Askew

As the different plots seem to untangle themselves to become a cohesive story, one could wonder why the Filipino audience won’t be lured by such. I will always wonder why is it that local flicks are centered on relationships and the thrill of having third parties. There were even instances when the legal wife seemed to be overruled by the power of the mistress. Local networks are presenting young love teams and drawing young viewers to swoon over heartthrobs like that of Daniel Padilla and James Reid...

For days now, I immersed myself to American Horror Story a masterpiece produced by Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy (of the Glee fame). Season 1 is all about Murder House, Asylum for Season 2, Coven for Season 3 and Freak Show for Season 4. The much-awaited Season 5 (Hotel) will open this October with Lady Gaga and Naomi Campbell on the lead...

The thing to lure me towards the series nay anthology are the plots and subplots. They dwell on insanity, ghosts, serial killers, exorcism and even cannibalism. These quirks are all triggered by the disturbed mind and it always fascinate me to learn how a human being could be enslaved with his/her emotions and devolve into hideous creatures. I particularly like the way Asylum is presented where Jessica Lange could show the viewers how a person could live both poles: she plays Sister Jude, a nun, who is an alcoholic and could be tagged as a whore!

There is also this elusive topic in psychotherapy in which a young child is killing her friends and even her mother without a trace of guilt in her. This could be attributed to the concept of psychopathy but others could really question if there is really a natural born killer.

Of course, the anthology is violent and it dwells with the taboo but it always stirs the mind. In fact, Lange and even Kathy Bates get international accolades on their roles and the TV program itself wins a handful of Emmys.

I understand that the local networks must have their return of investments on producing their teleseryes. They need to get the pulse of the local viewers on what topics to be dealt with and who will be cast. But looking at the series where most of the young ones are ogling, I would be alarmed if I am a parent. Why is it that they could relate to young people having their “love life” as all or nothing? Do they know that even in school they will sneak out of their class rooms so that they could call their love teams and cry over petty things? I even caught a girl smashing her phone along the hallway because her crush posed with another girl on a Facebook post!

Emotions are important. But we must not be enslaved by them. We are the ones to control them not the other way around. Yes, there are weaklings but we could steer them towards empowerment. There are those who could waste a day wallowing on an emotional tantrum... There are those persons who are now adults but still dwell on their incapacity and insecurity. I could be one of them but at least I know how to grab myself and take a hold. I even grimace on how our local actors quarrel over “love” in full costumes. How could one remember putting on makeup when he/she plots revenge?

In American Horror Story, the depressed are ugly with snot on their faces and unkempt hair. Those who grieve over a family’s demise show wrinkles and skin sans moisturizer! The monsters are scary and the decapitated parts of the body are gory... Sex could be kinky and sick... That’s how the producers dwell on truth.

Still, I won’t have to wait for the 5^th season of AHS. All I have to do is look around. There are those who show a facade of calm and talk on pure intentions. But in them, Murphy and Falchuk would be interested to see for the forthcoming seasons.