Review: Time To Twice – Death Note
I watched the first episode of Twice‘s new Time To Twice show, and it was, as usual, a lot of fun for us Onces. There’s a new title song and sequence, and the theme is Death Note, from the well-known manga and anime. The members are in this giant library (or is it a bookshop?) with walls covered in books, and they’re tasked with finding their own death note book and some pens. A blue pen can give a life for whomever’s name is written, a black pen can cause a death. Of the game play so far, I can’t believe how mean Jihyo was, hiding some of the other member’s books. Nayeon got in on the act too, and both got some reverse-Karma for it. Damn, those members are super competitive! I like how this concept puts them all on a more level playing field. The previous TTT, set in a Squid Game park, with its daring climbing challenges, disadvantaged the scaredy-cats. Yes, I’m looking at you Momo and Nayeon! In this initial ep, my girl Mina won out supreme. She found her pens then sashayed up to a shelf, so calm, and found her death note book. Then she retreated to the ‘Death Zone’ to write her name in the book, in blue pen, thus giving herself a life. Her finals words to the camera were, ‘I will not die’. Yes, please don’t ever, my Minari! Blah, blah, blah, I’ll stop now….
*
It was Friday night, so that meant time for another episode of Time To Twice. Yay! This was the second episode of the Death Note series. The members are in a library and have to find their own Death Note, plus some blue or black pens, and then write down names in them in a special area called the Death Zone. The blue pen means life, the black pen means death, and the winner is the one who has the most lives left at the end. It was revealing watching the members scramble to find these things hidden among the shelves, as it really brought out their character. The villains of the piece were Jihyo and Jeongyeon, who either hid the other members’ books when they found them or wrote the names of the other members using the black pen. No sooner had Mina wrote her own name in the book at the end of the first episode, then Jeongyeon entered the Death Room and wrote Mina’s name in black, cancelling out her save. Elsewhere, competitive Jihyo went after Chaeyoung to take her pen from her. The heroes were Chaeyoung and Momo, who made a heart-warming pact to protect each other and to never write each other’s names down with the black pen. The tally at the end of this round was Sana ahead with 2 lives (one of which was selflessly given by Nayeon), the rest trailing behind. It was silly but it looked like fun. Think I’d like to play.
*
And now to something far more wholesome. I Watched episode three of Time To Twice: Death Note on Youtube. They’ve upped the chaos factor with this ep and introduced new coloured pens, orange and green, and erasers, and only given a very vague explanation for what they do. Sana is top of the tally with two lives, but that can change at any moment with this show. She spends much of the episode
crouched on the floor looking for more pens under tables and chairs, like a confused hamster. The narration suggests she is cleaning the floor, like a human broom. Other, more pro-active members, like Momo and Jeongyeon, swoop up a bunch of goodies, even though they’re not sure what to do with them. Tzuyu goes to the Death Zone and tries writing her name in both green and orange pens to see what that will result in. Going by some directions on a wall, some of the members speculate the orange pen doubles a life. Another feature, the Game Zone, is introduced and first to try it is Nayeon. She plays rock, paper, scissors with the stakes being 20 lives, and loses. She spends the rest of the episode complaining to anyone who will listen that she’s down 20 lives. Chaeyoung, Tzuyu and Dahyun enter the Death Zone to write their names, but it seems many of the members are hoarding their goodies and waiting for the final round to be in a better position to know what to do with them. A good strategy. The end debrief, with the girls sitting around a table, reveals Momo and Nayeon with the biggest collection of erasers. How will they use them? Can they swap them for more pens? It’s getting confusing! This is definitely a show that rewards repeat viewings. So many details missed. The comments section also offers some good observations. One thing’s for sure: everyone’s having a good time. Final ep coming up, I think!
*
It being Time To Twice Friday, when I got home I watched episode four of the show on Youtube. It was the final round, and the ante had been upped again, this time with the introduction of the ‘golden pen’ and the ‘golden eraser’, both promising big rewards. There were clues scattered throughout the library for the members to find and decode. Directions to a statue led to the golden pen, which was taped to the floor where the statue was looking. A happy Tzuyu was first to spot it and claim it. I assume the pen was planted there while the members were having their pre final round conference, because its location was pretty obvious. I have to admit, at this point, I was wondering just how scripted this show is.
When Tzuyu found the pen she started running back to the Death Zone to use it. Jihyo ran after her. She did this a number of times when other members found things. Was she trying to steal them? Really, would you do that, Jihyo? Her spirit animal in the Time To Twice series is definitely Apex Predator, I know that much. Fellow Apex Predator, though more wolf in sheep’s clothing, Nayeon found the golden eraser and also hoofed it back to the Death Zone. At this point all the girls seemed to be second guessing each other, which made for a fun, confusing time.
Meanwhile, my girl Chaeyoung was at the Game Zone figuring to win big with an all-or-nothing round of Rock, Paper, Scissors, betting 30 lives, 30 Big Ones. Knowing she was probably last in the rankings at this point, she had nothing to lose. Starting out with her usual scissors gambit (all Onces know this is her favourite RPS choice), the tension built as she drew with her competitor twice. Teasingly, the final round result was left out till the show’s end, though it’s interesting in hindsight to note that both Tzuyu and Mina witnessed what it was.
After the round it was time for the final tally. I liked the artful way the show drew out the winners and losers by starting around the middle with who came sixth and then spreading out from there. All the members seemed more concerned with not coming last than with winning (there is usually a penalty for last place). Finding the golden pen and eraser availed Tzuyu and Nayeon nothing as they both came out in the middle of the pack. After the seven in-betweeners had been chosen, it was down to Mina or Chayeoung for winner and loser. Did Chaeyoung score big on the last Rock, Paper, Scissors draw, or didn’t she? Turns out it was a No – she lost, Mina won. As my bias, I couldn’t be happier that Mina won. She had exuded a quiet, almost smug, confidence throughout the game. It’s almost AS IF SHE KNEW THE OUTCOME BEFORE THE END OF THE GAME! Again, how much scripting? As always, it was a fun, silly show. Hope it returns soon. And don’t worry, Chae: at least you went out fighting, living large. I’m proud of you!