Narda
After spending most of last week working on the Darna microsite, doing the backend programming, slicing the images, proofreading the articles, and even writing an episode guide for the pilot. I'm glad we've let up on the updates this week; if I had to go through that for another couple of weeks, I swear I'd end up naming my daughter Narda.As for the show itself, I'm proud to say I'm enjoying it very much. It has a bit to do with the fact that I work for the company that produces the show, but I'd like to think it goes beyond that. After all, I'm also planning to watch ABS-CBN's Panday when it premieres, and I'm excited about that show, too.
I wanted so much to like Darna because of what it represents; I feel like it's my last chance to be a fan, to be completely hooked on something homegrown. I grew up with fond memories of many of our local shows, and I'm a big fan of our own popular culture, but there hasn't been too many bright spots as I've grown older. Maybe Darna would be that show that takes me back.
Judging from the first few episodes, it just might be that show. Sure, there are parts I could do withou (like the crying, crying, crying), but you figure the creators of the show have to throw a bone to the masses (or at least, to their bosses who figure that everything "masa" is dumb). But the graphics are good, the framing of the story arcs is solid, and of course, Angel Locsin as Darna is the ultimate trump card. She isn't just playing Darna; she *is* Darna.
Lots of people agree with me. Here at the office, a bunch of people stop whatever they're doing at 8:45 PM just to gather round the big TV to watch the night's latest episode. Those who miss it for some reason (like when we go to basketball practice) watch the digital capture later the same night.
The people apparently agree, too. The Darna pilot got a 47.1 rating, which is sensational considering the Mulawin finale only got about 46. The second episode drew a 50.3, which is crazy, because everyone was expecting interest to taper off after the pilot. After a bit of drop-off (49.4) on Wednesday, Darna "rebounded" with a monster 52.1 on Thursday night. The opposing show "Hiram" only got a 17, a third of Darna's rating.
I guess everyone wanted to see Angel swallow the mystic "puting bato" for the first time. Can't say I blame them; I got chills when I watched her first transformation. It was that good.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to finish work, because Darna will be starting soon.
Update About thirty minutes after writing this post, they decided to air the worst Darna episode so far. Terrible effects, like in Mulawin, plus nothing really substantial happened. Just a disappointing night over all. So am I still watching this Monday? Absolutely!
Labels: showbiz
4/09/2005 9:35 AM -- 
JAm says:
but you have to admit that eddie garcia is da bomb when he delivers his lines...
may araw ka rin sa akin kalbo. lilitsunin kita...
ayus!Ü
4/09/2005 4:42 PM -- mark says:
Soon, you would be gma web developer / evangelist. And you're doing great being both. Pero syempre bias ako kasi nakikinig na ako sayo.
Anyway, i visited your darna mini-site. thumbs up, as always. (May video clips pa! coolness) Kaya kahit na mukhang di na ako makakapanood ng Darna ever (unless you guys release it on DVD later on), ok na din. I just watched Narda's first transformation to Darna. Asteeg!
btw, comment bout the video clips. Sana nssave ung preference sa media player. And being an apple fanboy, curious lang ako but walang quicktime option - i mean what's the reasoning behind supporting one media platform and not the other, at least sa context ng GMA web team?
4/09/2005 9:33 PM -- jaemark says:
jam,
cool yung pag-deliver ni eddie garcia nung lines because eddie garcia is cool... i'm not quite sure though he should have been cast for the part. di ko kasi nakakalimutan na siya si manoy eh. the same is true for christopher de leon, i'm sure mag-o-OA na naman yun. although, eddie garcia talking to "Abbie" is cool :)
mark,
maglagay ka na kasi ng tv sa shop, hehe.
about the video clips, it's a matter of cost. we actually only have software for producing real media, and that's also our streaming server. we were able to find a free encoder that would encode to wmv, so may windows media support kami. we've made the system extensible enough that we could offer up QT downloads if we chose to do so, pero wala kaming makitang maayos na QT encoder. Besides, WMV and RM already cover most of our users, so hindi naman immediate yung pangangailangan.
4/11/2005 10:00 AM -- jem says:
questions para sa mga taga-gma:
1. bakit rectangular yung puting bato? ang sakit lunukin nun.. kaya ba siguro dapat chosen one yung lulunok?
2. is it just me, or does eddie garcia's costume remind one of warcraft's furion stormrage?
3. at si boyet, parang si kano (of mortal kombat)?
4. wala bang easter eggs sa gma site?
4/11/2005 11:18 AM -- JAm says:
jae: di na natin mababago ang acting ni boyet. oa na talaga yun ever. hahaha!
jem: di uubra yan si kano. kung si galactus nga kakalabanin ni darna e.
si valentina may kamukha... (cobrarararara!)
4/12/2005 1:27 AM -- Pon says:
my nitpicks: nakulangan ako sa transformation. lunok, smoke, then bam! darna na siya with the darna pose. how did she know she was supposed to really shout aloud the "darna!" (if i was a first-timer i would have started with a tentative whisper or something). and then N.R. - no reaction at all to her own transformation. ganun ba talaga -- no questions asked? (e.g. why am in this silly two-piece suit?) and then she jumps (or falls?) off the building suddenly (bakit?). i was just hoping for a more realistic treatment, ala spiderman or smallville where the superhero undergoes a period of conflict and discovery with their powers. hindi na uso yung instant superhero ngayon. still, nanood ako, and i might watch it again...haha.
4/12/2005 1:57 AM -- jaemark says:
pon,
i guess your points are valid. i disagree with a couple of them, however...
the thing is, i'm totally sick of superheroes going all dawson on us whenever they discover their powers. it's a freaking cliche. it worked for spider-man, it kind of worked for smallville (i guess), but it's a cliche. besides, i don't think that's "realistic treatment" at all.
wala lang, naisip ko lang, kasi these people are supposed to live in a universe where superheroes exist. para sa akin, yung "realistic" kasi, yung parang buffy...
yep she happens to have powers, but that's just one aspect of her personality.
it's too much to ask for, but personally, i'm content with watching darna flying through valentina's billboard while she's having fun flying around.
4/12/2005 9:53 AM -- jem says:
it's too much to ask for, but personally, i'm content with watching darna flying through valentina's billboard while she's having fun flying around.
..and in a two-piece suit. that validates everything.
sabi nga ng kaopis ko, "sana ako na lang yung bato.. nilulunok ni angel."
1/15/2008 5:19 AM -- 
says:
Re: Puting Bato ni DARNA sa GMA TV series-
Actually, hindi rectangular yung shape. Mukha lang.
The prop they used was a small Quartz Crystal , Milky-white ang color. The shape is actually a "Dodecahedron" which is 12 sided.
