A breakthrough for Philippine TV: MHL

It was Victor Hugo who said, “Nothing is stronger than an idea whose time has come.” The French novelist, poet, and playwright is the author of Les Misérables, the novel on the French Revolution which has also become one of the most successful musicals of all-time.

Meanwhile, in Philippine television, a revolution has started to take shape-not so much a “revolutionary idea” in that the lifestyle and the issues ancillary to it are actually pervasive and are as real as it gets—but one that is an aberration of sorts, a welcome departure from the ho-hum status quo. And surely, it's an idea whose time has come.

In reality, the idea is nothing new. We all know someone who is gay (one who is in a same-sex relationship and who has had to go through the complications that come with the dynamic).  But on primetime TV—with that bygone epoch of slapstick sitcoms leaving an enduring and rather unfair stereotype of gays—GMA 7's soap 'My Husband's Lover,' with its audacity to take on a most real yet somehow still repressed issue, is definitely a breath of fresh air!  

I have not seen most of the episodes of this groundbreaking series from GMA7 (I'm mostly out in the evenings on dinners and meetings), and I look forward to when the  DVDs are out, but friends like Orly Cajegas, NizaMariñas, and Ryan Mark Borinaga of The Freeman somehow keep me in the know through their Facebook posts or hashtags of “MHL” (interestingly, the initials of the show is like “mahal,” Tagalog for 'love'—and really, what's not to love?).

And MHL's following, as per social media, cuts through a wide spectrum. After posting photos with the soap's actors on Facebook, the 'likes' and comments revealed how friends and Facebook friends from different social classes, political persuasions, religious beliefs, ages, genders, preferences, locations (from the West Coast of the US, to Australia, to Norway) follow and support MHL—quantitative and qualitative proof of the show's popularity across the board.

And this, in my opinion, may be attributed to three things: an outstanding ensemble, individual acting, and the novelty of it on Philippine TV. 

It's refreshing, a rebuke of the staid and formulaic. How many times have these been rehashed and recycled: baby-switching, amnesia, kidnapping, warehouse raid, rich girl-poor boy, and of course, the evil, scheming, plotting, conniving doñakontravida, or the corrupt, sex-starved, two-faced mayor or congressman? Soaps whose titles are from OPM love songs or are adaptations of Mexican or Korean hits? Santisima! If we recycled trash as much as we've recycled soap opera plotlines, our earth would be a much better, cleaner place to live! Truly, the tested can be testing to the taste buds now that fresh flavor has enriched and stimulated the appetite of millions.

I'm one of those who's veered away from local TV simply because of these overused plotlines that succeed only in dulling the senses, insulting our intellect. A big fan of TV, I find myself devouring US and UK shows. Now, I look forward to more fresh offerings from our network giants, those that illustrate complications that people relate to, not orchestrating a murder (“Palabasing aksidente,” the evil doña would tell her minion). And when the DVD of MHL comes out, I shall do a marathon of the entire season, a first for me for any local TV show.

From actors like Tom Rodriguez (also an “idea” whose time has come) who took a huge risk leaving that extremely popular show on ABS-CBN to do MHL, we learn more that surely, the higher the risk, the greater the reward. Here's hoping that network executives start taking more risks, intelligent and bold decisions in developing material and in spotting new talent, for these boardroom decisions, whether creative or practical, actually contribute to the education of a nation so enamored with local television and the respite it provides from the daily grind of living.

Like Hillary Clinton running for US president-a failed bid that nonetheless broke the proverbial glass ceiling and redefined American politics, changing the role of women in governance forever—it's a long way to go in breaking stereotypes and putting forth a more real and truthful and fair portrayal of gays in media, but MHL is a mighty fine start.