Boys’ Love has definitely defied the restrictions set by the current pandemic which prompted most production houses to stop filming operations.
The recent surge of demand for Thai BL dramas during the earlier part of the year prompted local producers to take advantage of the expanding boys’ love market, allowing the onset of the Pinoy Boys’ love phenomenon.
2020 is definitely a Boys’ love year, as an overwhelming chunk of digital releases this year falls under the genre, and its massive success can be attributed largely to the possibility that stay-at-home audiences have been looking for fresh and new content as mainstream media opted to re-air old shows.
As the year nears its end, we take notice of all Pinoy BL releases in 2020 and to come up with this list.
1. Gameboys (IdeaFirst Company)
As government-imposed protocols immobilize local production units, most of the BL dramas that came out during the pandemic, practically mimic the events of the lockdown, with most of the new titles set during the pandemic.
Gameboys doesn’t only take the pandemic as its backdrop, it also mirrors how people communicate during these times when citizens’ aren’t allowed to get physically close with each other.
In Gameboys, the story of Gavreel (Kokoy de Santos) and Cairo (Elijah Canlas) is made possible by a fateful online encounter, which later on blossoms to a tender, sweet romance. Both de Santos and Canlas faced the same challenge of pulling off their roles with ease, given that its director, Ivan Andrew Payawal, delivered instructions virtually, and to the audiences’ surprise, the Gav and Cairo they were able to deliver are emotionally-rich and grounded in reality. Gav’s assertive and confident personality is perfectly embodied by de Santos, but his playful take on the character’s tight nuances, is what amplifies the charm the character already possesses, making it one of the most memorable BL characters ever introduced to Filipino audiences. Canlas’ streak of critically-acclaimed performances in film enabled him to transform Cairo to its most affectionate form, with his entire performance largely built upon moments of restraint.
2. Gaya Sa Pelikula (Globe Studios)
Gaya sa Pelikula is highly regarded as one of the most—if not the most—acclaimed boys’ love series of the year, and there are overwhelming merits to it. In a year where almost every sort of abnormality abounds, Gaya sa Pelikula’s charming effort to make what to most people looks anomalous, perfectly normal, imparts some much-needed sense of normalcy. At the heart of this Juan Miguel Severo-penned masterpiece, is a lovely tale of self-acceptance. I’m Drunk, I Love You director JP Habac beautifully navigates Severo’s exquisite exploration of a young man’s bid to confront devastating truths about his identity; and while it is common in series like this to feature characters who are coming to terms with their sexuality, Gaya Sa Pelikula’s articulate take on its subjects, provides a liberating testament to the universality of love. It creates a bubble that serves as a safe space to anyone who sees themselves in Karl and Vlad, but encourages them to courageously explore the world outside, at the same time.
Ian Pangilinan and Paolo Pangilinan are both lauded for their portrayal of their exceptionally-written characters. It must be Severo’s intent to place two completely different characters at the core of his story, and to the two Pangilinans’ credit, the Karl and Vlad they brought to life are as tangible as any two characters from the extreme ends of the character spectrum can be.
3. Oh Mando! (iWantTFC)
Mando, a discreet gay guy, takes the spotlight in ‘Oh Mando!’, ABS-CBN’s second entry to the exploding boys’ love genre. Kokoy de Santos plays the titular role, whose glaring difference from Gavreel (Gameboys) is as stark as black and white. De Santos, given with his inherent comic timing, pulls off Mando’s ever-shifting personalities, spot-on. There is magic in how he beautifully delivers the tight nuances of the character. But perhaps, the most important merit of Mando is its symbolic representation of viewers who, one way or another, can relate with his character.
4. Hello Stranger (Blacksheep)
Petersen Vargas’ maiden venture into boys’ love series, does not offer a fresh-take on the still young genre (in Philippine context, at least); it talks about young love, two equally attractive young characters are at the core of the story, and like most entries to the BL genre that came before it, homosexuality isn’t treated as a major complication in the plot. The two characters are made to play in a perfectly neutral society that has no strong disapproving judgment on two male characters being in love for each other.
