Netflix’s Thai horror series, Don’t Come Home, uses the plot device of time travel to present a nuanced, moving account of motherhood through three leading female characters and their struggle to bear with the responsibilities towards their children in a society that is essentially a vessel for patriarchy. A particular sci-fi twist in the series contributes to a complex identity crisis, which accentuates the maternal woes even further, which is well reflected by the compelling acting by the lead trio. While their performances anchor the emotional foundation of the story, the supporting characters do an exceptional job creating the mystery-thriller vibe the series aimed to convey.
Varee Portrayed by Nune Woranuch Bhirombhakdi
Actor Nune Woranuch Bhirombhakdi has previously starred in the acclaimed Thai romantic drama Midnight My Love, and she is an extremely popular face in Thai small-screen ventures. In Don’t Come Home, Nune Woranuch plays the role of Varee, a distraught mother trying to escape her sordid past in order to turn a new page in her life along with her daughter, Min. Tormented by her abusive husband, Varee had decided to take a stand for herself as she left with Min to return to her ancestral house. At the same time, Varee is affected by a sense of guilt, as she had unwittingly traumatized Min for life in her efforts to save herself from her husband. Varee is revealed to have had a strong relationship with her late mother, Panida, and notably, she never mentions her father. Much later, when the truth about her identity comes to light, the troubling reason is revealed. Her ancestral place, which she considered to be her safe haven, turns out to be a hellscape in disguise as she gets separated from Min, and the duo end up in the past. Varee is revealed to be the adult version of Min, whom Panida had raised as her own daughter after the death of her own biological daughter—the original Varee. Which means Yutthachai, adult Min’s husband, is also her father—and this twisted familial connection emphasizes Min’s misery. At the end, Min is forever doomed to be tormented in a temporal loop, getting abused by her husband, taking refuge in a family home, getting trapped in the past, and being killed by her own grandmother. Her identity also provides a new meaning to the notion of self-care, as adult Min was essentially trying to protect the younger version of herself throughout the series.
With the world against her, Min finds a few moments of peace as she finds a kindred spirit in Inspector Fah, an expectant mother who can relate to her traumatic past and plight as a single mother. Ultimately, it is through the brief connection they share that the inspector is able to untangle the mystery of Min’s identity, but by then it has become too late for her, and Fah cannot help her to break the cycle of torment.
Inspector Fah, portrayed by Pear Pitchapa Phanthumchinda
Actor Pear Pitchapa is a well-known face on the Thai small screen, and her portrayal of the hard-boiled, world-weary Inspector Fah is definitely the standout performance in Don’t Come Home. The reason Fah is able to relate to Varee/Adult Min so easily is because she is all too familiar with the reality where the subjugation of women is seen as the norm. Varee had made a terrible choice in finding a life partner in her abusive husband, Yuttachai, and similarly, Fah made a mistake in trusting Superintendent Danai to be the father of her child, as his façade of a caring expectant father falls off soon enough, as he is revealed to be a cheating, lecherous jerk. No wonder Yuttachai and Danai are so close; birds of a feather flock together anyway. Fah is extremely capable on her own and doesn’t rely on anyone with the responsibilities for her child, and even before Danai’s truth is revealed, she knew that she had chosen the wrong person given how Danai remained content giving verbal assurances without actually being active in assisting her. But the biggest blow to Fah’s morale came from her alcoholic, wife-beater of a father, who didn’t think twice to slutshame her when Fah called out his filthy mentality. Fah’s personal experiences drove her to seek justice for adult Min, but at the end, despite solving the case, she is filled with a sense of hopelessness and despair, given Min was beyond her help. Fah made the wisest decision at the end by getting out of the toxic environment and taking her newborn son away to raise him with a better, more humane perspective.
Panida Portrayed By Cindy Bishop
Actor Cindy Sirinya Bishop has also had a prolonged career in Thai small-screen ventures, and in Don’t Come Home, she portrays the role of Varee’s mother, Min’s grandmother, Panida. A darker, melancholic shade of motherhood is represented through Panida’s character, who goes to terrible lengths to almost forcibly assume the role of Min’s mother once the little kid accidentally gets stranded in the past. Panida is burdened with the guilt of failing as Varee’s mother; naturally, when destiny gives her a chance to become Min’s guardian, she is beyond delighted to readily assume the role. However, when adult Min arrives to claim her daughter, Panida’s life is thrown into disarray. Despite being well aware of the fact that she should let Min reunite with her own mother, an insidious desperation takes over Panida’s mind in the form of maternal instincts. Panida becomes so cruel that she doesn’t even hesitate to keep adult Min captive, and eventually murders her. As a result, the true horror turns out to be a mother tormenting another mother to death, without knowing that they both share a familial connection. The tragic realization hits Panida much later in her life, when Min has grown up, but by then—it’s too late. Panida died with the knowledge that she herself doomed her granddaughter, even though Yuttachai had a more nefarious part to play in that regard.
Miscellaneous Characters
Aside from the three brilliant female lead characters, Don’t Come Home boasts a pretty strong supporting cast as well. Tui Thiraphat Sajakul played the role of adult Min’s husband, Colonel Yutthachai, whose toxic, abusive behavior bolstered by the power of political and military connection truly makes him the antagonist of the feature. Dai Pathit Pisitkul played the role of cunning Superintendent Danai, who lulled even someone as sharp as Fah with the false promise of care, whereas he is no better than Yuttachai himself—and reasonably, these two are close friends. Top Sahatchai Chumrum played the role of Uncle Natee, and along with Pariit Thimthong’s Tae, these two characters were only men in the narrative who weren’t devious or morally corrupted. Japan Ploypaphas Fonkaewsiwaporn played the role of young Min, and she went beyond what can be generally expected from a five-year-old child actor.
