Hello Stranger (Filipino/English) (Web Series)

Another modern, post-pandemic story of two boys falling in love with each other online, just a few days after I finished watching Game Boys. In principal, the idea is similar that courtesy ongoing pandemic, everyone's interactions have been limited to video chats and zoom calls, but you can still go through ups and down in friendship and even possibly meeting your love of life and still go through the typical phases many real-life couples go through when first getting to know each other.

Mico is a book smart nerd who usually hangs out with his three best friends he affectionately calls the "Young Padawans," and the four are a good support structure for each other. On a night when they are organizing a quiz night, the school's popular basketball player, Xavier, joins in and insults them. Little does he know that soon enough he will be paired with same Xavier for a school project that Xavier desperately needs to pass. Xavier is handsome, hunk, popular and straight with a girlfriend whom he has recently broken up with. The two guys start to get closer the more they work together, and soon, their feelings for each other start to become painfully undeniable. After a few hesitations on who would make the first move, the duo eventually confess their love for each other with a very positive loving finale.

With only 8 episodes of about 20-25 minutes each, this series was very easy to watch. There were no unnecessary distractions like most usual Thai BL stories have. Yes, we do have a little bit story of the three other friends but t hey help the narrative to show how close is the friendship between the four Pandawans. One of the most relatable and heartfelt moments came towards the latter half of the series, when Mico finally found the courage to stop denying his feelings for Xavier and came out to his friends about it. What I am loving about this series is that dating either a guy or a girl is being normalized. It's not being treated as a big coming out event. As actors everyone does well, especially the two leads. Xavier and Mico are both gorgeous and so cute and handsome in their own right. Their interaction are cute and very real, not corny at all and their chemistry , even though virtual, is something you can feel. The dialogues are very much relevant in today's time. The ending song to confess their love might feel cheesy but i think it works.  It was so well shot, edited, directed. I just wish that the last conflict by bringing in back Xavier's girlfriend was totally unnecessary and should be eliminated. 

I would recommend this series, for a good positive viewing and to get a warm cozy loving feel in this weird pandemic times. (7.5/10)