When the first full trailer of JaDine’s new series, “Till I Met You,” was released a few months ago, fans were up in arms debating how the plot would turn out. Questions like “If Ali (JC Santos) is supposedly in love with Basti (James Reid), then why is he shown to be kissing Iris’ (Nadine Lustre) forehead?” and “Is it true that he’s really gay? Or is he just bisexual?” sprouted in the video’s comments section, with some even denying the existence of an LGBT angle in the first place.
Last week’s episodes put most of the speculation to rest when it was revealed that Ali himself is still in the process of figuring out who he is. In the episodes that aired after the pilot, Iris started college as an HRM major, while Ali decided to pursue a path as a chef after dropping out of the Philippine Military Academy (much to the chagrin of his father). Iris and Ali excel in their classes and are eventually accepted to their school’s on-the-job-training program in Greece. All of this unfolds in a fairytale-like set of scenes that culminate with Ali saying “I love you” and the couple turning into an MU (mutual understanding) situation.
After the rapid pacing of events in the pilot that framed Iris and Ali’s “destined” romance, Basti came into the picture very organically — no meet cute or grand entrance involved whatsoever. He is introduced as a free spirit living his life in Greece. Ali found Basti’s inspirational videos online and they start communicating online. Eventually, the three meet up, and naturally, Iris hates Basti at first (as these relationships usually start out) because of the trouble that comes whenever Ali spends time with him. All the while, little hints are dropped regarding where Ali’s preference might be.
If the series were to follow the cookie cutter teleserye formula, the entire country would be united in hating Santos for being the love team-threatener by now (see: “On the Wings of Love” and the “We hate Jigs” movement). But director Antoinette Jadaone isn’t one to go in the typical direction, which may be the reason no one hates anyone yet.
Last week’s episodes saw the blossoming of a bromance between Ali and Basti, though it’s not yet clear whether Basti is reciprocating it. At this point, it’s safe to say that we aren’t even sure who we want to end up with each other anymore. It certainly helps that Santos shows such an endearing character in Ali that he is able to charm viewers into rooting for him, no matter who he goes for. His chemistry with Lustre’s Iris is enchanting as his dynamic with Basti is adorable. As for Lustre and Reid, they are both successful in breaking away from the Leah and Clark we knew from “On the Wings of Love.” Iris and Basti are supposedly younger, and the two do seem to possess a greater sense of naiveté.
There’s one issue that “Till I Met You” has yet to clarify, especially since the show is one of the few, following GMA’s “My Husband’s Lover,” to feature an LGBT main character who doesn’t fit the common parlor gay stereotype. If Jadaone really wants to shatter norms, then it would be great to show that Ali has a fighting chance with Basti. This might be evident right now with the whole bromance between the two (it’s enough to make Iris jealous), but it won’t be enough until Ali has a clearer understanding of his sexuality. As it stands, all of this is enough to get us hooked — it’s safe to say that we’re rooting for “Till I Met You” to succeed.
Source: cnn
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