Maine is new drama series’ main focus

Maine Mendoza

The first telecast of “Destined to be Yours” last Feb. 27 affirmed our hunch that Maine Mendoza and Alden Richards’ first “stand-alone” teleserye would be a lovefest from the get-go.

But, it tweaked its “tribute to love” concept interestingly—by giving Maine’s character, Sinag, a “cynical” spin, presenting her as a raging realist who insisted that love could never last “forever”!

She didn’t just believe it, she even spread the downbeat view by way of her radio program in the province, knocking more sense into her listeners’ heads than perhaps they would welcome!

We know, of course, that Sinag will ultimately be proven wrong by her experiences in the new rom-com series, with Benjie, Alden’s character, doing much of the “teaching.”

How could it be otherwise, after the first telecast made such a big deal of the “destined” part of its title, offering numerous instances of the leads’ characters “almost bumping” into each other as strangers.

This is palpably improbable, of course, but some TV people apparently believe that local viewers are so “kilig-crazy” that they’re all too willing to suspend disbelief and logic just so they can get their daily dose of romantic fantasy!

We hope that the show will also give its leads an opportunity to improve as actors and prove their thespic worth.

If “kilig value” is all they come up with, their popularity will taper off and be de-valued.

It’s instructive to note that, this early in the series’ storytelling, it’s Maine’s character who is being given the best moments.

Aside from her intriguing “antiforever” stance, Sinag captures viewers’ attention with her sunny (like her name) disposition, chatterbox ways, probinsyana charm, utter love for her folks (Janice de Belen and Gardo Versoza) and artistic bent—what’s not to love?

In telling contrast, Alden’s Benjie is more subdued and buttoned-down, and thus comes off as an also-ran.

We trust that the series’ writers can come up with more dynamic and edgy complications for Alden’s character.

As for the show’s supporting characters, the storytelling’s focus is so fixed in the two leads that they’re pretty much left out in the cold.

Yes, we’re told that Gardo has been injured in an accident that has compromised his skills as an artist, resulting in severe financial problems. But, these are slim pickings for good actors to work on.

In particular, Janice deserves greater participation, since she figured strongly in her last series, “Be My Lady.”

Why helplessly, haplessly lose thespic texture and vitality now?