GameBoys (Tagalog) (Web Series)

One thing positive that came out of pandemic and lockdown is innovative ways of story telling. Stories that we can still connect with and also feels very current and for today's generation. Everything is moving so fast, so these stories help us stay current. This Filipino series is a love story about 2 gamers who meet online and eventually build a romantic relationship and were forced to stay at home as the world faces a pandemic. 

Cairo is a live-stream gamer who is having a family and peer issue. He recently came out to his family and given the pandemic, his father is in hospital because of Covid. Gavreel, a non-gamer happens to see Cairo online and has instant crush on him. To get Cai’s attention and a chance to have a date with him, Gav entered the world of online gaming, and starts talking to Cairo. Before we know, Cairo starts getting a lot of "Hi Baby!" daily. Gav is hot, sexy and very outgoing in complete contrast to Cai's soft introvert persona. As expected, first few episodes take us through online chats. meetings, phone calls between Cai and Gav with Gav not leaving any stone unturned to impress Cai. Then there is Pearl, Gav's best friend and the girl whom Gav dated few years ago but is now the person who is instrumental in bringing the two boys together. As expected, the relationship has some ups and downs because of many reason like Cai's father passing away, Gav's ex Terence coming back into t he scene and wants to get back with Gav and then finally Cai's best friend from childhood who makes Gav jealous. The fact that the family may have to move away doesn't help. All's well that ends well and the two gorgeous boy eventually meet in person after misunderstandings and will hopefully have a happy future.

Gameboys is not just all about romantic love story between Cai and Gav, but it's also about close friendship and also the strong family bond. Cai is very close to his brother and parents which is clear and obvious. Similarly, Gav has Pearl has his angel/savior/friend/guide throughout. We often underestimate the importance of communication in any relationship and each of these people stress on that and we see how they take the story forward. It’s difficult to accept one’s mistake. But once we get the courage to admit our fault, we’ll be surprised how one word — sorry — can fix a damaged relationship when expressed genuinely. The series is very relevant to today's time and is all shown through chats and video calls. As a non-native speaker, it does take effort to follow the story and subtitles but its worth it. You can't complete the review without talking about the brilliant acting throughout the series. Gav is more than just a playboy and hot guy and genuine cares and loves Cai and someone who can get insecure. The actor playing him is awesome. He has that inherent charm that can whisk anyone away. Great choice of actor. Cairo was a bot awkward initially for me, but he starts to grow up, more because of how his character is supposed to be. Thanks to the duo's brilliant acting, I felt their excitement, their happiness, their anger, their pain. Let's quickly talk about Pearl as well who again was a brilliant actress and a very important link and reason to bring the two lovers together. There were a few cheesy scenes here and there but because the cast members are amazing thespians, in the end, the corny scenes were negligible. The innovations in production design, cinematography, computer graphics, sound engineering, musical scoring, and editing is amazing. I am not sure how the makers went about directing the show, but it felt as if the actors were doing it on their own which makes it very challenging but a very rewarding output.

Watch this show for the sheer chemistry, charm and breath of fresh air that the 2 leads bring along with a a crazy friend like Pearl, who, let's just say, we all need in our lives. A promising story of a love shaping up online between two strangers and of overcoming struggles we are facing in this covid-19 health crisis. Gameboys’ heart is at the right place. (7.5/10)