Ina Kapatid Anak.. What's in a Teleserye?

NAKAKALOKA. No, make it NAKAKALOKA..

Ina Kapatid Anak, the primetime teleserye ng pamilyang Pilipino (hence, bangayan, sampalan, iyakan galore.. parang yung mga next-door neighbours niyo lang) is NO DOUBT (hands-down) a STRESS-ORIENTED show (slow clap with matching hyena laugh). This teleserye started really strong kahit na medyo common ang "labanan ng karapatan" and "kambal separated at birth with a twist" kiyemes in Filipino teleseryes. Strong because of the following reasons:

1. ALL-STAR cast (veteran actors + THE KimXi Couple + THE Maja "best actress" Salvador + THE Enchong "wake-boarder" Dee)

2. ALL-STAR cast (veteran actors + THE KimXi Couple + THE Maja "best actress" Salvador + THE Enchong "wake-boarder" Dee)

3. Repeat #1

Okay, ALL-STAR cast.. that's it. Story-wise naman kase, let's admit it, common family drama ang IKA (kung hindi ba naman common ang kambal thingy eh ewan ko nalang..). But then, IKA's supposed to showcase the acting prowess of the ALL-STAR cast. And, needless to say, THE KimXi Couple is sobrang inaabangan ng mga ardent followers nila (yes, count me in) for obvious reasons (and we'll discuss more of this later). But then.. what went wrong?? Why, all of a sudden, nagiging earth hour to some KimXi fans ang IKA time slot?? Why, almost every single night (and day) nalang, tumataas ang stress level ng mga ka- KimXi sisters ko?? Why is it that even my non-fangirling friends are not getting excited about IKA any more?? Why mas feel ko pang mag-Arirang channel kesa maka-witness ng never-ending sigawan, sampalan, iyakan, katangahan revolving around a dysfunctional family?? IKA, what went wrong dear?? 

Hmmm... let me count the ways (in the tradition of the show's #GabiNgMarketingStrategy):

1. #GabiNgObviouslyPina-extendNaStoryAtTheExpenseOfAMoreImpactfulShow 

- This teleserye is said to be extended daw until August.. how true?! With the storyline na meron ngayon ang IKA, it doesn't make any sense na i-extend pa until August. All the revelations, honestly, could have been executed and shown in a faster and more gripping story pacing and not installment basis. Imagine, that Miyo character, umabot siya ng 6 months before nag-comeback. And even his comeback is installment basis pa din. Susulpot na mag-i-emote sa jail today and then for the next 5 days, wala na naman siya. If he's plotting revenge, dapat i-todo na.. and get the story and the rest of the characters moving! Nagiging dragging na ang story, na pinapa-haba and pinapa-sustain nalang ng mga so-called "intense bravo scenes" of: 

       A) Beatrice's crazy hysterics - But a very promising character na puede pa gawan ng pasabog twist, like she'll be mentally deranged later on.. tipong Nathan ng Walang Hanggan levels. 

       B) Margaux's senseless pagmamaldita - Not the classy, sophisticated pagmamaldita but more of kabobohan ang ini-exude na aura ng character na ito. Hindi na siya nag move-on sa "inagawan, naagawan, aagawin, babawiin, pinagkaitan" kiyemes. Very childish (na paulit-ulit kaya nakakaumay) ang mga tarayan scenes niya with Celyn. If she has to be a ruthless character here, itodo na! Enough of the childish one-liners na pang-iinsulto or threats kay Celyn. Get physical if needed (intense bravo scenes are what we're looking for, di ba??).. Yung tipong, sabunotan while making gulong-gulong sa stairs or barilan levels. Which makes me wonder pala, expected naman ang barilan sa teleserye na ito (thanks to Miyo), so why not mag-barilan now na?! If Margaux is planning to seduce Liam or take him away from Celyn, then why the long wait?? Her subtle flirtings with Liam eh umabot na ng half-year and wala pang mga pasabog. Gawan na ng intense conflict. Put Ethan in the picture and riot na. But then, with the "here today, gone tomorrow" characters of Liam and Ethan, malabo nga talaga mangyari ang iniisip ko. Oh well... 

