Of the three new drama series that started telecasting last Aug. 10, GMA 7’s “Beautiful Strangers” was the most “traditional” in form and intent: The drama series is about a man (Christopher de Leon) who marries a rich woman (Dina Bonnevie) to improve his status in life, all the while keeping another family (Ayen Laurel and a daughter) on the side.
Naturally, the “legal” wife won’t stand for it and issues an ultimatum: Either he forgets his second wife and child or she’ll take back everything she’s given him! Being the faithless weakling he is, our antihero opts to keep his power and pelf, even if it breaks Ayen’s heart and drastically drives her to dire penury.
As for their daughter, she seeks him out to beg for his love and mercy, but he’s badly hurt in a car crash and can’t even hear her piteous pleas!
All of this dramatic strum und drang was dramatized in the series’ very first telecast—which indicates how floridly, lushly eventful the show could shape up to be!
This early, the show is being dominated by Dina, who makes a deliciously hateful kontrabida—to the haughty manor and manner born!
In time, however, the focus will shift to the series’ young adult female leads and combatants, played by Heart Evangelista and Lovi Poe. This early, it’s Heart who’s shaping up as the more dominant thespian, so Lovi has her work cut out for her to even up the score.
As for Christopher, he was patently too old for the series’ “back story” scenes—but, as the show moves forward to using the present tense, that should become much less of a problem. What could continue to be cause for some concern are the bad acting habits he’s acquired, which have prompted him to overact—for effect.