Bona fide Text
Marimar mania
Admit it. As humdrum and mundane as you played it to be before you got hooked on it, you my fellow Ilonggos are a Pinoy soap addict.
You can't deny that you are one of the hookers but as they say, you've been addicted to it already well then live to it. What matters most is that, your eyes are glued on TV for these Pinoy soap operas whatever TV station they may be.
You know that you got it bad when the clock strikes 7:30 in the evening and you STOP whatever it is you're doing. Even employees are all in a hurry to go home by this time to witness the scenes for the night. You turn on the TV and along with the household helps (hehe); you make the living room a cinema. However, popcorn is not munched but a dinner set up with the soaps before you.
Just name it! You know every single character's name and you've prepared psychological profiles for each. You give importance not only to the main characters but even to the characters with less line in each episode.
Aha! Sometimes you play as the oral scriptwriter and at the said time the director (as if the characters can hear you) when you talk back to the TV. Tsk.Tsk.Tsk. Sometimes you tend to visualize what will happen next or you make your own conclusion for the scenario presented in the episode. Worst, sometimes you can't even blink your eyes anymore especially during the dramatic scenes.
But don't worry my dear; you are not the only member of the club. Nowadays, you're not a jolog but so to speak you're in a fad. You've just been hit by the soap opera bug.
Today's soap opera evolve from a simple telenovela to fantaserye, sineserye, kiddieserye and sinenovela. The scale of production design is superb and they are even directed by top caliber directors of the Philippine cinema. Some use state of the art technology in camera, digital editing, and even recreate the grandiose effort that goes into making movies. Not to mention the detailed sets, breathtaking locations and of course the powerhouse cast. Plus inviting and hiring foreign people who are experts in their respective fields to teach action stunts and train post-production men to create very well done visual effects.
Before, soaps lasted for one to two years TV airing but now audience like soaps that are considered fast-paced with 100% excitement in terms of story twist, choice of stars and even TV station.
The Pinoy soap has truly reinvented itself and has a stroke of new elements but one thing remains the same, its ability to move people with the stories they tell. The capacity of these telenovela, fantaserye, sineserye, kiddieserye and sinenovela or whatsoever they call it, to persuade its audience to the fullest. Yes, even to the extent of finding yourself holding a roll of tissue paper and wiping your tears with a piece of it.
For almost five months and still counting, Marimar mania is back with its local version. GMA network has been given rights to air this Mexicanovela hit in late 1990's, this time, with a touch of Pinoy. Marian Rivera portrays the role of Marimar and Dingdong Dantes gives life to Sergio. The show reportedly gained an applauding TV audience share of 49.5 % according to the latest survey.
Although the main characters are not new to the TV viewers, the story was somehow changed to suit to the taste of local soap addicts. There are new characters included to give more twist to the local version of Marimar.
This localized soap is a hit wherever you go. It is the talk of the town from the start of its airing until today. It is the main dish during chat time of employees in both public and private offices. You can hear jeepney passengers conversing on what will happen in the next episode. If you didn't watch because you have other important errand to do, be ready with your cellphone. Text or call a friend to ask for details of the missed episode.
Yes, I humbly say this: I'm a member of the club.