Boys' Lockdown (2020)

Round of applause

I am thouroughly impressed by this seemingly unrelevant webseries.

The first meeting at the grocery store was memorable, both of them having peepees on their masks, not being able to take their eyes off of each other. Immediately after, they can't stop thinking about each other. I think that is the feeling one has when they meet their soulmate.

And from then on it just took off. Trying to meet in a pandemic, using lost medication as an excuse. Technical difficulties that almost caused heartbreak. And despite it all, still being able to meet, keep in contact through social media and text. The whole plot was done in a way that makes you keep watching.

I'm also glad they didn't take away the emotional toll this pandemic has had on everyone. From Key talking to a cardboard cutout, to Chen's sister having a serious breakdown. It shows how we all just felt the pent-up feelings, and with the added stress of this god forsaken lockdown, things exploded. And that is a good thing. Chen's relationship with his sister changed for the better. They grew.

This being said, the last episode, the explanation of this title, has got to be my absolute fave. The sudden sleepover, the fun challenges, the tension. The monologue, the kiss, the vibe in its entirety. It felt so complete.

This whole story just gives me a warm feeling inside. Despite the challenges, the love we have for each other and for ourselves will get us where we need to be.

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Boys’ Lockdown (2020): A Super Cute Pinoy BL Series

“Boys’ Lockdown” was a super cute Filipino (Pinoy) boys’ love (BL) series. It’s charming and endearing. It isn’t pretentious. It’s made to provide its audience joy and romantic excitement by depicting two innocent and good-looking leads falling in love against all odds.

Like most Pinoy BL series, “Boys’ Lockdown” was also contextualized during the Philippines’ enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The plot/storyline was simple -- a chance meeting between two boys who eventually fell in love with each other even with all the environmental, psychological, societal, and even technological challenges thrown at them. While its plot/storyline was straightforward, “Boys’ Lockdown” didn’t lack political substance. It had subtle digs about the government’s handling of the Philippines’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wifi network names such as NeverAgain, NasaanAngPlano (Where’sThePlan), and DefendPressFreedom somehow revealed its politics. And with the long, natural-looking, and wonderful kiss at the end, even with due considerations for personal safety measures, “Boys’ Lockdown” was also defiant.

There were a few cheesy dialogues here and there but the screenplay was generally natural and realistic -- at least for middle to upper class Pinoys. I would have preferred less coño talk (that of middle to upper class Pinoy who speaks Taglish -- a combination of the English and Filipino Tagalog languages -- in a fussy way) but I can live with it. Pinoy coños need representations too, lol. There were cute lines (“Bump me once, shame on you, but bump me twice, it’s a sign!”), defiant lines (“I felt like I was giving the coronavirus a big middle finger in its giant ugly face because I won.”), and dramatic lines (“This stupid pandemic! This fucking lockdown! Everything feels a thousand times harder…”).

The entire cast delivered with their acting -- not particularly outstanding, but largely alright. Both Ali and Alec were adorable and fit their roles perfectly. Both were really charming and endearing. Ali and Alec had good chemistry together. Teetin was at her best during the dramatic scenes. All the supporting cast members are gorgeous. Crystal and Teetin are beautiful. Carlo, Ivoy, and Luis are hot. I still don’t know why Dicky and Whilce kept taking off their shirts but I have no complaints, lol! And Laksa, who needs more screen time, was lovable!

“Boys’ Lockdown” was also pretty solid in terms of the quality of production. Audio-visuals were cool and clean. Cinematography was neat and nice. Editing was precise. The soundtrack “Home” by Reese Lansangan was also ok.

On the whole, I would certainly recommend rewatching “Boys’ Lockdown.” It’s a super cute Pinoy BL series made to provide its viewers joy and romantic excitement. I’m glad it will have a second season which I’m so looking forward to next year.

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I lied...

THIS is my favourite BL of 2020 lol It WAS "Like In The Movies" but I can't even deal rn! It was so flipping cute! I'm very happy with the way they treated the Covid situation. It wasn't like the rest of these virus dramas this year at all. Something about the way they executed the social distancing rules and put it into the story itself, made the show so much cuter. If you're looking for cuteness over load, look no further. The fluffy cuteness will give you cavities and I wouldn't have it any other way. This is the content we Fan Girls scream for! The actors are not only super cute but they have that adorable shy yet confident chemistry together. I want more but the ending was On Point...
Who would've thought tiny dicks on your face could bring people together in such a way LMAO

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Another Pandemic Masterpeice

As if I didn't believe that the Philippines could do it again, but they did. I think my new favorite trope is pandemic love. Two trapped because of the pandemic, or can't see each other because of the pandemic. Either way, this trope will hold strong in my heart, even when this pandemic is long gone. Key and Chen's relationship felt so fresh and breezy, while also staying fun and cute.

Let's Dive In.

The beginning of this season was a little rocky. I wasn't too sure where this series was going, but from when they met inside the store, I knew exactly how it was going to play out. While this plot was pretty simplistic and obvious in the way it was going to play out, I still really enjoyed it. This is another BL that was a super fun watch. I found myself not able to stop as soon as I started a new episode. The chemistry between the leads was strong but had a nice subtley to it. I highly recommend this to watch, it was entertaining and kept me at the edge of my see for the most part.

