Pinoy BL Series
Thailand
Safe Haven is a Filipino (Pinoy) boys' love (BL) series comparable to Truly Very Yours and Even After in terms of duration (around 10 minutes per episode). Like Even After, it's also a do-it-yourself (DIY) series. But unfortunately, Safe Haven paled in comparison with these two similarly low-budget series with respect to plot, performance, and production. Judging from Episode 1: Cat and Dog, this series seemed to have a very simple plot that uses the much overused enemies to lovers trope. While this trope is not intrinsically bad, there's nothing in this pilot episode that would suggest something new. Yes, this episode alluded to gender-based discrimination in the workplace but it came across as superficial. If it's any consolation, screenplay was realistic enough. Acting performance of the lead cast needs a lot of improvement. They were overacting at times. There were also big unnecessary hand gestures that were really distracting. Audio wasn't that clear. Camera work and the quality of shots were pedestrian. And editing gave a school project vibe. Overall, this series needs a lot of work if it wants to be taken seriously. I don't expect it to become a Gameboys or a Hello Stranger all of a sudden. Working within its limited resources, it just needs to find ways to improve.
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Kumusta Bro? Episode 5
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A lot of things happened on Episode 5: Confessions Overload. This episode was still generally dragging because of its live and interactive format but at least there was a bit more dynamism in its camera work, acting, and screenplay and there was progression in its plot/storyline. While I've seen comparable real-life revelations in similar social media and streaming platforms, making parts of this episode realistic enough, I must say that I've never really enjoyed watching those live confessions -- which were most probably partly orchestrated anyway. I've always felt awkward knowing that not everyone involved fully consented to having their personal lives revealed in public. So while watching the last scene when Cerwin divulged that he's the ex-boyfriend of both Thirdy and Dean, I really felt weird. I hope there's more to this series than this tangled web of love and relationship among the main characters. Because if this is just about it, with nothing more relevant to say, this series will likely go down for me as among the worst Filipino (Pinoy) boys' love (BL) series ever produced.
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In my most recent episode review of My Day, I applauded the series for featuring a Filipino Visayan language; and now comes In Between which did the same in its Episode 6: Simula. Having at least two Filipino (Pinoy) boys' love (BL) series showcasing a Filipino language other than the Filipino Tagalog language is a contribution to recognizing diversity in the Philippines. But that's not even the best part of this episode. The best parts of this episode were the cheesy yet cute and sweet moments between Tau and Otep and between Nin and Makisig. Another good scene was Tau and Otep's phone conversation with Otep's supportive parents. This episode really felt like a new beginning given last week's resolution of the conflict between Tau and Otep and this week's introduction of Nin and Makisig's relationship. This was a good episode with nothing much to frown about (except maybe those irritating fillers that I've learned to tolerate by now). The challenge for this series is to keep the audience continuously engaged in the next episodes. The narratives revolving around the introduction of Nin and Makisig's relationship and the revelation about Otep's three-month relationship might do just that.
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Episode 3: Family Ties was such a good episode -- Hook Up's best so far! Because this episode discussed about family, it was so relatable. Our family ties: we love them but we also hate them at times. They can be demanding like Henry's mother but also supportive like Mark's aunt. One of the best things about this episode was that it was able to provide some character backgrounds for both Henry and Mark. We now know more about Henry and Mark after this episode. Screenplay [with shout outs to the different Filipino (Pinoy) boys' love (BL) series] was golden! There were also a lot of cute and sweet dialogues. The inspiring lines didn't go overboard and avoided being preachy. Sure, JC's acting needs improvement but for a newbie, he was alright. But whatever his shortcomings were, he made up for singing in this episode. He has such a good singing voice! By the way, I took note that Mark played Mobile Legends (ML) with a certain Kevin. Does this mean we'll also get to see Wex in Hook Up? Hook Up was said to be related somewhat somehow to Truly Very Yours where Wex portrayed Kevin. In Truly Very Yours, Marky was also Mark and Dana was also Des. I'd love to see Kevin in Hook Up but I'll probably be torn on who I would like Mark to end up with -- Kevin or Henry? Henry's also an endearing character like Kevin. Time for ML -- ML is life! Till next week, Hook Up!
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Chukchuk is the star of this series, lol! All the dogs were super adorable! Chukchuk needs to improve his acting though; there were times when he lost attention while all the drama was happening around him, lol! But jokes aside, I liked Episode 2. There were still problems but there were also noticeable improvements especially in terms of acting and audio. Aki still needs to show range in his acting but his performance in this episode was better than in the pilot episode. He was irritating as Ace. While I don't condone what the restaurant manager and waiter did to his chicken, part of me thought Ace got exactly what he deserved. Audio quality was clearer and more even in this episode. The more I watch My Day, the more I realize it's really soapy (akin to soap operas) which is not bad per se. It just means I need to temper my expectations especially with regards to realism and relatability because it's really like a Filipino drama series (teleserye) (with its rich and poor/middle class characters fall in love with each other trope). But My Day did depart from most Filipino teleseryes in terms of language. Similar to its pilot episode, this episode showcased a Filipino Visayan language which is usually not the case for most Filipino teleseryes which are mostly in Filipino Tagalog (with a mix of English) language. Other Filipino languages deserve to be featured in Filipino (Pinoy) boys' love (BL) series! Kudos to My Day for promoting a Filipino Visayan language! All in all, I enjoyed this episode. Just a final note: why were there lots of chocolate flavored food in Chukchuk's party? Chocolates are bad for dogs, lol!
