MANILA, Philippines - With a dozen drama series on television today, in the afternoon or evening, most plots are the same, if not adapted from an old teleplay or rehashed. Almost always, there’s a scene that’s bound to make you cry. It is therefore rare that viewers find a story that will capture their interest, curiosity and ultimately worth their late-night viewing time.
One such drama series is Suzette Doctolero’s My Husband’s Lover (Mondays to Fridays at 10 p.m. on GMA 7). Curiously enough, the nightly series tells the story of two male lovers who decided to end their relationship and live separate lives — one as a married man attempting to put his past behind him and the other as a single, gay professional who cannot seem to detach from his past.
The story is brave, bold and daring, considering the two male stars are the center of the drama. It is rare that a TV series focuses on this intriguing kind of plot about homosexuals, so the drama is something new for primetime viewers.
My Husband’s Lover seeks to defy the traditional soap series with two hunks in a gay relationship. Dennis Trillo, for the first time on TV, plays an openly gay character as Eric, the lover. In high school, he had a relationship with Vincent, played by new Kapuso actor Tom Rodriguez.
Vincent is the only child of prominent couple Armando, a retired military man (Roi Vinzon) and Elaine (Kuh Ledesma, who returns to acting after a long time), a loving yet over-bearing lady. Vincent is married to Lally (Carla Abellana), who eventually gets in the middle of her husband and his lover.
Supporting cast includes Chanda Romero as Sol, Eric’s doting and supportive mom; Glydel Mercado as Sandra, Lally’s loving mom; Karel Marquez as Lally’s sister Evelyn; and Victor Basa as David, Vincent’s openly gay college buddy.
On its first week of airing, My Husband’s Lover immediately created a stir for its innovative plot and true depiction of gay characters. That the mature drama is on primetime makes it all the more brave and commendable.
For a long time, many are saying that local viewers are not ready for this kind of plot, but if GMA 7 did not gamble in this unconventional drama, when will our viewers experience this storyline with gays as the main focus?
Gone are the days when gays are merely relegated to supporting parts. With My Husband’s Lover, gays are given the long-delayed lead status on primetime. The series also dares to push the boundaries of gay characters who are depicted on TV.
Dennis obviously didn’t have qualms about portraying an openly gay character in My Husband’s Lover. On the big screen, he played a cross-dressing role during the Japanese occupation in Aishite Imasu: Mahal Kita, where he won several acting awards in 2004. So convincing him to step into the shoes of Eric in My Husband’s Lover is definitely not a daunting task.
Tom was part of the daytime soap, Be Careful With My Heart, on ABS-CBN, where he played a supporting character opposite Aiza Seguerra. But upon his transfer to GMA 7, he was given a lead role in My Husband’s Lover, which is a big break for him.
Since the timeslot of My Husband’s Lover is late-night, the drama can be really provocative and daring, but GMA 7 remains careful in depicting the affair of the gay lovers, from the scenes to the language in the dialogue of the series. At the helm of the nightly drama is Dominic Zapata.