.Iridescent.Ideas.

“Tanrak, why are you running? I’m not running. You’re running from yourself. Tanrak. Are you hurt? Can we just talk? Hm? I have nothing to say. You don’t have things to say or you just don’t dare say it? Hm? Don’t do this, Barth. Tanrak. Whatever’s on your mind, just tell me. Please talk to me. I’m begging you. I don’t understand, Barth. I don’t know anything. I don’t even understand myself. You do. You’re just scared to admit it, aren’t you? Just now, you felt what I felt too, didn’t you? Tanrak. Will things never be the same now? You know everything, don’t you? Know what? That I’m not God’s favourite son. I don’t understand. I like guys. Tanrak. I like you. Are you mad at me? I’m not God’s favourite son either.”

Love to hear the love for Gem and Fourth on my blog but why the need to compare like acting is a worst-better-best situation? I, too, love Fourth’s ability to convey angst-ridden interiority, and has any gmmtv camera lens ever been so enraptured with a face as P’Rath’s is with Fourth’s in this show? But there’s no need to shirk at what Gemini is doing here or what he’s already proven himself capable of to celebrate Fourth’s performance.

Gemini has a rare expressivity to his face that he seems in total control of. Where Fourth goes inward, Gemini’s acting reaches out. He’s such a present scene partner, so in the moment, and you can see him giving every ounce of attention to others in his performances while playing distinctly different characters. He’s obviously lending this warm extroversion to Barth, which creates such an interesting contrast with the reputation of rebel Barth has. It immediately casts doubt on how trustworthy that interpretation and the people who promote it are, but Gem still brings enough edge to the character. Gem’s ability to shine his light in a performance here is really what makes the drawing out of Tanrak and his struggle so compelling to me.

And let’s not forget Gem’s other performances. Heart was the first one I saw, and I literally had to look up whether the actor was actually deaf or not because it was so convincing to me—and that’s coming from someone who has family who are sign language interpreters! And it didn’t just stop at the deafness. That character was one hundred percent embodied, in such utter loneliness and so sweetly smitten once the time came. And then Tinn is one of my absolute favorite good boys. He was silly and fruity and surprisingly smooth. Watch how Gemini plays the scene where Gun reveals the story about his dad’s death to see a masterclass on reactive acting, too. MSP also offers the glimmer of how strong Gemini can be with slapstick comedy, which hasn’t been taken advantage of in series but has been a highlight of live performances, which, let’s remember, is the kind of show GeminiFourth are lined up for next! Idk where you’re getting the info that they’re splitting up after this?

There are so many ways to talk about performance that are not a ranking of who’s better. Yes, sometimes actors are, in fact, better at a skill than others. I’d agree with you that Fourth is strong as that kind of psychological tortured state than Gemini has ever shown us, but that requires us to assess whether Gemini’s roles have ever called or benefited from that. Two angst-ridden teens is a lot, and not always the most compelling story. We already had two angry Catholic school boys in Your Name Engraved Herein. I’m glad for a different spin on the story here, and Gemini’s emotional buoyancy and, not Fourth’s angst, but actually the gentleness to his repression are what are really drawing me in.

If you want to think about a different way to articulate actors’ performances, I made my own system in a gmmtv tier list here. Or go have some fun making your own framework to think about it! Lol I know you’re popping into my ask box just to celebrate and I disagreed-ish and typed a lot of words, which might feel ranty, but I promise I get it and I’m not mad. I say all this half-talking to the version myself who jumps to the “who wore it best” mindset. Truly I’m right here with you. Love Fourth. Love this show. Floored by his powerhouse acting. I just also love Gem and want to make sure he’s getting credit for the work that he makes seem so easy. He’s often the softer counterweight to Fourth’s heaviness, but that doesn’t make it less challenging to do as an actor or unimportant. A ton of steel weighs the same as a ton of feathers.