SmallTalk: Battle of the Mermaids

Philippine television is once again infiltrated with mermaid characters courtesy of the latest offering of two of the biggest networks in the country, GMA and ABS-CBN.

ABS-CBN adapted the Philippine comics most-loved mermaid, Dyesebel into the small screen with Anne Curtis as its titular character. On the other hand, GMA has Kambal Sirena which stars Louise delos Reyes playing twins Alona and Perlas.

Mermaids in television and movies are not new, to begin with. Several movies have been made with mermaid playing as the central character. Dyesebel since the 1950s was played by several well-respected actresses. There are also other mermaid characters on the television: Marina which was played Claudine Baretto way back 2004, the fantasy-comedy, Marinara played Rufa Mae Quinto and now, Kambal Sirena.

These tale of half human, half fish characters have something in common. They are born to a human parent or one of their parent is a mermaid. Their love interest is a human while the antagonist is their love interest's fiance. The mermaid character has a loving, adopted mermaid mother and an enemy who happens to have magical powers. An angry mob who believes that mermaids are carriers of bad luck will separate the mermaid from his biological parents. They also got to experience to walk on the earth thanks to a magic necklace given by a sea witch.

So what's with fascination of Pinoys with mermaids? I don't know. Maybe because we are a country surrounded by sea and our imaginations are quite creative. Nevertheless, these mermaid stories have lighten up our imagination and bringing fantasy right in front of us even it is in the small tube.

And as for Dyesebel and Kambal Sirena, whoever will win, so be it. What matters most is quality and entertainment.