When GMMTV announced their 2023 series last November, I was most excited about Dangerous Romance (หัวใจในสายลม). And that’s mostly because its two lead stars were Perth Tanapon Sukumpantanasan and Chimon Wachirawit Ruangwiwat.
If you want a soapy good time, GMMTV’s Only Friends (เพื่อนต้องห้าม) is just the show for you. It’s been a crazy, wild, scandalous and, most importantly, very fun ride so far.
I’ve been meaning to write a review for GMA Network’s afternoon drama Magandang Dilag for a while now. But now’s as good a time as any. The ratings are surging and the story is kicking into high gear. And it’s not hard to see why. The perfect soapy plot, an endearing lead and a fast-paced story all make for a fun, not-so-guilty pleasure. That is a combination that is often attempted, but not often accomplished by other series. Yet Magandang Dilag shows that even the simplest stories can still captivate and capture the imagination of audiences.
The ABS-CBN-GMA Network “collaboration” Unbreak My Heart may be historic in some ways, not so much in others. But debating that is for another time. What we’ll talk about today is how Unbreak My Heart so far is a very familiar, though still engaging soap opera ride. After watching the first eight episodes, Unbreak My Heart offers little in terms of out of the box ideas. But it really doesn’t have to. A charismatic lead quartet helps to elevate the typical sudsy storylines and character tropes of Filipino teleserye. But with the stunning Swiss landscapes and glossy urban Italy to add some extra seasoning, the series has managed to be a fun, juicy ride so far.
I didn’t expect to get emotional. But as the end (opening?) credits rolled on the first episode of Voltes V: Legacy, I did. And this is me not having watched a single episode of the original series. If I felt this excited and hyped for the series, I can’t even imagine how it must feel for fans who grew up with the original series. Especially for Filipino fans who are seeing their childhood now in a live-action, locally produced series.
So this Face 2 Face reboot as a television program is a welcome sight. It definitely has some kinks to work out if it hopes to enjoy as successful a run as the original series. Those kinks are definitely as resolvable as the complaints the people bring to the show. But in spite of any of these early bumps, Face 2 Face remains a fascinatingly simple, yet engaging hour of television to have every day.
I’ve finally gotten the chance to check out GMA Network’s Hearts on Ice and I’m glad I did. Ashley Ortega gets a well-deserved lead role in this family sports drama that ticks all the right boxes. Though it definitely adheres to familiar teleserye formula, it also provides refreshingly welcome twists from the norm. And that makes it well worth the daily watch (or weekly binge!).
GMA Network has long been regarded as the leader in local fantasy series. Even the network’s detractors who deride its drama programs concede that they do much better fantasy productions than their rival networks. So it is no surprise their latest presentation, Mga Lihim ni Urduja, follows in the footsteps of its predecessors. And also moves to elevate the local genre even more.
Disney+’s Big Bet (카지노/Casino) is a fun and intriguing ride. Split into two eight-episode seasons, this first group of episodes introduces us to its anti-hero protagonist Cha Mu Sik played masterfully by the legend Choi Min Sik. The series is a fascinating character study of a man who from humble beginnings in rural Korea becomes an influential kingpin in the Philippine casino world.