Now, talking about the story:
- Plot: A classic enemies-to-lovers high school romance with heavy themes of social hierarchy, self-worth, traumas, found family, discrimination, redemption and the list goes on...the show balances comedy, drama, and romance without jarring tonal shifts. It has that familiar Wattpad charm but with more structure, but I shall give you a warning, it can be cringy at times. As I already said, the subplots are nice, many characters receive attention, even though some of section e are kinda forgotten...still, we can't complain, there's a lot of them. As a Wattpad-originated romcom, certain tropes (rich boy, bullied class, transfer student) are cliché, but they're not without meaning, so it's not exactly a flaw, just predictable at times.
- Pacing: As I said, the series mirrors the novel’s episodic storytelling, which appeals to fans. Each episode often ends on a outrageous cliffhanger, keeping viewers engaged, similar to how Wattpad chapters are structured. Secondary characters like Mica, Ella, Grace, Percy and the rest of Section E get time to breathe, with their backstories and changes unfolding steadily across episodes, so if you like a story that doesn't neglect the side cast, this is for you. A thing that I wanted to say is that many complain about the unresolved mysteries, but in my opinion it should follow the book's pacing, because let me tell you, everyone's life in this series/novel is MESSY, DRAMATIC, COMPLEX and it's not easy to unravel like some might think, so they did a good job by finishing season one like the first book. Still, there are also some flaws...the first 2–3 episodes compress a lot of exposition, jay-jay’s transfer, introduction to Section E, and initial conflict with Keifer, which I feel like they could’ve used more buildup. The same basically goes for the last 2 episodes, it was way too rushed for me, still, it's not easy to do an adaptation of 127 chapters in 16 episodes, so I can see why they tightened it up.
- Romance: Let's start by the main couple. Keifer and Jay-jay have a nice development, their banter, rivalry, and frequent confrontations build thick romantic tension, so their attraction hides beneath their bickering. The romance obviously doesn't come quickly, which makes the emotional payoff stronger. Their relationship is built through small moments, unspoken concern, acts of protection, and reluctant admiration. Keifer starts out cold and hella prideful but softens over time. His emotional development is tightly linked to his growing affection for Jay-jay. While Jay-jay, who is strong and confident, has her insecurities, especially about fitting in, considering her whole life. Keifer sees sides of her others don’t, and this intimacy deepens their bond. So their romance isn’t just cute, it’s transformative. Keifer becomes a better version of himself through loving Jay-jay, and Jay-jay finds strength in being truly seen and valued. Ashtine and Andres Muhlach (Keifer) have really solid on-screen chemistry, too, it feels really natural to the point I think they're in a relationship in real life haha, they're just THAT good! As for the side couples, what can I say, they aren't any less! They're way more "calm", not too dramatic. One complain is that every single guy in section E (Calix, Denzel, Keifer, Yuri...), in a way or another, used their girls for a specific goal, then regret it because they fall in love with them...I think it's overused but hey, as a book reader, I can't complain since they became cute.
The true question is, how will this look to people who do not read Wattpad or webnovels and only watch TV series? Eh...that's a tough question, to be honest I think most of them would drop it midway (lol) because of the little "cringe" or "cliché" scenes, but here I'd like to clarify something, this was written by a Philippine author, and there the humour works differently, so actually, those scenes aren't cringe for them...they just joke in a different way generally speaking. Season one was more of an introduction to all the complex drama that will come in S2, so they should give it a chance.
So, overall, I'd say this is something anyone could watch, since it explores many topics and isn't just romance oriented. My rating is probably a bit biased because I read the Wattpad version since it released, but seriously, it's not mediocre by any means! A solid 8/10 is fair all things considered, so run to watch it.
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