Oh, Mando! (2020)

It had sooooo much more potential

I've been wanting to see this series for so long and finally watched it in one go.

I've been a fan of Kokoy Santos since the time i watched Gameboys and honestly, the boy does not disappoint. As much has he was the adorable, flirty and fun loving yet sentimental character in Gameboys, confident of his sexuality, in this one, he plays the polar opposite with equal aplomb.

The drama starts of well with him pining after the dreamboat Barry. And he's not alone. Anyone in his place would pine for the kid. He's so good looking. While he is confused about his own sexuality, he makes a mistake which most people do before they submit to their own feelings...he thinks he is in love with a girl. Or rather, he forces himself to fall in love with her. It does not help that she happens to be the sister of the very same Barry who he is pining for.

They have an affair behind her back and then what follows is the usual drama, crying, pain and separation. While one can argue about the graphs of the characters and why they did what they did and whether it was justified or not, i personally felt that it could have been handled in a more sensitive manner. The ending seemed too rushed and they tried to wrap it up to appease everyone who was watching it.

I felt really bad about the way Krisha (the female lead) was treated. There seemed to be no empathy for her at all. Her boyfriend and her brother jumped into each other's arms far too quickly with any actual development of their relationship. They went on behind her back, without much guilt, except towards the end.

May be, this was intended to be a longer series like Gameboys but suffered due to the pandemic...whatever the reason. Though, it is worth one watch because there are a few scenes which gave a lump in my throat and i felt for Mando quite a few times. His coming out to his father, his relationship with his mom and when he discloses that he is gay, to his girlfriend...brave boy...stuck alone, in a fearful situation. Worth one watch for our Gavreel!!!

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I liked this series a lot. It certainly had its flaws, but I think the strong points more than made up for that.

Pros: Unlike so much of the BL universe this is a highly professional production. Good sets, beautiful camera work (the scenes on the bridge) mostly top-quality actors who gave very good performances. Nice music. I'm glad they pushed through and completed it despite the pandemic and ABS-CBN's problems -- it would have been a shame to leave it uncompleted.

Another pro is the representation of various sexual minorities, which included very sympathetic depictions of their problems and struggles. It's great to see the mainstream media companies in the Philippines espousing these themes.

I liked the actors/representations of all the main characters. I thought Mando's father was a particularly good depiction of a man who has faced his own struggles and come out better (more accepting) for them. And the trans teacher was great. The only one I didn't really care for was the goofy friend. Such a repulsive stereotype!! (And such a clash with the values in the rest of the characters)

Cons: I didn't care for the "Rapunzel" sequences. Kokoy in a wig was neither sympathetic nor believable. (Maybe I'm biased because I'm a big fan of Kokoy, and those parts didn't show him off very well. The dramatic/struggle/humor scenes were much better for him than the fantasy bits.) I also didn't find the central premise very believable -- that Barry would profess to adore his sister while (figuratively) knifing her in the back and then say "oh no, don't tell because I can't hurt my loving sister." WTF?

I'd recommend giving this a watch, if you want to see how BL productions CAN look if they are done with the right professional inputs and resources. (The iWantTFC platform has various subscription options, and the basic is not expensive. Plus, when Hello Stranger the Movie comes out, it will also be featured on this platform.)

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So cute!!!!

If you're looking for a feel good BL that's easy to watch with pretty good acting and plot then look no further. I honestly couldn't stop smiling while watching this. The story itself isn't the most original but the great chemistry between the cast, hilarious interactions, and solid acting from both leads more than makes up for it. As with any series this isn't perfect and has a few corny/cliche moments that could have been executed better. One of them being a moment midway through the series where one of the supporting characters is caught with someone else. I cringed during that whole exchange however I quickly forgave and forgot as this series continuously bombards you with nonstop cuteness. Speaking of cute Barry Cruz is just too much to handle, I honestly couldn't wait till the camera would pan back over to him so I could stare at that pretty face and body a little longer lmboo, both him and Mando were very nice to look at and complimented each other well. Ok enough of that lol, but before I wrap this up I will say that Kokoy de Santos (Mando) is truly an underated actor. Loved him in Gameboys, Fuccbois and several other series/films, he always does a phenomenal job being able to handle a multitude of different characters and appearing very natural on camera. I hope he continues to excel and grow within the entertainment industry.

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I loved this! Must watch!

I mostly watch Thai BL, but stumbled across Gameboys last year and enjoyed it immensely. So I decided to try another Filipino BL story. I am so glad I watched this series. Like I mention a couple times below, this story hit home a quite a bit. Mando and I grew up in vastly different eras, different countries, and different cultures yet so much of this felt similar to what I went through growing up. So whoever wrote this probably was drawing from some personal experience here.

Just to get this out of the way, I think Alex Diaz and Kokoy de Santos are gorgeous. And they do a very good job acting for being somewhat newer actors, or at least somewhat newer lead actors. Kokoy in particular does a very good job with his emotions, and making everything seem very realistic. And good for him that he doesn't shy away from playing LGBT+ roles. Mando's coming out scene to his father felt very familiar to me, and was very authentic feeling. I was the same blubbering mess many ages ago. And kudos to Alex for embracing being out especially under the circumstances of his outing. I think both of these guys will go far in the industry if they want to.

