Gaycation is a mix of a travel show and a deep-dive documentary that feels incredibly personal. It follows Elliot Page and best friend Ian Daniel as they head out to explore what life is actually like for LGBTQ+ people in different corners of the globe. Instead of just hitting the tourist spots, they really get into the nitty-gritty of the local cultures in Japan, Brazil, and Jamaica. The first season is made up of four main episodes, each about 45 minutes long, and it wraps up with a heavy special episode about the tragic Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando. In Japan, the pair hangs out in Tokyo , looking at the weird mix of high-tech living and old-school traditions. They check out a place where you can actually rent a friend, party in the tiny bars of Ni-chōme, and even see a "friendship marriage" at a temple. The most intense part is when a young guy uses their cameras to finally tell his mom he's gay, which shows how much pressure there is to just "fit in"...
Shikhar is a handsome, rugged man who is open about being gay and works as a painter. Over the years, he’s totally shut himself off from the idea of love. Even though he hooks up with people, he doesn't even think about having a real relationship, yet he always seems to carry this deep sadness around with him. His best friend is Meera, who is very open-minded. She’s been dating a guy named Agastya for about two years. Shikhar always felt like something was a bit weird with Agastya, and one day, while he's on a gay dating site, he realizes that Agastya is actually gay. Agastya is deeply in the closet but still looking for guys online. Meanwhile, Meera feels like Agastya isn't fully there in their relationship, so she decides to stop the physical part of things. Even so, they have a very strong bond. Agastya eventually comes out to her as gay. Because of work, Agastya and Shikhar have to work together on an art project for a client. Neither of them wants to do it, but secretly, they both really want to be near each other. As they spend more time together, they get closer, and Shikhar actually starts to feel love for him. The writing and acting really show how Shikhar’s feelings grow and how Agastya notices it. But Shikhar worries about hurting Meera by dating her ex. In the end, Meera realizes what’s happening and tells her two best friends to be together. It ends with a beautiful scene where the two guys kiss at the airport.
I wouldn't really call this a BL show because it feels more like a real love story between two grown men dealing with the world’s rules and the struggle of being gay today. There is a lot to like here. I loved the support Agastya gets from his mother and his close bond with Meera. Even though Meera didn't mean to hurt anyone, she tells Shikhar she isn't ready to see Agastya with someone else yet. Shikhar takes this to heart and tries to hide his feelings so he doesn't upset her. The whole series is built on pain. Shikhar hides his behind a blunt and grumpy attitude. Agastya is struggling with his own pain because he can't accept himself, so he pretends to be straight even though his mom supports him. Meera’s pain is also tough because she accidentally makes Shikhar feel like loving Agastya would be like stabbing her in the back. Luckily, the story ends well. Nobody is a villain here; they are just humans who needed to learn how to say "I love you" without any strings attached. My only real critique is that the show feels very slow. The way they talk and interact needed to move a bit faster to keep people's attention these days. The acting is quite good, though, and I really liked the main song.
This series is a story about adults trying to figure out how to be gay and have a relationship in a world that doesn't always accept them. India still has a long way to go before families and society fully accept people being openly gay. (7/10)
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