Combination of old and new stars clicks with viewers

ROCES. Her presence bolsters the title portrayal of Coco Martin on “Ang Probinsyano.”

One of the increasingly more significant factors that energize the ongoing success of local drama series is their felicitous penchant for combining fave young stars with experienced TV-film performers.

Thus, on the recently concluded “Nasaan Ka Nang Kailangan Kita,” Christian Vasquez and Denise Laurel lent strong support to the tyro efforts of “PBB” discovery Jane Oineza.

On “Princess in the Palace,” child star Ryzza Mae Dizon is surrounded by experienced coactors like Aiza Seguerra, Boots Anson Roa, Eula Valdez, Marc Abaya and Ces Quesada.

Title portrayal

On “Marimar,” Megan Young’s title portrayal is bolstered by the presence of Tommy Abuel, Nova Villa, Carmi Martin and Jaclyn Jose.

On “My Faithful Husband,” Dennis Trillo and Jennylyn Mercado costar with Snooky Serna, Rio Locsin, Noni Buencamino, Lloyd Samartino and Timmy Cruz.

On “Pangako Sa ’Yo,” young leads Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo act with Jodi Sta. Maria, Angelica Panganiban, Ian Veneracion and a host of other veteran thespians.

On “Ang Probinsyano,” Coco Martin, Maja Salvador and Bella Padilla perform with the Susan Roces. —And so it goes.

This “old and new” combination of talents is beneficial to everyone concerned, in different ways. As sad experience has shown, young talents left to themselves generally can’t “carry” a production from a thespic point of view, because many of them are too raw and shallow.

On the other hand, many senior stars have been forgotten by the viewing public due to years of inactivity—so, when they’re brought back on new TV drama series, they are again given the opportunity to show how good they’ve become—and can still be!

—The young learn from their seniors, who in turn experience a bracing second wind in their careers in the twilight of their thespic years. —A win-win situation all around!

True, some senior stars languish in “do-little” roles, but this is no longer as much the case as it used to be. In fact, veteran talents sometimes unintentionally upstage their more popular but shallow juniors—who have to work harder to catch up!

The latest TV casting coup involving senior stars has been pulled off by “Little Nanay,” which topbills Kris Bernal and Mark Herras—and Nora Aunor and Eddie Garcia!

It’ll be interesting to see if the new series’ juniors can match their illustrious elders’ “iconic” level of work. Nora and Eddie don’t have to upstage anybody to show how good they’ve become—but, the unintended “risk” is there, all the same.

So Kris and the new series’ other “younger” stars have to play their best game—or end up eating the oldies but still goodies’ thespic dust!

No news on holidays?

TV networks and their news and public affairs departments proudly declare that they do everything they can to inform the viewing public about what’s happening to the nation and the world on a daily and even hourly basis. They provide a service that’s essential to viewers’ need to understand and appreciate current events and history as it’s being made.

But, those proud declarations are shown up for the vain boasts they sometimes are on public holidays or extended weekends, like the recent “Undas” (All-Saints and All-Souls Days)!

During that week, the usually hectic and frenetic news coverage slowed down to a virtual crawl, as TV newscasts took up many minutes reporting on bus departure schedules and the “activity” at terminals—and the metro’s biggest cemeteries (yawn).

Their excuse was that the usual news events and newsmakers were on meditative or vacation mode, so there was little else to report on. However, the print media had no problem finding other events to cover, so the truth was out:

Radio-TV coverage was sparse, because most producers and on-cam personalities were themselves on vacation leave.

That was great for them and the networks they worked for, but whatever happened to the proud “mission” of serving the public on a daily and even hourly basis? It’s clearly not being vivified by 20-minute-long extended reports on non-news at terminals and cemeteries—!

This periodic laxness is also in full play and display during the Christmas and New Year holidays, when the viewing public is expected to make-do with minimal news coverage and reportage. But, the world doesn’t stop spinning because some TV people have to go on leave!

Will we see better TV news and public affairs service this coming Christmas and New Year? That would show that our broadcast news organizations are really committed to informing us about the world as it turns—24 hours a day, all year ‘round—and long.