Under the Same Sky (2023)

By far the best Oxin series to date.

There are some surprising things in this - the story is relatively focused, the cast is beautiful, and the story, while not very original, it fairly well-written - until the last episode.

It built up to a climax in Ep 7, but then deflated like a sad balloon. The fallout from what happened is barely touched on - what was the end result? The marriage was a business deal important to both families - that plot element was just dropped.

The climax itself is caused by Briggs and Shao being incredibly stupid and reckless, but I suppose first love can do that. The problem is that Briggs behaves totally out of character afterwards. If you're willing to derail a wedding to get your man, shouldn't he follow through instead of ghosting Shao? He's a horrible person - ruining someone's life then shrugging and going on his way. I know that's not how it's meant, and he does provide his reason, but it's unconvincing.

The whole finale is taken up by a replay of the entire climacitc sequence, followed by a lot of static scenes of people laying in bed moping. Given how short this was, it spoiled the story to have a filler ending episode that didn't make too much sense. The didn't really "earn" being a couple - it just happened, and was hard to invest in.

The acting is good, not stellar, with the exception of a few of the female roles, a recurring failing of Oxin productions. There is FINALLY a trans character that isn't a humilated for cheap comedy and is actually smart and wise.

If this is the new standard for Oxin, I'm happy because it shows a steep upward trajectory, and perhaps we'll see even better productions in the future.

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JUST OKAY AND UNDERSTANDABLE

everything is okay in this drama, there are some scenes where seems fail but it is understandable.
what I like the most here is that in this drama, they show how Filipino's converse in reality, I like that there is no too flowery script here and everything is natural.
It is just a short drama but the story is on point, the story is easy to understand and the acting is convincing , what the scene and situation requires.
Jericho Del Rosario is so charming as always, I watched him at myday the series and yeah he is indeed charming.
If I were to suggest here, Jericho should've been the brother of the main lead here coz he looks more like a chinito than the one that did the role , but I salute that actor who played as the brother.
I like the trans woman here she is such a supportive friend here !
all in all two thumbs up !
not surr if I can recommend this drama but still we can watch it but dont expect too much

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Giving this a shot - Welp, kind of sorry I did.

Okay, my first thought is this appears to be like bad porn, without the actual full on sex. Although props for them having a scene in the first episode with the female lead doing something you NEVER see in series.

The bride is over the top campy, with her walk, and speech mannerisms, and b1tchy. Her acting is...a challenge to watch. The supporting men mostly just walk around with no shirts on, at a business. So far, I'm not sure I'll be completing this one.

The one big advantage though, is it is VERY short! Also, does it make sense with 15 minute episodes to spend 3 minutes on the previous episode's recap?

Okay, I finished it...again, it was very short, so I fast forwarded through a few things, but it was a struggle even then. It's not good. The male leads, good acting skills. Georgia, trans character, stellar. The female lead and Posh, so bad.

Otherwise, there is a very campy fight scene, no resolution to the issue of why they were getting married initially. Also, I would have liked the dad to maybe get punched in the face like 16 times, but that didn't happen either.

Overall, I would say if you have a couple hours to spare, go for it, but go at your own risk.

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par for the course (happy for the better trans rep!)

Overall: I think it's my favorite series overall from Oxin Films. 8 episodes about 15 min each. Aired on Oxin Films YouTube channel.

Content Warnings: intimate partner violence off screen, non con recording, blackmail, manhandling, violence/torture, kidnapping, parental abuse, homophobia, slaps

What I Liked
- started with showing instead of telling that she isn't interested in the wedding (asking him to make all the decisions, saying she is busy, (although later there is an exposition dump)
- finally a trans female character who is not a stereotype
- GL representation
- laughed a few times
- honest discussion between Shao and Louise (though they need even more communication), discussion about virginity
- good NSFW scenes (though I wish they left in some of the original sounds instead of covering it all with music)
- supportive moms and siblings/friends
- the lack of a super severe piracy warning (it's not going to stop people who pirate stuff)

Room For Improvement
- there are too many characters for a short runtime, wish they had cut characters/narrowed the plot a bit more, that stuff with the brother and that violence was not needed at all
- the final episode made no sense especially Briggs' action (or lack there of), why couldn't the dad be the source of drama, lack of wrapping up/fully explaining plot lines
- Shao placed such importance on his first time so I was very disappointed with how that happened (and also totally unrealistic to be that coherent after being that drunk which is why I didn't label it as dub or non con)
- the innuendo jokes go on a bit too long/too many of them
- wish they had made Louise slightly more likable sooner
- the brother asking about his sex position was bad
- gender is fluid should not be equated with preferred sex position
- characters just randomly show up at the right time at the right place with zero explanation

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Solid story, surprisingly well-acted and HOT!

The play on words of the title of this series is so deliciously appropriate and nuanced that it simply further enhances this rather well-done series, despite its negative reviews. I liked it – a lot. Does it have issues? Yep! A lot of them, but it is still a very worthy series. It is a hot, steamy, erotic, and an adult BL that has a point and gets to it quickly and easily and does not rely on a lot of cliché themes to get there (well, just a few, but they are cute). This ensemble cast has some of the hottest and most sensuous men (and women) in it. They are all handsome, gorgeous, erotic and guess what - they can act! And they were not afraid to get into the lustful sex scenes and express it. That is such a departure from the typical and usual Thai BLs and is so refreshing. And the story itself was quite entertaining. A simple one, really, but made too complex by having too many characters and too many subplots. Not that they were not interesting; on the contrary, they were. However, this series is so short that the major focus simply should have been on the main characters.

