To get it out of the way, the production values are not high. This is forgivable given an almost total lack of budget - with the exception of editing. There's a love scene that's expertly done, so someone involved has the ability, and this series could have been much better with proper editing. It's too obvious sometimes that the actors aren't talking to each other as there are unnatural pauses between lines.

The acting isn't bad - there's something oddly compelling and sexy about Mark. Maybe it's the very boyish looks combined with the solid body and languid smirk and the way he moves. The dialogue is more like a play than a film, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, and there's more depth and realism in the conversation even if it's a bit stagey. It does need to be condensed and avoid repetition. I realize real conversations can be repetitive, especially relationship discussions, but extraneous dialogue can be tiresome if it's not driving the plot or characterization.

I have to commend the production for trying something different - BLs in general are getting frustrating as they're all loaded with the same old tropes. In Hook UP there are no accidental kisses, evil girlfriends, nobody says "I'm not gay, I just love X", there's no weird obsession with top & bottom (with the bottom always the less masculine and in a Victorian female role), and the antagonist is an interesting (and incidentally, smokin' hot) character - not your usual 2D villain.

If you're looking for cute boys being cute together with no real substance or story, then this is probably not for you - there is no fan service here - but if you want to see something ambitious and different, you won't feel you've wasted your time.

I'm looking forward to seeing more work from Jace. More shirtless Marky won't drive me away either.

Can anyone explain to me just how many roosters there are in the Philippines? Are the chained to every building or something? WHAT IS WITH THE ROOSTERS.