Hanging Out (2016)

This series strays from you typical BL fan service drama and instead focus on the point of view on what it’s like to be a gay millennial in The Philippines.

For reference, the Philippines is a predominantly Christian/ Catholic country with the older generations being more traditional sided. This show, however, cleverly tackles issues within the gay community with the point of view of millennials so topics such as hookup apps, HIV scares, and much more are cleverly woven into each 12 minute episodes like vignettes to portray an overarching image of love, lust, and life.

Another strong point of the series are the two main characters. The chemistry brought by the actors and the contrast between the characters produce a personal romance that viewers can relate and identify with. Sometimes the show just shows them talking for the whole episode, but it’s scenes like these that develop the differing characters and gives the audience an idea on where each opposing side is coming from.

The music is great! It has a modern indie pop vibe that goes well with the setting and the mood of the show. My personal favorite is the closing track “twenty years from now” that plays like a dance number but has lyrics that reflect upon the situation between the two main characters! (Seriously, it’s catchy af and quite unfortunate that the shows version isn’t on Spotify :/ )

I didn’t really have a problem with the acting but most of the side characters are a bit underused so it’s kind of hard to see their full potential! For example, there’s a straight character that has no significance in the show. I would have really liked for the show to have expanded on the idea of a straight man with a group of gays a bit more.

Overall, this show isn’t your typical Lovey-Dovey BL cheese feast but instead puts LGBT issues to the forefront with the point of view of millennials within a country with an unconventional social environment.

Read More

This was SO good!!!!

I had no idea what to expect with this. I discovered it by watching Gameboys and it being a recommendation, so I went in blind. It was one of the best bay shows I've seen in ages. I could relate to every experience. This was actual gays characters, not your typical BL. Everything about this rang true. I've had friends like every character in the series and I liked that it didn't revolve around one storyline. There was a common thread, but we've all been there. Meeting friends and then getting introduced to a whole new circle of friends. My only very minor complaint was with the main character. He was all over the place with how he behaved and I had no idea what his motivation really was. With that said, I liked every character in it and everything about them. I wish this had more episodes though. I would loved it if they had a follow up, just to see where these characters had progressed. I liked so much about this and was almost tempted to rewatch it the next day. I want my partner to watch it so I am waiting to watch it with him hopefully soon.

Read More