Hello Stranger (2020)

L'amour au temps du Covid

Ça faisait bien longtemps que je n'avais pas vu un drama aussi bien réalisé!
Par le biais de cette critique je tiens vraiment à remercier le réalisateur Petersen Vargas mais également Patrick Valencia, le scénariste, pour nous avoir avoir offert ce petit bijou!

J'avoue qu'au départ j'étais un peu réfractaire à me mettre à ce drama pour plusieurs raisons. Tout d'abord les quelques expériences des dramas philippins que j'ai eu ne m'avaient pas convaincu.e et d'autre part, à ce jour, nous sommes encore environnés pas la crise du Covid et je n'avais vraiment pas envie de devoir y replonger, qui plus est, dans le contexte d'un drama car, d'habitude, quand on se plonge dans une œuvre de fiction, que ce soit un livre, un film ou une série, à mon sens, c'est plutôt pour s'évader un peu de la réalité et des problèmes qui nous entourent plutôt que d'y faire face.

Finalement, j'ai vraiment bien fait d'aller contre mon inclination première car ce drama, malgré quelques petits débuts difficiles m'a énormément touché et m'a montré que malgré une réalité difficile sous-jacente dans l'histoire, il peut se passer des histoires touchantes et merveilleuses.

Les acteurs :

Tous les acteurs qui apparaissent dans ce drama ont un jeu qui est juste et intéressant, malgré, pour certains, un peu de surjeu sur les tous premiers épisodes. Chacun nous montre sa propre personnalité et incarne très bien des personnages de leur âge (pas comme ce que l'on peut souvent voir dans d'autres productions comme des caricatures absolues ou encore des ado / jeunes adultes qui ont des réactions et un parlé sans aucun rapport avec leur époque).

Ainsi, Gillian Vincencio incarnant ici Cristal Santos, la petite amie de Xavier ne nous est pas présentée comme la traditionnelle petite copine du héros sportif, hyper superficielle, rien dans la cervelle et hyper jalouse. On voit très vite qu'il y a au-delà de ça, elle raisonne, elle sait se poser aussi et de ce fait elle casse les clichés qu'on a toujours pu avoir sur ce type de personnage.

Ensuite, concernant la bande de potes de Mico, on voit bien la synergie ainsi que l'amitié qui les lient les uns aux autres, on voit les béguins qui naissent entre les uns et les autres, on pourrait croire que le drama va s'accrocher aux clichés habituels car, dès le début, on s'aperçoit de qui aime qui et du triangle amoureux préexistant, mais là encore, la réalisation fait tout en finesse en cassant les habitudes et en révélant les émotions et les difficultés que chaque personne peut rencontrer pour se déclarer à l'autre ou pour voir une personne aimée en aimer une autre que soi.

Concernant Junjun Sandico (joué par Miguel Almendras), encore une fois, j'ai bêtement cru qu'on aurait droit au personnage type du rigolo de service qui amuse les autres mais pour qui il ne se passe rien. Mais non! Il s'impose de façon naturelle comme le pilier du groupe, il apaise les dissensions, révèle les secrets, aide les autres protagonistes à s'interroger sur eux-mêmes. Il est le ciment des intrigues et nous montre qu'on peut toujours prendre la vie du bon côté.

Enfin, si on parle de notre couple principal, leur histoire est certes bateau (le beau gosse sportif et l'intello introverti), le trait n'est pas non plus trop appuyé et chacun montre une vulnérabilité touchante. Ils savent, l'un comme l'autre véhiculer leurs sentiments et émotions, tout autant que leurs doutes et interrogations, que ce soit concernant leur orientation sexuelle que sur la grande question : va-t-il m'aimer? Au bout d'un moment, même le fait qu'il s'agisse d'une histoire d'amour entre hommes ne compte plus. Il s'agit seulement du rapprochement de deux êtres qui s'aiment et qui rencontrent les mêmes obstacles que tous les premiers amours.

La réalisation :

Le fait que les personnages soient éloignés, confinés augmente l'émotion et la pression : ils crèvent d'envie de se voir, de se toucher, de se réconforter. C'est impossible (ou presque). En voyant les images, les situations, on remet en parallèle avec notre propre vie, à nos propres réactions dans ces mêmes situations.
L'effet est d'autant plus important sur le personnage de Xavier qui vit tout seul depuis plusieurs semaines!

