Follow-up prospects for ‘OTWOL’ leads

JAMES Reid and Nadine Lustre

The final telecast of “On the Wings of Love” recently gave fans of the show the opportunity to sum up their reactions to the extended drama series that has helped make bigger stars of James Reid and Nadine Lustre, and significantly increased the popularity of their love team:

The show’s loyalists gratefully cite it for not being as predictable and black-and-white as many other rom-coms and teleseryes. Also appreciated are some of its flawed rather than “ideally perfect” characters, and the inclusion of unexpected characters like the lesbian aunt portrayed by Cherry Pie Picache.

These and other unexpected bounties and grace notes attracted millennials to the show—a bond that was strengthened by the series’ “now” situations and dialogue.

The finale itself turned out to be less eventful, however, focusing mainly on the church wedding of Clark and Leah, which was played out in great detail, to a fault. It was like the production felt it had been innovative and “alternative” enough in previous months, so it was now time to gladly, dreamily “go gooey” and reward viewers by leaving them with a romantic high!

With the series under their belts, what will JaDine do for an encore? Now that they are officially “on,” expect the love element to figure even more strongly in their 2016 projects, which include a big film and a new teleserye.

We appreciate the financial and career advantages of being in a popular love team for James and Nadine, but their next big moves should also include well-chosen projects without each other.

That way, they can avoid the always threatening onus of limiting themselves as individual artists—and letting those limitations show through sheer repetition and “redundancy.”

If their initial solo projects are carefully chosen, with the best scriptwriters and directors brought in to strengthen their prospects, the new projects would further boost Nadine and James’ individual careers.

They can always act together again next year. Toward the end of 2016, however, they have to “force” themselves to stand (separately) on their own—to prove that they can do more than just “lean” on each other for support, by way of their hit love team.

Incidentally, this key solo step should also be taken soon by Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo—again, with the help of the best writers and directors.

Speaking of Daniel and Kathryn and their own top-drawer KathNiel love team, let’s think even more long-range—and state that, in 2017, the two hit love teams should make a movie together!

This was the sort of blockbuster thinking that Sampaguita Pictures would occasionally do in the ’60s and ’70s, when its resident movie queens, Susan Roces and Amalia Fuentes, were put in one really big film together, along with their respective love teammates—Susan-Eddie Gutierrez and Amalia-Romeo Vasquez.

Expectedly, the “rival queens” showcases would be patronized by both love teams’ respective droves and legions of fans, making those productions the hottest hits in Tinseltown!