A very interesting week for Pulang Araw on many fronts.
First of all, I ended up watching the YouTube/GMA Network TV version of the episodes instead of the Netflix version. So I have no idea what the differences might be in terms of content or edited scenes or audio mistakes (long story). Seems like the kind Netflix pirate got tired of the show too.
(Ignore what I just said even though I’m leaving it in my post. Lol)
With the actual series and the narrative, things are finally picking up. Whether it’s the pacing or the action, Pulang Araw is finally moving things along. Though not without some stumbles. And again, really related to the format and familiar teleserye sensibilities.
We’ll get to that later. But the week’s strongest parts were definitely the scenes and moments focusing directly with the fallout of the Japanese attacks and subsequent invasion.
It’s been two TV weeks since the attack on Pearl Harbor. And it’s definitely felt like it. The slow walking of the story after the official start of the Philippines’ entrance into World War II was starting to really become tedious. So this week, filled with plenty of scenes of the emerging brutality of the Japanese invaders, is a big step up for the series. Both narratively and in visual execution.
But again, the biggest thing holding the series back is its inability to better balance the overarching narrative of the war at hand and the more personal, character-based stories of our Core4.
The week started out once again with the drawn-out back and forth regarding Teresita and Hiroshi’s arranged marriage and the family drama still stemming from Julio’s infidelity. And even the scenes lingering on the supposed romantic feelings of Teresita/Eduardo and Adelina/Hiroshi.
Compare the time spent on those scenes to the Japanese troops pushing their way into the Borromeo’s home or the savagery of the invaders on Filipino civilians or the evil assaults on women; the contrast could not be any more jarring. Slow and dull vs. urgent and dynamic.
Of course, Carmela’s insistence on the marriage is related to her bowing down to the Japanese and whoever is in power. Of course we have to continue developing the Core4’s relationships in order to rip them apart when (hopefully) the war and the fighting takes over more of their lives.
But I just think like there’s a better way to keep all of that going without those moments and scenes feeling so jarringly out of place compared to everything else.
Episode 32 is the one that really best exemplifies that awkward balance. The episode starts with the family drama that honestly is so dull and run of the mill. It’s a typical scene, familiar dialogue you’d see in any ol’ Filipino teleserye.
Then you have Akio and the Japanese troops barging into the home. Instilling fear and terror into the Borromeos, forcing Adelina, Teresita and the help having to hide in a secret space under the floor. A perfect encapsulation of the Japanese invading the Philippines itself using this smaller and potentially more relatable situation.
I can definitely see the idea of having the troops barging in being so abrupt in interrupting the soapy family drama. Another example of how the war has abruptly affected the lives of the Filipino people without warning.
But the way the series presents these soapy, family drama scenes, it kind of takes away from the big picture. And almost lessens the gravity of the situation at hand.
That’s why the latter episodes of the week were much stronger as they started putting a heavier focus on the effects of the war rather than on the less interesting soapy plot threads. (Though Episode 34 certainly had a major chunk of scenes you, again, could find on a modern day-set teleserye with nothing of relevance to 1941.)
I will admit, it has been a bit frustrating trying to navigate the odd, often slow pacing of the series. But perhaps that frustration stems from my own expectations. Perhaps I came into the series expecting something completely different.
I think I came into the series expecting a true war epic. And can you blame me when the first promos of the series were like this:
Anyway, I guess I am starting to understand that Pulang Araw might not be the war drama I expected. And perhaps try to just accept it as a typical Filipino soap opera in a unique historical setting. A period soap opera, you could say.
I’ve given the show a lot of leeway, but I guess my patience might be ever so slightly starting to wear thin. I was a bit surprised to find that it is not an uncommon opinion among viewers of the series. Even amongst the most loyal of Kapuso fans.
The war is long. And we’re already 1/3 of the way through the series. I think a lot of us expected a bit more focus on the war, on the country during the war. Something akin to a more typical wartime narrative. Instead, it seems the show is pretty content on being a very familiar, if not typical Filipino teleserye just with a different setting. Which is unfortunate if the case. But I won’t make that final judgment until the last episode.
Still, at this point, it’s harder and harder not to start feeling pessimistic. Even as this week is an improvement on the previous weeks.
Even with the increasing focus on the war itself and its effects on the Filipino people, a lot of the most interesting details are delivered through mere exposition. Barbie Forteza’s Adelina basically narrates all the exciting and more interesting parts of the story instead of the series just showing us. There’s certainly ways to show the stuff Adelina tells us about. And in a way that still allows for a seamless progression and weaving of the other stories, including that of the Core4.
Of the characters, Hiroshi has the most interesting story. Of course as he is torn between his heritage and his friendships that he has genuinely formed. In some ways, he might even seem closer to his Filipino friends than this Japanese roots. Though I realize he went to school in Japan for what, like 10 years or something? So perhaps not so distant from his heritage. But still having that inner conflict of family vs country. I would much rather see more of that struggle than some of the other character-based plot threads the show seems to want to focus on.
Also one of the stronger character-focused scenes this week was Eduardo finding his father’s locket in the rubble.
And as much as I’d rather they not, this moment in Episode 35 was amusing enough. Lol
I guess we should appreciate the series seemingly trying to make a character-driven war drama. But they just haven’t found the right formula just yet. The last few episodes of this week give me a glimmer of hope that can happen in the comings weeks.