Les têtes à têtes que se font le couple principal sont, du coup d'autant plus important, très intimistes. La réalisation a su gérer ça de main de maître car j'ai pu voir des plans aussi bien réalisés que dans des films à gros budget. Je preux prendre pour exemple l'épisode de la chanson de Xavier, on sait que les deux personnages sont séparés, qu'ils ne vivent pas au même endroit. Le décor qui les entourent tous les deux est différent et le plan le montre bien, d'un côté, la chambre de Xavier en blanc et de l'autre, on voit bien la cassure avec une sorte de paravent en bois sombre. Il y a bien une cassure. Mais! Tout au fond, entre les deux personnages qui se font face et sont séparés par le clavier de Xavier ( et par leurs écrans d'ordinateur respectifs qui n'apparaissent pas), on peut apercevoir une plante verte, toute bête, mais qui traverse les deux espaces et qui réunit ces deux scènes pour montrer les deux personnages dans la même pièce, à quelques centimètres l'un de l'autre. C'est juste génial!... ce n'est pas le seul plan comme celui-ci et je pense à revoir à nouveau le drama pour les dénicher.

Bilan :

Je dois avouer qu'à part les petits couacs dans le jeu des acteurs des premiers épisodes, je n'ai pas trouvé vraiment de points négatifs, ou peut-être que je n'ai pas trop cherché entant donné que j'ai vraiment tout apprécié dans le drama. Il m'a réconcilié avec les dramas philippins et je pense voir si d'autres méritent également le détour. Un film faisant suite à l'histoire de Hello Stanger à été réalisé et je vais le voir car, même si la fin m'a également beaucoup plu, il me manque quelque chose.

ATTENTION SPOIL
Même pas un petit bisou? Vraiment?
FIN DU SPOIL

Maintenant, à vous de vous faire votre avis.

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Hello Stranger (2020): A Top-Tier Pinoy BL Series

At least 35 Filipino (Pinoy) boys’ love (BL) series have been announced for 2020. Three Pinoy BL series are “completed” (“Sakristan,” “Truly Very Your,” and “Hello Stranger”) while ten other series are currently “airing” (“Gameboys,” “In Between,” “Kumusta Bro?,” “Even After,” “Hook Up,” “Amore,” “My Day,” "Unexpected," “Safe Haven,” and “Oh My Sexual”). I watch and review all these series. Not all of these series are good but fortunately we have the likes of “Hello Stranger” which can be considered a top-tier Pinoy BL series. It’s not the best (“Gameboys” is still better) and it’s not perfect but it’s an excellent Pinoy BL series especially if you want to be entertained and feel romantic excitement.

“Hello Stranger” had a simple plot/storyline about self-discovery, friendship, and finding love in a time of quarantine and lockdown. Friendship among the Young Padawans was highlighted which is probably what I liked most about this series. Interestingly, this series didn’t delve deeper into the characters’ relationship with their families which is usually a staple for a Pinoy series. While the overused enemies to lovers trope was employed, the context of the new normal brought something new to this series. But don't expect this series to confront larger societal issues related to identity politics and the pandemic though because this isn’t that type of Pinoy BL series (you can watch “Gameboys” instead for that). Even then, reference to the Stonewall riots (1969) is highly appreciated.

While there were a few corny and long lines here and there, the screenplay for the entire series was generally relatable. Featuring, interpreting, and dramatizing Benilda S. Santos' poem "Sa Kasintahang Nilimot Na" (For the Already Forgotten Lover) was also a nice touch.

Everyone in the cast, from the lead to the support cast can act, not particularly outstanding, but they're all good actors. Some of them, most noticeably Tony (undoubtedly the most popular Filipino actor to venture into Pinoy BL series), were underwhelming at times but Tony did have moments to shine especially in the finale. JC had the most improvement in acting throughout this series owing to the fact that Mico had the best character development. XavMi chemistry was ok in the end. All the male actors -- Tony, JC, Patrick, and Migs, are distractingly handsome and sexy. I super love Junjun! I would have wanted more for the female characters on this series especially Crystal but we take what we can get. At least their characterizations weren’t toxic. And Miss Tina Moran was definitely the mood!

Compared with other Pinoy BL series, “Hello Stranger” had the biggest budget and this showed in terms of the quality of production. Production design and camera work were generally very good. I had some issues with the pace and editing of the first few episodes but they eventually improved. The soundtrack "Kahit na Anong Sabihin ng Iba" (Regardless What Other People Say) performed by Seth Fedelin was also good. I also liked all the scenes wherein Tony sang. XavMi confessing each other's feelings by finishing each other's lines in a song and singing together during the finale was cheesy but was really romantic and sweet.

