lighthearted take on the subject, man so much was relatable. First off, finding common ground on housework and habits can cause WAY more conflict than perceived jealousy lmao. Second, the legality stuff is such a big deal! I kinda thought a threeway relationship would be a carefree affair but if you really want to make sure everyone is protected and taken care of, there’s a lot of paperwork and discussion involved—wills and healthcare directives and adoption papers and such. Three, coming out is a constant process. If someone meets only one of my partners or I mention one, they assume I’m either gay or straight and I have to decide if I’m going to awkwardly reveal my whole relationship.
In a way this goofy little comedy was almost too real to be escapist for me, but I loved seeing this depiction of poly—anything that resembles representation of my life in media is almost nonexistent. It was really heartwarming and got me slightly emotional to see it. My only small quibble about the show is I’d’ve liked to see a bit more romance or intimacy—even just a couple more kisses or signs of arousal between them. Other than that I thought it was fantastic.
Configuration: M/F/M (starts off a V with the woman at the center but doesn't stay that way / Heat: none / Romance/chemistry: mild / Happy ending? Yes!
Black Out!! (aka Blackout)
This Chinese short (45 minutes) was the first alI-male main-plot poly BL I ever saw, so I won't complain about its flaws. Do I have other poly stories I'd like to see told besides unsatisfied couple meets someone who reignites the spark? Heck yeah. But I think for a short it managed to show how the three-way dynamic worked so well for these guys. Clearly they were going to continue pursuing the relationship and I could already see how they balanced each other out. Basically they were chaos gremlins with a third of a brain cell each, so at least together they have one whole brain cell to share! Their ridiculousness was part of the charm. I would've loved a longer series that followed their relationship a bit more.
Configuration: M/M/M / Heat: medium / Romance/chemistry: medium / Happy ending? More like a happy beginning, but I'd say yes!
Kita-kun ga Kawai Sugite Te ni Amaru no de, 3 Nin de Share Suru Koto ni Shimashitabut (aka Kita-kun Is Too Cute to Handle, So the 3 of Us Decided to Share Him! aka Kita-kun, Our Shared Love)
This one, while interesting all the way through, can be a little challenging because you can't tell why the center of this polycule is so passive, floating through life like an amiable leaf on the breeze. His partners struggle with it too, wondering if he's truly passionate about their relationship or just being agreeable. But all will be explained, and pretty satisfyingly too.
There are lots of things to love about this one, including how they portray jealousy; the different reactions of neighbors, family and coworkers; and making domesticity work.
It can be a little hard to track down for English-only speakers, but this lovely person put together English-subbed eps and shared the links!
Configuration: M/F/F/M (basically a harem, though one of the harem does develop a brief crush on another / Heat: none / Romance/chemistry: mild / Happy ending? Yes!
Between Complete and Incomplete
Lovely little Korean short about a male couple who want to bring a third into their relationship. The third is asexual and I'm not the most knowledgeable in that area but the depiction feels positive and sympathetic. This one deals with great themes such as insecurity about perceived imbalances when you start to realize the connections between individuals are not going to be identical in nature (and of course the asexual character's doubts about whether it'll work to get involved).
Configuration: M/M/M / Heat: mild / Romance/chemistry: mild / Happy ending? Yes!
Three of Us
Interesting short series that feels more like a pitch deck or pilot at times; there's a lot of voiceover about what's happening and what people are thinking when it'd be quite clear without that. A girlfriend-boyfriend couple meet a girl and they swiftly get together and date for about a year. This one deals with some interesting things about other people's reactions and how to set your own relationship guidelines when you've never had a poly relationship before. (And how it's hard to set guidelines when bodies and hearts may be on their own track.)
Ultimately it was frustrating; they deal with some of their issues but others that seem relatively mild if they would just communicate better instead cause rifts. Of course this is all too common; I've had many poly-curious friends with short-lived threesomes that seem to break up over (from the outside) small, fixable things.
Configuration: M/F/F / Heat: medium / Romance/chemistry: medium / Happy ending? No; it's not tragic or devastating but not happy either
Only Friends
Yes, this is a blink-and-you'd-miss-it depiction of poly but I still think it's worth mentioning. Boston's character, not wanting to lose Nick but knowing he's not monogamous, proposes an open dating scenario where they can be more committed but he is free to be with other people. He oversteps a boundary Nick is uncomfortable with and instead of discussing it and finding a middle ground, Nick breaks it off (and then comes back in season 2 solely to ream Boston out for being a bad boyfriend, which is aggravating). In this one case at least, Boston was badly misunderstood when he was trying to find way to make it work. Oh well.
Configuration: M/M [+ M x ?] / Heat: high / Romance/chemistry: high / Happy ending? No
Unforgotten Night
This is a very small subplot in a not-very-good series, but it does bear mentioning because they have a whole ass three-way shower makeout scene and then, at the main characters' wedding banquet, it's hinted that it's more than just a one-time fooling-around. It may be a crumb in a kinda dumb show, but I still celebrate it!
Configuration: M/M/M / Heat: medium / Romance/chemistry: mild / Happy ending? Kinda (they weren't really the focus so hard to say, but it didn't end sad!)
Y Destiny
OK, I might be stretching here, because one of these guys is a ghost that the others can't see (but can sort of feel). But something about this story about the dead boyfriend of one character not only supporting him getting with another, but taking part in their lives in his own way, just has a real poly energy to it. Perth himself (the guy who plays the ghost boyfriend) has said that it's kind of a polyamorous love story!
Configuration: M/M/M (kinda) / Heat: mild / Romance/chemistry: mild / Happy ending? Well, he's dead, but happy for his boyfriend so, kinda?
Bonus Content: "White Rabbit" MV (Daou Pittaya)
It's only 3 minutes and some change, but this poly-themed Tpop video feels worth a mention--especially since it's from an undisputed king of BL!
Configuration: M/M/F / Heat: high / Romance/chemistry: medium / Happy ending? Daou seems pleased with himself and his girl and boy toys don't seem to mind sharing so...
Another bonus: Besides my "they shoulda been poly" post, here's one I made about poly (real and ghost ships)! It's just pictures but it's pretty pictures.
💬 1 🔁 5 ❤️ 15 · Ten of My Favorite Ships · (Ghost and otherwise; poly edition) Tagged by @befuddledcinnamonroll (thank you!!) Rules: Wit
I also want to mention some other poly or possibly poly shows that I haven't seen yet. If I do ever watch them and they're poly, I'll edit to add a mini-review above, but for now these are just FYIs in case you wanted to try and track them down.
Me, My Husband, and My Husband's Boyfriend. Japanese Drama - 2023, 10 episodes. explicit m/m/f
Wheels and Axle. Japanese Movie - 2023. explicit m/f/m?
Kanojo ga Sore mo Ai to Yobunara. Japanese Drama - 2025, 10 episodes. explicit f/m/m/m, harem type arrangement?
See You on the Other Side. Japanese Special - 2019, 1 episode. explicit f/f/m?
Unlock Your Heart. Japanese Movie - 2021. love triangle to very much implied f/f/m (m possible asexual)
Tinted with You. Korean Drama - 2021, 8 episodes. love triangle, hinted at m/m/m
My Mate Match. Thai Drama - 2021, 5 episodes. love triangle, hinted at m/m/m
