[phil. Drama] Lobo (wolf)

[Guest imogene_af]

lol lotsa funny scenes in this episode which I enjoy. Such a sucker for corny lovey-dovey scenes.

O/T: Is it just me or is it really hard to talk about just one episode of a Filipino drama cause the pace is so slow. Not too many things happen in just one episode, unlike Korean dramas, noh?

Not to mention the fact that it's like... 20 minutes.

Although WTF there are black lobos now,huh? And Noah using his spying skills to give Lyka flowers was funny.

And when Lyka's nose started bleeding I thought I was watching a K-drama. HAHA.

[Guest bliss_]

^

True, true. And askfjicnse that black lobo looked friggin' scary! The blood dripping from his mouth.. eww. So are there like bad lobos (those that eat humans O___O) and good one (those that want to live harmoniously with humans)?

Hehehe Lyka makes me laugh. "Uy, bad 'yon" when asked if she smokes.

Eeee. She's turning 21 in one day! Will she transform into a lobo immediately?

[Guest flipgal08]

Oh my! Those wallpapers are beyond "COolness" (if there's such word). lol:D

Eeee. She's turning 21 in one day! Will she transform into a lobo immediately?

That's a good question. I doubt it, since she's not an "ordinary lobo." She may resists the changes at first. Well, let's just wait and see what will happen..

Oh yea, I wonder why Lyka doesn't confront Noah if he really is JJ..

[Guest imogene_af]

I think it's because she's really convinced JJ's dead and also, she should slap Noah for dragging it out and not telling. Though, it is for his mission and all.

[Guest bliss_]

LOL Lyka should but Noah also did and said SO many things to show that he is JJ, especially the "Pahingi naman ng ngiti jan o." If I was Lyka, I'd know right away since JJ was the only person he said that phrase to her. But I guess for the sake of the story, they have to drag it for a while.

[Guest imogene_af]

^

And Lyka's slow. She probably thinks Noah's just messing with her head with all the Jay-Jay references since she did tell him Jayjay's story.

[Guest bliss_]

My gashhh! Another kilig episode!

Flowers everywhere and cupcakes will for sure make my day. What Noah did was so sweet but kinda creepy in a way. So stalker-ish but hey, it's Piolo so that's an exception.

I wonder what will happen to Nessa. She finally escapes from that horrible place. Will Lyka recognize her instantly if they cross each other's path?

PS. I hate Gabby. Jealous much?

[Guest joan_qt2004]

I've been trying my best not to miss an episode of Lobo but the long commercials just make me want to scream. I think this drama would have been better if it was shown very similar to how K-dramas are shown or even doramas.

The episode last night was another one of those sweet and "super kilig" episodes ( I don't know how to describe kilig in English). Lyka was so cute with the cupcake icing on her nose.

[Guest imogene_af]

^

Hehe Philippines going K-drama route means no commercials, what's the point of hiring Angel Locsin and Piolo Pascual if they won't show their endorsements. They are too greedy! grr! haha.

Anyway, I love this episode, it picks up from a rather anti-climatic Monday episode and it comes back with an emotional knockout!

Loving From Afar

LOBO Review February 26, 2008 and a sorta rehash of the 25th

After a VERY sluggish Monday episode that almost seemed like a rehash of an equally anti-climatic Friday episode, they drum up my adrenaline again with tonight’s episode. As feelings develop even more. As secrets are unveiled. As the past comes back with a vengeance. And as loving someone from afar has its uplifting aspects but can also lead us to a destructive path.

This show proves once again that it is still a knockout drama with a whole lot of depth to keep it right on track.

I would like to be fair with the Monday episode by looking at it as a pre-curser of tonight’s episode, and with that it can stand as a justifiable story arc.

We start with Lyka waking up in a room full of wild (cheap) flowers, which proved that the sneaky van that was in her house was not a Luna as we are led to think but someone who just really wanted to give her a bunch of flowers. Lots and lots of flowers.

She goes on a hunt to figure out who did the sweet, albeit creepy sort of gesture. I mean really --- breaking into my house, breaking into my room, breaking into my privacy to give me a bunch of cluttered flowers would really give me a panic stricken scare in the real world! I would probably call 911 at first sight of the flowers.

But Lyka is different. The farfetched circumstances and stalker-ish gesture worked well for this character. Fourteen years of her life has been deprived of much love. She grew up proving and wishing that she deserves warmth and affection. Her unusual cheery disposition and the whole walking punch line kind of life is her way to seek for that love that she has lost since her mother left her and her childhood friend, Jayjay drowned in the river.