In summary, I would definitely recommend rewatching “Hello Stranger.” If you’re looking for a Pinoy BL series with a simple plot/storyline executed very well with good performance and production, “Hello Stranger” is the perfect series for you. And watch out for “Hello Stranger The Movie”! Maybe in the movie, we’ll get more than the very tamed pinky swear and hugs we got from the finale -- fingers crossed!

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Typical ABSCBN

Its obvious that this is ABSCBN's attempt to ride the BL craze. A cross between Gameboys and Thailand's 2gether but falls flat with its thin story line.

While i am thankful that the producers decided to show it in Youtube, i cant help but feel that the series was haphazardly put together just to be able to be one of the first to put out a real BL series in the Philippines. It just feels shallow with very little (to no) character development and it felt like nothing's really happening after every epispde. I can only imagine good things if they waited a little bit and did this post-COVID.

The 2 main cast are A+, this is where the series shined. JC is a revelation- this guy deserves better projects while Tony has perfected his GGSS acting style.

However, even with the good acting, the series still lacks depth. HS is a big BL CLICKBAIT series- stuck between wanting to make BL fans happy and at the same time not wanting to offend the generally christian conservative (and hypocrite) public.

What i hate even more is after showing 7 episodes regularly, they just decided to hold back the last episode for a few weeks. I dont know if they were hoping to generate excitement or for what other reason, but to.me.it just didnt work, especially since the finale just lacks the punch.

Overall, im giving the series a 6.5 (mostly because of JC). I wouldnt actually reccommend it, only when you are stucked and has nothing to do.

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Hello Stranger is what you imagine a quarantine love story to be like and it delivers. Most hate to love relationships are filled with toxicity, but this relationship is filled with mutual respect and genuine care and concern. The second of its kind, Hello Stranger is a sweet story about first love and new experiences. The pacing is consistent and the storyline, though predictable, is realistic and refreshing.

THE STORY:
The story is one that’s we are all familiar with. Boy meets boy, they seem to dislike each other. They are then forced to work on something together. Then they fall in love. What is unexpected is how realistic it feels. That akwardness of working with someone you just met and who you also slightly dislike is evident in the first episode, but that disappears by the second episode, indicating that they’ve spent time together and are now more comfortable. Mico seems to learn what it is like to step outside his comfort zone and his four point life plan. Xavier seems to learn what it’s like to be Mico and that not everyone is who you make them out to be. The emotions are raw and real and you feel as though you are living their story because it is just so relatable. Through each other, they’re learning about a whole new world, full of love and laughter.

THE ACTING:
So people are saying that the acting in the first episode was a bit akward, I think that may be due to the situation. Imagine working with someone you dislike. I would think that’s the reason for the akwardness. The acting really took a turn for the best in episode 2 though. This is one of the first Pinoy series I’ve watched and this is on par with any and all other series’. The chemistry though! Xav and Mico’s chemistry is through the roof. Overall the acting is very consistent.

THE PRODUCTION:
This is the second series after Gameboys to follow the internet and quarantine love theme, and the production has been handled extremely well. Phillipines has recently started to create more BL content and I believe that this series is definitely the benchmark for future Pinoy series’.

THE OST:
So if you read the translation for the OST’s lyrics, you would know how well it goes with the series. One line of lyrics literally translated to English mean
“ No matter what anyone says, I know our love is true.”
That, according to me genuinely encapsulates what this series is about.

THE NEGATIVE:
None.

THE ENDING:
I can’t believe Xavier asked for Mico to be his partner! That just made this series more perfect :). God, that ending was everything I could have possibly asked for. I’m going to keep this short: You won’t be disappointed by this ending.

This honestly is one of those series’ that is unabashedly life’s greatest pleasures and a genuine joy to experience. Whether you like sweet, sickly romance or aching hearts, this series has something for you. Hope everyone gives this a try because it is so worth it. Thank You!

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For a Boys Love Series, this came as a Heterosexual Romace Series

(Story)
Okay, let's start with this one. The trope about enemy to lovers thing could have been cute if it had been executed properly. Remember from the finale's "plot twist", wherein it was revealed Xavier all along knew Mico was. To me that "plot twist" was more of a "plot hole". It's unnecesary and highly contradicts with episodes 1 or 2 wherein Xavier doesnt have any idea how he got into the Padawan's Quiz Night and their Professor setting them up together.

