PROBABLY THE FIRST WELL-MADE FILIPINO BL WEB SERIES

I was surprised when I see this on YouTube. I know there were Filipino BL indie-web-series already, but this one is so far the highest quality. Let's say, first of this quality. Kokoy and Elijah are great actors too and they just nailed the first ep. It's refreshing to see a different format and it's very timely and appropriate during lockdown. This kind of production need our support. Their a small and starting company. And YT is the only media we can use to get away from the Philippine TV outdated and discriminating views against LGBTQ+. Let's support this - the more views they get, the more sponsorship are drawn. Meaning longer and more episodes, plus better production that we can catch up with Thailand. Anyhow, this support is worth it anyway.

Let me tell you this, Filipinos have been very open to the LGBTQ+ community, but not as much for the mainstream entertainment (probably would censor it a lot). Sad to say, conventional views of the religion (Christianity) still influences how the society thinks. Gays are often portrayed as funny and clowns in the mainstream media and comedy shows. And yes, we also have gay indie movies. However, they are often expected to be erotic, depressing, dark, prostitution-related and violent at times (I get it since they tackle issues realistically. Also, they get the best drama and acting from it that potentially gets international recognition). It's unlike many Thai BL dramas that shows light in the issue, tackles family and friends, acceptance and happy endings - especially for teenagers (who are coming of age) who have the most troubles about learning their sexuality and coming out.

The first episode is promising and it has a lot of potential to catch up with Thai BL dramas not to mention the production value... I just hope that  instead of showing the depressing side of BL / LGBTQ+, why not give more hope to love and to life. A happy ending that we need. Also, I hope for a better quality both settings and cinematography.

Many thank to Shinshinshin for this insight into emerging BL series in the Philippines. I have just watched the first two episodes of Gameboys and I find it absolutely delightful, not only entertaining but very interesting from the point of view of the interaction of the two guys in a very strange and specific context, i.e. lockdown. I shall be watching this "religiously", so to speak... haha.

As a mature European, I can only say that I wish we had had more of these series on TV when we were young. I am not saying I had a bad time owing to their absence in my youth, but it is clear that this kind of visibility and representation, in what seems to me to be everyday normality, must be a clear source of support for young people who are slowly understanding and coming to terms with their sexuality and coming out. Let's hope this is the start of something  strong and supportive.

Of all the currently airing pinoy BLs, I believe Gameboys is the best. Production values, acting and script are all a notch above everything else.

Sakristan was TERRIBLE. I can't believe how they butchered the ending.

Gameboys is probably not only the best BL currently airing from the Phillipines but the best BL airing at the moment and the best BL that has aired in 2020.

 reefpicker:

Of all the currently airing pinoy BLs, I believe Gameboys is the best. Production values, acting and script are all a notch above everything else.

Sakristan was TERRIBLE. I can't believe how they butchered the ending.

Gameboys is probably not only the best BL currently airing from the Phillipines but the best BL airing at the moment and the best BL that has aired in 2020.

There's not really been any truly great ones from Thailand this year. They've mostly been just average IMO, although the Shipper so far as been very solid.  2019 was a much better year for BL's. But we still have a few more months  to go,  and I hope this one ends as well as it's been so far. I'd love for Philippines to be seen producing top-notch BL's rivaling Thailand and Taiwan.  I'm still also hopeful for A Tale of Thousand Stars, In My Mind, and Oxygen making 2020 end strong. 

If nothing proved it the argument in ep.12 has sealed it that this is some of the best acting in and Asian drama for 2020.

Well said, agree 100%

I agree with the above. I cried a couple of times during the last 2 episodes but what took me by surprise was crying when they kiss... I mean, what kind of tears are this? LOL I know they are happy tears but no other BL has made that happen for me, at least not during a kissing scene.

So a couple of things that I think make a case for this being The Best BL of 2020 so far and one of the Best BLs ever:

1) Episode 7. The honesty of the acting in that episode from EVERYONE involved was amazing. I cried for at least a good 30 minutes after I watched it every time I tried to say something about the show... It was like I typed, and I had to wipe tears off my face. It was so emotional.
2) The kiss at the end of episode 13. That was just... magical. Beautiful! I will say hetero or gay, that's one of the, if not the, most beautiful and honest kiss I have seen. It was also well placed in the show. In other words, the timing was perfect. It felt like a kiss was needed right there, not before and not after that scene.
3) The acting..... I was thinking about this and I will say this without shame, Elijah Canlas is a master of his craft and if he worked in Thailand he would be up there with Fluke, Ohm and Gun in terms of acting ability. He would be signed up to GMMTV pretty much right now. Kokoy is not too far behind. The fight scenes between them felt so real that I felt a bit uncomfortable watching, like you do when two people are fighting and you want to leave the room because you feel like you shouldn't be there? LOL
4) The directing was so good. Think about it: We had a novel format but almost never felt lost in it. We got immersed in the lives of the characters. This is really hard to do. Also, this guy was able to direct his actors via zoom/skype. I mean, c'mon!
5) The script was very good at blurring the line between BL and queer cinema. This show is a good blend of both, with queer characters who facing queer issues, like coming out or telling your parents about your new boyfriend, the jealousy a first boyfriend feels when he realizes his ex had a girlfriend, and the jealousy so unique to gay relationships of having to deal with other same-sex friends. It was all there and so well done, yet it keep the BL fantasy element. It felt like a true BL and yaoi fantasy of two boys coming together for the sake of love.

Did I missed something?

So bottom line, best Filipino BL, YES. Best BL of 2020, still pending but so far YES. Top 5 BL ever, YES for now.

 Ianto:

And I think I agree almost totally with you as well on all those points. Certainly, best of anywhere so far this year. As for top 5, I probably think so, but you will have to give me time to think about it.... And we almost agree on top 3 Thai actors, we almost have the same top triumvirate, but I really need to add Saint in there. I think in my mind, Ohm and Fluke would have to fight it out for top places, while Saint and Gun would fight it out for the bronze medal, but it is such a close call for all four of them. As for Elijah, I agree, he is up there with them. When he learnt that his father had passed away, the whole world collapsed and Elijah is this year's nominee for the best BL acting Oscar !!

In any case, this was the real pacesetter for 2020 !!

OMG, yes, there needs to be a BL Oscars. I was just thinking how much I want the writer of this show to win some awards, but I have no idea if major awards pay attention web series, and especially a BL web series, but this has been so good I hate for it to go unrecognized.