Her wishes coming true in her birthday week (WHEN is her birthday? I am puzzled!) is like a surge of good fortune in her life. That someone out there does love her without conditions, pulling all these ridiculous things off for her.

The details and the intricacy of how the Lyka-Noah story is being developed is the charm of their love angle. Little things like his stolen glances, his hidden smile as he drinks coffee, Lyka having cream on her nose, and their constant bickering *cough* flirting *cough* is what makes it effective.

And yet, Lyka still is in denial that the only able secret admirer to do so is Noah. Even going as far as saying maybe he has a twin. Of course, she knows IT IS Noah but she does not want to lead herself on once again. Still afraid of getting hurt by him.

Angel Locsin plays this conflict of emotions really well, her handling of Lyka’s emotional frailty is what makes her stand above among a lot of the TV stars we have today. There is something so real about the way she plays it, it is subtle but I can feel her longings and her fears. Her almond eyes expresses a lot every time she changes expressions. You know whatever the dialogue that Lyka is saying has a lot more meaning than what is laid out to us.

Even her doubts about Noah being Jayjay is played on well, in her heart and her dreams she knows that this may be the same person but her fear of being rejected and being unloved once again is what is controlling her disbelief. Her eyes say so (the mole). Her ears hear his, “pahingi ng ngiti,” and her heart speaks it all in volumes as he visits her in her dreams.

It’s like every part of her body knows this IS Jayjay but she continues to be in denial just so to protect herself. This character is so unbelievably complex that may I dare say this is one of the well-written Filipino heroines in the recent drama realm?

Dimples Romana as Trixie (who killed a raccoon in last night’s episode… what the fur is she wearing?!) held her own with Angel Locsin in this scene, she dashes everything with her sardonic wit and humor, “Ako! May pagnanasa ako sa’yo!” but you know her underlying motive stays strong as she advises Lyka to focus rather than distract herself with love. You know she is on a mission too. Poor Lyka it seems like everyone is setting her up and she is the only clueless pawn of it all.

Then there is Noah, what an amazing character development, the once ill-at-ease and stoic super heroic of a guy now is being led by his emotions. He knows he’s going crazy. He knows this was far from the measures he should be doing, he knows he is going extra creepy. But he has kept his emotions for so long he is willing to do the extreme and desperate measures just for Ulay/Lyka to feel him. And finally, get the love she deserves even if it is hidden. You tell me if your childhood sweetheart comes back from the “dead”, if your feelings will not stagger out of control too.

It hurts him he has to remain cautious, I just find it funny how his ways are so trademark Officer Noah Ortega. I mean photocopying a diary? What a nerd. Using spy equipment to do these grand gestures? Bigger Nerd!

Oh by the way, when he did the whole akyat bahay stunt, I knew he was the man in black, I can tell Piolo Pascual’s butt from waaay afar. Healthy butt, I can tell! You cannot run away from me!

End of shallow moment.

The brilliance of LOBO and how Piolo Pascual handles this romantic hero/anti-hero is we are falling in love with Noah the same way Lyka is falling for him. When she loves him, we love him too, when she hates him, we hate him too. It’s almost like we are seeing him through her eyes.

One of my favorite scenes in this episode was when he sat in a green house (is that where he stole the flowers?!) and read her journal/wish list. May I just ask, is that Angel Locsin’s real penmanship? A bit messy, made me feel better because my penmanship sucks. His eyes of wonderment as he read a foolish girl’s romantic wishes about being a queen, having flowers and smiles handed to her were just so moving. The way she narrated it and how his face would light up at each word she wrote made the scene perfect.

Noah and Lyka have a deep ingrained love story of great history and future conflict but they also make us feel like we are back in high school feeling the weird gush of first love. I’m sorry the whole pinching of the nose thing had me rewinding like crazy.

But my favorite scene was when he snuck in to give Lyka’s final wish and that is to see the moon stone whole again, so, he gives her a replica of their childhood moonstone. There was something that tugged my heart strings in this scene, one was that he actually did a cheap replica of their moonstone just to have Lyka’s one totally farfetched wish to really come true, two was how he glanced at her as if she is so beautiful even when her mouth is wide open and her legs were sprawled on the bed and lastly, was how there was great sadness in his eyes when he heard Lyka being yelled at by her aunt. For some reason I love that Noah knows of her bitter circumstances right now to know underneath the façade of our crazy and funny girl is a sad life. There is something so comforting about it.

