Two nights ago, when I was supposed to be doing something more important, I decided to watch (really watch) this primetime drama on TV. Mom was there, frustrated at how I could not shut up and annotate. I blame rizza, my cousin. She’s a smart ass. I take from her.
So anyway, in the scene were a major heartthrob, a former local showbiz heartthrob who is here again but is kind of stuck in his time, and this beautiful but unbelievably pale actress. In the story, the girl is a hesitant fugitive. The scene had her trapped among people who wanted to protect her from the dangers of being in jail, those that just honestly believed she deserved to be in jail and those who just wanted her dead. Pretty intense, huh? Then the characters had to speak:
heartthrob stuck in his time: (panting, not sweating, standing chest out) miguel, si catherine?
major heartthrob: (panting, sweating a little, very cute) nakatakbo siya, pero hindi ako sigurado kung safe siya!
heartthrob stuck in his time: (after 3 seconds or so) miguel, si catherine, kailangan natin siyang mahanap!
me: (incredulous) uh, duh. oo nga. obvious ba? you’ve been doing that for the longest time, haven’t you all? you really had to state the freakishly obvious?!
cousin rizza: (erupts in laughter) bakit gano’n si gabby? komang?
these local TV dramas are just something. and don’t they all still subscribe to the conventions pretty well? when you hear something strange and scary, don’t stay put – go check out what it is. and don’t turn on the lights…
me: when I get to direct one of these things, I will make the characters act normal. when you talk, you sit down facing each other. that’s how normal people discuss. they don’t stand, grab a glass of whisky, look far away, and deliver a poem. you sit down.
cousin rizza: but make the characters do a song and dance at the end, ok? and make the last scene a jumping shot. at the beach, where they all jump on cue, then shot freezes!
Yeah. Will do exactly that 
