Thoughts about My Husband’s Lover

Anyone who knows me or my videogaming habits closely knows that I do not subscribe to any local channel or cable TV. My TV/monitor is exclusively for video games only. So why did I suddenly find myself doing a marathon of GMA7’s latest teleserye, My Husband’s Lover?

Blame it on CBCP. Heh. They made such a fuss about gay themes (when I’m actually complaining more about the proliferation of mistress themes in local entertainment media) that I got mightily curious.

Apparently, GMA7 was ambitious enough to try and escape creative block by coming up with a theme that’s so controversial, you’re really bound to see something different.

To give you an idea of what My Husband’s Lover is about, here’s 24 Oras’ report on it:

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIOMQU1WQg4]

I have a few thoughts about how different this is from the regular teleserye offerings that I’m forced to watch when I ride buses:

  1. Well, I don’t think there’s much of a difference when you deconstruct the whole plot: it still reeks very much of the glorified kabit syndrome. The only element they changed is the mistress’ gender. This is just about the only thing I have against the series. Tigilan na sana yang kabit kabit na yan.

  2. Thing is, My Husband’s Lover is actually very addictive because unlike many telenovelas, the characters are just like us. I find myself relating to almost all of them: Lally (the protagonist), Vincent (her husband), and Eric (the lover). I could not help but sympathize with just about everyone because they feel very real, unlike the exaggerated characters you’d usually see in soap operas. Furthermore, majority of my friends are gay and most of them are low key and straight-acting, just like Eric and Vincent.
  3. Even the characters I did not expect to like, for example, Vincent’s homophobic dad, are likable. Of course, he starts off as the gun-toting, conservative, old military general whose gaydar is so sharp, you’d actually be afraid of him. But he later comes up with the wittiest remarks, I couldn’t help but laugh. Props to Roi Vinzon for doing such a good job playing this character.
  4. OMG, there were hardly any sampalan (slapping) scenes! No exaggerated crying with sabunutan (hair-pulling) scenes either. Dare I say it? I love the subtlety and control exercised in this series.
The funny thing is, I got so engrossed with My Husband’s Lover that I found myself posting side comments on my Facebook page because I could not help it! Here are some of my reactions, written in Tagalog, Taglish, Gayla.

  • Lesson #1: Kung may kalaguyo kang beki, wag na wag kayo tatambay kung san kayo madalas mag-date ni misis. Kalokabells!
  • Lesson #2: Kung sasabihin mong maga-Amerika ka, wag kang gumala ng Maynila. Sa Bicol ka magtago!
  • Lesson #3: Mag-dual boot ka ng Macbook at dun mo sa pangalawang OS itago ang kalandian mo, para pag hiningi ni misis ang password mo, lusot kah!
  • Sample lines:
    The maid: Kayo nga unang babaeng dinala niya dito eh.
    *wife smiles*
    Wife: At least alam kong hindi babaero ang asawa ko.

    AAAAGGGGGGH!!!! *sobs in a corner*

  • Ayoko na ng ideal man. Yung guapo, charming, masipag, mabait, magalang, accomplished.

    BAKLA SILANG LAHAT. BAKLAAAAAH!

  • Sample lines:
    Wife to the lover (still unsuspecting): Really? Wala ka pang asawa? Guapo guapo mo pa naman. Kung dalaga lang ako niligawan na kita.

    Ay dioskoday, di kita kinaya! Gusto mo pa magkamali ng pangalawa. xD Someone please give this girl a GAYDAR!

  • Maawa kayo kay Lally, ambait bait pa naman. Bet ko si Eric and Dave nalang, para lahat may happy ending. Shungabells kasi tong Vincent, pakasal pakasal pa…you can’t “pray the gay away”, noh!
  • My boyfriend: Bakit ba tuwing lilingon ako sa computer mo parang dalawang lalakeng maghahalikan ang palagi kong nakikita?
    Me: Grabe naman kasi ang timing ng lingon mo. Kung kelan nagco-compile ako ng code ng app na ginagawa ko.
    My boyfriend: Naiinis na ako sa music na yan ha.
    Me: Oy, respect. Classic Kuh Ledesma yan.

    My boyfriend: Buti natitiis mo kahomophobian ko…
    Me: Buti natitiis mo kabaklaan ko…

Last note:
Di naman obvious na na-adik ako, noh? Wapakels! Heh.

