THE first quarter of ABS-CBN’s prime-time lineup has experienced a surge. FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano continues to be the network’s most watched teleserye. Then there’s Broken Marriage Vow, the always-trending Philippine remake of the hit Korean drama. Viral Scandal as the third teleserye in the lineup was critically acclaimed for its brave and novel approach to a very intense social issue among young people nowadays all wrapped in an engaging family drama. In fact, this writer feels that this is one of the most well-acted shows in recent years.
Suffice it to say, to keep its momentum running, the arrival of 2 Good 2 Be True is very consequential. It bumped down Broken Marriage Vow to the third prime-time slot. Why not? After all, it is headlined by undoubtedly the most popular loveteam in the country, Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo, aka “KathNiel.” Not only that, the show has been hyped as a major tentpole in the 10th anniversary of the loveteam, making their fans gaga as their idols finally return to their television screens via broadcast and even thru streaming on Netflix and Viu. But is the starpower of KathNiel enough for a continued resurgence of ABS-CBN?
As of now, the answer seems to be yes, as the teleserye is now the most viewed show on Viu and Netflix and the second on the ABS-CBN lineup. But what’s interesting about 2 Good 2 Be True is that the show is more than the stars, as the program is capable of fits of creativity and sincere storytelling joy.
In 2 Good 2 Be True, Daniel plays Eloy, an aspiring lawyer who sidelines as an auto-mechanic to finance his studies. He dreams of becoming a lawyer to free his father, who is in prison for being falsely accused of a major crime. In his quest to free his father, Eloy learns that real-estate magnate Hugo Agcaoli (Ronaldo Valdez) has something to do with his father’s incarceration and so to help him in his cause, Eloy cons the old man in a variety of identities to be able to befriend him. But Hugo’s intern and trainee Ali (Kathryn) busts Eloy. But Eloy also has a huge secret: she is not an intern but a private nurse for Hugo and is bound to also pretend to be someone else because it would have devastating effects to Hugo’s business if his sickness becomes publicized.
Of course, in the process of Eloy’s and Aly’s cat-and-mouse antics to crack each other’s secrets, the two will develop feelings for each other.
While the central plot of the show is familiar, it also proves very effective. One of the strengths of the KathNiel loveteam is their aso-pusa dynamics, as evidenced in their early shows and films. Fans are enthralled when the characters that Daniel and Kathryn portray hate each other always at the start, then eventually fall for one another. And it definitely works here in 2 Good 2 Be True, as their gigil dynamics give the early episodes some storytelling energy to work with. One thing that this show has always understood better than many of its contemporaries and imitators is how much its characters can and should drive its action.
But the good thing is, you don’t have to be a superfan of KathNiel to enjoy the show. As the lead characters peel off each layer to get to truly know one another and find out more about themselves, more than the kilig, there’s funny and even some unpredictable mechanisms used by the frontrunners to keep audiences excited. And this complements well with the show’s treatment, which is very K-drama, with a noticeable faster storytelling pace. The montage at the end of each episode also adds to the Hallyu feels.
2 Good 2 Be True is a significant stop in the continuing journey of the KathNiel tandem. Insiders have told me that the original 10th anniversary teleserye plan for the tandem was supposed to be an epic drama but no thanks to the pandemic and the limitations it has imposed in production, fans are now treated with this K-drama-like program.
Stream advanced episodes of 2 Good 2 Be True on Netflix and iWantTFC. Watch it weeknights at 8:40 PM on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, TV5, Kapamilya Online Live on ABS-CBN Entertainment’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, Jeepney TV, and Cinemo.