Gameboys: Boy-meets-Boy in a Pandemic
My colleague introduced me to Gameboys, a Boy Love (BL) series from the Philippines, a couple of months ago. Each week I’ve been following it after binge-watching the first eight episodes.
Alright, I confess: I have not been following any BL series as religiously. When I did, these BL series were from Thailand. I think the last one I followed was He’s Coming to Me, or เขามาเชงเม้งข้างๆ หลุมผมครับ.
Let’s return to Gameboys produced by The IdeaFirst Company (Website | Facebook Page | YouTube Channel).
Boy-Meets-Boy Storyline with COVID19 in the Backdrop
Firstly, Gameboys is a boy-meets-boy series set in Manila amidst the COVID19 pandemic. Follows the relationship between Cairo Lazaro (Elijah Canlas), a gaming live-streamer, and Gavreel Alacorn (Kokoy de Santos). The storyline is simple and enjoyable with many ups and downs revolving around the two main characters.
Yes, expect anger, concern, jealousy, sadness, anticipation, and excitement as you follow the series. Btw, Episode 7 hit me hard.
I loved the fact it was shot with how we’re experiencing things: live streaming, video calls, messenger chats, stories etc. At the same time, it does not ignore the modified enhance community quarantine (MECQ) happening in Metro Manila.
The Episode(s)
Here is the final episode which I was watching as I drafted this entry.
You might want to start with Gameboy’s first episode…
Gameboys: Produced in the Middle of a Pandemic
Kudos to the cast and production team who worked through these challenging times to tell a story through the raging COVID19 pandemic. No doubt there were many logistical challenges faced.
Finally, let’s remember the limitations required by new normal social distancing, testing, and production standard operating procedures for the health and safety of all those involved in the production as well as the surrounding community. The fact that the first nine episodes were completely shot entirely online blew me away! This is a testament to The IdeaFirst Company’s creativity!
Happy watching!
