MANILA, Philippines - Vic Sotto and his son Oyo Boy Sotto worked together in movies and briefly on television in Okay Ka, Fairy Ko, when Oyo was still a kid. The new fantasy sitcom, Vampire ang Daddy Ko (Saturdays, 6:30 p.m. on GMA 7), brings back the father and son as co-actors in a TV show.
Interestingly, however, Vic and Oyo have a reversal of roles in the sitcom, which is something new and amusing for viewers. Oyo plays the dad Vlad who lives generations ahead as a vampire and Vic is his son Victor.
Vlad is married to Sonya, played by Pilita Corrales, the mother of Victor (with daughter Jackielou Blanco occasionally alternating as the young Sonya).
The sitcom has a star-studded supporting cast, which includes Jimmy Santos as Small (the guy who despises vampires), Sef Cadayona in a gender-bending role as Stefani and Jinky Oda as Omma (owner of a small neighborhood eating place and beauty parlor).
Glaiza de Castro plays the vampire Vavavoom, while Bea Binene is younger vampire Bebe and Derrick Monasterio is Derry, neighbors of Vlad and Victor. Anjo Yllana is Bibo, the good vampire brother of Bebe.
Introducing in the sitcom are Jinri Park as Jinri, the daughter of Omma, and Ryzza Mae Dizon as Small’s precocious daughter, Big.
Kristine Hermosa, Oyo’s real-life partner, guested in the sitcom as Yehey, also a good vampire who was the first love of Vlad, although he chose to marry the human Sonya.
In the tradition of Okay Ka, Fairy Ko, Vampire ang Daddy Ko brings the magic of fantasy sitcom back to the small screen. With half of the stars playing vampires, the story brings a different plot to weekend primetime viewing.
The fantasy factor in a sitcom is a delight to witness in Vampire ang Daddy Ko, with special effects, magic and the stars playing vampires. The initial release announced there would be certain similarities to the Hollywood flick Twilight. But, except for vampires, the local sitcom stands on its own with its weekly plot that really gets the laughs.
It is amusing that Vic and Oyo are playing a reversal of roles in Vampire ang Daddy Ko, with Vic calling Oyo as “Daddy†and Oyo addressing Vic as “Anak.†Vic also calls Pilita as “Mommy.â€
Since Vic is a veteran in sitcoms, making people laugh is perhaps never a Herculean task for him. He undoubtedly always elicits the laughs. His wit, humor and comedy are consistently in good taste (he apparently makes a conscious effort to observe what he does) and definitely always current.
Even if some of the cast members are first timers to work in a sitcom, everyone clearly makes an effort to blend with the story. Ryzza, who is making her acting debut, is a joy to watch in delivering her lines.
Written and directed by Bibeth Orteza, who started working with Vic in Iskul Bukol in the late ’70s, Vampire ang Daddy Ko is an early primetime treat that can be enjoyed by the entire family.