MARICEL Soriano (left), Dingdong Dantes and Lovi Poe in “Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real”
Now that the stellar and ratings wars are heating up the teleserye scene, major networks are bringing out their biggest stars, the better to foil the competition’s best efforts to clinch the top slots in the TV ratings. If GMA 7’s biggest male lead, Dingdong Dantes, is currently headlining “Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real,” no problem, ABS-CBN is soon fielding no less than its own Papa Piolo Pascual in his own new series, “Hawak-Kamay.”
As in his last drama series, Piolo is playing it rough and tough in his new show, the better to silence loose talk that he’s too cool, laid-back and “metrosexual.”
But his character here is significantly different from his last TV outing, because he may still be brash and brusko and all that, but he soon reveals that he’s got a really big and loving heart—big enough for him to take care of three foundlings who aren’t his own kids!
Of course, he keeps up the gruff front, but the show clearly intends to be all-heart. If it succeeds in its worthy intent, it could end up as the inspirational drama series of the new TV season, like “May Bukas Pa” turned out to be some years ago—and the more recent “Honesto” didn’t.
With Piolo now about to figure in ABS-CBN’s stellar equation, the network effectively rules the roost in that regard, with current drama series also fielding the A-list likes of Anne Curtis (“Dyesebel”), Kim Chiu and Coco Martin (“Ikaw Lamang”) and Bea Alonzo (“Sana Bukas Pa ang Kahapon”).
Lined up against them on GMA 7 are Dantes in “Mrs. Real,” some new talents in “Niño” and Louise de los Reyes and Aljur Abrenica in “Kambal Sirena”—clearly, there’s a disparity there in terms of cumulative stellar clout, so we trust that GMA 7’s new season of shows will initiate prodigious moves to make up for the slack, posthaste.
PIOLO Pascual (center) shares screen with young costars.
As for TV5, it may have big-deal contract stars like Sharon Cuneta, Aga Muhlach, Ogie Alcasid and Nora Aunor in its stable, but their new shows have yet to be announced and launched, so the third-placer channel has a lot of catching up to do in the coming months.
What good is having superstars under contract if they can’t readily be used to boost the channel’s clout and viewership figures?
Back to GMA 7, a strong addition to its stellar lineup of new shows is “My Destiny,” which fields Tom Rodriguez and Carla Abellana, who benefited a lot from the controversial hit that the channel’s gender-bending “My Husband’s Lover” turned out to be last year.
Indeed, fans have been clamoring for the hit show’s stars’ return or reunion, and GMA 7 is happy to oblige with “My Destiny,” which opens soonest.
No gender-bending involved in this new scenario, so fans can see Carla and Tom’s team-up in a fresh light, unsullied by any taint of “scandal,” and just rapturously romantic, this time around!
Also a big stellar gambit on GMA 7’s part is the repackaging of its top female draw, Marian Rivera, this time as a dancing queen! Let’s hope that she comes up with the right, hot and funky move—as promised!