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A Perfect 10 Across the Board

Well, this is a pretty dark story about our unique, pandemic times but Ali and Alec (as Key and Chen) put out enough heat on screen to kill any virus. But before I get into the main event, Boys Love story, Teetin Villanueva who plays Chen's sister, gives a monologue characterizing her meltdown about the pandemic that's worthy of a major acting award. It's a feeling I'm sure everyone in the audience -- of any age -- will relate to. "Boys' Lockdown" sets a high bar for BL dramas. The six episodes use most of their time wisely on our main and secondary characters. There's a bit of padding with a few extraneous characters but never to the extent we're used to in the 24 and 36 part epics. The leads have the looks and personalities you almost want to savor in slow motion. The script is tight, relevant and totally believable. Perhaps the most surprising thing here is what _isn't_ here -- "Boys' Lockdown" seems to exist in an alternate universe devoid of gay stereotypes. Heterosexuality is still the default as Chen asks Key if he has a girlfriend, but Key's reply of "No" transitions seamlessly to Chen asking, "Do you have a boyfriend?" without missing a beat. With the COVID Pandemic providing the dramatic engine to drive the drama, "Boys' Lockdown" doesn't have to force unsavory cliches on our main characters, like sexual violence or some other kind of emotional dysfunction. These are just two guys who are crushing on each other and trying to solve the dilemma of getting together when there's a deadly virus loose in the world. It could have had a tragic ending, but the writer delivers what the audience really wants.

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Nice

I love this series so much. The way they look each other, the chemistry is there. They're acting is on point. Simple gestures that could huff and puff and even make you smile. The glares that they've thrown towards each other during their meeting at the Drug Store. I said like "Wow, this gonna be a promising series". I am still watching it as of now. Can't just wait to give a review on it. The scenery is a quite cool, that they're shooting it in a village or subdivision. That you could truly feel that there's a lockdown cause by this pandemic.

Funny things is about the face mask which has tiny d*cks on it.

The kilig factor that they've shown was really effective so far. It's simple but it's cute on it's own way.

I am hoping for more episodes, more kilig and more things about their love story.

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Simple and straightforward

The story is built around a kiss, and how that simple gesture of intimacy is made difficult--and therefore perhaps more special--by pandemic lockdown measures. The desire for closeness and proximity confronts an adversary that insists on distance and isolation. So, if you find Lockdown Boys easy to watch it is probably because it does not make you work too hard.

This simple story comes with an equally straightforward message: that people faced with adversity nevertheless find ways to make do, to manage, to get by, even to access petty pleasures, especially when buoyed by privilege.

To be fair, the series makes no claim to being a work of art. Neither does it claim to make a grand political statement. It offers levity in times when it seems that everything that could go wrong, goes wrong. Here "the medium is the message", as one intelligent person puts it. Simple and straightforward.

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How Precious

I absolutely love it here. I love all of the Pandemic related series - they truly give Quarantining another new twist (I've been going heavy between school and new dramas].

I am so happy that they said Key and Chen will be back *hope that means a second season*

The acting here is super adorable, they were so precious and cute and I LOVED every second of their interaction. It was legit so relatable and I really saw a lot of myself in Key, especially when he talked to Chen.

Watch this show if you want to go back to your childhood crush era, and the awkward stags of new love.

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PERFECTION, GOLD, A++

This drama was everything I could ask for in a series about finding love during quarantine. The plot twists were cute. The interactions between the main couple were even cuter. Fluffy, but not too much. Please watch this if you haven't. I really enjoyed it. A breath of fresh air.

PROS: Comedy(It's absolutely HILARIOUS). It didn't feel like there were any unnecessary scenes; the pacing was nice. The acting was really good. The soundtrack also worked pretty well, it didn't overpower any of the scenes. The security guard. Again the COMEDYYYYY. Healthy relationships.

CONS: None? (Libby was a little annoying at first)

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5seconds rule

Another series covering desired between parties and done right.
Episode 6 concluded it all.
Sure I didnt liked that half of that last episode was basically flashbacks but from a kiss-addicts point of view, both episode 5 and 6 had good kisses and follow ups to that.
It also shows how Ali King (Key) is a lill bit more experienced than Alec Kevin (Chen) but its all in the details nothing disturbing.

I warmly recommend this drama. Its cute, lill bit cliche but warm and cuddly.
For INTL fans I can happily also inform that the translation was quite good, so no much missing on stuff.

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Cutest and fluffiest BL

I just love this series so much! It's the fluffiest Filipino BL series and I think that's how they really intended it to be from the start. It didn't try to be anything else apart from a cute, feel good series. A few acting hiccups here and there from the leads but I am willing to overlook this because this is their first acting gig and they're just so cute. :) Besides, the technical aspects of the show, particularly its cinematography, sound design, and color grading are top notch and (for me) makes up for the robotic (sorryyyyy I still love you) delivery of some lines. Solid series, overall! :)

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