Pulang Araw – Episodes 46-50 Thoughts (Week 10)

Pulang Araw – Episodes 46-50 Thoughts (Week 10)

Welp, after a few solid weeks, we’re back to more wobbly footing with Pulang Araw. Dare I say it was quite a boring week, to be honest.

First, let’s recap what actually happened. And we can sum it up in a few sentences. Eduardo and Mario head out in search of guerilla fighters whom they find by the end of the TV week. And Mama Borromeo continues to insist bowing down to the Japanese and sacrificing her daughter to Col. Yuta in exchange for a comfortable and luxurious life during the war. Also crumbs to remind us that Adelina and Hiroshi are basically World War II’s version of Romeo and Juliet.

Meh. That’s quite a downgrade from the last two weeks. Though I should’ve expected it as soon as I finished Episode 46.

The first episode of the week was basically 15 minutes of repeating everything that happened in Episode 45 at the end of last week. The Core4 continuing to talk about being BFFs during and long after the war. It really is a conversation that didn’t need to span two episodes. And again with pacing, it lessens the risky nature of their meeting ahead of what should be curfew time.

Then the other 10 minutes of Episode 46 returned us to the less interesting Tanaka-turned-Borromeo home happenings which included an actual flashback to something we saw just minutes earlier in the same episode.

Pulang Araw Week 10 Recap Review

This episode seemed to foretell how the rest of the week would play out. And those episodes really felt like they took a scene that could’ve easily been just five minutes and stretched it to fill the 20+ minute runtime for each. The repetitive scenes with the Borromeos, repeating the same material over and over, certainly did not help ease that feeling either.

I really think it’s a mistake to have put such a heavy focus on this teleserye plotline. Like I’ve mentioned in previous weeks, it just feels like it downplays and diminishes the actual cause and motivations for the war. Makes everything feel so small. And not in a good way.

I can imagine it is a decision to try and appeal to the mainstream audience. But like I also talked about before, let’s give the Filipino audience a bit more credit when it comes to what they might be interested in or what could appeal to them.

Also, there were definitely moments during the week where it felt more like watching Daig Kayo Ng Lola Ko, complete with cute, fanciful soundtrack, instead of a war drama. Some scenes involving the sisters or even Eduardo and Mario’s forest journey felt more like a fantasy-adventure series rather than a dramatic war epic.

Pulang Araw Week 10 Recap Review

Speaking of, aside from some initial trepidation, Eduardo and Mario’s journey to the guerilla camp was definitely the strongest part of this week. Their first travels with the nice Muslim couple and their encounter with the Japanese troops was a great way to introduce the dangers Filipinos were facing during this time. The same with Juan recounting his parents’ murder by the Japanese as well. Filipinos just going about their day being terrorized and brutalized by the invaders.

So again, compare those stories (which only get a passing mention) to the tired scenes at Casa Tanaka with the Borromeos and the contrast couldn’t be any starker. Really, anything not involving the Borromeos was more interesting and engaging.

Pulang Araw Week 10 Recap Review

And if you want some family drama, I’d rather see more conflict between Hiroshi and his father. Let’s see their clashing principles more. Their loyalty to their country versus their potentially sincere connection with their Filipino neighbors. And of course Hiroshi struggling with that quite outwardly with regards to his three BFFs (including the woman he loves).

It was crazy that the show revealed Eduardo’s American father was alive during the preview at the end of Episode 45 last week only to have that scene be the final scene of Episode 50. Lol But hopefully now that Eduardo has joined the resistance, we get to see some actual fighting back. Let’s see the war actually play out.

Pulang Araw Week 10 Recap Review

Though I wouldn’t be surprised if next week just focuses on Eduardo and his father working out their issues. And that scene in the preview of Teresita getting taken by the Japanese is the cliffhanger for Episode 55 again. lol

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