Smiley

Old telephones and wrong numbers, misunderstandings, the inability to express true feelings and blossoming LOVE. That is Smiley.

All the classic elements of rom-com rolled into a delightful Christmas gift from Spain and Netflix.

Throw in a handsome cast of fine actors and this Spanish comedy just flies.

It touches on a wide range of issues including family, and rejection but mostly the search, the timeless search, for love.

This series is joy. Sit back and join Bruno and Alex as they navigate the pitfalls of modern romance in a fabulous looking Barcelona.

We may all know where we are going but the journey is half the fun!

I expected yet another banal, predictable gay rom-com. And while some of the plot is predictable, there is so much more character development than most gay rom-coms that I binged watched the entire series in two sittings. The writing is clever, the acting is very good, and the characters are multi-dimensional.

I enjoyed the many different ways the film explores relationships and people's yearning for love, despite their ages and sexual proclivities. While each character's foibles complicate their searches for love, ultimately their journeys lead them to where they should be.

If you're looking just for eye candy, you can find that here, too. And Barcelona itself is one of the stars.

Even if you're not in love with all of the characters... you can definitely find a few to love in this passionate, smart, and yes, sometimes a little maddening series. Carlos Cuevas is so sexy and such a joy to watch in anything. I dare you not to fall in love with him. Or....how about just finding someone to love in this show and enjoy. Perfect for the holidays.

The original spanish is the best...however if that's not possible it's still very much worth it.

Love being able to see shows from Spain that are done so well. Merlí was also an excellent series. I hope we'll get a second season and a third, and a....

From the cinematography to the storyline, absolutely 10/10! All the little details with the way it's filmed to the execution. The characters internal dialogue was the most intriguing aspect and It always made you question whether what you were watching actually happened. It keeps you guessing throughout.

Now I'm begging the Netflix god's to commission a 2nd series, (even though it was neatly wrapped up) because this was pure genius and I'm being greedy.

A must watch; it'll make you laugh, cry and angry - all the emotions. I never leave reviews - so do us all a favour and give it a watch! :) A must watch this Christmas season.

I found Bros probably one of the most self indulgent actor/writer projects of recent years, and understand why it bombed as a rom com. Smiley, on the other hand succeeds with characters you want to follow on their romantic journeys through all the episodes! I enjoyed how it was an ensemble, so rather than a focus on just the leads, you can enjoy the supporting players performances and storylines. The chemistry between the two leads, was undeniable (something a project like Bros failed on miserably), and you find yourself rooting for them to find what they are looking for in the end. I won't reveal any spoilers, but I was wondering while watching how they came up with the title, and was pleasantly surprised with the reveal at the end. I think American writers and producers, disappointed by the failure of Bros, should applaud and appreciate how this Spanish production did it right and exceeded expectations for a male/male rom com.