In fact, all the actors and actresses did a pretty convincing job in this series, I am not sure I would have cast the series any other way. Even the antagonist girl role, Krisha, didn't annoy me like they sometimes do. And I while we are discussing Krisha, I am of the opinion she brought on most of the heartache herself. I feel a tiny bit sympathetic to how she found out about Mando and Barry, but she was so wrapped up in being a couple with Mando she missed every clue that was right in her face. She was pushy, and I think she pressured Mando a bit too much into the relationship. Again this was familiar to me, I had a "girlfriend" back in high school that did the same thing to me. I would have never dated her or even gave her a second thought if she hadn't been so assertive. And like Mando, I dated her to fit in and see what happened even though I knew I was gay. And I was just as uncomfortable as Mando was in the resort kissing scene with Krisha. If left on his own without Krisha's interference, I think Mando's story would have played out a lot differently. Mando and Barry probably would have had a more natural courting and dating experience. But hey, then we wouldn't have had this story!

The story itself is good, but I would have loved to see a couple more episodes as to go a bit deeper into things. It was a nice change of pace from the engineering student who trips, and ends up falling on and kissing the straight guy who is only gay for one person. This series does seem to leave a few things out here and there (Barry's mental health and recovery, and there is a whole Summer before the last scenes as a couple examples), but overall the pacing was very good. It keeps your attention thought. In many Thai series, they would have had 14 episodes of one hour each to tell this same story, so to get through this in 3 hours is pretty amazing. I would love to see a part 2, and have these the lead actors explore their relationship further.

I just wish that this and many other series were more readily available on Youtube or elsewhere for international audiences. I don't like using shady sites to watch these series, and would love to be able to watch on official sites so the production company and everyone else gets the views and revenue they deserve. But when they restrict viewing by region, or when they have no way to legally watch the content, it is very tempting to find somewhere else to watch. In the 21st century with the internet and the world in general being connected. I find it a very odd decision to limit your audience like many of these companies do.

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for me, OH MANDO depicts the reality of being a closeted gay in the country. It was all about Family, Friendship, brother and sister, betrayal, and Acceptance. The Actors portray the character well, especially Mando and barry every time they have moments together my habit of pausing turns on because my heart is beating fast. I was also amazed at their acting skills, especially when they get emotional and cries. You will also laugh hard because some scenes are really good.
They really did a good job, I don't have any problems with the story because just what I've said was a real situation in reality.
and the most important thing is that you will learn a lot of things in here from Mando, barry, their parents and from society.

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A Compromise Between a Fairy Tale and a Shakespearean Tragedy - Worth your time

(I made an account just to write reviews lol, so here's my first one.)

Spoiler-free part:
Whenever a series starts with some silly, weird, and just generally strange thing, like for example in this show, Mando dreams about how he's Rapunzel trapped in a tower and they do that overacting thing, I usually lose faith in the writing because it's usually just some throw-away gag to draw the local audience, and apparently piss off people like me-- But anyway, I was pleasantly surprised how relevant it was. If you like coherent stories that actually uses themes and narrative devices, then this is worth a shot. It's only 6 episodes long anyway. If you just like watching hot guys, then I definitely recommend it. Alex Diaz is so damn sexy here - he must have been bulking because he looks a bit bigger here than on Instagram - and episode 5 is a bit of a treat (I'm going to hell for saying that). Just beware that there are scenes of self harm and suicide as well.

Spoilers section:
I'm going to assume you've seen the show already.
This show is basically about how society fails LGBT people in the Philippines. I don't want to call any character here a villain because ultimately, societal pressures were the key driving force in all the conflict that happens.

Let's start off with the teacher: Mr Siwa, or rather Ms Siwa. She is transgender, but only found out later in life, and was ALMOST forced to quit by the school for her identity. Thankfully, she actually doesn't make any mistakes or anything. She's just sort of the iconic drama teacher. But I think her little bit of story is a nice addition to the themes at play and is worth mentioning.

Next, Mando, and by extension, his mother. In case it wasn't obvious, him being trapped in a tower was an allegory for being "in the closet". His hair being cut off by dream Krisha symbolized that he's cut off any way out of that closet by being with her. And of course, in the end, he did eventually escape the tower after he was fully out and accepting of himself.
The whole thing with Mando having a gay affair while being in a relationship with Krisha clearly mirrors his mother's very similar mistake as well, which Mando initially resented her for. The common denominator here IS societal pressure. Mando's mother was pressured by her parents, and so was Mando. This is pretty much the only reason I can understand what happened. I was a bit afraid that they were going to gloss over the affair, but nope. It was actually taken very seriously.
To be honest, with the affair, Barry was the most at fault. He was the one that made it happen. He could have just been like "Oh. But you're with my sister." and just left it there. I mean I get it, he just got through a breakup and he's lonely, but he REALLY should have known better. And he did at the end, begging his sister never to forgive him.

