Hello Stranger Episode 1 Latest Pinoy BL

Hello Stranger

Episode 1

Cast:  JC Alcantara (Mico), Tony Labrusca (Xavier)

           Paulo Quiroz (Seph) ,  Vivoree Esclito (Kookai),  Miguel Almendras (Junjun),

           Gillian Vicencio (Crystal),  Meann Espinosa (Kristine Moran)

Directed by Petersen Vargas

June 24, 2020 – may pandemic pa din dulot si Covid 19 ay tuloy pa din ang pag-ere sa web / YouTube ng bago at kakikiligan na BL story entitled Hello Stranger.  Produced and created by ABS CBN Films and Black Sheep PH, in this time of Corona, this latest Pinoy BL story is about to wipe away the blues of lockdown and teledramas absence in the tube.

As far as I can say this is your Jock – Nerd type of story.  Nerd falls for Jock.  Jock reciprocates.  Madlang people gets to know it.  Jock denies or even bashes Nerd.  Nerd cries.  And the ending could be anyone else’s guess.  This is just my assumption on things.  I could be wrong or I could be right but then again, this is a BL story unfolding – a hot item in the market of web entertainment.  So let us see how this series unfolds.

What initially got me to watch Episode 1 was the buzz in Tweeter about a series that is to be aired at 8 something at the night of June 24, 2020.  Dahil na curious at nagsimulang manood din ng mga BL stories from other Asian countries (I simply love the Taiwanese approach more than the much talked Thai series), despite being late I clicked on the link shown on the Facebook post of a friend whom I met during the active years of event coverage.  Doon nagsimula ang sunod-sunod na tunog ng aking cp dahil sa Tweeter post ko.  Yes, isa po ako na nagdagdag ingay sa Tweeter tungkol dito kahit na masasabi ko na malapit na nung maghatinggabi.  Malay ko ba na makikita agad yung mga post ko.  Salamat!

So what can I say about the first episode?  Ilalabas ko muna ang notes ko in TV prod at analysis at matagal na din ako hindi nagrereview ng items made for broadcast – mas pinili ko po ang pagsulat tungkol sa mga theater productions sa aking blog.

The opening credit was so eye candy that it speaks of being Boys Love.  That aqueous green with various icons, shifting to light golden yellow contrasted with that red talk box {Enemy} meant it to be candid and light but here’s the twist – opening scene :  Mico is crying.  Boom!  Ano ito di ba?  Drama na agad?  Wait!  There is more.

Definitely, who drafted the script of this 1^st episode has read and watched a good number of love themed books and films to come up with the best possible scene on how two opposite individuals would meet – by chance.  Add the way Fate toss her hair, sa pagkatao ni Prof. Kristine Moran ( Meann Espinosa ) – Propesora sa Panitikan, good luck kung makakawala ka pa. Then pasok ng favorite line ko sa episode na ito “Mico, yung mga sinampay ipasok mo na!” – boses ng mama ni Mico habang may video meeting siya with Xavier that lead to further teasing of Mico.  Mas natawa ako dito kaysa tilaok ng manok sa eksena nila ng Young Padawans.  At good luck sa wish ko na makita ang mother ni Mico kasi sya din pala si Prof. Kristine Moran.  First episode ended with Mico accidentally liking an IG post of Xavier which lead to another bout of teasing so early in the morning.  Kung ako yun .  .  .”Kape muna! Ang aga ng eksena mo Xavier! Windang pa sa tulog ang diwa ko!”

Here is my take on the characters presented . . .

Kookai – the only girl sa Young Padawans group.  Crush niya si Mico yes pero malaki ang gut feel ko na mahaba talaga ang hair niya at nakakaloka ang lovestory niya.

Seph – the sporty kuno in the group Young Padawan na mahilig sa online games.  May face.  May charm.  Malakas mangbully kay Kookai kaso baka front lang ito kasi . . .

Junjun – the 3^rd member  of the Young Padawans.  Mr. Friendly ang tawag ko sa kanya. Mukhang mahilig sumayaw at mag Tiktok.  Very supportive sa friends pero ano ang reason behind the support kay Kookai?  Iba ang smile niya given kay Kookai eh.

Prof. Kristina Moran – I LOVE HER!  Kung sya ang propesora mo at closeta ka, good luck at amoy ka niya!  Nakakaloka sya.  If Cupid was female, pasok sa banga ang girl.  Feeling ko may something sa pagkakapaired up nila Mico at Xavier.

Mico – the Nerd with the Looks.  Medyo stiff sa iba but once nakilala nagiging open din unconsciously.  Nagpipigil (bakit?).  Freshman na mautak at malamang pinag-uusapan na sa faculty room. 

Xavier – the Jock.  Senior kina Mico.  Nakakaloka sa back subject kung kaya nagkasama ni Mico.  In a heterosexual relationship (up to when, we shall see).  May image in school as the Top Jock – face, group and girl. May something sa character niya.  Isang malaking SOMETHING.

At ang nakakalokang v.o. ng Mama ni Mico. Nakakaloka ang timing niya!

Strong points of the 1^st Episode:

Short and sweet with enough space for future story development and backstory line per character (1).  Good chemistry between Mico and Xavier (2); your typical nerd and jock combo plus the freshie – senior factor.  Winning smile ni Tony Labrusca (3) – walang kokontra!  Catchy music at the credits (4).  It will slowly root into your mind type of music.  Perfect delivery of lines (5); mga linyang mamarka sa isipan ng manonood (“TOP ka! TOP ka!”, “Oo. Ikaw ba hindi?”,”Ni-like nya!”, “Think of it as blind date.”).

Points to work on:

Backstory of Xavier and Mico.  Medyo may mga questions ako about their personal backgrounds based on what were presented in Episode 1.  Yes alam ko too early to realy say things about the characters but may mga bagay na nakaka-intrigue based sa actions-reactions nila.  I know trip ni Xavier tuksuhin si Mico but merong something dun sa end scene.  Need the reason kung bakit ganun ang reaction niya.  Add to that na parang may something ang pagtagpo nila or paired up sa project.

Still on Xavier . . . his smile.  It is so distracting!  Parang toothpaste model (reminds me of someone in my past though); tipong nakatingin na ako lagi sa ngiti niya (my bad!). 

Things to look forward to:

Is it a love triangle story arc kina Seph – Kookai – Junjun?  May clues sa episode that lead me to think na possible ito (1).  The drama and kilig scenes nina Xavier and Mico; given na ito syempre but I am really interested kung paano ang emotional play kay Xavier (2).  Ang mother ni Mico (3) – oo, gusto ko makita ang character na ito at hindi lang boses niya. 

As a whole, I would say that they had a good start.  Rank 1 in trending topics in Tweeter. 500K + views in less than 24 hours in YT.  Good, social media interaction (ang solid ng followers ni Kookai).  Clean presentation of story start. 

Is presently waiting for Episode 2 and see if the fire still burns.

*images used were from the web - ABS-CBN News