This is one of the few Vivamax that actually focuses on substance and plot over nudity and erotica. This may look like some Elite pinoy rip off at first, but you are wrong. Because as the plot progresses, it stands on its own league of storytelling. The series begins as a typical serious toned teenage flick, wherein the students of the Potenciana University where the brightest and influential students study, throws an annual party in the university, the bonfire night, a party where students get themselves wasted with booze, drugs and screw each other. Then all of a sudden, the campus prince Brian Zuniga fell off the rooftop, with his ex-girlfriend Hannah Andal found lying where Brian fell from, being caught in a coma. All evidence says that Brian committed su1ic1d3 out of guilt after r-wording Hannah. But an outcast student of the University who also has a romantic attachment towards brian, believes otherwise. And with that, she begins investigating by uncovering the students' and university's deepest and darkest secrets.
The series started strong and promising. It's filled with twists and turns and some remarkable plot points and layered characters, while some plot points and characters were left out and underutilized. For some reasons, I feel like the whole plot of the series is divided into two. Won't give away too much to avoid spoilers. But anyways, the series is indeed promising and entertaining to watch. Some plot points and twists are predictable and not that unconventional but are still entertaining and successful in contributing to the series' tension building nevertheless. Though just a little spoiler, for some people who are expecting this to be a whodunit riddle type series where you would investigate every character and details of the crime to uncover the culprit, you are wrong. This series relies more on unfolding character layers to unleash the truth. So to get it straight, the whodunit plot point is actually just a sideplot. So sad, to say, this series is not meant for whodunit/mystery flick fans. But still entertaining nevertheless as it is still a knock to the whodunit subgenre.
For the characters, as I said, some are well written and entertaining while some are underutilized and left out. And there are some that actually have the potential to be interesting and more complex but chose to water down their characters and make them flat and dull (Especially Gab's pseudo identity), probably to give way to the second half of the series. And once the second half of the series starts, the rest of the characters are left out towards the very end of the series, probably to give focus to its lore. While there are some characters who are twisted and layered. Particularly some characters whom we thought are just side/supporting, would only have spotlight in the first few eps, or not that important to the plot, but suddenly stole the spotlight with their characters adding more depth to the plot as it progresses in its second half. For the acting, some were able to act decently, since we see some acting in mainstream filipino movies/series, particularly Aaron Villaflor, Rhen Escano, Josef Elizalde, Sheree Bautista, Arnold Reyes. While for the actors/actresses under Vivamax, some were somehow able to act decently as well, particularly Ayanna Misola and Andrea Garcia. While some look like they are in a Filipino class roleplay. For the lead characters' acting, as usual Rhen gave a decent and flawless performance here which is not a surprise. And by far having the most satisfactory performance out of all here. While Ayanna Misola by surprise was able to elevate her acting skills. From her stale acting skills in her first projects in Vivamax like Ang Babaeng Nawawala sa Sarili, to an improved and much decent acting here. Just a little more push and improvement in her voice intonation in line delivery in some parts then she's good to go.
For the technical aspects, the cinematography, color grading, and camera work is flawless. However, the unconventional editing looks so irritating. But I guess it's the director's unique style? And probably the series' own branding as the main character is a podcast host, so probably forgivable. Overall, I gave this series a 7/10. Promising plot with a wasted potential of becoming more vast by having more nuanced plotlines. But still entertaining nevertheless as well as its tension building. Though the ending felt really empty, I kind of feel like it's low key telling something. Probably a door to season 2 answering more questions? Anyways, this series is good, has its ups and downs, nothing so unconventional about it, but still thrilling and entertaining and worth watching and recommending nevertheless.
The series started strong and promising. It's filled with twists and turns and some remarkable plot points and layered characters, while some plot points and characters were left out and underutilized. For some reasons, I feel like the whole plot of the series is divided into two. Won't give away too much to avoid spoilers. But anyways, the series is indeed promising and entertaining to watch. Some plot points and twists are predictable and not that unconventional but are still entertaining and successful in contributing to the series' tension building nevertheless. Though just a little spoiler, for some people who are expecting this to be a whodunit riddle type series where you would investigate every character and details of the crime to uncover the culprit, you are wrong. This series relies more on unfolding character layers to unleash the truth. So to get it straight, the whodunit plot point is actually just a sideplot. So sad, to say, this series is not meant for whodunit/mystery flick fans. But still entertaining nevertheless as it is still a knock to the whodunit subgenre.
For the characters, as I said, some are well written and entertaining while some are underutilized and left out. And there are some that actually have the potential to be interesting and more complex but chose to water down their characters and make them flat and dull (Especially Gab's pseudo identity), probably to give way to the second half of the series. And once the second half of the series starts, the rest of the characters are left out towards the very end of the series, probably to give focus to its lore. While there are some characters who are twisted and layered. Particularly some characters whom we thought are just side/supporting, would only have spotlight in the first few eps, or not that important to the plot, but suddenly stole the spotlight with their characters adding more depth to the plot as it progresses in its second half. For the acting, some were able to act decently, since we see some acting in mainstream filipino movies/series, particularly Aaron Villaflor, Rhen Escano, Josef Elizalde, Sheree Bautista, Arnold Reyes. While for the actors/actresses under Vivamax, some were somehow able to act decently as well, particularly Ayanna Misola and Andrea Garcia. While some look like they are in a Filipino class roleplay. For the lead characters' acting, as usual Rhen gave a decent and flawless performance here which is not a surprise. And by far having the most satisfactory performance out of all here. While Ayanna Misola by surprise was able to elevate her acting skills. From her stale acting skills in her first projects in Vivamax like Ang Babaeng Nawawala sa Sarili, to an improved and much decent acting here. Just a little more push and improvement in her voice intonation in line delivery in some parts then she's good to go.
For the technical aspects, the cinematography, color grading, and camera work is flawless. However, the unconventional editing looks so irritating. But I guess it's the director's unique style? And probably the series' own branding as the main character is a podcast host, so probably forgivable. Overall, I gave this series a 7/10. Promising plot with a wasted potential of becoming more vast by having more nuanced plotlines. But still entertaining nevertheless as well as its tension building. Though the ending felt really empty, I kind of feel like it's low key telling something. Probably a door to season 2 answering more questions? Anyways, this series is good, has its ups and downs, nothing so unconventional about it, but still thrilling and entertaining and worth watching and recommending nevertheless.
