Q3 - Marxism and Social Classes

In our last entry, we discussed about the common plots that Teleseryes are tackling at the moment - and one of those is the Rich Man falls in love with Poor Lady, or vice versa, or the rich people are more powerful than the poor ones - in short, Inequality between the social classes.

Last Thursday, we discussed in our Pop Culture class about Social Classes, Marxism and Hegemony. Marxism, which was proposed by Karl Marx, is a method of socio-economic analysis and worldview based on a materialist interpretation, and is also an analysis of class-relations and conflict within society.

In teleseryes, even though we are used of these genres, the rich man-poor lady love affair plot still sells. Numerous teleseryes have been produced using this plot but they still win in the viewers' hearts. Examples are: Walang Hanggan, Mula sa Puso, Ang Lalaking Nagmahal Sa Akin, Villa Quintana and Gulong ng Palad among others. Gulong ng Palad, for one, is the first ever soap opera in the Philippines which started in radio and spawned two television remakes. It's plot is simple - Rich man Carding falls in love with poor lady Luisa and there is Carding's mother Menang who's bound to hinder their love and make Luisa's life a living hell.

In 2005, QTV and Viva Television produced a teen show that was quoted to follow the footsteps of the successful teen-oriented program TGiS - POSH. It's story is about two groups of college teens - the POSH or the rich ones, and the Ka-POSH - or the less rich ones. Their groups would clash until they all discover that two members of the POSH people are not really POSH. Of course, you know what's next for these two characters. However, unlike TGiS and Gulong ng Palad, Posh did not do that well in the ratings that it bid goodbye after 5 months.

I am (and my blogmates are, I guess) a fan of these shows. However, these two shows proved that there is really an inequality in society and thus, social classes really exist. Because these shows would not be created for nothing. As they say, TV shows, most especially teleseryes, reflect the society that is existent today. Not only that, these are also the shows that are rating very well. And why do people watch these shows? It's because they can easily relate to the characters.

And yes, teleseryes are produced, are written, and are created the way we want it. We may say that we are tired of seeing the same thing over and over again. But we still watch them because we see ourselves in the characters, whether the working class being maligned by the ruling class, the working class strives to be better, to be good. And that's what we love about being Filipinos, that despite the inequality, we never stop being better. And that's how teleseryes depict our lives.

Quiz 2 - Structuralism

As for our second quiz in Pop Culture, we are tasked to give you a list of the common things that happen and are still present in our Teleseryes. This is actually in line with our lesson about Structuralism.

I'm sure our readers are also supporters or typical viewers of Teleseryes. And more than a thousand has been produced already by the giant networks ABS-CBN, GMA and  TV5. If we can notice, most stories use the same formula or some subplots and storylines can also be the same, intentional or not, adaptation or original story. And so, my group mates Ina, Mart and I were able to list down a lot. And we are also asked to write down examples of Teleseryes in which the following common plotlines are present.

1. "Rags to Riches" - This may be is the most commonly used storyline ever. Nothing can beat a story that inspires the viewers to reach for their dreams and do good in their lives. Female characters are often used as lead in these kind of stories. The characters achieve their so-called "riches" by undergoing these possible situations: 1. Marrying an older and richer man who fell in love with the lead and then will later die in the story, and of course the inheritance all goes to the girl. 2. A poor lady/man is discovered to be the daughter/son of either a business tycoon, a CEO, or someone who is rich. And of course before the discovery, they have been already close and felt the so-called "Lukso ng Dugo". Most of the time, the leads in this kind of storyline are driven to succeed to seek revenge to those who belittled them during their poor, low times.

• Maria Mercedes - This I think is the most recent one. Mercedes married Santiago del Olmo - a rich man who fell in love with her beauty and wit. What makes it different is that Santiago knows that they are marrying each other for Mercedes to get revenge to those who killed her brother, and she obviously needs money and connections for her to solve the crime. Sooner in the story, Santiago died and Mercedes inherited his company, San Carmelo, and all the money he has.
• MariMar - Another Thalia remake, MariMar lost her memory and soon, she discovered that she is a son of a rich business tycoon. And after knowing that, she would seek revenge to those who harmed her like Angelika and Sergio.
• Iisa Pa Lamang - Catherine was belittled by Isadora Castillejos after discovering that she had a love affair with Isadora's son Miguel. Isadora succeeded to drove Catherine and her Lola Aura out of the Hacienda Amadesto. But years after, Catherine returned as rich woman Cate and a married woman to Martin Dela Rhea.

2. Amnesia - Ever since the birth of Pinoy Soap Operas until its modernization and improvements, this plot is still used and in fairness, in different angles. These can be sometimes part of the original plot where the lead would lose his/her memory during the childhood years. Or the lead characters can experience this after an accident in the middle of the story which will open to another chapter for the serye, which is existing right now in one of the topraters - Got To Believe.

• Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin - Mylene is the illegitimate daughter of Ferdinand Fuentebella, a rich and popular man. However, she was taken care by her mother Lilian. A big fire caused her amnesia and was renamed as Katherine. She soon works for Ferdinand as his secretary. Fastforward to the next chapter, she discovers that she is really Mylene. However, she met a car accident with her obsessed lover Gabriel, and again gets amnesia and was renamed Carmencita.
• Maging Sino Ka Man - Jackie is the princess of rich business tycoon Don Fidel Madrigal and is set to marry a son of a shipping magnate JB Berenger. But then, she was kidnapped after an outreach program and met a car accident. She was believed to be dead by her family members but unbeknownst to them, she is alive and can't remember anything. She is now known as Princess, the wife of Eli.

3. Star-Crossed Lovers - Of course, everyone finds this plot amusing. How will a teleserye fail to get the viewers kilig everytime a rich man fights for his relationship with a poor lady from his villainous mother or disapproving father? Also, how can the lead characters have a harmonious relationship if one of them is already married with someone they do not really love? These teleseryes answer the questions.

• Villa Quintana - Lynette and Isagani are total opposites. Lynette came from the rich clan of the Quintanas while Isagani came from the poor Samontes. Plus let's add the fact that both parents of theirs are very much against with their love story. But of course, they will fight for each other that led them to committing suicide in the end... not so sure if the remake is set to that though.
• Walang Hanggan - The phenomenal teleserye of course. Daniel and Katerina are childhood sweethearts but then their worlds change and soon, Daniel is believed to be dead while Katerina gets married with Nathan. They meet again soon, and discover their feelings with each other again.

Okay. So this is the part where my Google Chrome suddenly crashed and lost all the other things that I have typed already. And since it would be too intoxicating to remember everything again and retype it, we will still continue to give you a rundown of other things commonly found in teleseryes but this time a short but many examples of teleseryes that used the plots. Calm down, typist, please? :)

4. Sibling Rivalry - Siblings are always pitted as rivals - either in their work, for their parents' attention, or for the love of the same man or woman. Examples are Gelai VS. Victoria in Magkaribal, Margaux VS. Celyn in Ina Kapatid Anak, Victor VS. Rafael in Dugong Buhay, Charming VS. Kristal in Bakekang, Dave VS. JR in Tayong Dalawa, The Jewel Sisters in Pangarap na Bituin, and The Four Sanggres in Encantadia.

5. There is only one man in the world. - The third wheel villains always act as if there are no other men in this world and they are really obsessed with the male lead. Examples are Misty of Maria Mercedes, Agatha of Akin Pa Rin Ang Bukas, Bridgitte of Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Langit, Gina of Galema, and Stella of Annaliza. Of course, there are also male counterparts like Marcus of Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin and Roberto of Broken Vow.

6. Ikaw ang Tunay naming Anak. - Baby-Switching Blues, Kidnapping after birth or an accident that separates the mother and the child - it will never fail to make a heart-wrenching, top-rating teleserye. Examples are: Mara and Clara, Fina of Tanging Yaman, Annaliza, Mylene of Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin, Victor of Dugong Buhay, Yuri of Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay among others.

7. Cats are not only the species given 9 lives - the leads and villains of soap operas too! Daniel of Walang Hanggan was shot in the series I guess three times or more. In fairness, after 10 months of airing, he died in the penultimate episode. Selina of the original Mula sa Puso was diagnosed of Leukemia, but managed to survive a car explosion, a gunshot that led her falling to a building...but after that she was quickly ran into by a truck that finally ended her life after two years of her evil ways to Via.

8. The Bestfriend - A lead character won't survive without having a supporter, a joker, an adviser. And that is the role of the bestfriend. Chorva of Pangarap na Bituin, Mikay of Adarna, Patricia of Got to Believe, Mimay of Kaputol ng Isang Awit are just some of the bestfriends the lead characters were able to hold on to survive their miserable world.

9. Devices - Some objects or places were used as devices or symbols to make the story flowing. Katerina and Daniel had their Infinity Ring in Walang Hanggan while Yanie and Brennan went back to the island where they got stuck in  the ending of Paraiso. These are also used to discover the parentage of the leads like the diary in Mara Clara, Sketch Notebook in Magkaribal and necklace in Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin.

10. The Finale: Kidnapping or Cornering - Expect that if the the last two-four weeks teaser is aired, a kidnapping is about to happen just like the case of Celyn in Ina Kapatid Anak, Fina in Tanging Yaman, and Lovelia in Akin Pa Rin  Ang Bukas. Also, if no kidnapping is about to happen, the villain will just appear where the lead is and will corner him/her usually using a gun, like Misty of Maria Mercedes, Eva of Legacy among others.

These are just 10 of the most commonly used plots/scenes in Teleseryes. But admit it, you catch new shows because you want to see these things too...with of course knowing how it will be treated. Almost all the stories, local or Hollywood (in my opinion ha! I hope with my groupmates as well..but I'm sure Mart would disagree and Ina would agree with me! Haha!) are just the same! They are just given a new treatment depending on the profile of the audience, the target market, and most especially if it will work in the flow of the story. And most of the time, those shows without these cliches do not rate. But with new shows coming this year, we should look forward to seeing what will be repeated and if something new will be offered.