Can't Buy Me Love

Title: "Can't Buy Me Love"

The show presents an intriguing premise by focusing on Chinese influence in the Philippines. However, it falls short due to a recycled plot and conflicts. Given its status as a Netflix-produced series, a 10 to 20-episode format would have been more suitable. The excessively slow pacing becomes noticeable to viewers, making the series feel prolonged.

Certain scenes (NOT ALL), especially those involving the main characters Caroline and Bingo, are not only useless to the plot but also tedious. The series often appears to struggle with maintaining a clear story direction, and the attempt to extend episodes becomes overly evident. Fortunately, being a Netflix series allows viewers to fast forward and skip such scenes.

On a positive note, the charm and acting skills of the secondary characters, Irene and Snoop, stand out. They bring vitality to the entire show, keeping the audience engaged and interested.

To be honest, Can't Buy Me Love caught my attention because of it's Opening Billboard. It was awesome. I was curious, so I watched Episode 1 and it already gave me a sense of mystery. The slow burn romance is realistic. It has a hint of romcom, family issues, secrets and revenge. Bingo and Caroline's sweet moments are very natural and all other characters are good too. From watching Episode 1, I just find myself enjoying the series and watching it everyday. Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano are the only actors or actresses I can think of who are best suited for the characters of Bingo and Caroline.

Wow, this one is made not just for Filipinos but for the international viewers. I think it only shows on Netflix Philippines as of now, but I hope it can be streamed globally in the future. This show deserves a wider audience. I am very impressed with the cinematography. The places they shot are really beautiful. I love the chaotic energy in Chinatown. The hustle and bustle of the streets made everything more realistic. Sound editing could use a bit more work though.

The cast is superb. I love Caroline and Bingo so much. I love how opposite they are from each other. They believe in different things. They come from different backgrounds. However, they just somehow make sense together. I am an avid k-drama watcher so I naturally gravitate towards the romance between the characters. This one is slow-paced but I get it. Caroline's walls are so high, it's only fitting for her not to break too early in the show. I'll know they'll eventually get together and their journey excites me.

. I also like the thrill and the mystery. They never seem to run out of ideas. I feel like like I'm watching CSI sometimes hahaha which I think is a good thing. They keep the viewers on their toes.

What I don't like about it is that the episodes are too short. I hate waiting but I couldn't drop it because I'm really invested in this now.

It's sad to see a promising plot to be ultimately ruined by profit/thinking this is what the audience wants. This series with 150 episodes could have been encapsulated in 2 movies at a minimum. 10 episodes would be the max. It's mind boggling they managed to stretch it out up to 150 episodes. Do Filipinos actually like this or die hard fans just keep defending it? This series could have been perfect if it didn't revolve too much on Bingo and Caroline but I do get it that this is their show. However, a lot of parts are skippable. I managed to only watch 3 minutes out of the whole episode as it is jampacked with filler/useless scenes. I can't hate on the actors getting so much exposure. I can only blame the writer, director, etc. Most of the "BingLing" scenes are irrelevant, tiring, and skippable. The show could have revolved with the actual plot and featured Bettina, Annie, and Wilson more. Bettina, Annie, and Cindy's acting skills are top notch and I always look forward for their scenes. They, along the plot, are the main reason and why I continue watching the show. Also, no hate to the actress but I can't stand Caroline's acting-it's obviously forced and lacks internalization yet die hard fans still defend it. There is a fine line between stoic and bad acting. Look up for Sense 8's character, Sun, who also has a stoic personality. She still portrayed her character seamlessly. Anyway, I do wish Korean or American producers create a show/movie with a similar plot wherein "Annie" is the protagonist. It's sad that the Philippines push love teams so much. Well, the media does give what they want.

I kinda expected this to be leaning on the romantic-comedy genre, but I was wrong. It is heavy on they mystery and I love it. I did not want to watch it at first because I saw that it will air for a few months with 150 episodes. I'm glad I started it and I'm honestly looking forward to the next episode. The plot twists are crazy. I had theories at first but they always get debunked. This show makes me think.

The main leads, Donny and Belle, are excellent at portraying their roles. They stayed true to their characters. Bingo is such a lovable character and his line "anak ng panty" just makes me laugh everytime. Caroline is not the typical romance archetype from past Filipino series. She's misunderstood, she's angry but subdued. Their realistic slow-burn romance is everything. Their height difference is also really cute. A petite girl safe in the arms of a big guy, just awwww.

Also really binge-able.