Aside from this, one other important subplot developed immensely in one episode… Nessa is a Spider-Lobo… err… I mean has managed to escape the Research Luna Facility. For a while I thought I was watching “Palos”. Her whole escape really felt like HEROES 2.0, which is a good thing. Agot Isidro is back with a vengeance alright! Nessa must be so pissed after fourteen years of being patted on the head like a Doberman.

I would like to applaud the special effects people now because they kept it simple and clean. Stick to this, please! Please! You are not Pixar learn to deal with your limitations.

But the biggest theme in this episode loving from afar, something that Noah has to do for his mission but the one who seems to have reach the complete boiling point is Gabby. She has been over-protective of her partner for some time now, but now knowing fully well he has fallen for Lyka shows her supreme weakness and that is her own feelings for Noah.

bitofheaven noticed that my despicable scale for Gabby goes higher every episode, and as that gets higher, she also gets younger and younger in my reviews.

But I will give credit to Shaina Magdayao tonight for FINALLY, FINALLY showing her strength to playing this character. Aw, 13 year old spy is now cussing, they allow Bull-caca on national television in the Philippines? Really that comment aside she pulled her own weight with the brilliant Piolo Pascual in this scene.

Gabby seems to really know Noah, she even knows of the so-called Ulay his dead childhood sweetheart, it seems like they really have a rich past when it comes to their friendship. It also seems like girl has been sprung on him for years and this realization just drove her to emotion.

I would also be mad at him for going around in a black ski mask in the middle of the early AM hours… oh wait… no, that wasn’t the reason. But What the hell? Noah would get shot roaming around the street with that ski mask! Gabby should push him on his biceps for doing that!

On a serious note, Gabby seems to have been expecting all these years that it was Noah and her, their first scene together in this drama was filled with obvious flirting, he has shown interest in her in the earlier episodes that even other people have noticed, and he even checks her out in a backless dress. Gabby has been used to the attention that Noah gave her and yet his heart is still clinging on to Ulay, but it’s not just Ulay he is in love with, it is Lyka… the crazy girl that used to get to his nerves. Gabby fully knows this she did witness that kiss as early as that she already knew.

Hearing it coming from Noah with such intense lines of dedication and love just tore her apart. I do agree that she should not have been that emotional in front of Noah for being an intelligence officer but, if you look closely her tears did not fall until he turned his back on her. That’s when the one tear drop started to fall. She was furious, yes in front of him, but she did not show her real weakness when his eyes were right at hers. Shaina Magdayao finally showed why she deserves to be in this cast, although, she is still a miscast she has proven she can spar when needed to be.

Now we are stuck with more mysteries, Nessa’s escape, Gabby’s heart, Noah and Lyka’s love story, the scary black lobo, and when is the Lady Elle coming back because I miss her!

Lobo tonight delivered well, I am not weary of the previews because it is the episode I truly care about and that is the main factor for me if I should stay on or not, not its commercials. After being disappointed with the last two episodes for the ho-hum and mediocre story telling it picks itself up and gives us the same energy level it has promised. For Lobo tonight showed us entertainment, but aside from that it goes deeper than the usual. It shows us strength in everyone’s fragileness and imperfections which brews from love may it be near or far. I love this drama!

[Guest cho_chang]

I think the age bracket is what was sooo wrong in this drama and the one ultimate flaw. It was LEON who aged and everyone else didn't among the older ones. Agot as Nessa is still the same. Maritoni as Dr. Lee still the same. Irma Adlawan still the same. Shaina Magdayao still looks like she should be playing with Barney rather than being a spy... oh wait that's a different story. Sheryl to Pilar is justifiable since she's in the lola generation.

its just 14 years later ... so i think nessa, dr lee, and irma not drastically changing is justified ... specially nessa since she's no ordinary human being.

as for shaina, the girl's 19 and could qualify for the role ... except that she looks 13. this is a rare instance when a youthful look is a disadvantage.

for me, the one who played the young leon is the miscast. dante rivero should have played leon even 14 years earlier. he could have been emil's uncle or elder in the luna clan.

^

Hehe Philippines going K-drama route means no commercials, what's the point of hiring Angel Locsin and Piolo Pascual if they won't show their endorsements. They are too greedy! grr! haha.

Anyway, I love this episode, it picks up from a rather anti-climatic Monday episode and it comes back with an emotional knockout!

Loving From Afar

LOBO Review February 26, 2008 and a sorta rehash of the 25th

After a VERY sluggish Monday episode that almost seemed like a rehash of an equally anti-climatic Friday episode, they drum up my adrenaline again with tonight’s episode. As feelings develop even more. As secrets are unveiled. As the past comes back with a vengeance. And as loving someone from afar has its uplifting aspects but can also lead us to a destructive path.

