GMA launches mermaid drama

Posted on March 10, 2014 04:35:00 PM

LISTED GMA Network, Inc. beat Lopez-led ABS-CBN Corp. and Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp. to the draw and launched its mermaid-themed primetime series last night -- a week ahead of its two rival’s own underwater series.

GMA NETWORK contract star Louise delos Reyes plays mermaid twins in Kambal Sirena.

The fantasy show Kambal Sirena, starring GMA Network contract stars Louise delos Reyes and Aljur Abrenica, started airing March 10, taking over the time slot of the series Adarna, which aired its last episode last Friday.

Kambal Sirena will air against IBC-13’s first-ever fantasy series about the mermaid Janella in Wonderland, which already aired last January 6 as the phenomenal and top-rating fantaserye; and ABS-CBN’s own mermaid tale, the TV adaptation of Mars Ravelo’s Dyesebel, which will start next Monday (March 17).

Helmed by New York-trained director Dondon Santos, with Dode Cruz as head writer, Kambal Sirena tells the story of identical twin sisters Alona and Perlas (both played by Ms. Delos Reyes) who are born with unusual features -- one is born with gills behind her ears, and the other, with a mermaid’s tail.

Worried about their neighbors’s reaction, the twins’ mother decides to move to a remote island.

Eventually Alona and Perlas are separated. Perlas lives with their mother and works in a theme park while Alona lives as a princess under the sea.

“GMA Network takes pride in Kambal Sirena with its one-of-a-kind production from its production design, magnificent costumes, and visually outstanding effects up to the remarkable underwater scenes,” GMA Network Senior Vice-President for Entertainment Lilybeth G. Rasonable told reporters last week.

Senior Program Manager Cathy Ochoa-Perez admits that Kambal Sirena will be compared to Janella in Wonderland and Dyesebel because both shows have mermaids as central characters.

“But we are confident about our show. We have planned this show since last year. We know we have a program that we are all proud to show to our audience,” Ms. Ochoa-Perez told BusinessWorld in an interview.

She added that GMA Network thought of coming up with a new mermaid story since it already did its own TV adaptation of Dyesebel in 2008, starring its contract star Marian Rivera.

The impending “tail-to-tail” battle between Janella in Wonderland, Kambal Sirena and Dyesebel, so that the three networks have mermaid stories in their primetime lineup at the same time.

In February 2004, ABS-CBN launched the fantasy drama series Marina starring Claudine Barretto. A few months later, GMA Network came up with a fantasy-comedy series called Marinara starring comedienne Rufa Mae Quinto.

Since then, ABS-CBN has produced three more TV series with mermaids as central characters: Dyosa in 2008, Mutya in 2011, and Aryana in 2012.

In Janaury 2014, IBC-13 launched the first fantasy series Janella in Wonderland topbilled by the teen actress Janella Salvador as Janella.

Kambal Sirena airs weeknights at 7:45 p.m. on GMA Network. -- Jeffrey O. Valisno