“Why Love Why” was a satirical Filipino (Pinoy) boys’ love (BL) series. There were lots of craziness as well as social criticisms on this series. “Why Love Why,” with its hit-or-miss exaggerations, was not without flaws but it clearly had something socially relevant to say.

“Why Love Why” had a good plot/storyline that tackled the interrelationships among historical, societal, and personal issues like the dictatorship of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, human rights violations, graft and corruption, poverty, COVID-19 pandemic, coming out, sex reassignment surgery, cheating, etc. Yes, the historical timelines were a bit confused at times, but they were still good backdrops for this series. While the rich and poor characters falling in love with each other trope is nothing new, I found this series’ efforts at satirizing both the elite and the masses interesting. Wena’s death was an apt reminder of the context, given the COVID-19 pandemic, that we are at right now. Character backgrounds and character developments for Benjo, Emil, and Kelly were generally satisfactory. Without a doubt, this series’ depiction of Kelly was one of the better portrayals of a Pinoy transgender woman in a Pinoy BL series. Benjo and Emil were both strong characters (with steamy kissing and making love scenes, lol). I understand why some people got offended with what appeared as queer misrepresentation and oversexualization of characters during the pilot episode (for the record, I didn’t get offended but for those who did, your feelings are valid) but I do believe that the succeeding episodes were able to rationalize and redeem such characterizations. But not all issues were resolved on this series. Sadly, while there’s a possibility in the future, Benjo and Emil didn’t end up together during the finale.

Screenplay was largely ok although there were some problematic lines that exemplified internalized homophobia and queerness denial, particularly when Benjo and Emil asserted that they’re not gay. Script was extra melodramatic at times. It wasn’t overly funny but it was humorous enough. Some jocular dialogues landed but others were off. There was a rape joke that wasn’t justified at all.

Theatrical acting was still evident on some scenes. Philstagers Films, the production company behind “Why Love Why," started off as a theater company and most of the actors are theater actors. Transitioning from stage acting to screen acting needed a bit of work but all in all, acting was mostly ok. Carl and Johnrey had solid performances. Even the silences between them didn’t diminish their performances, but instead, amplified their acting. Both are really sexy as well. Those shirtless scenes were nice, lol. Carl’s quite charming.

Production technicals for “Why Love Why” were mostly fine. The rich and poor settings were adequately presented. Camera work was technically good. Editing was decent. The soundtracks “Tama Ba Ito?” (Is It Right?) and “Gawin Mo Akong Boyfriend” (Make Me Your Boyfriend) by Vince Tañada and Pipo Cifra were alright.

Overall, I would only recommend rewatching “Why Love Why” to those who aren’t easily offended. It’s a satirical Pinoy BL series with exaggerations that may not be appreciated by everyone. Still, it’s a good Pinoy BL series with a second season to look forward to.