18 Comments

  1. Karina Ysabel Nario

    July 3, 2013 at 11:18 am
    Reply

    This is one of my favorite entries of yours. :)) I'm curious about this soap but I never seem to catch it. What time is it on?

  2. Mikaela Kaimo

    July 3, 2013 at 11:19 am
    Reply

    Hahaha! Nanay ko din nahilig sa My Husband's Lover dahil rin sa controversy na ginawa ng CBCP. Binigayan lang nila ng free publicity yung MHL.

  3. skysenshi

    July 3, 2013 at 12:44 pm
    Reply

    Haha, Kari! I don't watch it on TV eh so I'm not aware what time it's on. (My TV has no channels haha and the only cable stuck to it is my PS2's/PS3's.) I watch it online. I'm actually hoping that someday GMA would air their episodes officially online so they can at least get paid. Hirap for people like us who have weird schedules or, in my case, don't subscribe to any local channels.

  4. skysenshi

    July 3, 2013 at 12:45 pm
    Reply

    Haha, medyo ganun na nga ang case. Naku, pari pa naman ang favorite pinsan ko. Hahaha!

  5. animetric

    July 3, 2013 at 2:14 pm
    Reply

    LOLOLOLOL!!!!!

  6. skysenshi

    July 3, 2013 at 2:23 pm
    Reply

    Marami akong eksenang hindi kinaya. Hahaha!

  7. skysenshi

    July 4, 2013 at 5:04 am
    Reply

    This just in: My favorite cousin-priest just shared the review. Hahahahaha!

  8. Jan

    July 5, 2013 at 10:24 am
    Reply

    I'm from the network station that produces MHL and I enjoy your post/review, LOL! Even us at work who find producing dramas and telenovelas a routine enjoy MHL. Marami rin kasing beki dito sa industriya hehe:)

  9. skysenshi

    July 5, 2013 at 2:57 pm
    Reply

    Hahaha, glad you liked the post. But I kinda guessed you wouldn't have problems regarding research because I suspect that your building (and many other buildings like yours) has tons of beki. 😀

  10. John Ray Cabrera

    July 7, 2013 at 3:05 am
    Reply

    so anong rating mo, four stars? five stars? three stars? 🙂

  11. skysenshi

    July 7, 2013 at 3:33 am
    Reply

    Mahirap gawan ng rating kasi di pa siya tapos.

  12. Jan

    July 10, 2013 at 9:53 am
    Reply

    Tama! 🙂

  13. keanne0425 .

    January 10, 2014 at 4:07 pm
    Reply

    i love this review,, i do have those kind of side comments as well before work swallow me whole and i had no time to watch the show.. but right after it wrap up and had a happy ending for everyone i rewatched it i am still honor and proud how well the story was handled.. btw do you do a post about the ending of the show? i would really like to see it as well..

  14. skysenshi

    January 10, 2014 at 4:35 pm
    Reply

    Oh, I watched this through YouTube. I could not catch it on TV (and I don't have cable since my TV is meant for video games only). I was willing to click on ads had they been officially released by GMA on YouTube but I don't think they've done partnerships just yet.

    I noticed many non-Filipinos were also watching it on YouTube. There were even versions with subtitles to help people who don't speak Tagalog. 🙂

  15. keanne0425 .

    January 10, 2014 at 4:53 pm
    Reply

    yeap i also watched it through youtube,, the joy of being a night shifter sucks hahaha,., i actually finished it already.. have you? how do you find the ending of it?

  16. skysenshi

    January 10, 2014 at 4:56 pm
    Reply

    I thought it wrapped-up pretty well. Though if I were in Lally's place, I probably wouldn't date so soon. Or ever. The girl has a weak gaydar. Haha!

  17. keanne0425 .

    January 10, 2014 at 5:03 pm
    Reply

    i do think that as well.. i mean i know many are saying that it is hastily done and the ending is unsatisfactory but i think the mere idea that a show like that has a very successful run can show that we (pilipino) are indeed intelligent and understanding people. specially the thought that vincent and eric are together in the end is more satisfying than any other things that happens in the show. In lally's case i think it is good for her to have a new love life and if ever his gaydar fail again vincent and erick is there to alert her hahaha.. thoughts about the book 2 of the show? do you think there should be a book 2?

  18. skysenshi

    January 11, 2014 at 12:08 am
    Reply

    Hm. I think it's good that it ended on a high note. Most series tend to die when stretched too long. 😀

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