Hello Stranger’s simplistic storyline perfectly matches its breezy and light tone. Each of the 20min-ish episodes maintains beautifully balanced amount of drama and romance, which primarily centers on the magical unraveling of the connection that its lead characters, Mico (JC Alcantara) and Xavier (Tony Labrusca), creates.
5. Quaranthings: The Series (RIDE OR DIE)
Ride or Die’s ‘Quaranthings: The Series’ often sad tone, sets itself apart from the usual breezy and lighthearted mood of the Boys’ love genre. While this is not the first time a series like this puts the usual BL motifs under tighter scrutiny, ‘Quaranthings’ impressive fashion of delving into its themes is an emotional delight and a breath of fresh air.
Quaranthings’ beautifully written script is sufficiently complemented by its two lead actors with outstanding performances. The series’ take on heavier societal themes that are rarely tackled in BL dramas, will excite and warm the hearts of faithful followers of the genre.
6. Boy’s Lockdown (Ticket2Me)
About cute boys in a cute story that feels like a summer teenage romance, ‘Boys Lockdown‘ is pretty inside out, teeming with not just visual treats but some quarantine lessons, too.
There are a bunch of things to admire in this Jade Castro-helmed series. It’s lovely, breezy, and tender. It is also beautifully shot in a nice and Instagram-worthy location that essentially defeats the challenges presented to filmmakers these days. Admirably, the series takes information dissemination about health and safety protocols too seriously that the first episode kind of feels a 20-minute DOH ad. People here are too nice and law-abiding to be true, but it’s still impressive because it makes it a great point without being too preachy. And the boys are fine-looking and can act really well, too.
7. BenXJim (Regal Entertainment)
Regal Entertainment Inc. doesn’t just have the enormous talent of Jerome Ponce and Teejay Marquez, and their beautiful rapport, to make BenXJim work. It also has a bracing story that most audiences won’t have difficulty relating to.
BenXJim has all the makings of the traditional boys’ love (BL) series － it’s light, breezy, doesn’t dwell too much on deeper societal issues, its complications largely mundane. On moments where the deeper themes of the plot are shed light upon, both Ponce and Marquez satisfyingly respond to the emotional requirements of their characters, their portrayal never less compelling.
8. In Between (USTVPH)
This series’ painfully slow pacing is satisfyingly compensated by magnificent lead actors who took on their roles beautifully. Miguel Villasis and Genesis Redido had difficulty establishing chemistry in the first few episodes, but the pace itself allowed their characters to be presented bare and relatably to the audience. Strong supports are also present to provide wonderful peripheral stories to the central plotline.
9. My Extra-Ordinary (Asterisk Digital Entertainment)
TV5’s maiden venture to Boys’ Love dramas is arguably juvenile, its take on intricate themes less anchored upon careful scrutiny, but more on carefree, less-worry understanding of issues that are naturally tackled with depth.
In ‘My Extra-Ordinary’, Enzo Santiago and Darwin Yu play lead roles that sit upon the extremes of any character spectrum － while Santiago’s Ken is lithe and confident, Yu’s Shake is burdened by his own timidity and possibly depressive tendencies － and to their credit, they do it pretty well.
Writer and composer Vincent De Jesus writes the script and the score for this heartwarming drama, his music lending the much needed confident edge to this tale of self-discovery and blossoming first love, which director Jolo Atienza, navigates at the helm, with a gentle, but effective maneuver.
10. My Day (Oxin Films)
My Dad’s arguably best highlight must be that one episode where lead characters Sky (Miko Gallardo) and Ace (Aki Torres) shared their viral kissing and bed scene, which may be the longest of its kind in boys’ love’s history. While this series is infested with formulaic plotlines, production value and the two leads’ chemistry provide a very satisfying compensation to tickle its viewers.
One of few early BL releases this year to not adopt a ‘pandemic’ theme for its plot, My Day is a charming fairytale-ish story with a lovely ending. A season 2 was previously announced but latest developments suggest that such won’t be any more pursued.
