Thursday, December 6, 2012

My Thoughts on Princess and I

Princess and I is a teleserye shown after TV Patrol on ABS-CBN. It has been on air since April but it wasn't until late November that I got interested in it and started watching religiously. I even reactivated my iwantv.com.ph account just so I could watch the earlier episodes. I like the story and the costumes (Gretchen's in particular). Acting is so-so and the editing is terrible, but Kathryn Bernardo and Enrique Gil are such cuties, I don't mind if their acting isn't quite that good (at least in the beginning. It has improved a lot as the series developed).

The beginning of the teleserye has a rom-com Kdrama feel to it. Kathleen Bernardo's character (and acting) reminds me strongly of the female lead in Goong and Boys over Flowers, two of my favorite Kdramas. The scenes in Bhutan are picturesque but the dubbing in Filipino is so off. And while I don't get why the Yangdonese have a weird accent when speaking in English but they speak Filipino quite well, I like it when they sa Yang-don with a twang.

Anyway, I won't get into story lines and details. This is not a review. What I want to point out is that the teleserye is obviously being extended and rewritten, maybe to appease fans or ratings. This is what I really don't like about Filipino teleseryes and what I like about Korean ones, at least those that have achieved international recognition. The Kdramas that I know of (and love) have about 25 episodes only, 1 hour each. And even if well received, they don't extend the story to milk the profits, at least not the ones I know of. Teleseryes should be like that, in my opinion. They shouldn't be changed midway through its run.

It is so easy to get into a teleserye, to get hooked and to want to watch it every day. It is easy to fall in love with the characters and to want to be with them as their story is told. You want to be there for them when their problems and struggles come up. You want to be with them as their issues are being resolved. You want to cheer with them when they finally get their happy ending. But, it just as easy to get tired of it, especially when a new twist keeps on getting added and added. Most people have real lives and problems to get back to, and spending 45 minutes Monday to Friday for practically a year is a tad too much dedication to give.

I am still holding on despite my complaints. Princess and I is actually the first Filipino teleserye I enjoy and look forward to, and I want to see Jao (Gil's character) and Areeyah (Bernardo's character) have their happy ending. Team Jao and proud! I just hope the series ends soon. I don't know if my EQ can handle another extension, twist and plot change.

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