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Menaruh ekspektasi tinggi, tetapi lupa ini hanyalah "mini series"

Sebuah mini series yang mengangkat cerita tentang perjodohan. Menurutku series ini sudah cukup bagus dari beberapa aspek seperti perwatakan, latar belakang cerita, dsb. Tetapi, menurutku series ini mini detail. Beberapa adegan terasa loncat-loncat, bahkan beberapa-nya lagi cenderung tidak fokus pada resolusi. Di segi life-meaning, menurutku memang ada sih, tetapi penyampaiannya agak kurang begitu berkesan. Dengan cuplikan trailer yang bagus, awalnya saya terlalu banyak berharap ekspektasi lebih ; berakhir dengan sedikit kekecewaan karena fakta bahwa ini adalah sebuah "mini" series. Walaupun begitu, series ini lumayan bisa dinikmati sebagai pengisi akhir pekan ; ceritanya yang punya durasi pendek, membuat series ini memang cocok ditonton di sela-sela waktu luang, namun ; pembahasan latar belakang series ini lumayan berat. Dari segi warna, biasa aja sih ya, alurnya mudah diikuti dengan dialog yang mudah difahami. Saya merekomendasikan BL series yang satu ini, walaupun saya tidak terlalu yakin anda akan menyukainya.

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A nice story and for me the 1st Oxin show without overexalted and permaent powdering trans actors

Both leads gave a good and blievable acting, portraying their characters good. The mother in law was for the arranged marriage a bit over the top and out of charakter when slapping ... but for the drama ...
The halt before the "climax" was not really unstandable ... but drama ...
The bed scenes had been good, believable and raunchy enough. And pulling the hairt ... I did not expect that! BL films need it! As some more reality in the stories and evtl. some more action movie like touch, not an overly constructed action, which is seen on 1st sight as being fake. We are more than love and boy finds boy.
The most positive for me was the portrayal of a transperson, not oversissied/tootsied and permanently powdering and being the overly dramaqueen. I am not trans but support, especially as AltRight (fascists/NAZIs) target trans and drag with anti Human Rights Terrorism, as the 1st and smallest group among the LGBTQIA+ family, and you may not believe, but the rest of us is on their terrorist "shopping list"! And astonishingly (positive!) she had her thirst too ... And more she got herself a candyboy too. Alone for this positive portrayal of the charakter this OXIN produvtion rewatchable!

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Filipinas de vez em quando surpreende positivamente

Gostei muito. Um dramalhão filipino, com tudo que se tem direito. Famílias homofóbicas, casamento arranjado por conveniência de interesses, muita gente dentro de armários, noivo virgem e noiva devassa, gays se submetendo a abusos, uma salada improvável, mas que acabou dando um bom resultado.
Sobre a família do noivo, não vou nem entrar no mérito do casamento por conveniência, dispensa comentários... Achei interessante o fato dele ser virgem, talvez por isso ele não tinha noção de sua sexualidade. Um cara de coração gigante, que mesmo sabendo que sua família estava sendo "usada" não se opôs, acreditando ser esse o papel de um bom filho, ao mesmo tempo em que não deu as costas ao irmão gay, ao contrário, o apoiou. Falando nele, Thor é o retrato de muitos homossexuais jovens, que não podem se assumir e acabam se submetendo a relacionamentos abusivos e situações deploráveis para manter seu segredo, que bom que ele se libertou.
Sobre a família da noiva, ainda não entendi o xilique da mãe dela, já que ela queria apenas o dinheiro da outra família, o filho deles ser gay ou não afetava em quê? Enfim, minha concepção sobre Louise caiu bastante, no começo achei ela super empoderada, e tal, inclusive ela afirmou ao noivo que tinha uma namorada. Mas na festa do casamento ela poderia ter feito algo para minimizar o escândalo, já que ela antes de todos da série já era bem devassa, já tinha uma namorada, então como ela permitiu que a mãe fizesse aquele show sem dizer nada?
Sobre Posh, acho que ela realmente era muito apaixonada, a ponto de aceitar qualquer coisa que Louise quisesse sem nem ao menos questionar, na minha percepção, Louise não ama ninguém além de si própria.
Georgia é uma personagem que amei, aliás, eu amo a forma como a Filipinas trata as atrizes trans, dando papéis de destaque nas séries.
Quando revi a série percebi que Jericho Del Rosario era Renjie, eu não tinha percebido antes... Uma atriz que me encantou pela versatilidade foi Dexter Doria, já vi várias séries com ela, e sempre ela interpreta um papel bem diferente do outro, porém todos com maestria.
A atuação aqui merece os parabéns, os aspectos técnicos todos estão ok. Com certeza recomendo essa série e a verei outras vezes.

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“Simply The Best!”

What a beautiful love story…and the OST is soft, sweet, soothing , beautifully written, sung and brings tears to your eyes!! People tend to use the words,” I love you,” and don’t truly know and understand the meaning behind those precious words!! Bravo, bravo to the entire cast and crew!! Outstanding performances from everyone!! I was so happy to hear that this drama series is based on a true story!! I cannot wait to find out the outcome!!
Thanks to all the subbers for allowing me to watch and enjoy such an incredible series!! From the words from “Tina Turner.”….”It’s Simply The Best!!”

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