Written By Mikey Sutton • Editor-in-Chief • Owner
Ruru Madrid and Bianca Umali delivered strong performances in The Write One, elevating the GMA Network‘s Filipino romantic fantasy into a powerhouse drama with unexpected genre hybrids. Simply put, Ruru Madrid and Umali are magnificent together, delivering gravitas to a story that recalls The Twilight Zone in its balance of wish fulfillment and the unpredictable nature of reality.
At its best, science fiction teaches us about the human condition, and The Write One hits the right notes.
The GMA Network continues to push the envelope in terms of intriguing concepts and formats. Series like Voltes V: Legacy, the digital show In My Dreams, and The Write One help redefine what Philippine TV programs should be. They appeal to a younger crowd raised on the higher end, mostly sophisticated fare of overseas streamers such as Netflix and Disney Plus. On the other hand, they attract older viewers with their focus on classic storytelling. It’s a delicate balance.
In My Dreams and The Write One both originate from GMA Public Affairs. They share superb production values and a quirky sensibility I praised in another of their offerings, 2021’s The Lost Recipe (In My Dreams shares the same creative team).
Ruru Madrid And Bianca Umali Power The Write One With Strong Acting
Image: Facebook
Ruru Madrid plays a writer named Liam who is reunited with an old school crush, a struggling model and actress named Joyce (Umali). Ruru Madrid’s comic timing is sensational as Umali, at first, mistakes him for a stalker. That results in a moment of misunderstanding straight out of an anime comedy. Madrid is so smitten by Umali’s striking looks that he is rendered completely shy.
Thus, the viewer is reeled in thinking that this is a feelgood romp. Immediately, those expectations are turned upside down.
Umali does fall for Madrid, who does reveal his secret feelings. However, he isn’t mature enough to handle the adult pressures of being a father and a husband.
Everything goes wrong.
But then he acquires a magic typewriter that allows him to alter his fate.
Suddenly, Madrid finds himself with a different woman, Via (Mikee Quintos). And his kid is nowhere to be found.
In other words, Madrid has entered the Twilight Zone.
Ruru Madrid And Bianca Umali Power The Write One With Strong Acting
Image: Facebook
The GMA Network continues to bend the rules of soap operas.
Here in the U.S., soaps still recycle the same soaps from decades past. On the contrary, The Write One incorporates crime fiction, sci-fi, and love. Korean dramas often receive the most accolades in Asia. The Write One proves that the Philippines can compete with them at the highest level.
Through it all, Umali brings her A game. She can express a deep sadness in her eyes that bring out the deepest emotions in the scenes. She did that in Sahaya and does it again here. She can makes it all believable alongside Madrid, who also showcases various dimensions here, both in his acting chops and in the plot’s locations.