TV Diaries

“What? You still don’t have a TV at home?” exclaimed my friend again.

It has been almost half a year now since we agreed not to have a TV in our new apartment but people continually question its non-existence. If I go to the office and one of my co-teacher would ask me like have you seen this show or news last night then before she can finish her line she would just say- Oh I forgot, you don’t have a TV. It doesn’t usually end up there because it’s always followed by never ending suggestions of buying one. Worse, if somebody overheard the conversation then it would be a lengthy comparison of TV prices from expensive flat screens to the cheap finds at a Korean surplus.

This no-TV viewing lifestyle is not an eternal vow with my housemates. I love TV or shall I say I used to love TV. I think its my primary source of creative ideas and last jingle syndromes. But since Philippine television started reprogramming prime time, I realized that there is more to Pinoy life than being stuck in your tube until eleven in the evening. I can recall my grade school days when there were still two sitcoms right after the evening news. Then later on, telenovelas were introduced. It started with two per night, then three but I don’t know how in the world did TV networks decided to place four to five telenovelas in a night. TV people, creative as they usually are, changed the term “telenovelas” to “Fanta-serye”, “Super-serye”, and now “Sine-serye”, but they are just like a bunch of popsicles with different colors that tastes the same.

Another reason why I can live without a TV now is the accessibility of foreign TV series in DVD. I just check the net for the latest TV series that are soaring the hit charts in US and I’m off to SM- Sa Maranao. These folks continually impress me with their wide variety of TV shows. They may be annoying, insistent, and sometimes pushy but later on I realized that they may just be over accommodating- it’s a competitive business after all. They are also some who will just let you browse their stuffs but better not take it too long or they will suspect you for searching the latest sex scandal videos. There are also some who are really good in selling their DVD’s because they’re like human Amazon.com’s that can distinguish what type of TV series you like after inquiring just two to three titles. They are really good because it seems that they have a virtual database of the latest seasons and episode add-ons. Another impressive thing aside from these folks’ good marketing skills is the packaging of the DVD’s. The outward presentation is really good that you wouldn’t think it as second-rate from that of the original ones at music stores. The DVD’s at this SM’s come with flashy covers, embossed letters and high-quality images. I just love collecting them even if I know that inside it may have faulty subtitles or delayed audio timing.

My SM days are almost over now. I have this new-found love called as Torrents. I just recently discovered that you can actually download the latest TV shows over some shareware on the net. All you need to have is enough disk space and a couple of blank DVD’s to burn these babies. With torrents, I’m ready to trade those flashy covers for a better resolution and a more beautiful Dr. Cameron. So, I thought that I would now go my merry way watching these things from tinseltown.

As I was watching these TV shows, somehow the pangs of globalization cross my mind. It is already apparent to me that I would choose imported clothes, chocolates and even toothpick over our own products, but it’s only now that I realized that I’m already enslaved even in my viewing. I realized that I’m just one of those brown people laughing over Kano humor and feeling teary-eyed over Kano melodramas. Then I thought, it’s official- I miss Pinoy TV.

Filipino TV is about being matiisin inspite of all the worst problems that any TV writer could think of, its about justifying adulterous relationships by the indestructible power of first love and true love, it’s about sympathizing with the poor lead actress who has beautiful long hair and perfect set of teeth and its about rejoicing over the downfall of a kontrabida even if it would be as gruesome as being dragged by a horse to death. But Filipino TV is also about having time for a hearty laughs amidst the tough times, it’s about finding a true friend that really sticks with you until the end, it’s about forgiveness and second chances and most of all, it’s about being good guardians of our culture.

While Americans continue to celebrate over the events of the dysfunctional families in Desperate Housewives and OC, we Filipinos continue to save our ties in any way on TV. Every story somehow points to the twists and turns of our families- may it be a daughter finding her identify, a son looking for his real father, lovers who are relieved after learning that they’re not actually related by blood and the healing of broken families in the end.

I know a father who works abroad. He said that he was always excited when their ship docks because it is the time when they can buy the latest VHS tapes with recorded Filipino TV shows on it. These VHS tapes are usually expensive but he said that it’s worth it- after all, it’s their only portal to home.

I have a fear that if I continue to stick to viewing foreign TV shows for the next half of our stay in this apartment, then I may be enstranged to my own “home”. I will never know the news and current events, latest showbiz break-ups and how is life in the stone houses of Batanes.

I may start rethinking of buying a TV now. I have to schedule a visit to those TV’s at the Korean surplus.