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Virtual to physical: Pandemic-set 'Hello, Stranger' surprises with storytelling transition

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Miguel Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/entertainment/07/17/hellostranger.jpg"/><figcaption>&#x27;Hello, Stranger&#x27; lead stars JC Alcantara and Tony Labrusca are seen in together physically for the first time in the July 15 episode of the BL series. <em>Black Sheep</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — &quot;Hello, Stranger&quot; surprised fans on Wednesday as the lead characters of the pandemic-set boys&#x27; love (BL) series met face to face — a departure from the virtual storytelling it has embraced since its premiere.</p><p>In the July 15 episode of the Black Sheep production, Xavier (Tony Labrusca) and Mico (JC Alcantara) agreed to meet to work on a school project. Mico, the top student of his class, had been assigned to partner with Xavier, a varsity basketball player struggling with his grades.</p><p>Their meetings have been entirely through video calls and messages due to the pandemic — that is, until Mico offered to visit Xavier&#x27;s house to help him create a backdrop for their project.</p><p>&quot;Hello, Stranger&#x27;s&quot; final scene did show Xavier and Mico finally seeing each other in person — a surprise for loyal fans who had grown used to the series&#x27; split-screen presentation since its June 24 debut.</p><p>The change came so unexpected this early on that within minutes of the episode&#x27;s streaming, its official hashtag ranked atop Philippine trends on Twitter, with a flood of comments expressing excitement with the direction of the series.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">We&#x27;re now trending at first spot. ❤️<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HelloStrangerEP4?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HelloStrangerEP4</a> <a href="https://t.co/XYjvlwKWJ1">pic.twitter.com/XYjvlwKWJ1</a></p>— BL Philippines (@pinoy_ent) <a href="https://twitter.com/pinoy_ent/status/1283388553972445185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2020</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">What an amazing feat! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HelloStrangerEP4?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HelloStrangerEP4</a> is trending at #7 worldwide too! <a href="https://t.co/Xevq71eUgD">pic.twitter.com/Xevq71eUgD</a></p>— Filipino BL Central (@phBLcentral) <a href="https://twitter.com/phBLcentral/status/1283422860535422976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2020</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Directed by Petersen Vargas and written by Patrick Valencia, &quot;Hello, Stranger&quot; started production during the coronavirus community quarantine.</p><p>The cast — also including Vivoree Esclito, Patrick Quiroz, Miguel Almendras, and Gillian Vicencio — previously said they self-filmed at home, separately, with live instructions from the production team.</p><p>The exception were Labrusca and Alcantara, who each had a small crew helping mount scenes at their respective homes, in addition to footage of their characters on video call.</p><p>Under the initial lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, filming was completely barred. That measure eased starting June 1, when Metro Manila was placed under general community quarantine.</p><p>Fellow Kapamilya programs like &quot;FPJ&#x27;s Ang Probinsyano&quot; — Black Sheep is part of the larger ABS-CBN Films — resumed production under the more relaxed lockdown, but with strict adherence to safety protocols such as rapid testing and &quot;lock-in&quot; shootings. The same would apply to &quot;Hello, Stranger.&quot;</p><p>This new normal is also now felt in stories told on camera, going by the latest episode of &quot;Hello, Stranger.&quot; In their chat, Mico asked Xavier first whether he would be comfortable meeting physically. They agreed to be careful, and both wore a face mask when they did meet at a public space — Mico&#x27;s favorite milk tea shop.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V640Mztt5YY?enablejsapi=1"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>&quot;Ngayon, hindi mo na maiiwasan,&quot; writer Valencia said of depicting the effects of the pandemic, during the series&#x27; pre-debut conference. &quot;Ang laking effect na nitong nangyari sa atin. Feeling ko, nandiyan at nandiyan siya.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Pero, moving forward din, sana hindi natin makalimutan to still tell the story that need to be heard, no matter if there&#x27;s a pandemic or not,&quot; he told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>The BL genre and its newfound popularity among Filipinos, according to Valencia, is a step towards <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/06/24/20/normalizing-bl-why-gay-stories-need-to-be-told-as-romcom-too-in-romcom-loving-ph" target="_blank">normalizing queer love stories</a> in mainstream media.</p><p>&quot;Katulad nito, we just want to tell a story about love, about friendship — na kahit merong pandemic, mag-si-survive pa rin itong mga relationships ng mga taong &#x27;to. It&#x27;s the resilience of people and the power of love talaga.&quot;</p>

<p>"We just want to tell a story about love, about friendship — na kahit merong pandemic, mag-si-survive pa rin itong mga relationships ng mga taong 'to."</p>

"We just want to tell a story about love, about friendship — na kahit merong pandemic, mag-si-survive pa rin itong mga relationships ng mga taong 'to."

Virtual to physical: Pandemic-set 'Hello, Stranger' surprises with storytelling transition

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Virtual to physical: Pandemic-set 'Hello, Stranger' surprises with storytelling transition

Miguel Dumaual,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 17, 2020 07:04 AM PHT

|

Updated Jul 17, 2020 05:03 PM PHT

Read More:

Hello Stranger

Black Sheep

Tony Labrusca

JC Alcantara

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