Pulang Araw – Episodes 36-40 Thoughts (Week 8)

Pulang Araw thankfully continues the very slow upward momentum that started earnestly last week. Of course, still not without its shortcomings which I know I’ll be repeating every week. But nonetheless, we get to see more of what many viewers expected initially coming into the series.

This week was definitely focused on using the love story between Teresita and Eduardo to lead in to Eduardo finally getting captured and tortured by the Japanese forces. Though I have my reservations about the why and how, we are at least finally getting to the heavy material that shows and reminds Filipino audiences of what happened during this time in history.

Before we get to my nitpicking, let’s talk about some of the big positives and highlights from the week.

First, of all the instances of Japanese brutality we have seen and will likely see on this series, Hiroshi and Col. Saitoh attacking Uncle Lauro is something we can allow and cheer on lololol Though how did I know that he’d eventually get spared while his two fellow goons end up getting killed instead. Predictable, for sure. And Lauro becoming a sort of comic relief character now as the bumbling idiot servant to Col. Saitoh is a bit eyeroll inducing.

On the flipside, the brutal scenes of abuse Filipino women experienced are so haunting. These are the scenes that are difficult to watch, but stories that deserve to be told lest we forget the suffering of Filipinos (and women in other countries) during World War II.

Standing ovation please for Rochelle Pangilinan, Ashley Ortega and Isay Alvarez for their shared scene this week. Absolutely heartbreaking and terrifying.

And it’s that scene that only highlights the series’ shortcomings even more.

Like I nitpicked last week, the tonal imbalance continues to be annoying. Just like the intercut of that scene between Saitoh and Hiroshi and the lampungan/barnhouse sex of Eduardo and Teresita complete with cutesy music. Like, what was that?

When placed side-by-side with those horrific scenes of rape and abuse, it’s really awkward and I really don’t think the show knows how to properly balance the very heavy moments with the more lighthearted fluff.

At the same time, I’m a bit apprehensive of the idea that Col. Saitoh is going to determine military moves based on his obsession with Teresita. Again, this teleserye trope of the kontrabida going to great, violent lengths for their love obsession of someone else. It’s kinda corny to make that a focus for him in a World War II drama when there’s enough basis for his actions without such soapy silliness.

So is the show implying that a major chunk of the Japanese atrocities in the Philippines are merely because a high ranking official was jealous that his Filipino crush was into someone else? That’s a bit dismissive of the actual reason for war. And really a bit of a joke.

It feels very narrow-minded. And it reminds me of comments by the show’s writer talking about needing to make the show accessible to Filipino audiences. I think this goes beyond making it accessible and more a bit of condescension and patronizing of the Filipino audience. Like, you’re saying the Filipino audience can’t absorb a straight war drama and that you can only reach them through tired teleserye tropes? I dunno.

I think the show really didn’t need to make a lust or sexual obsession be the main driver of a world war. But that’s just me.

So this makes the focus on Teresita and Eduardo’s ill-fated romance this week be such an overall hindrance that holds back the more interesting and impactful moments. Such as the aforementioned scene with Rochelle Pangilinan, Ashley Ortega and Isay Alvarez. Or the week’s cliffhanger with Eduardo and Tasyo getting tortured.

Like, I get it. But I don’t really like it. I just think there’s a better way to tell these stories somewhere out there.

Now, I did like that scene in Episode 36 of Col. Saitoh easily wrapping the naïve Hiroshi around his little finger. My hope is that it hardens Hiroshi in the future, kind of waking him up to the true colors of the forces he’s fighting for. I think we assume that he’ll eventually reunite with the Core4 later on. Or at the very least, sacrifice himself to protect them over continuing to side with people like Saitoh.

But whatever happens, I wish we got more of that instead of the same ol’ same old. There’s many times it feels like we’re just watching a modern teleserye only with period clothing and awkwardly contrived faux-Japanese accents.

Anyway, just like any Filipino teleserye where there are inaapi and people being mistreated and abused, you keep watching because you look forward to seeing the villains and kontrabidas get what’s coming to them. And on Pulang Araw, that group is not limited to the Japanese occupiers. You hope that the Filipino (and American!) evil also get what they deserve as well.

Otherwise, what’s the point of the viewer suffering through watching the suffering of other people if those people don’t triumph in the end. I mean, we all know how World War II ends of course. And it won’t be a surprise if one or all of our main characters, especially the Core4, end up dead by the end of Episode 100. But when it’s very obvious the series is not a straight historical drama and really leaning more into its teleserye DNA, then we better get at least a satisfying ending if not a happy ending.

Also, let’s hope they don’t go overboard with the Filipino value of redeeming villains and evil people in the end because they deserve forgiveness or some nonsense like that. lol Sometimes (all times? Lol) evil people deserve what’s coming to them.

So Uncle Lauro! Your days better be numbered! lol