The series although it only has 8 episodes felt so dragging and slow. Tons of dialogues and monologues HOGS up the whole 20 minute of an episode wherein maybe they could've spent it all on building up the two male protagonists' character as the two of them felt so shallow.

I see Xavier and Mico as 2D characters, Xavier being the jocky type and the latter the shy and conservative one AND NOTHING ELSE. Which I think is a letdown because most of the series' screentime are the both of them yet there's no depth to their character.

The whole Kookai and Seph thing is COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY. Instead of putting up with another couple, which again was totally underdeveloped, they could've used that time building up Xavier and Mico's character.

(Acting)
Again with the 2 Dimensional characters, it also doesn't help Xavier and Mico characters to have depth if they keep portraying the same emotions all over again. I get Xavier is a jock and is a confident gay, but is that all he is?

Overall
I had high expectations coming into this series. It's just the way how the story and the dialogues were written that it came as draggy, boring and sluggish. There's little to none character development and the characters were 2 Dimensional which I think should have been a key factor when it comes to producing BLs. It's a shame how it was a BL series yet overall it just fell flat and gave off hetero vibes. They keep throwing off poetic lines/dialogues but it ended up being cringey.

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Come Thru Philippines!

When HELLO STRANGER came up in my feed, I rolled my eyes. I legit rolled my eyes. I was thinking, here we go again, another unsatisfying 2gether garbage. I was just done with BL and was digging for other dramas. But I was bored one day and clicked on episode one.

Best decision I've made. This little drama is so good. The acting was incredible for a drama that was filmed in the middle of a pandemic where people had to be socially isolated.

Even though there was no skinship, I believe HELLO STRANGER is one of the most intimate dramas I've seen in a while.

Let me explain.

Everything was portrayed by the way Xavier looks at Mico and the other way around. It's the simple movements of their heads, the tone of their voices. Even in the pauses, when neither of them says nothing at all, when they're staring at each other through those cameras and you can see the helplessness in both their eyes. It was beautiful.

There was one little bit at the end that had me scratching my head and the bit about Xavier's girlfriend that has me feeling like there's a story line that's a little unfinished.

The friendship in this story was amazing. We all need a friend like Jun. Kookai and Seph got my on last nerves toward the end there--more so Kookai. I mean, if you can't say, "You're my boyfriend" to the guy you supposedly have a thing for then maybe you're not mature enough to be in a relationship.

The ending gave me a very happy feeling even though I was sitting over here sobbing like a fool. But all in all it was a wonderful little story. I truly wish it was longer but sometimes, longer is not necessarily better.

Highly recommended.

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While there is no shortage of rom-coms out there, Hello Stranger brings something fresh to the cliche "jock falls for the nerd" plot.

With the COVID-19 pandemic as the backdrop of this drama, we get two opposites who are forced by their teacher to work on a project through remote learning. The classic enemies to lovers-though overplayed in both Het and Gay dramas-still feels nuanced in this drama. None of the characters are unlikable. The chemistry is really palpable and the friendships of the main cast is so rewarding to watch. Most people watching BLs tend to do so because they want to escape from the depressive gay dramas out there, with equally depressing/sad endings. However, that is not to say that these BL dramas are only rainbows and unicorns. They have their fair share of angts/drama/melancholy, but where some Gay films/dramas tend to end in tragedy, majority of BLs end in happy endings. Sometimes, the script ends up suffering because a lot of BLs tend to pander to their base, which is okay, but it may leave some of us who are looking for a good plot feeling decieved.

Hello Stranger feels a lot like "normal life" and by that I mean that the charactes are relatable as is the story; as we (the audience watching this) are also experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic along with the cast. IT feels like "oh that could totally be me right now" It makes the story interesting. It has no frills or real big drama. The "villain" who is the girlfriend ends up being one of the most healthy ex-girfriends in any BL out there. We know how a lot of the time women are used as plot devices to create drama between the gay couple, but her character was handled with such care. I applaud the director and script writer for giving us such a healthy represenation of this type of woman.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend watching it.

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Wholesome BL series

I was surprised as i had no expectations when i started this show.. but let me tell u how joyful it was of an experience!

the story /plot is not smth new but the way it was interpreted and the roles played by all of the actors is what made this amazing..

tbh i could feel all the actors' emotions without having to try, their happiness, sadness, heartbreak, etc. all those raw emotions i just could feel them

at times, i felt like i am watching a reality show and invading their privacy, thats how much chemistry the two MLs have which makes me also extremely jealous ahah , seriously if u're looking for a wholesome BL show, this is it.

i salute the director and all the crew for their job, beautifully shot in such a clever way!

