I never thought the concept of death can be explained in TV in the most raw and sincere manner, the way it was explained in the teleserye Dream Dad. Out of all the places, here in free TV, on a teleserye.
Just a recap of tonight's episode.
Death has always been a very sensitive topic. There are many depictions, interpretations. In the movie 'What Dreams May Come', when you die, you go to a place almost like a painting, with all its colors and hues, sometimes bright and radiant, sometimes bright and gloomy. In the 'Gladiator', dying means meeting your dead families on a golden field. In most teleserye and films, dying is depicted as walking to a bright light with departed loved ones welcoming you in white, flowing robes. All these interpretation are geared towards giving those left behind a positive experience. Like sugarcoating a bitter candy.
But death is never sweet, and we should never pretend that it is sweet. When someone dies, they leave you forever, and they will never come back. They are gone forever. And if you love them, it will hurt, big time.
That's where I think 'Dream Dad' did a very great job of portraying. Baste explained the finality. He didn't add any color, like 'they are just sleeping very long' or 'they are with the angels now' or 'we will meet them soon beyond the pearly white gates'. Death is the end for the person that dies. That's it.
And there is a deep reason to be sad. Sadness is not something that should be coated on its surface with rainbows and ribbons.
Instead of sugarcoating, Baste moved forward. He told Baby that he will always be knocking on Alex's door every day until she comes out. He will always be there for her. Because that's the only way to handle death. We support those most affected and make them feel less sadder. Make them feel happier with those that are left behind. That's the most we can do to cope with death.
One of the best explanations of death on TV, and they even did it with a child as an actor.
I must commend the actors' performance in this episode. In that scene where Baste and Baby are talking you can feel Baste's sincerity thanks to Zanjoe Marudo's non-overacting. You can feel that Baby is really sad with the realization that Baste might die. That scene right there is topnotch acting. Looking forward to more quality writing and acting from this series and in TV in general.
On July 30, 2010 the noontime show Wowowee ended its broadcast in the ABS-CBN network after 5 years of airing. It has something to do with the tension between Willie Revillame, it's host and the ABS-CBN management. It was replaced by another variety game show which was only short-lived as it lasted for only 5 months.
The network's producers then tasked the writers and creative directors to think of the strategy to entice the audience into watching the network's noontime shows again.
The writers were allegedly pressured to the brim, threatened to be fired if they cannot think of any great idea.
So the writers thought out of the box and went extreme. They formulated some new games akin to 'Pera o Bayong', which used to be a nationwide favorite. The following are the results of their bloody brainstorming.
Game #1
Name:
Bahay o Buhay
Props:
The player sits on a contaption up in the air, his neck is tied with a rope to the ceiling. The contraption could open its bottom making the contestant fall and hanging him to death.
The Play:
The host offers a house. He asks the contestant to choose between 'Bahay' o 'Buhay'.
If the contestant choose 'Buhay', he does not get hanged. He gets a consolation prize.
If he choose 'Bahay', he gets the house or whatever is offered by the host and he gets hanged in the contraption thus ending his life.
The Negotiation:
The host initially offers bahay kubo. The contestnt will choose buhay since he knows his life is worth more than that.
The host offers a duplex. Contestant says, 'Buhay!'.
A bungalow house. Contestant says, 'Buhay!'.
A 2-story house with a garage. 'Buhay! Buhay!'
A 2-story house with garage and swimming pool. 'Buhay!'.
A mansion with 10 rooms, 2 swimming pools and your own rooftop garden. Final offer. 'Bahay o Buhay?!'
The contestant would hesitate. Thinks for a long time.
In the end, the promise of a beautiful house overpowered him and he whispers, 'Bahay na po, bahay na po.'
At that point, the host pulls the lever and opens up the bottom of the contraption hanging the contestant to death.
The host invites the family and shouts their winning.
'You just won a mansion with 10 rooms and two swimming pools with your own private graden. Congratulations!'
The family cries hard. And jumps up and down.
Game #2
Name:
Pera o Puri
The contestant preferably female is inside a cubicle. The cubicle is close on three sides and covered by a thin curtain on front instead of a window. The contestants silhouette is projected on the curtain.
The Play:
The host offers money. He asks 'Pera o Puri'.
If the contestant chooses 'Pera', the contestant will instantly get the money offered. However, a lecherous old man goes inside the cubicle to remove an article of clothing from the contestant and do something lecherous to her.
The host then offers a larger aount of money and the game continues.
If the contestant finaly says 'Puri' she will get the last amount offered and the game ends.
The Negotiation:
The host initially offers 10 pesos.
The contestant, knowing it's not worth it, chooses 'Puri'. The game could have eneded there.
But the host increases his offer to 100. Contestant chooses 'Puri'.
Host offers 1000. 'Puri'.
Host bluffs that this is the last offer, '10,000!'.
The contestant thinks for a while. 'Pera na po.' A lecherous old man then enters the cubicle and removes her top and does something lecherous. The silhouette is displayed. The old man then leaves.
Host offers a larger amount '100,000!'
The contestant does not hesitate, 'Pera po.' while sniffing. A different old man enters and leaves.
Host offers '200,000.'.
Contestant says 'Pera po.' between her sobs. A different old man enters and leaves.
Host says '300,000!'
Contestant says 'Puri na po!' while crying uncontrollably.
But the hst is persistent, '500,000!'
Contestant got silent for a while. In the end she says 'Pera po, pera.' Two old men entered removes all clothing from her.
The game continues.
At the host's offer of 1 million, 5 old men are already at the opening of the cubicle. The curtain is now brushed to the side leaving the contestant exposed totally while in a fetal position.
The host shouts 'Final offer! 1 million! Pera o Puri!'.
The contestant mumbles, 'Pera. pera na. pera lang. pera pera lang. pera. pera.' The five old men goes in.
And the host shouts, 'Congratulations!!! You won 1 million pesos.!!!'
The five old men jumps up and down.
The writers submitted their idea to the producers who then reviewed their idea. The producers' asked, "Are you expecting us to televise a person dying because of money and a woman being raped because of money?!?! This is ridiculous! This is a civilized country and we are a kind-hearted network!"
The writers' reply to them, "But Madame people are already doing these things in real life. They are risking their lives in fireworks factories, in deep sea level workplaces, and in less than safe environments. People are being raped in Quezon ave and other dark streets in exchange for money. We're just televising them and giving them higher amounts of monney for their efforts! What's wrong with that?!"
The producer say, "You know what's wrong. We do not do this kind of things in this company. Not under my watch."
The writers' say, 'OK, so let's tone it down a little bit. Let's just make people do death-defying acts that looks like performances like eating swords or whatever. Let's make girls dance in skimpy clothing. Which is what is happening right now under your watch. It doesn't really make a lot of difference to me. We're just taking it pro!'
The writers were allegedly fired from the station at that very moment.
The producers are not available for comment as of press time.
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This report is highly credible. It is based on insider reports from eye witnesses according to the friend of a classmate of the hairdresser of the author's office mate's neighbor's text mate.
