Comparing Storylines: A Call for a Fresh Movie and TV Series Concepts

Last night, my roommate Arlene and I have been talking about how our day been till midnight. The conversation flowed from the workload, overtime and the little comedy that happened that day. Then we talked about soap operas or teleserye.

At that time, I was hooked to Vaness Wu's new soap opera entitled "I love you so (Autumn Song)". It is about a cocky guy who feels in love with a bento girl. Vaness Wu who played Stanley Ren has a brain tumor while in a relationship with the bento girl. He undergone a surgery and lost his memories. It has a nice story line.

But the more I watched it, I can't help comparing it to Meteor Garden. When Shan Chai was rumored to be two-timing Dao Ming Si, the students of the super-rich school bullied her. In this soap, it has the same element wherein the bento girl Chu Meng was rumored to seduce her step-father and the students of also a super-rich school bullied her. When Shan Chai was kidnapped, Dao Ming Si also came to rescue her and got himself beaten up. On the other hand, Chu Meng also got kidnapped. You know now what happened. Stanley Ren came to the rescue and got also beaten up! Is this a coincidence? Don't forget the part where in Dao Ming Si got an amnesia and almost got married to his savior. Same with this show, Stanley Ren got an amnesia and got engaged to his doctor!

Agree on me on this. This is a short version of Meteor Garden with a twist. I can't help noticed the similarities. Now that I think about it, I noticed that it also happened in some of our Philippine Movies as well.




My roommate Arlene mentioned that she likes the movie Return to Me (2000). It is starred by David Duchovny, Minnie Driver and Carroll O'Connor. The story goes where a man who falls in love with the woman who received his wife's heart must decide which woman it is who holds his heart. Sound familiar?

Though there are certain twists, you can't help noticing the similarities in the story in some of our Philippine Movies. There is Kapag Tumibok Ang Puso (Not Once But Twice) which was shown last 2006. It was starred by Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr. and Ai-Ai de las Alas. And you are right! Here is a story wherein Ramon 'Bong' Revilla Jr falls in love with Ai-Ai de las Alas who received his wife's heart! That does not stop there! Here comes My First Romance and was starred by John Lloyd and Bea Alonzo. And you are right again! Bea falls in love with John Lloyd who received her boyfriend's heart!

Our Pinoy superhero Captain Barbel (2006) is not also spared from controversies. It was made into a TV series by GMA. It was starred by Richard Gutierrez, Richard Gomez and Rufa Mae Quinto. I checked Wikipedia and just confirmed the controversies that Captain Barbell has heavy references to several Western comics and movies.

Scenes of Teng's childhood shows him lifting tractors and logs, which was copied from Smallville. Teng was inspired by his Lolo Aloy to be a hero, and whose death he blames on himself, as it was the case ofPeter Parker/Spider-Man. Captain Barbell summons his cape like it was depicted in Spawn, and his hairstyle is copied from Christopher Reeve in Superman. Captain Barbell's mutant villains were exposed to elements barbanium and askobar, whereas the mutant villains of Clark Kent were exposed to kryptonite (Wikipedia, Last Updated 29 January 2011).

Of course! There are some Filipino movies and soaps, in their own right, offers fresh perspective to its viewers especially movies like Kimmy Dora and the Mano Po series. But come to think of it, I would like to see a movie or a soap opera that can stand up among others.

They can get  fresh ideas by holding a contest for the best script that has a new concept. I think I heard there is already a contest like that but it is not really big. They can take inspiration in our history and from history they can create a world that is uniquely Filipino. I know it is a hard to create such masterpiece. But hey... It is just my two cents.