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Yes, I know the production's not that good and the script's cheesy but I really find this series cute and funny. Episode 4 introduced Zirgo. In this episode, we found out that's it's not the female character Zebbie who's the antagonist to the ZigZag relationship but it might actually be the newly introduced character Zirgo. But the most important reveal in this episode was that Zig's actually developing feelings for Zag. The stuffed toy was a nice gesture. Editing still needs improvement (still a lot of dead air and long pauses) but all and all, this was a good episode.
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There were a lot of confusion with the release of the pilot episode of Amore especially regarding airing schedule and the number of parts per episode. The initial release of the first part of Episode 1: First Sem, supposedly Part 1 of 2, was behind schedule last Friday, then immediately after its airing, it was taken down both on Facebook and Youtube, only to be posted again hours later as Part 1 of 3 with unclear release schedule for Part 2 of 3 and Part 3 of 3. Part 2 of 3 aired on schedule last Sunday. Part 3 of 3 was supposed to be released this Friday but it aired today, two days ahead of schedule. Another reason for the first part to be taken down was its issues with editing. A weird “Media Offline” was shown in between the last two scenes of the first part when it was first uploaded that were edited out with the reupload. While the second and third parts didn’t have the same problem, they still suffered from very poor editing. To say that the launch of the series was problematic is an understatement. The plot/storyline of Amore, said to be based on a true story, was interesting though. There were unrealistic scenes like Madam Tusha forgetting about her nephew and there were unnecessary and unnatural dialogues that used purist Tagalog (Filipinos nowadays don’t talk that way anymore). Acting was quite uneven among the cast members. Erwin, Drei, Jules, Ivan, and Petite were alright, not outstanding, but were generally ok during the pilot episode. Erwin’s Joey was endearing enough that’s why it was believable that the boys like him. But the rest of the support cast needs improvement on their acting. The portrayals of women and gays were problematic in the pilot episode. Based on the credits, the cast members also include controversial vlogger Buknoy who has been called out for being elitist (search #BuknoyBasura to get an idea about the controversy). Frankly, I don’t understand why she’s continuously given a platform. In terms of production value, even with plenty of people working on the series (check out the credits), Amore was below average. Audio was really bad. There were times when they seem to be speaking from their graves. Camera work and lighting were patchy. And as already mentioned, editing was very poor. With all these, will I stick around for the next episode? Just for the interesting plot/storyline, my curiosity on who Joey end up with, and in support of the series’ budding actors, I think I will.
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Kumusta Bro? Episode 4
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I got really bored with Episode 4: Three-Ang-Gulo (Trianggulo). Kumusta Bro? had become tiresome already. It didn't help that in this episode, Berdy vs. Thirdean wasn't exciting enough. Neither was the Super Fan Girlie reveal compelling. The plot/storyline was just too simple to pique my interest. The screenplay sounded repetitive. Acting performance and chemistry among the actors were at its lowest. Low energy all around! I'm seriously considering dropping this live and interactive series. Maybe I'll just wait for its full narrative series? But if the plot/storyline is the same, I don't see why I should watch the full narrative series as well. Let's see how I would feel next week.
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Talk about character development! I liked the fact that Des apologized to Mark Lee for what she did. Pressuring someone to declare their gender identity or sexual preference and in the process, forcing them to out themselves is never acceptable. Making assumptions based on stereotypes is also never good. It's admirable that Des realized she's wrong and apologized for her mistake. While gestures like these may look small, they actually make a difference for a lot of LGBTQ+ teens. She even gave him condoms and a vibrator, lol! Episode 2: Callationship was all about rationalizing why young people like Henry and Mark Lee use a dating app such as the fictional Findr. The conversations between Henry and Mark Lee were cute but needed some editing (there were dead air). There were some shirtless scenes (alluding to some sort of sex, lol) but I felt awkward watching them because the actors seemed too young, lol! There was a product placement for baked sushi that I'm still not used to for Pinoy boys' love (BL) series. The cliffhanger for next week (possible meet-up) was also ok. Altogether, this was a good episode.