Now it's interesting that the play they perform is Romeo and Juliet, which is as much a tragedy as it is a romance. I guess you could say that the author wanted it to be both Shakespearean in nature but also a fairy tale - instead of people dying to settle the karma, people continue living and forgive each other, and Mando and Barry even try to start over. And tbh, I can't think of a reason why not since conflict only happened because of society. If Mando had known his true self from the start, then there would have been no drama.

But anyway that's just my thoughts on it. I don't think I'm 100% accurate in the interpretations but all I can say is that I did enjoy watching it, and I'm sad it was so short.

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Super cute BL

This is a short series but I felt satisfied. The production quality was good, plot cute, writing pretty good and acting okay. Had some drama but not too over the top. As in many BL the girlfriend is so over the top vicious and this is not the case so it doesn't necessarily fall into a lot of the BL themes going around. Definitely a coming out and growth story told in a unique way. Mondo is super cute and the other male lead is hot. I overlooked some of the tackiness for a cute love story. I did re-watch it as it's short and satisfying. Will put a smile on your face.

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Poised to be one of the greatest BLs of all time! Why? Keep reading.

No scene in Oh, Mando! episode one is boring or unnecessary. The entire first episode was entertaining and well-paced with every scene establishing the characters while moving the narrative forward! Some of the best supporting characters are Vince (one of Armando's two best friends) and the teachers (one in the dorm and one who is the leader of the drama club): spicy, sassy, funny, and confident! This is great because some teachers that I've seen in both Pinoy and Thai BL have been abysmal.

Oh, Mando! is funny, yet touching with real depth in the storytelling and powerful visual symbolism; one example would be the scenes when Mando is wearing a facial mask.

I LOVE the fact that we know Mando's feelings from the very first episode and that it seems that his feelings are requited, so no waiting over weeks for the main protagonists to finally get around to the ridiculous, yet common, "What is this feeling? Why is my heart beating so fast?" scene.

But, it is just as clear that there will be several believable and understandable (as opposed to melodramatic, artificial and unnecessary) obstacles they will have to overcome before they can find their way to each other. The fun will be in watching HOW they accomplish that.

I have watched SCENES and partial episodes from BLs several times, but to watch ENTIRE episodes from start to finish? Nope, not really.

Until Oh, Mando, that is. That is because EVERY scene is worth watching. There are no long, drawn out scenes to get through while you wait for the couple to realize their feelings for each other and then FINALLY get together. Yet, the story doesn't move too fast and the predicaments they face are real. There is credible tension and anticipation with a huge dose of humour! Honestly, some of those scenes made me laugh out loud! I don't think I will hear the word 'fishball' again without chuckling. (I don't speak Tagalog, but honestly, I keep hearing Kokoy de Santos saying "...fishball ko" in my head, and I just start laughing.)

The only criticism I have about this hopefully soon-to-be historic BL is the production company's decision to only make it available on iWantTFC. I think this could be one of the most popular BLs of all time if they used a platform like YouTube, or at the very least GagaOOLala, so that subscribers would have access to a lot more content for their money. Using these platforms (especially YouTube) would create more buzz on social media promoting the series, the director, and the actors far more widely, and can really act as a career boost and serious cost-free promotion for the drama, especially through reaction videos. I am hoping that they will change this in the near future so that Oh, Mando! can get the international fan support and recognition it truly deserves!

Looking forward with GREAT anticipation to episode 2!


Prediction and POSSIBLE SPOILER:

I noticed that Risha and Barry share the same surname: Cruz.
I know by watching the credits in lots of Pinoy BL's that 'Cruz' is a relatively common name, but I have to wonder if this means that they might be siblings or otherwise closely related (cousins?).

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Oh, la bonne surprise !

C'est par hasard que j'ai trouvé cette petite série, ma foi fort sympathique et c'est avec surprise que j'ai pu constater qu'en seulement 6 petits épisodes ont pouvait raconter autant de choses.

Le rythme n'est ni trop lent, ni trop rapide, juste comme il faut et les épisodes s'avalent à la vitesse où on enfournerait des marshmallows sucrés dans sa bouche, c'est dire la vitesse avec laquelle j'ai dévoré la série.

Ce que j'ai vraiment aimé dans cette série c'est que ça forme un tout avec de nombreuses choses : il y a du fantastique avec la vision onirique des acteurs, du comique avec les situations mises en scène, de l'émotion avec les histoires de triangle amoureux et d'amour qui se déchire et surtout de l'amour, de l'amour, de l'amour ! Des petites scénettes qui se développent sur un fond de prise de positions pour la lutte en faveur de l'égalité des droits de la communauté LGBTQ+.

En bref, cette petite série qui ne ressemblent pas à grand chose au premier abord, je pense que chacun peut y trouver un trésor d’intérêt car elle nous touche tous sur un point ou un autre.

Maintenant, à vous de vous faire votre avis.

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