RANCHO DRAMA WITH ZEST

(Photo courtesy of gmanetwork.com) "Makapiling Kang Muli" main cast lead by Richard Gutierrez, Sarah Lahbati and Carla Abellana.

Last June 4, 2012, GMA's new drama series "Makapiling Kang Muli" graced the Philippine TV screen.  Starring Richard Gutierrez and Carla Abellana, the series also boasts of a powerhouse cast led by Ms.Gloria Romero, Mark Anthony Fernandez, Sarah Lahbati and Philip Salvador.  The series is directed by Ricky Davao, whose directing credits include the Kapuso afternoon dramas "Sisid" and "Kokak".

DEVELOPMENT OF A SERIES

It's actually a challenge for GMA to put up this drama particularly because lead star Richard Gutierrez is involved in the creative process.  Probably tired of playing superheroes that made him a household name (among them were "Mulawin", "Sugo" and 2 "Captain Barbell" incarnations), he reportedly asked the GMA creative team to develop a different role that will test his acting abilities.  "Challenge me" was his battlecry in his quest to regain the "Primetime King" title which he has lost to ABS-CBN's Coco Martin whose own soap "Walang Hanggan" continues to reign nowadays.

The network began arduous tasks in casting the right people to collaborate with Richard.  A lot of names have been considered for various roles, particularly for the leading lady part.  I correct myself, it's leading ladies since it was decided that Richard will have 2 women who will fight over him.  Starstruck 5 winner Sarah Lahbati was virtually a shoo-in for the role since her afternoon soap "Kokak" just ended when this series was developed.  While on the other hand, the role for the other leading lady was first considered to Carla Abellana, whose contract with GMA expired at that time.  It took a month to convince Carla to do the project since she was in a quandary whether to stay with the network that launched her via "Rosalinda" in 2009, or jump "ober the bakod" to ABS-CBN for greener pastures.  Eventually, Carla renewed her contract with GMA and came on board for the soap.

The veteran cast is also no pushover as Gloria Romero and Robert Arevalo are in the soap, thanks to their acting chemistry in "Munting Heredera" which clicked with the viewers.  Another alumnus from "Munting Heredera" is Mark Anthony Fernandez is playing villain for the second time around against Richard (the first time they acted against each other was in "Kamandag").  Action superstar Phillip Salvador will also be a part of this huge drama series.  This will be the first time he will be seen again on GMA after several years (his first GMA show was a weekly action series entitled "Verano").

THE PILOT EPISODE

The series started with Martin (Richard Gutierrez) trying to escape from prison with his ka-kosa Wesley (Dominic Roco).  Unfortunately, the helicopter that they used as a getaway aircraft crashed and their supposed demise reached Rancho Paradiso which was holding a celebration.  Mara (Rio Locsin) turns on the TV for proof of the unfortunate news and her suspicions were confirmed.  The story then sets back to 25 years ago when Mara as a young adult (Jennylyn Mercado) had a romantic relationship with one of Rancho Paradiso's laborers Emilio (James Blanco).  Their love affair was apparently doomed as she was already betrothed by her mother Senora Soledad (Gloria Romero) to Roman (Gabby Eigenmann).  

Emilio was beaten up by Senora Soledad's henchmen while trying to elope with Mara.  The hospital refused assistance to him and Mara had to follow her mother's orders to marry Roman just to save Emilio's life.  On Mara's wedding day, Emilio tries to object against her marriage but it was too late.  As a consequence, his house was burned down and he had to leave the ranch, while instructing his best friend Buboy (Dex Quindoza) to look after Mara's welfare.  Years after, Mara bore a son with Roman and named him Louie.  However her secret meetings with Buboy made her aware that Emilio is doing fine thus, she still has fondness for him despite being married.  The upcoming episodes will show Emilio's second attempt to elope with Mara but will fail because Roman intervened.  And subsequent episodes will now forward to Martin's life in Rancho Paradiso.

REVIEW

The series follows the usual chronology for most soaps where it usually starts with a backstory. In this case, the backstory of Mara's love affair with Emilio and her miserable life under her domineering mother Senora Soledad and abusive husband Roman ate up the first two days of the pilot week.  But thanks to the acting ensemble of Jennylyn Mercado, Gabby Eigenmann and James Blanco, I ended up getting engaged with the story.  Gloria Romero's portrayal of Senora Soledad 25 years ago left me hanging though.  Age has caught up with her.  She lacks the grit, intensity and attitude of a villainess.  It would have been better if GMA casted a younger Senora Soledad rather than letting Gloria play out Senora Soledad's back story.  The only time I got angry over Gloria Romero was when she played Richard Gomez's domineering and nasty mother in "Kapag Langit ang Humatol" some 20 years ago, when I was still a kid.  But I am expecting that the older Senora Soledad will be more cunning and vindictive as the series continue to progress through different timelines.  

Overall, the series looks promising.  The Rancho Paradiso settings are a cinematographer's delight.  The acting ensemble of the backstory part deserves an A+ from me.  Hope the rest of the cast will pick it up from there as "Makapiling Kang Muli" fasts forward to the present setting.