ABS-CBN really scored big with their primetime teleserye Tayong Dalawa. From the get go, this soap has garnered, and is continuously garnering, high ratings because of its fast-paced, rich story about two men who share the same name, the same fate, and the same love for the same woman.

The teleserye stars Gerald Anderson and Jake Cuenca, both as David Garcia, Jr. One goes by the nickname JR, while the other’s Dave. Their lives are intertwined, not knowing at the start that they are actually twins separated at birth. If you think the story is quite predictable, think again. This teleserye has captured the attention of avid teleserye fans as well as those who are not regular viewers of this kind of show like me.

You know, the thing that I love the most in this teleserye is that, it’s not far from reality. Some situations shown in the teleserye can happen in real life. I love the characters of Coco Martin, who plays Ramon, big brother to JR, Greta, played by the talented Alessandra de Rossi, who is madly in love with JR, and to whom Ramon is in love in return, Cherry Pie Picache (Marlyn) and Gina Pareño (Lola Gets), mother and grandmother to JR and Ramon, respectively. The irritatingly good Agot Isidro as Ingrid with Helen Gamboa (more on her in my next post) as her mom. Kim Chiu, who plays the love interest of both JR and Dave, is really good. For a relatively new young star, she can truly compete with the giant networks big stars. Judy Ann Santos and Claudine Baretto come to mind.

Tayong Dalawa was supposed to end last April. But since there’s a clamor for it to be extended, plus the fact that there really is more to tell in the story, it is extended. The powers behind the soap can’t really say until when. I guess they are holding out on the 35+ ratings that the teleserye is getting night after night. I think they should set a date and make an exit when people are still hooked to it. Don’t drag the story just because it’s getting big bucks in terms of sponsorships.

I cannot fathom the need of indie films to show nudity, sex, perversion and all that just to call their movie an art. I know that the stories are good, like Serbis starring Jaclyn Jose and Gina Pareño. The mere fact that veteran actresses like Jaclyn Jose and Gina Pareño star in these indie films is already an indicative that the movie is good.

Do they really have to show too much perversion in these films? What happened to suggestive acts and all that? Can’t we do a scene or two of these and just go on with the story? Do we really have to sell these indie films as vehicles of lust? Butas, Masahista, Ang Lihim ni Antonio, and others with suggestive titles. Most of these films have too much sex in it, homoerotic scenes, frontal nudity, and other kinds of perversion that they say are abound in society and that we are just too scared to admit.

Art? I don’t think so. Not entirely. Because whatever others say, some stupid people still get ideas watching movies with too much sex and perversion in it!

Why not sell a movie based on a great story? Like Munting Tinig. It is not commercially successful, yes, but it was acclaimed internationally. It is a great story with an equally great performance from Alessandra de Rossi. Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros. And others that escape me at the moment.

Do you watch indie films?