As the storytelling worm twists and turns

AGONCILLO. Unexpected blow.

A lot is happening on current teleseryes these days, so here’s a handy summary to help viewers keep up with their many twists and turns: On “Ningning,” the series’ lovable lead character (Jana Agoncillo) has just experienced the most terrible tragedy a child could possibly reel from: the sudden death of her mother (Beauty Gonzales).

The unexpected blow has drastically darkened her characteristically optimistic and joyous view of life, so this can be marked as the start of a whole new chapter in Ningning’s life.

The drama series has already been doing well in making viewers think about the significance and importance of the seemingly “little” things in a child’s “ordinary” life, so this major tragedy should result in even bigger and deeper lessons.

What else could happen to Ningning now that her ever-loving mother is gone? Let’s hope that the series won’t go the usual “evil madrasta” route favored by other teleseryes, whereby Ningning’s grieving and lonely father (Ketchup Eusebio) will eventually fall for another woman—who will make life a living, melodramatic hell for our little waif!

Romantic leads

Also in the throes of tempestuous plotting twists and turns is “Marimar,” where resident romantic leads, Marimar and Sergio, have finally met, all in very quick and in fact dizzying order! But, hold your horses, things are not as loverly as they seem—because the female lead may have fallen deeply in love with her wealthy Prince Charming—but it turns out that he’s a lying and faithless prince!

Why so? Because, his real reason for marrying Marimar is not to love her “forevermore,” but to fulfill a condition imposed by his late mother for him to get hitched before he can get his hands on his huge inheritance!

RODRIGUEZ AND YOUNG. Tempestuous plotting twists and turns.

Fake wedding

That’s right, Marimar’s beau may be rich and handsome—but filthily so! What about the wedding? It turns out to be fake, so poor Marimar has nothing to hold on to, other than the hollow pledges of love eternal from her faithless “spouse!”

Viewers know all this, so their admiration for Marimar’s Sergio (Tom Rodriguez) has been replaced by vitriolic indignation, especially because the series’ female protagonist (played by Megan Young) is too clueless and trusting to protect herself from the dire consequences of Sergio’s wretched deception.

—Unless he himself realizes what he’s done to her, and repents in due time. Will this in fact happen? Well, this is supposed to be a love story, so a happy ending “must” be in the offing before the series’ final fade—so let’s keep hoping—and watching!