Why KathNiel’s Netflix series ‘2 Good 2 Be True’ can’t be extended despite public clamor
Kathryn Bernardo (left) and Daniel Padilla during the recent media gathering.
In spite of the people’s clamor for an extension, the romantic-comedy series “2 Good 2 Be True,” featuring Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, will air its final episode in three weeks time.
Kathryn, who plays a nurse named Ali in the series that premiered on the Kapamilya channel in May, explained why: “We were committed to Netflix to come up with only 130 episodes so we can no longer extend. Just like any other good show, the series has come to an end. Today’s viewers are very smart. They will notice if you’re merely trying to stretch the story for good ratings. I think 130 episodes are more than enough to effectively show the journey of each and every character in the series. All the plot twists and back stories, the writers managed to successfully connect them to the present time seamlessly.”
“2 Good 2 Be True,” directed by Mae Cruz-Alviar, marked Kathryn and Daniel’s (collectively known as KathNiel) return to primetime TV in five years, after the action-fantasy series “La Luna Sangre.”
In the new series, Daniel plays Eloy, an efficient mechanic and a law student who vows to free his father (played by Romnick Sarmenta) from jail. It also features Ronaldo Valdez as Sebastian “Lolo Sir” Agcaoili, an elder billionaire who later develops Alzheimer’s disease. He tries to hide his condition from people around him, except Ali and Eloy.
During the recent media gathering inside the ABS-CBN compound in Quezon City, the lead stars were asked what they appreciated most about their characters. To this, Kathryn said: “I’m so impressed with how the entire series was written because all the characters are very relatable. When it comes to Ali, it’s all about giving everyone a second chance. That’s the gift she gave people she cares for in the series, especially Lolo Sir, Eloy, and her own father (Keempee de Leon). I also appreciate Ali for caring and loving wholeheartedly. Once she has learned to love a particular person, she will fight for him to the death. I’m able to relate to her in that aspect because I’m also like that in real life. I likewise admire Ali for showing sincere care to the elderly and for how much she values her family.”
Good traits
Meanwhile, Daniel said: “One of Eloy’s good traits is his willingness to defend others, but what I like most about him is that he is very respectful, regardless of a person’s status in life. Whether you’re rich or poor doesn’t matter to him. He treats everyone as his equal.”
Daniel added: “Eloy’s success story is an inspiration. Looking at how he eventually managed to achieve all his goals, we can say that nothing is impossible.”
Kathryn was also asked to react to the news that people in the medical field took time to commend her after watching two important and well-researched episodes: The first was when Ali successfully saved Lolo Sir’s life after performing the F.A.S.T. method, which aids in recognizing a stroke, on the latter. The second was when Ali performed CPR or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation on the character named Mang Diego (Archie Adamos), in order to revive him from cardiac arrest.
“I thank everyone for appreciating our work. If you only knew the great lengths we had to go to in order to shoot those scenes properly. Everyone working on the show—the staff, production team, and Direk Mae—was involved. We wanted to be accurate,” said Kathryn. “While everything was detailed in the script, we had to add certain things to make the scenes appear believable. We really wanted the scenes to be educational to the viewers, so that they will also be able to save lives.”
Hard work
Kathryn said she has learned so much from portraying Ali. “I now have so much respect for those working in the medical field. My Ate (big sister) is a nurse. I admire her. It’s really difficult to force yourself into putting a wall between you and your patient. My Ate told me that nurses become too attached to their patients. This hurts them because, sometimes, they are unable to help save their patients.”
“I can only imagine how hard that is because I only have one patient, Lolo Sir. I wonder what it’s like for those who do this for a living. Ang galing nila! They deserve all the praises for their hard work, especially during COVID-19 surges,” said Kathryn.
Daniel, however, admitted that while he admires those working in the legal profession, being a lawyer is not for him. “I’m honestly not for that particular field, but I look up to Eloy because he really worked hard to achieve what he wanted in life. He worked in order to be able to study. Eloy is also a man of strong resolve. He will fight for you if he believes you are in the right,” he pointed out.
Aside from Netflix Philippines and iWantTFC, viewers can also catch the final episodes of “2 Good 2 Be True” on A2Z and TV5 on free TV, and Kapamilya Online Live. INQ
