Padayon (2021) Episode 1: Sino (Who)

While there were some weaknesses especially in terms of acting, Episode 1: Sino (Who) nevertheless looked promising. While it employed the overused enemies to lovers trope, rich and poor characters falling in love with each other trope, and daddy issues trope, it seemed very much contextualized in various Philippine social issues. The challenge for this series is to avoid being preachy, introduce something new, and at the same time, show realism and relatability. Screenplay was conversational enough but the delivery of lines sounded scripted. Acting, especially by the supporting cast members, needs to improve. Ian and John had both good and bad acting moments on this episode. Both have potential but they need to let loose and be more natural in their acting. I especially like Ian. He has a very expressive face. He just needs to harmonize his vocal, physical, and emotional choices in acting. Audio-visuals were quite decent. Sound was clear enough and scenes had good camera shots. I liked the soundtrack “Mahalaga” (Important) by Lester Flores featuring Rojene Ortega. All in all, it's a good start for this series.

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