       C) Celyn's too-good-to-be-true "mabait ako all-the-way that's why I'll just cry buckets of tears" aura - She's been crying from day 01 and I bet, until #GabiNgPagtatapos. Nothing wrong with this, if this would showcase and highlight Kim's acting prowess. But, as with other things, too much of something talaga is bad. Her character used to have this angas na palaban factor but soon died down and was reduced to a ms. world peace slash fragile woman. She's projecting a weak aura already, which gets weaker with every gap na kahit anino nalang ni Celyn ay hindi mo masa-sight. And her love angle with Liam? Isang malaking abangers since day 01 of the show. The logic of "end game naman ang CeLiam so don't worry" is beyond me. Dagdag mo pa ang "yung kikiligin ka kahit hindi sila" pa-uso. Good heavens, this is not "Be Careful With My Heart" na kikiligin ka kay Sir Chief and Maya kahit na hindi sila! In the first place, this teleserye is not just about Celyn and Liam's love angle. That's given na. So, if there's no consistent progress and fair exposure to the development of CeLiam amidst the sampalan, sigawan and iyakan, then how could you justify the "end game naman sila" factor? Ano yun? Bigla nalang sagutin ni Celyn si Liam and they end up together sa #GabiNgPagtatapos? Hahahaha hahahaha. Mabagal ang pacing ng CeLiam love story (if there's still one) dahil nga daw "end game". Hahahaha hahahaha. Lokohan levels na ito. Pero, sige, itodo pa natin ang lokohan.. Kelangan, maagaw ni Margaux si Liam kay Celyn. Then, for extreme conflict, Margaux and Liam will get married. But, a wedding won't signal the end of IKA (para hindi naman daw "common"). Margaux and Liam will have a hell-like married life and Celyn, the modern day saint, still remains single. Later on, while #GabiNgPagtatapos draws to a close, Margaux (for some pasabog accident like deadly car crash or plane crash) will die. Just like that. And Liam is back to being single and free na. Just like that. And so, since #GabiNgPagtatapos na, Celyn and Liam will finally end up together. End game achieved. Pak. 

       D)  Teresa the Bayaning Ina Awardee aura - She's been crying also since day 01 (much like Celyn), and I bet as well until the #GabiNgPagtatapos. Mag-ina nga sila ni Celyn. Unlike Beatrice though, she's far from transforming into a Nathan Walang Hanggan levels character 'cos she's more sane and more kalmado ang character niya sa oras ng mga sampalan, iyakan and sigawan. However, there's a foreboding of a Teresa-Julio love story somewhere in between the marami pang #GabiNgMarketingStrategy and the final ultimatum #GabiNgPagtatapos. I cringe at the thought of this. Mahabaging langit, huwag naman sana. Enough na ang Celyn-Liam and Margaux-Ethan loveteams sa IKA. Leave the love angles to the  young blood nalang. I-push nalang ang pagiging Bayaning Ina ni Teresa who has yet to face her worst "enemy" -- Miyo. And yes, another revelation night is yet to unfold --- showcasing Teresa's long-lost son Joshua aka Diego. And so, why the long wait for this?? Eh since the very first day na lumitaw si Joshua aka Diego, very obvious na that he's the "missing" character -- Teresa's son. Itigil na ang mga #GabiNgMarketingStrategy na yan if there's no earth-shattering and major OMG revelations naman. Ugh. 

2. #GabiNgOverExposureAndUnderExposure - Anyare kay Liam and Ethan?! These IKA posters showing Kim-Xian and Maja-Enchong are soooo deceiving! Bakit naka-display ang mga mukha ni Liam and Ethan katabi ang main casts na sina Kim and Maja, eh these boys turned out to be mere support casts lang pala -- ang mga lalaki sa buhay ni Celyn and Margaux. Supporting casts should be somewhere at the back lang, kasama ng dysfunctional IKA family. And dapat nasa "Also Starring" lang ang names ni Xian and Enchong. Are they part of the nakakaumay na sampalan, iyakan, sigawan "intense bravo scenes" of the dysfunctional IKA family?? No, right? So, pang "Also Starring" lang talaga sila. Dagdag mo pa ang "here today, gone tomorrow" characters nila. Lately though, the "Also Starring" is starting to look like "In a cameo role" or "Special Guests" nalang. Hahahaha hahahaha. 

