TV mermaid shows make waves–literally

WHAT IS IT about Filipinos that makes us such patsies for stories about mermaids? Is it because the first “Dyesebel” movie, starring Edna Luna and directed by the Gerry de Leon, was such a big hit and seminal influence on our film-nurtured psyches?

After Edna Luna, other screen goddesses, including Vilma Santos, have donned that signature fishtail (with the giveaway “knee-bound” in the middle). Even the Miss Universe bet Johanna Raunio played a mermaid in an underwater romp that also starred Chiquito!

Localized variety

Later, of course, “The Little Mermaid” also turned out to be a big hit, but the local or localized variety still holds sway on our big and small screens.

For proof positive, the latest mermaid teleserye on the tube, ABS-CBN’s “Mutya,” is literally making waves.

And, not to be outdone, “Pidol’s Wonderland” ran an episode titled “Dyesebilbil,” about a fat mermaid who grows legs and is transformed into new TV5 star Jasmine Curtis (Anne’s kid sister).

“Mutya” is pretty much par for the course as far as mermaid stories go, except for the fact that its protagonist, 4-year-old Mutya Orquia, is a child mermaid. This runs counter to traditional practice, which casts nubile young-adult actresses in mermaid roles to focus on their sensuous beauty, and, ah, epidermal appeal.

Will “little goldfish” Mutya grow up into a young woman? There’s no hint of that happening, so the series could end up as sui generis, a mermaid production that doesn’t exploit its heroine’s sensuous appeal and “revealing” projection.

What about Jasmine Curtis in “Dyesebilbil”—how does she fare in her first starring role on TV? She’s lovely and eager to do well, but at this early stage of her stellar ascent, she comes across as not yet her own person as a performer.

With TV5’s backing, she will probably get a series of star-building projects, but it’s still unclear at this point if her star will shine for the long term.

Why so? She’s still coming across as a beautiful, “dutiful” but not independently creative and insightful thespian. Yes, she’s still young, but other lovely actresses who launched their stellar career when they were really young, like Susan Roces, Amalia Fuentes and Hilda Koronel, had more going for them in terms of ability and charisma.

Where does that leave Jasmine? She has a lot of catching up and growing up to do, because her breaks are coming before she’s good and ready for them.

She needs to be mentored by the best directors so that all those good breaks will produce an authentic star, instead of an unprepared starlet.

Great villain

To make things worse for Jasmine, “Dyesebilbil” has a great, young villain in Karel Marquez, who plays the lovely but nasty queen of their underwater world.

Karel is such a strong and intelligent performer that, quite without her meaning to, she swims and acts dizzying circles around sweet but phlegmatic Jasmine.

Indeed, Karel does so well in “Dyesebilbil” that it’s clear that she shouldn’t be typecast so soon in villain roles. After all, she’s still in her mid-20’s, so she should play lead roles—no ifs, ands or buts about it.

We trust that savvy mainstream or indie producers and directors will see the light in this regard and give Karel the big, challenging protagonist roles her talent deserves.