Marian Rivera Is Queen Of The Underworld

I confess, I'm addicted to Ang Babae Na Hinugot Sa Aking Tadyang (gah, mouthful!). I now love, hate Marian Rivera's Proserfina! (I have to retreat to my cave and die now.)

Tadyang-tadyang as it is now known around the house is that new drama series in Philippine TV ridden with anti-heros and fantastic comedians. I dunno about you, but I'm through with all of the tired-old cliches that haunt everyone's non-cable-tv evenings to no end --- the incessant and vicious tug-of-wars between pa-martyrs and wifebeaters, the kawawa, timid young girl who triumphs after a gratuitous makeover, the obligatory background story of the protagonists meeting as kids or babies. It's too... cute. That only worked for Moses, folks. And Ally Mcbeal. It's refreshing that tadyang-tadyang doesn't carry those over.

The show is not as earth shaking as say HBO or Showtime, but THEY try. Oh, they really do. The stylized camera shots, the generous shots of Dingdong Dantes's manly-man body parts, the constant cliffhangers, and the sex -- that about makes up a third of every episode. Not that I hear anybody complaining. Save for the Neo double that is Dingdong Dantes in Homer apparel, this series shows promise. You have the ultimate anal type -- obssessive compulsive, sexually repressed, straight-laced and over-achieving, and Meridith Brooks's Bitch --loud, obnoxious, mysterious and fun. Add to the mix another over-achieving, conniving bitch, well the obligatory asshole, and you have a fun and exciting night. Unless of course, if a family drama is more up your alley, then this isn't for you.

There's one thing that bothered me for a bit though. I couldn't get it around my head though why anyone would name a character Proserfina (it's an odd name). That is, until I found out it was the equivalent Roman name for Greek goddess Persophone, wife of Hades and Queen of the Underworld. Persophone, who got kidnapped and brought to the belly of Hell to curse the lives of mortals. Persophone, who no one wanted as diety alter-ego in English class. (Everyone wanted to be Athena, Aphrodite or Artemis.Including me.) Strange and cool at the same time.

I've been told that her name has some sort of symbolism in this series. There has to be one. It would be hard to ignore if the show weren't already teeming with characters with mediterranean names. Homer, Proserfina, Helene, Hera, Athena, Cassandra, Galatea.

Galatea!

Crazy.

Then again, Galatea IS a nice name for a pet fish, wouldn't you say? Or a small furry rabbit.

Tadyang-tadyang is now making me want to read again Greek Mythology. I dunno about you, but that's GOOD tv.