Two love stories back to back

The Filipino brand of teleserye is one intent on bringing the viewers through the numerous twists and turns before leading them to a happy ending. Once Upon A Kiss is one such project we have been watching recently on GMA Network.

For starters, we were told that the leads are Miguel Tanfelix and Bianca Umali. Miguel is the son of Cris Villanueva with Mylene Dizon, while Bianca is the daughter of Manilyn Reynes with Keempee de Leon. The studio had placed their bets on the Miguel-Bianca love team and it seems both have been extremely cooperative, so it might just work out. Unlike some pairs that need a lot of practice before they get the message in a particular scene, Miguel and Bianca share a talent that would serve them well. They are given the same exposure as would-be stars are, and in the past Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo, the pair attracted thousands of fans watching them aboard a parade float.

Like many teenagers, Miguel and Bianca watch movies together, dine out and talk about anything and everything under the sun, including their personal lives and school stuff. During out-of-town work, family members accompany them. The two are definitely fond of each other, but insist they are too young to think of romantic love while their parents constantly remind them to take it slow and focus on school and work instead. Besides, their friendship is already special in itself. While they admire each other, Miguel and Bianca are the kind who can talk about each other’s crushes. Knowing that each has his/her own fan base, they understand that there are many “hopefuls” and neither has the right to be too protective of the other.

As actors, Miguel and Bianca are aware they have a long way to go. They have their respective idols and dream roles. For Bianca, it’s Johnny Depp who, she says, attacks his roles with depth. Pen Medina is Miguel’s favorite, especially after having worked with him in Aso ni San Roque.

Another GMA teleserye is Second Chances starring Jennylyn Mercado, Camille Prats, Raymart Santiago and Rafael Rosell. It follows a story that will dramatically narrate how an opportunity can change one’s life.

It revolves around the lives of four people — Jennylyn whose life suddenly changes when a tragedy befalls her family and she loses both her husband and son in an instant; Raymart, a single father and widower who finds the meaning of life and how to love again when he meets Jennylyn; Camille, the childhood friend of Jennylyn, and a bipolar who becomes addicted to drugs as she pines for the son she lost; and Rafael, a lawyer who has always loved Jennylyn even before she married her late husband. Director is Laurice Guillen.

Since both these pieces are synopsis of the plots in each story, do hang on and follow how things develop and unfold in the series.

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