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Episode 1 didn't suck! Lol! That's a relief since I was very hopeful about this series especially after they released their official trailer. In terms of production, it was at least at par with Gameboys and Hello Stranger (maybe even better since My Day didn't have to navigate through the pandemic during much of their shooting). Budget-wise, it's almost akin to a Filipino drama series (teleserye). Expensive-looking set designs, product placements, and the long list of people in the credits illustrated just how well-funded this series is. Although formulaic, the plot/storyline was still interesting enough. Some dialogues though didn't sound natural. Miko's acting performance was generally ok. The same can be said of all those who portrayed members of Sky's family. Aki needs improvement though. There were times when he appeared too eager (scenes with Miko) and there were times when his acting was totally flat (scenes with Leilani Kate). The other support cast also need improvement. I didn't like the stereotypical depiction of the bitchy girlfriend and the comic relief effeminate gays -- I'm so tired of such characterizations! There was also some sort of colorism when Ken and Jam promoted and used whitening products. Chukchuk's adorable! Aki and Sky's chemistry needs work. Both are very handsome, obviously. I'm just not yet convinced they complement each other. But we'll see in the next episodes. Audio quality was uneven. The OSTs especially "Hindi Ako Bibitaw" by Paul Ramirez were ok. Overall, the series looked promising.
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With In Between, I've learned to tolerate all the unnecessary fillers. There were a lot to like in Episode 5: Magbalik. Otep admitting to his mother Sandra that he "loved a person who is also a man," while not as powerful as Cairo admitting to his mother Leila that he's "gay," was still a beautiful scene. Sandra also said "Love is a complex thing. And we are allowed to love who we want to love." How I wish all mothers are like Leila and Sandra! Genesis' acting was also good in this episode. Of course, the kissing scene was one of the major highlights of this episode. I guess my only major issue with this episode was that it still subscribed to the usual boys' love (BL) internalized homophobia and queerness denial as exemplified by Tau's response to Nin when the latter said "I cannot believe that you actually like boys." To which Tau said, "Not exactly. It's just Otep. Otep is different." But overall, I still liked this episode and I'm excited to know more about Makisig who was shown during the post-credits.
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While this series lacked a lot in terms of quality of production and performance, I still found it very watchable. Episode 3 had cute and funny dialogues. I found the banter between Zag and Zig comical. I was also amused with the awkwardness of the conversation with Zebbie -- maybe because I'm able to relate with Zag? While I don't think I'm effeminate like Zag (so I guess it's less obvious, lol), I was at the receiving end of those types of confessions and proposals in the past. Like Zag, I just wanted to say "Girl, I don't think I'm into girls!" Lol. That scene really made me laugh. Will Zebbie get in the way of the budding (at least in Zag's mind) ZigZag relationship? I'll definitely watch the next episodes to find out.
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Hello Stranger Episode 7
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Episode 7: Hello, Truth! had nicely set-up the finale. This episode put to a close the school requirement of interpreting and dramatizing Benilda S. Santos' poem "Sa Kasintahang Nilimot Na." I will miss Miss Tina Moran -- she's definitely THE mood! The dramatization scene perfectly showcased JC's acting. In terms of acting, this is JC's strongest episode yet. On the other hand, Tony, undoubtedly the most popular Filipino (Pinoy) boys' love (BL) actor, was quite underwhelming in the dramatization scene. He was ok though during the opening scene when he, JC, and Gillian admirably portrayed the awkwardness of the situation. Since the school requirement's done, what's left needing closure are the relationships and characterizations in this series. Will XavMi end up together? How will Crystal be treated? Will KaiSeth's relationship show more progress? And will Junjun have his own spin-off series entitled "Hello, Junjun!"? Lol. We'll have to wait a bit longer for the finale which was rescheduled to August 16 (advanced screening) and August 19 (regular airing) instead of August 12. By the way, what do you think will happen on August 12?
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Kumusta Bro? Episode 3
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The last couple of days I tried to acquaint myself with the Kumu app in the hopes of appreciating a live and interactive series like Kumusta Bro?. But while I enjoyed the app [I watched the streams of some of the Filipino (Pinoy) boys' love (BL) actors], I still found it difficult to fully appreciate this series because of all the built-in distractions. Kumusta Bro? was made a bit interesting though with the entry of Dean in Episode 3: SAMbody 2 Luv. I found it hard to believe that Thirdy couldn't remember Dean, his high school schoolmate and 4th year high school classmate. Thirdy's younger than me but I can remember all my classmates from high school! Maybe it's just me? Dean's character is stalkerish yet also endearing in a weird way. Despite the mostly cheesy lines, I think Allen was able to portray the nervous Dean well. Bench was obviously jealous in an irritating way. Will Dean really get in the way of the Berdy ship? Well, that's for next week. Hopefully, they'll make the next episode a little bit more interesting.
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I understand the frustrations on having two parts per episode. I think it has to do with maximizing the number of views and therefore, income for this series. So while I also hate it, I'm generally ok with it. But I totally agree with other commenters that fillers should be reduced! In any case, Episode 4: Kasagutan is my favorite In Between episode yet. The reason for the Tau-Otep break-up in Episode 1 was explained in this episode. Just for context for non-Filipinos, the Philippines was colonized by the US for almost 50 years and a lot of Filipinos still look at getting American citizenship as very important. Acceptance from friends, particularly Nicole, was shown in this episode. Dialogues were more natural and realistic in this episode. And the cast were all good in this episode. Migs (Tau), who I've liked since Episode 1, acted so well in this episode. So yes, minus the irritants (fillers), this was certainly a good episode. I'm excited to know what happens next to Tau-Otep's relationship as well as the roles of the new cast (Lance Justin Carr and Kimson Tan).
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