Where double means trouble

COCO Martin in “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano”

TV-film productions just love to tell stories about twins, the better to “prove” the versatility of the actor assigned to play the dual roles. The latest drama series to cast a young star as twins is “Doble Kara,” with Julia Montes portraying the sophisticated Kara and the sassy Sarah.

We’ve been keeping track of the show and can share these notes on it: The twin sisters grew up together but were separated years later due to Kara’s serious medical problem, which forced her mother to turn her over to the care of the wealthy man who is the twins’ real father.

She completes her studies in the United States while she’s being treated for her illness, but eventually feels the need to be reunited with her sibling.

So, Julia has to believably depict the two characters assigned to her, sometimes shifting from one to the other in the same scene! How well does one pull the tough thespic assignment off?

At first blush, Julia has an easier time being the “colorful” Sarah, who has opted to “go show biz.” As Kara, however, Julia flounders in the role of a young professional.

Playing this quieter and more sensitive character is more than just a matter of opting for a different “look” and a more fashionable and expensive wardrobe, it requires her to be believable as a young woman who studied in the US.

As Kara, Julia also needs to be more confident and assertive than she’s sometimes been on the show.

Last Sept. 9, it was hinted that the now grown-up twins would finally meet again, so Julia’s problems are bound to increase as the “complicating” drama further intensifies.

We hope that she’ll work harder on vivifying the role of Kara credibly, rather than just scoring most of her thespic points as the “show-bizzy” Sarah, whom she’s obviously more conversant and empathetic with.

Fudged up

Another star who played twins some seasons ago was Coco Martin in “Minsan Lang Kita Iibigin.” At first, we lauded him for clearly contrasting one brother with the other, but the differences were later fudged up and lost focus, so Coco’s cumulative achievement was compromised.

Coco essays double roles again in “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.” We trust that he’s learned his lessons, and double won’t result in trouble this time around!

On the positive side of the “TV twins” conundrum, the most successful and effective “double act” in recent seasons was Bea Alonzo’s portrayal of a sweet and shy character in “Sana Bukas Pa ang Kahapon,” impressively followed by the total “transformation” into a smart and sophisticated lawyer!

That was a very difficult assignment and achievement, so Bea deserved all of the plaudits she received, including her being hailed as her generation’s best actress, bar none!