And what about Margaux?? She's all over the place. She's even physically absent but spiritually present in some of Liam and Celyn's scenes.. Margaux ang topic ng CeLiam conversations. Hahahaha hahahaha. And to a keen observer, ang dami nang major milestones, transformations, mga kadramahan sa life ni Margaux as compared to Celyn the modern day saint (and even compared to the rest of the IKA cast combined). Book 1, Margaux's lovelife took centerstage. Even Celyn's own personal conflicts umikot sa ma-dramang MarThan love story. Then the writers transformed the friendly Margaux to the kontrabida role -- isang major milestone to showcase Maja's acting prowess. And Celyn? Well, modern day saint pa din. And nag change location si Margaux, her character was brought to Baguio --- pak! milestone of transformation na naman. And doon pa din umikot ang mundo ng dysfunctional IKA family. Ang pag-alis ni Margaux still took centerstage. From an under-achiever, Margaux transformed into a fiercer achiever in her own right -- pak! milestone kung milestone na naman. Fast forward to the present, IKA has Margaux Marasigan written all over it. IKA could pass for a Maja Salvador solo starrer serye at the rate the story is going. She has the meatier role, to be honest. 

And so, kasama na ba si Kim sa mga "Also Starring" din?? Anyare?? At this point, I don't blame other KimXi fans who choose to observe earth hour come IKA time slot. Push nyo pa 'yan mga sis. Matutuwa sa atin si mother earth. And we can sleep soundly pa every night. ;-)

3. #GabiNgThisIsNotAKimXiFollow-UpTeleseryeAndWeWereNotInformed - Kalurky. Nganga si Celyn and Liam sa love department since Book 1 'til now, and ang mga KimXi fans din nganga to the highest level. I am not buying the "end game" bullshit any longer. By KimXi follow-up teleserye, it doesn't necessarily have to be naman na naka-focus ang story kay Kim and Xian. We all know that ALL-STAR cast nga ang IKA (and teleserye of a dysfunctional pamilyang Pilipino ito), so it's really impossible that KimXi story ito. We know this. We're not born yesterday. But, given that there's a good and fair clamour to see KimXi in another serye after their Jandy MBG success, we were expecting (at the very least) that there would be a good exposure and progress of the unfolding ng CeLiam love story. Otherwise, IKA should not have highlighted the CeLiam and MarThan love angles. Naka-centerstage pa mga fez nila sa IKA posters and promo materials. Marketing nga naman, o'o.. Pero, could they be less deceiving at least?? IKA people should have managed the fans' expectations from the start! After all, fans of Kim and Xian (and even Maja and Enchong) will still watch this dysfunctional pamilyang Pilipino serye because their favorite stars are there. 

Walang consistency sa CeLiam story. Sa dami kase ng sigawan, iyakan and sampalan and over-exposure ni Margaux sa IKA, paano nga ba naman maisingit ang pag progress ng lovestory ni Celyn and Liam. Aber?! And with Liam's "here today, gone tomorrow" character, slim chance talaga for a good CeLiam story progress. See you sa end game nalang daw mga KimXi peeps. Hahahaha hahahaha. 


And so, IKA dear, you are definitely one for the books. You will go down in the KimXi-landia history as the "Kim-Xian teleserye we choose to forget". Hahahaha hahahaha. Ironically though, some KimXi fans don't stop tweeting CeLiam hashtags para makapag-pa-trend. 'Yan ang fighting spirit hahaha. But then, come to think of it. The pa-trending does not translate to more CeLiam scenes nor a progress in their love story. You trend pero stress levels niyo trending din. Kalurks. We can definitely support Kim and Xian in other ways, and not through IKA lang. 

At the end of the day though, it's your choice. Good luck sa mga CeLiam abangers. Pa- BP check din kayo kapag may time. And as for me, I don't mind observing earth hour. Or watching Arirang channel. ;-)