Battle of ‘sirenas,’ ratings queens looms

January 11, 2014

JUST A THOUGHT: The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new. – Socrates

FIRST QUARTER STORM: This time of year, networks are in a mad rush to launch new shows, their first quarter storm attack.

GMA-7 was first in introducing to media its new lineup of must-watch programs consisting of five new teledramas, love stories all with both expected and unexpected twists. Two of them bear the names of title characters, such as Carmela (Marian Rivera) and Rhodora X (Jennylyn Mercado). Note that it has been a while, with the exception of Maria Mercedes, since teledramas carried the names of women in the headlines.

LOUISE DELOS REYES on ‘Kambal Sirena’

Two others echo unusual situations where women find themselves in when they fall in love, as in the cases of The Borrowed Wife (Camille Prats) and Innamorata (Max Collins). Last but not the least is Kambal Sirena (Louise delos Reyes) in the fantasy-drama genre

By the way, ABS-CBN has its own wifey-series, known as The Legal Wife, no doubt inspired by the big box-office success of movies like No Other Woman and The Mistress. Viewers can now have a choice between the legal or the borrowed wife to provide them greater excitement.

IN LOVE WITH MERMAIDS: It seems television’s fascination with mermaids and similar characters from another time and space, another world, can never be put to rest.

Mermaids have become a recurring dish on primetime TV due to their success in ratings and instant hook with audiences of all ages. Practically all teledramas that tackled ocean life from the viewpoint of mermaids rated highly on Philippine TV, including Marina (Claudine Barretto), Dyesebel (Marian Rivera played her first), Mutya (Mutya Orquia), among others.

ANNE CURTIS is ‘Dyesebel’

In early 2014, both IBC-13, GMA-7 and ABS-CBN are making a big splash out of “sirena” stories. IBC-13's very first fantaserye Janella in Wonderland starring Janella Salvador made a debut last January 6 and instantly became a phenomenal hit as the No. 1 most-watched fantaserye. Kambal Sirena finds a counterpart in another re-telling of Dyesebel, the 1952 classic by Mars Ravelo whose latest incarnation comes in the form of Anne Curtis.

Channel 2 made the announcement in a mystery-shrouded event that also introduced Sam Milby and Gerald Anderson as Dyesebel’s leading men.

Dyesebel may have two American mestizos as male leads and Janella in Wonderland having Marlo Mortel as Janella's love interest, but Kambal Sirena equally bears watching as it has not just one, but two sirenas in the role of twin sisters, who both fall for the charms of Filipino brownie Aljur Abrenica. How’s that for contrast?

Ánother new show introduced by ABS-CBN was Sana Bukas Pa Ang Kahapon, an all-star cast teleserye starring Bea Alonzo, Albert Martinez, Paulo Avelino and Susan Roces.

Also in the works are new editions of Captain Barbell and Darna, among other graphic novel creations by Mr. Ravelo. ABS-CBN earlier acquired the rights to the Ravelo library, formerly in the hands of GMA-7.