Frankly speaking, I wasn’t too optimistic about this series because I kind of find it ‘forcing through’ to be placed in the said time slot. However, after it premiered on July 21 and witnessed how Gin’s character portrayed by Piolo Pascual was established even in its opening scenes—I knew this has a great promise.
Piolo is just perfect for the role.
According to Enrico Santos that this TV series has been brewing for years and was supposed to be forgotten and was originally intended to be aired after the Philippine Dream Academy (PDA) first season winner have been chosen; since it was the plan for the winner to take on the title role. But I am just glad that this didn’t pan out and waited for Piolo to assume the role as Gin, the frustrated musician.
Maybe if it wasn’t Piolo, this show may just have suffered on the ratings’ game. Having him on board the show is a blessing in disguise.
Pascual can both sing and act and there is no doubt that he is effective as Gin and with his brand acting, there is no doubt that he can pull-off whatever emotions are required of him in every scene.
He simply doesn’t need to put too much effort in making a dramatic scene spectacular. Everything is natural. One moving scene as when Gin couldn’t take on the huge responsibility that his late sister Lily Agustin-Victorio (Jennifer Sevilla) and his late brother-in-law George Victorio (Lander Vera Perez), left him with as the guardian of the three adopted kids and he was walking away from the orphaned kids—Zaijan Jaranilla as Emong, Xyriel Manabat as Dara, and Yesha Camile as Ningning.
Conflicts are Relatable with Ordinary People.
‘Hawak Kamay’ need not resort to hard-selling religious-related ideas, which the rival network has employed on its top-rating series titled ‘Niño’; which in fact is one of the series that I get to admire because of its genre. However, when the ABS-CBN series that featured Pascual with the three child stars as orphaned kids, I found myself being hooked with it when it replaced ‘Dyesebel’. If I missed it on its regular run on a certain day or days—I still catch the episodes I missed via IWantTV.
The series is complete in itself without utilizing the magical realism formula that GMA-7 is effectively doing with ‘Niño’.
The Pascual-Jaranilla-Manabat-Camile starrer can easily be identified by Filipino televiewers because of the struggles of having better lives and close-knit relationship with family members.
Gin struggles to make good in the profession he has chosen, but is always met with uncertainties and challenges including with his relationship with the woman he loves so much—Me-Ann, which is ably portrayed by Nikki Gil. Apart from that, Me-Ann’s mother disapproves of Gin as her future son-in-law.
Even Iza Calzado’s character as Atty. Bianca Magpantay is one that would tug the hearts of the televiewers. Her own battles may be an unlikely and remotely be identified by normal Filipino families, but her situations have similarities to some people I have known in the past. Because of her ambition, she was forced give up her kid just preserve her identity in society.
Flashbacks in this series are handled well and not in a manner of ‘forcing it’. The back stories were told seamlessly like the ones in establishing each story of Emong, Dara, and Ningning as well as Lorry’s real identity as breathed into by Andrea Brillantes.
A Modern Retelling of ‘The Sound of Music’.
The series isn’t a musical in nature, but its premise, the struggles of the main characters, particularly with Gin’s is quite reminiscent to Maria’s in ‘The Sound of Music’ by Rogers and Hammerstein.
Despite such similarities, ABS-CBN is successful enough in painting a story centered on family matters. It tackles issues on ‘broken families’ and how one can possibly build a family even if the members aren’t really blood-related. The only force that binds them together is love.
An element of love story is just incidental and this occurs between Gin and Bianca.
“Hawak Kamay’ centers on the three kids and their relationship with their reluctant guardian, Gin, who eventually took on the responsibility of being a parent.
The series is something that can easily be appreciated by Filipino televiewers who love drama, but not heavy drama. It simply reflects what life is all about—living it to the full with the people who support and love each other.
It doesn’t promise any magic or miracle, but it just simply stirs the soul, pierces the heart to do an act of love and pay it forward to those who need it the most.
It also features stars like Ryan Bang; the come-backing actor Victor Neri, Nadia Montenegro, Atoy Co, Moi Bien, the ‘She’s Dating the Gangster’ star—Sofia Andres, and PBB All-In Housemate fame—Axel Torres as Benj, Pascual’s younger brother in the series.
The series is directed by Mae Cruz, Rechie del Carmen, and Jerry Lopez Sineneng.
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