Revelations: Can’t Buy Me Love – Episode 1 A Family Affair

 




It is here. The teleserye all Bubblies and Solids are yearning to see! And it did not disappoint. Thank God Netflix has given us this rare treat of having something to look forward to at the end of a really tiring week. Here are some things we got from the first episode. Spoiler alert: do not read if you have not watched it yet.

1.       Love the intro

It is quite creative- befitting of Star Creatives name and reminiscent of An Inconvenient Love’s animation care of Ayef’s project. The intro was animated, and you can make out some of the setting of the teleserye and the characters. You would see the silhouettes of Bingo and Caroline somewhere there.

2.       That Fateful Night

Caroline and her Mom needs to flee their huge old home in the middle of a stormy night. There seems to be a sense of urgency in the way Shaina has been packing, Seemingly anxious and in fear, she scurries around the room. Their lives might really be in danger. The question is how this is related to the relationship between Divine and a rich married man, Wilson Tiu.

Annie leaves the family in the middle of the night amidst the rains with also a sense that she is in a hurry that it could not be put off any second longer. You wonder where is she off to and why. The picture beside Divine’s body showing her with Annie leaves us with more questions on how connected are the two women and if the incidents on Nov 17 are linked.

3.       What is in a name?

Apparently, Donny’s character is really Andrei, but he earns the nickname Bingo when he is asked by his adoptive grandmother what is his name he suddenly blurts out “Bingo” because the card he is holding has the winning combination. It is a winning name, though.

4.       Goodbye

On the same night, Bingo and Caroline said their farewells to their mothers. In tears amidst the heavy pouring rain, Bingo runs after his mother who is armed with a bag and determined to get as far away from the family as possible. There is no indication if Annie left with a man, but one thing is certain; money was a main consideration as she talks about a million pesos, utang (debt), and tubusin (redeem). Sketchy for now, but more or less paints a picture of the household and how the family might be living in squalor.

Caroline’s goodbye with her mom, Divine, is quite abrupt as they really did not have any warning that the candy from mother to child is the last one. The perfect scenario has been painted complete with the raging storm outside the house, the interiors, and the visage of the old house. It does launch the perfect crime.

5.       And Hello- New families

As Bingo’s drunkard father ends up suffering a stroke, the young boy learns to hustle in different ways ending up working as an assistant to a fish vendor and eventually being taken in by a kind old lady as his own apo (grandchild). With the interaction among the three, Bingo, his adoptive tatay (father) and lola (grand mother), you sense that they may not have much in life, but are happy, and they care for each other.

As Caroline ends up moving in with her dad, his legal wife, and their three kids, you can sense the tension as only Charleston, the eldest son, make some move to acknowledge her- reminiscent of Cinderella’s evil step mom and stepsisters looking down on her. Caroline may be living in the lap of luxury, but she does not have a family who will look after her.

6.       The Gossiping Titas

The aunties who are the first say hi to the host, are also the ones who know the history of the family like the palms of their hands and relish talking about it. The third person point of view introduces us all to a lot of things:
a. Carlo is second son from a mistress, and Cindy seems to tolerate letting herself be surrounded  by the product of her husband’s wandering eye for a semblance of everything being fine.
b. The engagement party is more of a business merger.

c. Bettina has feelings for Edward.

 

Can’t wait to see the twist and turns that leads to the love story of Bingo and Caroline.

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