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Spot On

I don't know what it is with me and these over-the-screen romances, but I am LIVING for them. I once again cannot explain how much I loved this series. It's the second one I saw with the Zoom-type concept, and I loved it. Everything about this series was just perfect, and I didn't expect to love Xavier as much as I do.

Let's Dive In,

Me just remembering this series is getting me emotional. I guess I didn't really take into account how much I loved it, At first, I wasn't a fan of Tony's (Xavier) acting. It felt pretty mediocre, but it got better by the end. Actually, he became my favorite character after his and Mico's little project that they presented to the teacher. A phenomenal job. I couldn't understand why I'm loving this COVID concept of these Phillpino shows, but then these small moments when you can see the character falling in love is beautiful. Mico having Xavier turn around as he said he didn't want to see him anymore was so heartbreaking, but a beautiful job was done. Them meeting had to be the best part. I'm very excited to see them in the movie (once I get around to watching it).

I was actually so invested in Kookai and Seph's love story, Normally I don't care much for hetero ships, but they absolutely took my breath away. When they came up on the screen, I couldn't contain my excitement for them to get together. I wish we could've seen more Junjun just because I believe that actor did a great job at being charismatic and humorous, and I wanted to see so much more of him. I feel like we didn't see Crystal too much either, but when she was there, I didn't mind it too much. She was a little rude at the beginning, but by the end, I could care less about where her story was headed.

Overall, this series was perfect, and I loved all the characters. I would highly recommend this show to anyone wanting a cute romance during COVID.

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Sooooooooo cute!

This has got to be the cutest, most wholesome drama I've seen in a while! "Hello, Stranger" is definitely not anything I thought I wanted, (let's be honest, often I watch dramas because the coronavirus and lockdown typically don't exist in those fictional universes), and it was definitely filmed in an experimental Skype/Facetime/video chat style, but it was just as effective as any other well-done drama.

To be honest, what first got my attention was that this drama was co-starring Tony Labrusca. He did not disappoint. Neither did JC Alcantara. While a lot of the acting was sort of stilted and strange in the first episode, Alcantara and Labrusca soon proved to be very good at carrying the story. Also, they were able to cry realistically.

"Hello, Stranger" has themes of being mindful of both one's own feelings and other people's feelings. It also has themes of being flexible and open to new possibilities. The drama is simple and short, but could be comforting for any audience members struggling to accept their sexual and/or romantic orientations.

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BEST PINOY BL (FOR ME)

I have watched a lot BL series not only in the Philippines but also from different countries and Hello Stranger got me addicted into it. Hell yeah, mostly Thailand BL series got me watch over and over again eg: 2moons Season 1 and Sotus and Sotus S the series this made me add to the list. This series made me feel in love again, main casts even the supportive one are all great when it comes to acting. Script was well written even the inch of scenes there was a story (you just have to be very attentive for you to get it haha). Musical scoring was perfect even the ost. The cinematography was on fire, man it was directed perfectly and of course the editing. I have a lot to say but don’t want it to very long comment however I wanted to add how casts being so generous to appear on those BL reactors, they made them feel they appreciated every reaction videos and actually watched every one of it.

This is a perfect series not only in a BL genre but in a whole.

Edit: I have read a lot of nasty comments about the series, although I respect your opinion but damn– I think you guys are just being biased with other series you’ve watched. Anw I know we can’t please everyone so I get. But I wanted to tell that this is a gem!!!

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It's the BL to watch for!

I don't know for some they kinda hate Hello stranger not because it's bad but perhaps because it recieves more recognitions and viewerships vis a vis the BLs that first launched in the Philippines. I don't think it's just because of the promotions since everyone has an access to youtube. Everyone could just watch! I did watched some of PH BLs but the rewatch values for them? Uh-uh! Hello Stranger is such a standard for me. The storyline is not that original yes I agree. But the unpredictable flavors you get as the characters are interacting playing their roles are commendable. JC is to be hailed the Actor of BL series. Very emotive and relatable. Love how light it is with the whisk of just the right amount of sadness and pain. I swear to God I can't stop smiling everytime Mico and Xavier are displaying affections with each other subtly. I think this is one thing that stands out with this series the way they do it! It's not forced (except for the first 2 episode with the cringey laugh of Xavier) it is so natural. The way you can just see yourself with them, beyond words! I feel inlove and pain at the same time! The firs time I was hooked over a Pinoy made BL! Mico is mahh boy!

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