When enough becomes way too much

After weeks of hemming and hawing, “The Legal Wife” finally bit the bullet last April 28, and pushed its female protagonist, Angel Locsin, to belatedly realize what everybody else already knew—that her seemingly loving and loyal husband, Jericho Rosales, was having a hot and furtive affair with her best friend (Maja Salvador)!

Traditionally, in domestic melodramas like this, the clueless wife is always the last to know, or to “realize.” But this particular realization was more delayed than usual, so viewers were greatly relieved that reality had finally caught up with the series’ heretofore “in denial” protagonist.

Explosive wrath

They were even happier when Angel confronted Maja as never before, in a truly prodigious and extended display of self-righteous hurt, lachrymal release and explosive wrath. The way Angel “committed” herself to the exceedingly long and emotional scene, it became the confrontation scene for the ages, with numerous flailing blows exchanged, and shoes and other objects hurled!

Angel “invested” herself in the recrimination scene so totally that Maja had a hard time holding up her own end of the “shared” exchange.

Angel’s outburst was doubly well-motivated: She was pained not just by her husband’s duplicity, but also by the fact that she and Maja were BFFs.

Still, the scene was too unrelievedly loud and livid, the actress was given too many “quotable” things to say, and the cameras stayed on her even after her anger had finally ebbed—as if expecting her to do something else, something more—only, there were no more shoes left to throw!

As we watched the exceedingly extended scene, we admired Angel for summoning up such a totally “committed” portrayal of a betrayed wife and friend in extremis. But, we wished that she and her director knew when enough was becoming way too much! Still, kudos to the actress for coming up with such a vivid albeit too livid “moment,” which will probably be talked about for weeks to come.

Other loser

Aside from Maja, who didn’t or couldn’t stand up to Angel’s “totalized” portrayal, the other “loser” in the key episode was Jericho—whose character wasn’t even around. We sure hope that he will be given his “moment” soon, so that the series won’t end up as “The Angel Locsin Show.” Jericho is too good an actor to end up as an also-ran.

Now that the “shocking” cat is out of the bag, we expect the now bubbling and smoking drama show to rush pell-mell to its conclusion in a few more weeks. How will it actually end? Will Maja and Jericho end up learning painful and valuable lessons, will Angel eventually forgive them, will she take Jericho back into her hearth and heart?

Or, will the show dare to be edgier and opt for a less predictable and “wife-friendly” conclusion—and, if so, will viewers be able to “take” it? So many possibilities…

For instance, a colleague guesses that Angel will decide not to forgive Jericho—but will be forced to change her mind when her son’s life is threatened, and they need to face the crisis together. Hmm, that could work …. Any other bright ideas, dear readers?