Telenovelas

I usually write these blog entries during night time. There exists a window every night when I can do my own thing coz my wife is busy with her nightly habit. Every night after dinner, my wife gets ready to watch a series of shows on TV. Yes, my wife belongs to the telenovela-watching masses who feel their day isn't complete if they don't get to know what happened to the kampanera who was caught stealing by the taumbayan (Naks, updated).

It becomes mutually agreeable for the both of us not to bother each other for about one hour while each of us does his/her own nightly ritual -- she, watching her telenovelas; and I, writing my blog entries.

I used to have issues with this habit of my wife. There have been various instances in the past when we would have to hurry finishing up our food while we were dining out simply because we might miss one of her telenovelas. Of course, you might say that the VCR is the most convenient solution to this problem. But remember, I have my TV shows that I wouldn't wanna miss too. So during the nights when her telenovela schedule would clash with my televised basketball game sked, a major crisis occurs on who would get to record which show on the VCR. Yes, boys and girls, these are the types of dilemma some marriages face. Or is it just us?

Really, what is it with these telenovelas? I am of the belief that if you've seen one, you've seen them all. Rich guy meets poor girl. Parents of rich guy don't approve of poor girl. The two get separated. Poor girl works her way up. The two finally meet again. Discover they still love each other. They live happily ever after. There are just some minor variations and added spices like kontrabidas, sidekicks and side-stories for other characters. But basically, they are all fuckingly the same.

I have read somewhere in the internet about a study on people who like watching these TV soaps. According to the study, these people are generally not happy with their lives. The telenovelas become an escape for them. Their chance to identify with the hero and live with the hope that in the end, everything would go their way. When I told my wife about it, the response I got was a resounding "Screw you!"

I'd be a hypocrite if I tell you that I haven't been tempted to peek at those shows while my wife watches them. For a while, I was even hooked to one show. The one where a girl transforms into a superhero dressed in a red two-piece swimsuit, a white piece of cloth hanging in her front from her belt, a weird-looking helmet, and red knee-high boots. Well, I was not exactly hooked. I just told my wife to holler up and inform me whenever Angel Locsin is already in her skimpy Darna outfit and ready to fight the villains. But I guess you know what exactly it is I am looking at. You guessed it right -- the fight scene choreography.

I just have an issue with this Darna character though. How can a petite girl swallow a piece of rock and yet, still be a capable of shouting "Darna!"?!