Ten Signs that you are watching a Pinoy Soap Opera (part One)

Teleseryes/telenovelas have become a part of everyday TV habit of majority of Filipinos particularly mothers. After the evening news, families glued in front of TV, watching every drop of tears, shouts, joys and 'kilig' of the characters. Every emotion shown to them, they feel it. And every mean thing that the kontrabida do, viewers get angry. Expect that tomorrow, in marketplace or in school, the one common thing that they would talk about is that teleserye and what happened to its characters etc. Here are the ten signs that, when you turn your TV on, you will know that you are watching a Pinoy Soap Opera:

Be Careful with my Heart stands out among teleseryes

10. Titles. Teleserye titles are usually inspired or patterned after their theme song. Famous example would be "Be Careful With My Heart" and "Got To Believe". This is for strong recall among viewers when they will hear the song somewhere. So when you  make your own teleserye, why not try this title, "Gangnam Style" or "Wrecking Ball. For sure you're viewers will not only recall but dance.

9. Violence. Teleserye writers incorporate violence even if the theme is drama/romance. And the  most 'sophisticated' (or suffocating) are guns and kidnapping. A heroine gets kidnapped by the villain and her prince charming needs to save her in an abandoned warehouse. As usual, throughout the action, the only characters in the warehouse were the hero, the heroine and the villain and his goons. Expect that policemen are present after the scene. Directors don't get tired of adding some forms of violence for ratings purposes. Oh please, do you think it will be good if violence in teleseryes should be minimize for the sake of children?

8. Outdated Dialogues and 'Imortal' Lines. There are teleseryes that, through some dialogues, feels like outdated. Who the heck will still address a rich madame as "Senyora"? Even terms of endearment such as "hijo". (Haay, update2x pag may time.) There are teleseryes that delivers such 'imortal' lines like Iisa Pa Lamang that even all the colors were given lines to provide a touch of comic relief to the intense, sometimes boring scenes. Unrealistic sometimes. Oh by the way, there are actors that deliver their lines as if they're reciting a poem.

7. Star-crossed lovers. Teleseryes, most of the time, has this star-crossed lovers angle. The Romeo and Juliet, the Langit Ka at Lupa Ako-peg, name it, teleserye writers can write it. Teleserye writers can come up with different scenarios/situations that two loving people need to be separated so that they can prove to everyone and to us, viewers that they love each other and ready to fight for each other. Among the most prominent reason that they can come up is of course, the social barrier between them. A rich guy falls in love with a poor girl vice-versa and their only opponent is the rich character's parents. Let us also include warring families, a violent family background and that-so called Forbidden Love.

6. Third-wheel. Since Romeo and Juliet supposedly needs not to end up together, of course, a third wheel is needed to make everything sour. A male third wheel in Pinoy soap operas were portrayed as competitive and envious. It surprises me to see that they can handle guns themselves (okay,  let's just put it that they're gun enthusiast). Luckily, there are male third wheels that concede in the name of love and guess what, they'll depart and go to the U.S for some reasons - heartbreak is one of them. On the other hand, the female third wheel is always portrayed as selfish, sossy/sosyal and manipulating. She is deemed as she-doesn't-care-for-others just for the sake of getting 'her' man. They're also wearing thick make-ups and eyeliners.