This review may contain spoilers
Best BL of 2020
I can't tell you how many times this came through my youtube suggestions for me to watch and I refused to click on it. The truth is, I accidentally clicked on it, got comfortable during the ad and was too lazy to get up and change it. I'm so happy I was lazy that day. I then spent the rest of the day, binge watching to catch up, then freaking out every time I had to wait for a new episode.
Let's get this out of the way. If you're looking for a show with heavy skinship, this is not it. The characters didn't meet face to face until almost the end of the series. They didn't hug or touch until the VERY end. So you might be asking why I love this series so much. Well, I'll explain.
What GAMEBOYS have is a well written story, cast who are genuinely friends and wanted to make an amazing drama and beautiful music. It is obvious by the way they act, they way they seem to carry each other, the way each actor portrays the character their given with such elegance and talent.
You guys know me and I'm big on the chemistry. Not necessarily the skinship (which can be nice if done well), to me, the characters don't have to kiss, ever or even touch. I'm big on the way characters look at each other, they way they talk to each other, they way they act around each other. Kokoy (Gav) and Elijah (Cai) were the definition of chemistry. Even though the characters didn't mean due to the pandemic, there was a way they talked to each other and the expressions on their faces that showed Cai and Gav slowly falling in love--well showed Gav falling deeper in love with his crush Cai. The sweetness he handled Cai with, the soft way he says "baby" and the way Gav was strong, even when he knew there was nothing he could do for Cai but be there on that screen.
The scene where Cai was in pain about his father showed the talent in Kokoy because his character seemed so helpless and afraid and angry because he couldn't just run to Cai and hold him and make everything better.
GAMEBOYS is leaps and bounds ahead of all the BLs released this year (Even with Manner of Death coming). There's an emotional aspect to this one that no other BL has ever managed to put forth.
Great job Philippines on writing this and putting it out in the world.
I have to mention the secondary characters - the friendship between these guys was beautiful. Specifically Pearl. We have to talk about the courage and the strength in her. Everyone needs a Pearl in their lives. Usually when the female friends in these BL are weak, whinny little fools and that has caused me to drop a number of dramas (not just BL). Let's say, Pearl and I didn't start out on the right foot because I wanted to strangle her when she appeared. Sorry, knee jerk reaction from all the other secondary female characters turning into snakes. But Pearl is the girl everyone deserves. She's strong, outspoken, supportive, gorgeous, funny - I adore her as a secondary character.
All in all, this BL has everything (maybe not to you if all your into is skinship). But I enjoy a great story wrapped around emotion and characters who seem as if they genuinely want to be around each other.
The best BL of 2020 so far for me and I doubt anything else this year will top it.
Let's get this out of the way. If you're looking for a show with heavy skinship, this is not it. The characters didn't meet face to face until almost the end of the series. They didn't hug or touch until the VERY end. So you might be asking why I love this series so much. Well, I'll explain.
What GAMEBOYS have is a well written story, cast who are genuinely friends and wanted to make an amazing drama and beautiful music. It is obvious by the way they act, they way they seem to carry each other, the way each actor portrays the character their given with such elegance and talent.
You guys know me and I'm big on the chemistry. Not necessarily the skinship (which can be nice if done well), to me, the characters don't have to kiss, ever or even touch. I'm big on the way characters look at each other, they way they talk to each other, they way they act around each other. Kokoy (Gav) and Elijah (Cai) were the definition of chemistry. Even though the characters didn't mean due to the pandemic, there was a way they talked to each other and the expressions on their faces that showed Cai and Gav slowly falling in love--well showed Gav falling deeper in love with his crush Cai. The sweetness he handled Cai with, the soft way he says "baby" and the way Gav was strong, even when he knew there was nothing he could do for Cai but be there on that screen.
The scene where Cai was in pain about his father showed the talent in Kokoy because his character seemed so helpless and afraid and angry because he couldn't just run to Cai and hold him and make everything better.
GAMEBOYS is leaps and bounds ahead of all the BLs released this year (Even with Manner of Death coming). There's an emotional aspect to this one that no other BL has ever managed to put forth.
Great job Philippines on writing this and putting it out in the world.
I have to mention the secondary characters - the friendship between these guys was beautiful. Specifically Pearl. We have to talk about the courage and the strength in her. Everyone needs a Pearl in their lives. Usually when the female friends in these BL are weak, whinny little fools and that has caused me to drop a number of dramas (not just BL). Let's say, Pearl and I didn't start out on the right foot because I wanted to strangle her when she appeared. Sorry, knee jerk reaction from all the other secondary female characters turning into snakes. But Pearl is the girl everyone deserves. She's strong, outspoken, supportive, gorgeous, funny - I adore her as a secondary character.
All in all, this BL has everything (maybe not to you if all your into is skinship). But I enjoy a great story wrapped around emotion and characters who seem as if they genuinely want to be around each other.
The best BL of 2020 so far for me and I doubt anything else this year will top it.
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