I know my reviews of these floundering BL series perhaps are a bit too heartfelt, but I have great admiration for struggling productions which are making an effort to tell a story in its own way, no matter what the obstacles. So, therefore, I am willing and do indeed overlook many of the production flaws so that we can understand what motivates and drives these creations- a belief in themselves and an effort to tell a story with sincerity and commitment. Indeed, that is what this series is. It is a surprisingly intense BL series full of real people with genuine problems told perhaps a bit over dramatically. But as uncomfortable as the story is, there is nonetheless an underlying veracity to its message.

This story is raw. It is not pleasant and what romance there is, is not filled with solemnity. It begins with a young man Xian (JM Salem), looking forlorn and feeling rather hopeless, having his boyfriend Travis (Ren Coruejo) dump him after using him. Although Indigo (Rod Grande Corpuz) was trying to rob Xian, Xian just did not care and was pining over Travis. Indigo, feeling sorry for him, decides to help Xian and with nowhere else to go allows Xian to stay with him. Xian along with Travis have done some unsavory things in the past while Indigo has and continues to be a small-time robber. However, both seem to find comfort with each other and as they spend more time together, become closer and closer. While Indigo is not gay, he knows that Xian is falling for him, and he begins to see qualities in Xian that he likes and begins to find him attractive and before long, they fall in love with each other. Indigo is perhaps surprised how easy it was for him to fall in love with Xian.

However, one day Indigo finds Xian on the floor, and he discovers that he has a serious heart problem. One of his friends suggests as a way for Indigo to make quick money is to become an escort, specifically for a well-known trans named Miranda (Edz Bonggastar). However, it is way more surreptitious than that. Miranda is into sadomasochistic sexual behaviors. In reality, she is covering up a deeper plot to get revenge on a group of individuals who tortured and raped her years ago. She is deeply hurt, angry and wounded, which makes her dangerous. And apparently, she has a lot of money.

I shall be honest here. This series is not going to win any awards for acting. But understand that this production is done on a shoe-string budget, but still you can see the sincerity in some actors’ performances. Two really stand out. JM Salem as Xian is one. Maybe it is his image. He looks forlorn, lost, and broken with such conviction that I completely bought his characterization. He can also show a great range of emotions with equal conviction as well, particularly in crying. I saw real tears which meant real emotions. There was a sincerity in what he was trying to do. Sure, he could still benefit from more time with an acting coach to project an even greater range of emotions; they all could. But that does not take away from his sincerity. The other individual worth noting was Edz Bonggastar as Miranda. To be sure, she was over-the-top and one dimensional at times, but her scenes where she is being abused are quite powerful, intense, and obviously come from a deep level of what was being represented. The sincerity in what she was representing was real; she was trying to show the pain of someone who was raped; the scars and aftermath of such a traumatic experience. The way she carried out her revenge is obviously wrong, but the pain and humiliation she carried around were a constant reminder of their actions.

There are no happy endings here. Only sadness, pain and ugliness. It also shows to what degree/extent we will go to exact revenge and what the cost of that revenge is. It is the loss of our humanity, our sentiments, and our souls. We also feel nothing except perhaps sadness and a profound sense of melancholy.

This is a series that will obviously not be for everyone. Its production is not good at times. The sound is uneven, editing is even worse and the story is disjointed. The acting is also flat by some supporting cast. And most of the criticisms will no doubt concentrate on these obvious flaws in its storytelling. It is a story of the darker side of sex.

But if you look at its content, and ‘see’ its people, you will recognize ordinary humans who have gone bad. Yet, it is difficult to label some of them as egregious because they are trying to eke out an existence in a world that has forgotten about them. Even what good they did, cannot overcome their perniciousness. Perhaps that is the lesson to be learned here. They have given up just at the point that society has forgotten them.

Rating- 4 out of 5

Streaming on- MLV Film Production YouTube Channel