Filipino-American History Month has begun and one way for students to get in touch with their heritage is to dive into classic Filipino dramas, also known as teleseryes.
As the name might imply, teleseryes are to the Philippines what K-dramas and telenovelas are to Korea and Mexico respectively. Much like K-dramas and telenovelas, teleseryes are significant to Pinoy audiences due to the way they represent either real-life experiences or wish fulfillment and help families stay connected, even when separated by hundreds of miles.
For those interested but inexperienced in the genre, here is a beginner’s guide to five of the most iconic Pinoy dramas, all of which aired on The Filipino Channel.
-
“Pangako Sa ’Yo” (pawng-A-ko sa-YO)
One of the earliest event dramas in the network’s history, “Pangako Sa ‘Yo” (2000) uses tried and true archetypes and melodrama as a baseline to tell an enriched story spanning generations.
Directly translated to “Promise to You,” the show follows two teenage sweethearts, an adopted poor girl and a rich boy. Unbeknownst to them, their parents who are trying to pull them apart were once lovers.
The show is worth watching for its place in teleserye history, as it launched the careers of its young stars and even spawned a remake in the 2010s.
-
“Lobo”
2008’s “Lobo” may fit the bill if you’re seeking a more fantastical affair.
The show depicts the romance between Lyka, an aspiring fashion designer who is secretly a werewolf, and Noah, an army lieutenant who hunts werewolves for work. Their relationship is further complicated by a “Chosen One” prophecy involving Lyka being the last hope for all werewolves.
This show’s appeal is remarkable, as it popularized werewolves in the Philippines a full year before “The Twilight Saga” did and spawned two sequel shows that added vampires and hybrids to the mix.
-
“Be Careful with My Heart”
If you’d prefer a more lighthearted romp, “Be Careful with My Heart” might be more up your alley.
The show is a modern fairy tale following Maya, an aspiring flight attendant who becomes a nanny for three kids of a rich widower named Richard, whom she lovingly calls “Sir Chief.” Maya and Richard eventually fall in love and she navigates the challenges of becoming a mother figure to his children.
”Be Careful with My Heart” is essential viewing mainly due to its surprising longevity; for a couple of years, the show was The Filipino Channel ’s longest-running daytime drama.
-
“On the Wings of Love”
Another rom-com teleserye with an interesting setup is “On the Wings of Love.”
The show follows the love story of Leah, a poor girl who moves to the U.S. in search of work opportunities, and Clark, a Filipino-American citizen with a chip on his shoulder. In order to prevent her from being deported back to the Philippines, Clark reluctantly marries Leah in a green card-centered marriage, but their fake relationship eventually develops into something real.
This is a must-watch because of its great representation of overseas Filipino workers, or OFWs, and its significance as the peak of the recent “love-team” era of teleseryes. Leading couple James Reid and Nadine Lustre, known by the portmanteau “JaDine,” was the third of three famous young celebrity couples that dominated The Filipino Channel in the 2010s.
-
“Ang Probinsyano” (PRO-bin-SHA-no)
If you combined the lengths of all the shows previously mentioned, they still would not even come close to the length of “Ang Probinsyano”.
Directly translated to “The Provincial” and also known as “Brothers,” “Ang Probinsyano” has over 1,000 episodes across its seven years on the air. In terms of episode count, it is like the Philippines’ equivalent to “One Piece,” the popular Japanese anime series.
The show starts out as a remake of a classic Filipino action movie from the ‘90s and follows the twin brother of a police officer killed in action, who must pose as his brother to cover up his death and take down the drug syndicate that murdered him.
Eventually, the show evolves into a “Fast & Furious”-style action thriller, as main character Ricardo “Cardo” Dalisay proves to be unkillable and outlives multiple recurring threats, love interests and allies.
Though you may need to suspend disbelief, Cardo proves to be an action hero worth rooting for. Overall, the show is a good time, if you are willing to commit your life to watching.