It might sound a little harsh and I hate to admit that all I see on Philippine TV are reruns or remakes. And I stopped watching local TV dramas since then.
This all started a while back I have ignored most of what has been happening on Philippine TV, it was because most of the TV drama I see ends with the hero/the lead character alive. Though there is nothing wrong with that but sometimes there are stories that would be more meaningful or a little better if the lead character dies. Not only that most lead characters are either very innocent or really naïve. Another thing most lead characters are played by the most popular stars and the next big drama would go to them as well, that’s a little too much don’t you think? And because of all that I got tired of watching local TV dramas and resort to just watching anime and some Japanese dramas.
It’s been really a long time since I watched a local drama and last night I tried to watch one, here’s the scenario... it’s Monday and at 9pm on channel 9 Heroes is on but instead it was a basketball game. I don’t watch basketball games and I think the only basketball game I actually watched was Slamdunk. Anyway it was still a bit early so I channel surfed a bit. But since my remote control needs replacement I stick to channel 7 and watched Totoy Bato for a while. My mom religiously watch TV dramas especially from GMA 7.
Actually I wasn’t paying much attention to the TV. I hear these characters conversation about a Totoy’s daughter needing a heart transplant and a hostage taking and a lot more and I said to myself this sounds familiar. I kept watching and I somehow knew that I’ve heard an exact story somewhere. After a little more contemplating, it hit me, it was eerily similar to Denzel Washigton’s role in the movie John Q. Where his son needed a heart transplant and his HMO won’t cover his son’s hospital expenses.
And I was like what the heck is wrong with Philippine TV shows today? Can’t they have another ORIGINAL fantasy show or something? First they make remakes of old Pinoy films, then Pinoy comics, and then TV dramas from other countries. I know the old films could be a good idea since some of those Pinoy films are quite famous and as they say the start of Pinoy cinema but do they really need to change it that much? Like what I started above? Maybe they were thinking ‘oh these films are so good once the audience see these they would like it and maybe even check out the original film!’. Ok if they are thinking that then here’s what I say ‘not everybody has the income to actually buy original CDs to actually watch these old films and how sure are you that the audience would like it AND what does the original writers think about what you guys did to their original story?’
*sigh* it would be better if you make an original story that you could actually be proud of that and even foreigner maybe like it so much that they would like it to be aired in their country.
But I do understand this...
That I don’t think like everyone else, maybe there are some out there that might agree with me in some way but again, I’m not the General Audience.
I remember one time my mom loves this TV drama staring Eddie Garcia. The story was pretty good and there’s a lot of viewers. The story ended with Eddie Garcia dying of an incurable disease. I know I talked to someone about this and I forgot who it was and the title of the drama... sorry ^^. Most of its watchers didn’t like the ending and it was the start of all leading characters not dying in the end. I guess since then these writers actually survey their audience on how they would like the story to end.
And I also understand that our country isn’t as abundant and TV dramas and movies has become an escape to our rather depressing reality. I think I remember someone saying that she rather see these TV characters be successful, so she will feel successful as well. Yeah can you believe it? These TV dramas has become someone hope for a better life in the future.
And so I end these blog with me crawling back in front of my computer watching anime and Japanese dramas and sometimes playing the coolest RPGs around. And thinking maybe Juan just took a break...
