Victuurri
Manila, PH
I was aware of its existence for a while now but I didn’t dare or care to watch because it wasn’t SOTUS-level popular and I never liked the movie version anyways. I was bored to death one weekend after several weeks of watching and re-watching a series of BL drama released this year – 2 Moons, My Dear Loser: Edge of 17 and Together With Me. After getting tired of them, I decided to give My Bromance The Series a chance.
Having the separation of the two main characters and the death of Golf as my final memory of the movie, the pilot episode made me confused. It started eight years later after they were separated and it was set in two foreign locations. From the get go, the foreshadowing of what would be the main conflict was already conveyed. I had to detach myself from the original film because clearly the series was taking a different route. In the beginning, the execution wasn’t impressive and the acting of the new set of actors were still in question. As the next episodes went on, more revelations unfolded. The storyline wasn’t simple. More characters were involved, several conflicts branched out and multiple timelines were introduced.
The beauty of My Bromance The Series was the storytelling. It’s not the most well-produced drama but the editing was done smartly. They have thoughtfully woven the past and the present in a way that the viewers will easily understand the heart of the story and the points of view of the characters. The screenplay was rich in details because it didn’t just show where the current state of the main characters are eight years after. They were able to inject the history behind the present. The parallelism was clever. It pushed the development of Golf’s and Bank’s characters as well as their relationship. It showed that who we are now is the effect of all the things we experienced in the past. I thought it would be difficult to pull off such an approach but the big picture was crystal clear.
Golf and Bank’s chemistry may not be the most exciting I’ve seen on screen. Their roles have to be portrayed as exact opposites and the friction between them was at times unbearable. What made it work so wonderfully was the script. The profiling of their characters was explicit and the building up of their relationship was done thoroughly. The storylines weren’t left hanging in spite of some parts that were left untold - the real reason why Golf and Bank were away from each other, Golf’s strong attachment to their old house, Bank’s engagement to Jackson. The foreshadowing gave out concrete hints without the need to deliver the scenes where they lead to. In effect, the plot was tight and there was no repetition. The lack of a natural chemistry didn’t bother me because what was shown was an extraordinary love story.
My Bromance The Series was one of a kind because it's the only Thai BL series that centered family values. Golf and Bank are stepbrothers. Unlike other BL couples who first met at school, their first meeting was at their house. Being their home as the primary setting added a different layer to the story. Their boy-to-boy relationship alone was already questionable. Even though they are not related by blood, they were still brothers in the eyes of their mom and dad. Having such a kind of relationship was deemed scandalous. Evidently, it wasn’t tolerated which caused the eight-year gap. But the irony was the people who caused their breakup were the same people who brought them together. Most BL plots usually limit the role of family. Others even evade it. It’s refreshing to see that My Bromance The Series didn't just address it but it was made vital to Golf and Bank’s relationship.
In just two sittings, I have finished the entire series. There was no wasted time. Every scene has a purpose. Each moment was relevant. The twists and turns were exhilarating. It didn’t rely on the chemistry of the actors to sell the story, which was also its downfall. It’s disappointing that My Bromance The Series didn’t soar. I understand where the other comments were coming from about the acting, execution, direction and so on. But there is no perfect series. And in terms of screenplay, this is the quality content that I’m looking for in a story. Not all series have depth and substance nowadays. And I’m so happy that I got bored one weekend and decided to watch My Bromance The Series. It turned out to be one of the most satisfying BL series I’ve ever seen.
Having the separation of the two main characters and the death of Golf as my final memory of the movie, the pilot episode made me confused. It started eight years later after they were separated and it was set in two foreign locations. From the get go, the foreshadowing of what would be the main conflict was already conveyed. I had to detach myself from the original film because clearly the series was taking a different route. In the beginning, the execution wasn’t impressive and the acting of the new set of actors were still in question. As the next episodes went on, more revelations unfolded. The storyline wasn’t simple. More characters were involved, several conflicts branched out and multiple timelines were introduced.
The beauty of My Bromance The Series was the storytelling. It’s not the most well-produced drama but the editing was done smartly. They have thoughtfully woven the past and the present in a way that the viewers will easily understand the heart of the story and the points of view of the characters. The screenplay was rich in details because it didn’t just show where the current state of the main characters are eight years after. They were able to inject the history behind the present. The parallelism was clever. It pushed the development of Golf’s and Bank’s characters as well as their relationship. It showed that who we are now is the effect of all the things we experienced in the past. I thought it would be difficult to pull off such an approach but the big picture was crystal clear.
Golf and Bank’s chemistry may not be the most exciting I’ve seen on screen. Their roles have to be portrayed as exact opposites and the friction between them was at times unbearable. What made it work so wonderfully was the script. The profiling of their characters was explicit and the building up of their relationship was done thoroughly. The storylines weren’t left hanging in spite of some parts that were left untold - the real reason why Golf and Bank were away from each other, Golf’s strong attachment to their old house, Bank’s engagement to Jackson. The foreshadowing gave out concrete hints without the need to deliver the scenes where they lead to. In effect, the plot was tight and there was no repetition. The lack of a natural chemistry didn’t bother me because what was shown was an extraordinary love story.
My Bromance The Series was one of a kind because it's the only Thai BL series that centered family values. Golf and Bank are stepbrothers. Unlike other BL couples who first met at school, their first meeting was at their house. Being their home as the primary setting added a different layer to the story. Their boy-to-boy relationship alone was already questionable. Even though they are not related by blood, they were still brothers in the eyes of their mom and dad. Having such a kind of relationship was deemed scandalous. Evidently, it wasn’t tolerated which caused the eight-year gap. But the irony was the people who caused their breakup were the same people who brought them together. Most BL plots usually limit the role of family. Others even evade it. It’s refreshing to see that My Bromance The Series didn't just address it but it was made vital to Golf and Bank’s relationship.
In just two sittings, I have finished the entire series. There was no wasted time. Every scene has a purpose. Each moment was relevant. The twists and turns were exhilarating. It didn’t rely on the chemistry of the actors to sell the story, which was also its downfall. It’s disappointing that My Bromance The Series didn’t soar. I understand where the other comments were coming from about the acting, execution, direction and so on. But there is no perfect series. And in terms of screenplay, this is the quality content that I’m looking for in a story. Not all series have depth and substance nowadays. And I’m so happy that I got bored one weekend and decided to watch My Bromance The Series. It turned out to be one of the most satisfying BL series I’ve ever seen.
Was this review helpful to you?
