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- Suzette Doctolero explained why there are a lot of “kabitan” shows
- Suzette recalls how she started conceptualizing ‘My Husband’s Lover’
- Suzette Doctolero guested in a scriptwriting lesson vlog on YouTube by GMA Network’s creative manager RJ Nuevas
When you think about Philippine drama, you think about “kabit” or the third party in a relationship. Suzette Doctolero, a Filipino screenwriter for film and television, guested in the scriptwriting lesson vlog on YouTube by GMA Network’s creative manager RJ Nuevas, about how she started ‘My Husband’s Lover.’
Suzette Doctolero jested on how cliche the genre was by saying, “Sa totoo lang, kung bakit maraming kabitan-serye kasi nagre-rate siya, pinapanuod niyo kasi! Tapos magrereklamo kayo!”
‘My Husband’s Lover,’ a project by Suzette, was discussed on the said YouTube vlog. Attention-grabbing, the show is the first gay-themed drama in Philippine television. It tells the story of a wife discovering her seemingly perfect husband having a male lover. It aired in 2013 and featured talented stars Carla Abellana as Lally, Tom Rodriguez as Vincent, and Dennis Trillo as Eric.
GMA Network’s creative manager RJ Nuevas also discussed with Suzette how she came up with the idea. She said while she was in a drama pitching summit with other GMA Network writers, it just came to her. She also recalled how her pitch went.
“Nag iisip ako ng… kinukulit ko si Sir Roy. Kinukulit ko siya, sabi ko, kasi wala ako actually pitch, kaya lang at that time na nagpipitch yung maraming writers, pumasok na lang, kaya ang ibinigay ko lang title, e, di ba? Sir Roy, may ipi-pitch ako na concept sa ‘yo sa panghapon. Bagong bihis ng kabitan. Kasi laging nagrerate ang… sa totoo lang kung bakit maraming kabitan serye kasi nagrerate siya, pinapanuod niyo kasi! Tapos magrereklamo kayo,” she jested.”
Suzette continued her story, “Pero natatakot ako kay Jun Lana kasi wala ako sa listahan, doon ko lang naisip at that time. So noong nailagay ako sa listahan nang magpipitch, ang kwento ko lang, may isang babae na perfect siya, tapos may asawa siya, perpekto rin akala niya, and then kinukutuban siya na may kabit. So noong nailagay ako sa listahan nang magpipitch, ang kwento ko lang, may isang babae na perfect siya, tapos may asawa siya, perpekto rin akala niya, and then kinukutuban siya na may kabit. Sinundan-sundan niya, tapos pagdating niya sa Room 1710, pagbukas niya ng pinto, natuklasan niya na may kabit nga pero hindi babae, lalaki. Yun ang pinaka premise niya, at kung paano siya binuo, nilagyan ng kaluluwa siyempre ang kwento.”
Suzette wanted to give soul to the show by also adding an educational element, by teaching people that there are other genders. “Doon ko ipinaliwanag na hindi lang babae o lalaki, meron pang ibang gender. So crineate siya, ang My Husband’s Lover, para maipaliwanag ang boses.”
Given the show’s provocative theme, it was unavoidable that some people felt uncomfortable that such show was aired on prime time. Suzette also shared how she felt on the show’s unprecedented popularity.
“Hindi ko siya masyadong na-enjoy kasi halos araw araw may nagrereklamo sa MTRCB! May ultra conservative religious ek ek chu chu na sulat ng sulat at gustong putulin kami sa ere. So halos araw-araw din, nagpupunta kami sa MTRCB para magpa-approve ng episode, lalo na may mga episode kasi doon na sensitibo. For example, yung nag-out si Vincent sa kanyang mga anak, mga bata yung involved so sensitive yung mga ganung topic. So wala kaming ginawa kundi magpaliwanag ng magpaliwanag at magdepensa.”
But even if she’s faced with harsh criticism from religious individuals and such, she is still proud of her work. “Kapag mago-grocery ako, maririnig ko yung mga sales staff ng grocery na nag-uusap-usap na, ‘Huy, napanood niyo yung episode kagabi? Si Lally ganyan ganyan. Nakakatuwa naman na pinag-uusapan nila yung soap ko.”
RJ also added on how he felt the success of the show affected him even though he was not the creator, then transitioned to asking if she also experienced such things. “Oo! Diyos ko, di ba nga naaway pa nga ako, hindi ko po show yun, bakit ako inaaway!”
The most recent experience Suzette had was when a medical practitioner pointed out a medical error in ‘Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko,’ and tagged her on Twitter.
And then they ended the talk on a good note of how well the show was received and how different it represented the LGBT community. Suzette said, “Masaya rin siya in a way, because I think, siya yung unang gay-themed series. At that time, ito yung series na ang bida, or dalawa sa bida ay bading.”
RJ then added, “Dati, isa rin sa nirereklamo ang representation ng bading sa teleserye na laging comedy, laging best friend, tagapagbigay lang ng katatawanan. Up to now naman, ginagawa yun. Kaya rin siguro nag hit ang My Husband’s Lover because of the representation ng mga bading.”
What are your thoughts on the “kabitan” cliche that is rampant on Philippine television? Please write your opinions in the comment box down below and please leave a like and share.
