SANTOS. Starry and “knowing” dramatic portrayal.
Two new teleseryes, “Huwag Ka Lang Mawawala,” starring Judy Ann Santos, and “My Husband’s Lover,” topbilling Dennis Trillo, are getting the lion’s share of public attention this season—Juday’s series, because it’s her comeback to the “whine-derful” world of teleseryes, and Dennis’ show due to its unusual love triangle involving a married gay, his wife and his lover (Trillo).
How are the two series faring, weeks after their initial telecasts?
Judy Ann’s show has retained its key plus point, its brisk plot and character development, so it has covered much more ground than competing teleseryes. The lead actress has also come up with a strong and “knowing” portrayal that subliminally assures viewers that they’re in good, experienced hands.
However, Judy Ann’s focused portrayal is compromised by the “urong-sulong” way that her character has been scripted—one day, she wants to have nothing more to do with her violent spouse; next time around, she forgives him; then, after yet another violent outburst on his part, she runs away from him again—only to eventually reconsider for the nth time!
Rallying emblem
We understand that she wants to save her marriage—but, this is no way for a “woman empowerment” rallying emblem and heroine to behave!
Other flaws thus far include Sam Milby’s similarly willy-nilly performance as her husband, and his matapobre family’s unrelievedly evil actuations. Again, we know that all this is designed to force Judy Ann to eventually seek extreme vengeance and retribution, but it’s so cloyingly (nakaka-umay) redundant and unrelieved.
An emerging saving grace is the edgy portrayal by KC Concepcion of Sam’s other love—but, again, KC’s good work is watered down by her character’s erratic and repetitious actuations.
—Well, let’s see if the series acquires a firmer spine when Judy Ann’s character finally goes into righteous vengeance and retribution mode.
As for “My Husband’s Lover,” Trillo’s subtle take on his “macho gay” character is appreciated, but the show’s controversial and potentially “explosive” theme has made the production too careful and cautious for its story and characters to acquire genuine flesh and blood.
Most everything, especially the gay-to-gay romance, is kept decorous and “generic,” tentatively communicated by way of “artistic” closeups of eyes, hands touching other hands, etc.—while the series’ theme song, with its “meaningful” lyrics, is played over and over again, until we’ve had our fill of it.
TRILLO. Subtle take on his “macho gay” character.
By this time, the husband’s clueless wife (Carla Abellana) is finally suspecting that hubby has a new squeeze on the side—but she still thinks that her competition is female! Can somebody usher her into the New Millennium—please?
Telegenic presence
As for Tom Rodriguez, who plays the “married macho gay,” his telegenic presence is a plus, but he too is limited by the production’s excessively cautious tone. We also note that, while Trillo’s portrayal is occasionally capable of subtlety and quietly telling insight, Rodriguez’s performance to date is charming, but merely serviceable.
To its credit, “My Husband’s Lover” has been lauded by some gender-sensitive groups for finally biting the bullet and dramatizing serious as opposed to shrill and giddy gay concerns on TV.
In addition, the series is scoring points for articulating the liberal and liberated point of view about gays being treated like everybody else—most of them mouthed by the character of Trillo’s mother, a visual artist played by Chanda Romero. She’s also the one who warns Trillo against causing pain and grief to his married lover’s wife and kids, just so he can be happy.
We hope, however, that the gay lovers’ scenes can be depicted with greater believability, because little can dynamically be “learned” by viewers if those telling sequences are so nominally and hesitantly dramatized.