Seeing double–and potential trouble

MARTIN. Rises to career-enhancing “dual” challenge.

“ANG PROBINSYANO” is turning out to be a plum, career-enhancing stellar vehicle for lead actor Coco Martin, who’s rising to the challenge of playing twins—the heroic Ador, a cop who dies in the line of duty, and Cardo, a relative “ruffian” who pretends to be his dead brother, to get back at the nasty villains who killed him at the height of his heroic potential.

A few seasons ago, the “lookalike” format was vivified to versatile perfection by Bea Alonzo, who played two different characters who ended up looking like twins (in “Sana Bukas Pa Ang Kahapon”).

The difficult thespic feat greatly enhanced Bea’s stellar prospects, and in fact established her as her generation’s best actress. Will Coco benefit as much from his “Ang Probinsyano” showcase? His handlers certainly hope so!

On second thought, the situation could be different in Coco’s case, because his good cop character dies on the series’ first week, so the “ruffian” twin’s objective is to pass completely for his dead sibling—which minimizes opportunities for the actor to play both brothers, in comparative contrast (except for flashbacks).

In other words, the “dual” challenge may all too soon be forgotten by viewers, so the actor’s initial thespic challenge and advantage may become moot and academic—unless the series keeps reminding viewers of it.

On the show itself, it’s apparent that the ruffian character is being given more action scenes that lend themselves to being executed in Fernando Poe Jr.’s patented “super-heroic” style—fight and action scenes in which he performs like a “one-man army” and subdues many villainous foes!

Will these improbable action scenes have the same thrilling effect they used to have with today’s less fantasticating viewers?

The jury is still out on that one, but the show is going into it in a really big, flashy and committed way, requiring Coco to shoot at his many foes while hanging upside-down, whirling around like a guns-blazing dervish—etc.!

On the “love” aspect, the fact that twins are involved has set up another potentially combustible conflict between Ador’s widow (Bela Padilla), who thinks her husband is still alive, and Cardo’s squeeze (Maja Salvador).

Both of them could end up loving and vying for the same man—so, the plot tantalizingly thickens!