Welp! I’ve actually caught up to Pulang Araw after falling behind a few weeks! And it was a pretty good week to watch as soon as possible. I feel like I say this every week, but FINALLY we are getting to the good stuff.
But before we talk about the good stuff, let’s get the nitpicking out of the way first.
I’ve talked about the really bad pacing the show has. But I think this week really highlights that. We’ve reached Episode 80 and only now getting back to that very first scene we got in the premiere. Can you imagine? Eighty episodes later?!
Pulang Araw has really spent too much time on uninteresting things while deciding to just fast forward through the actually interesting things.
One example this week is the death of Mama Borromeo. Yes, kudos to Angelu De Leon in her final scene. But from a narrative perspective, this was a looooong build up for such an underwhelming end for her character. This last-minute “redemption” (or more appropriately, “epiphany”) just feels rushed and completely unearned. Especially when not fully milking the potential drama that should come as a climax for her character after everything she’s done and after how much story has revolved around her in the first 80!!!!!! episodes.
Sure, I know the counterpoint will be “Well, this is wartime. Things happen suddenly and abruptly, etc. This is realistic.”
At the same time, this is still a scripted series focused on non-historical, not-real people. And considering the amount of creative license the show has already taken, they could’ve rolled out the Pamilya Borromeo story much better than they did. And certainly much tighter too.
Again, I do think the teleserye format itself really weighs down how the narrative develops. You could fit Mama Borromeo’s “epiphany” starting with a potential Papa Borromeo getting shot cliffhanger at the end of one longer-length episode and then filling the next episode with Mama Borromeo finding out about Teresita leading up to a cliffhanger of her confronting the evil colonel. Instead, we have it dragged out for a week without substance or even juicy moments. Doing a disservice and leaving lots of potential on the table.
Then there’s the unceremonious death of Papa Tanaka too. Very similar rushed lead-up to a rushed climax.
But that’s just one of the show’s characteristics. Dragging things out because of poor pacing and resulting in underwhelming payoffs.
This week was definitely carried by Episodes 79 and 80. While I was of course annoyed we just got Adelina reading out of the history textbook, finally circling back to the opening scene of the series was a big relief. As it implies we are finally going to watch more of the dangers the Filipino people faced. And see more of Filipino heroism during the war as well. That was the big selling point, at least for me, when the series began.
And considering there’s only 20 episodes (plus 10) left, it’s about time they get to the good stuff. Even Eduardo being the invincible hero again when he first found the rape house was still better than what we’ve gotten so far.
The highlights for me this week were two moments.
First, the sequence regarding Adelina’s work as a spy for the guerillas and the Japanese forces using Filipinos to tell on their fellow countrymen. It’s a very interesting side of World War II in the Philippines. I’ve heard and read about the Makapili and the wearing of bayongs over their heads. So it was great to see it depicted here.
Again though, depending on how much they dive into the story in the next week, it just feels like the show is merely passing through instead of exploring a legitimately fascinating part of history. Especially in showing the two (or more) sides of the idea of Filipinos working against other Filipinos or perhaps working for a grander cause as well. With also some simply being traitors.
The show certainly didn’t play up the “fealty to the Japanese” aspect of Mama Borromeo beyond the typical teleserye kontrabida mother tropes. So at least, it would be good to touch upon the Makapili and the potential reasons for siding with the Japanese in this way.
The other highlight was the heartbreaking moments with Teresita and the little girl, Alicia. First in Episode 78 when she is comforting her and the other newly arrived women. Telling Alicia to cover her ears and the helpless advice she gave to the new women before they are brutalized by the Japanese soldiers. Such a heavy and terrifying scene.
Then Teresita accompanying Alicia returning to her family. A very emotional moment. Especially when the people, of course terrified of the Japanese, emerged from hiding in the forest. Hearing stories from my grandparents of them having to hide in the mountain forests during the war, it hit close to home. So that really was an emotional moment. One that represented how many Filipinos had to live during this time.
One thing I think the show should’ve been brave to do was to have a character, I guess supporting character, but connected to our Core4, be part of the Bataan Death March. Instead of just Adelina’s history recital, having a character we have come to care about be shown participating in the horror of the Death March would be such a powerful moment. Especially for a primetime series on Philippine television. A missed opportunity there.
Anyway, as we head into the final month and a half, I really hope the show can focus itself. We get all the teleserye tropes. Fine. But we should be beyond that now. The characters have been established. Their relationships have been established. No need to fall back on soapy teleserye cushions. Give the audience the war epic it deserves. And give the many Filipino heroes of the war the honor and remembrance they deserve as well.
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You just have to find something negative all the time.
If it deserves to be called out, then I’ll call it out. I’m not a paid GMA shill. Thank you.