I remember way back then, late 80’s and the 90’s to be precise, when we had limited television channels to watch, we obviously had to make do with what was available and put up with television dramas, soaps and the telenovelas.
The telenovelas were families favorites as parents, children and wards would gather round the television set to watch this suspense filled melodrama that kept us guessing and eager to find out what was going to happening next. My personal favorites were The Rich Also Cry, Isura the Slave Girl, Secret of the Sands, Wild Rose, When You are Mine, Maria De Los Angeles, but after a while I got bored and tired of them.
Even though stations like AIT started airing them again, I was not having any of it. To fill their void, came Cable TV, American Drama Series, CDs, DVD’s and Telenovelas kind of faded into a distant memory. Fast Forward to 2013 and the DSTV channel 118 and here we go again!!! This time, there is a mad influx as the telenovela series are back, much bigger and better than ever. Now set in Miami, Florida, the telenovela series offer more passion and love stories that are seemingly lacking in any of our Nigerian soap operas.
Not like I am a fan, as I clearly don’t get what all the fuss is about. In fact, there was a particular day that I visited 3 different boutiques on the popular Bode Thomas Street in Surulere and that was all the attendants and customers seem to be watching… Huh!!! Boutique attendants are not the only ones seen to be catching on to this craze, my brother and I mean my elder brother is an unwavering fan of the various series that air on channel 118.
The Telenovela series kicked off with 4 thought provoking, suspense filled thick plots- Aurora, Precious Rose, My Heart Beats for Lola and Behind Close Doors these dramas ran for 3-4months. After the first set was over, they were replaced by Forbidden Passions, Cruel Love, Del-Monte Dynasty, and Queen of the South. The channel also has a 15 minutes entertainment and gossip news segment called Confession of the Stars. These new series air 5 times a day, Monday to Friday with re-runs over the weekend, if that isn't an influx, please tell me what is?
Like I mentioned, my brother is a big fan and even though they annoy me sometimes, I can't help aligning with his thoughts. The series are getting pretty popular with people especially women and to him, the series present a great opportunity for him to bound with his wife as they both come back home in the evening, they catch up by discussing and comparing notes on the past episodes and what each other missed over the course of the day. The series elicit emotions from him, even though it's pure acting, the presence of passion, hate, love and vengeance cannot be compared to our own Nigerian series which one can count on our fingers. The characters are also getting popular, as people are beginning to associate them with their roles and he would rather watch them than the popular E! or Big Brother Africa. *sigh*
While I beg to differ on E! and with various football premierships coming to an end, I would like to know your thoughts on the telenovelas. Here to stay, family bonding time or just a phase?
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