This show proves once again that it is still a knockout drama with a whole lot of depth to keep it right on track.

I would like to be fair with the Monday episode by looking at it as a pre-curser of tonight’s episode, and with that it can stand as a justifiable story arc.

We start with Lyka waking up in a room full of wild (cheap) flowers, which proved that the sneaky van that was in her house was not a Luna as we are led to think but someone who just really wanted to give her a bunch of flowers. Lots and lots of flowers.

She goes on a hunt to figure out who did the sweet, albeit creepy sort of gesture. I mean really --- breaking into my house, breaking into my room, breaking into my privacy to give me a bunch of cluttered flowers would really give me a panic stricken scare in the real world! I would probably call 911 at first sight of the flowers.

But Lyka is different. The farfetched circumstances and stalker-ish gesture worked well for this character. Fourteen years of her life has been deprived of much love. She grew up proving and wishing that she deserves warmth and affection. Her unusual cheery disposition and the whole walking punch line kind of life is her way to seek for that love that she has lost since her mother left her and her childhood friend, Jayjay drowned in the river.

Her wishes coming true in her birthday week (WHEN is her birthday? I am puzzled!) is like a surge of good fortune in her life. That someone out there does love her without conditions, pulling all these ridiculous things off for her.

The details and the intricacy of how the Lyka-Noah story is being developed is the charm of their love angle. Little things like his stolen glances, his hidden smile as he drinks coffee, Lyka having cream on her nose, and their constant bickering *cough* flirting *cough* is what makes it effective.

And yet, Lyka still is in denial that the only able secret admirer to do so is Noah. Even going as far as saying maybe he has a twin. Of course, she knows IT IS Noah but she does not want to lead herself on once again. Still afraid of getting hurt by him.

Angel Locsin plays this conflict of emotions really well, her handling of Lyka’s emotional frailty is what makes her stand above among a lot of the TV stars we have today. There is something so real about the way she plays it, it is subtle but I can feel her longings and her fears. Her almond eyes expresses a lot every time she changes expressions. You know whatever the dialogue that Lyka is saying has a lot more meaning than what is laid out to us.

Even her doubts about Noah being Jayjay is played on well, in her heart and her dreams she knows that this may be the same person but her fear of being rejected and being unloved once again is what is controlling her disbelief. Her eyes say so (the mole). Her ears hear his, “pahingi ng ngiti,” and her heart speaks it all in volumes as he visits her in her dreams.

It’s like every part of her body knows this IS Jayjay but she continues to be in denial just so to protect herself. This character is so unbelievably complex that may I dare say this is one of the well-written Filipino heroines in the recent drama realm?

Dimples Romana as Trixie (who killed a raccoon in last night’s episode… what the fur is she wearing?!) held her own with Angel Locsin in this scene, she dashes everything with her sardonic wit and humor, “Ako! May pagnanasa ako sa’yo!” but you know her underlying motive stays strong as she advises Lyka to focus rather than distract herself with love. You know she is on a mission too. Poor Lyka it seems like everyone is setting her up and she is the only clueless pawn of it all.

Then there is Noah, what an amazing character development, the once ill-at-ease and stoic super heroic of a guy now is being led by his emotions. He knows he’s going crazy. He knows this was far from the measures he should be doing, he knows he is going extra creepy. But he has kept his emotions for so long he is willing to do the extreme and desperate measures just for Ulay/Lyka to feel him. And finally, get the love she deserves even if it is hidden. You tell me if your childhood sweetheart comes back from the “dead”, if your feelings will not stagger out of control too.

It hurts him he has to remain cautious, I just find it funny how his ways are so trademark Officer Noah Ortega. I mean photocopying a diary? What a nerd. Using spy equipment to do these grand gestures? Bigger Nerd!

Oh by the way, when he did the whole akyat bahay stunt, I knew he was the man in black, I can tell Piolo Pascual’s butt from waaay afar. Healthy butt, I can tell! You cannot run away from me!

End of shallow moment.

The brilliance of LOBO and how Piolo Pascual handles this romantic hero/anti-hero is we are falling in love with Noah the same way Lyka is falling for him. When she loves him, we love him too, when she hates him, we hate him too. It’s almost like we are seeing him through her eyes.

One of my favorite scenes in this episode was when he sat in a green house (is that where he stole the flowers?!) and read her journal/wish list. May I just ask, is that Angel Locsin’s real penmanship? A bit messy, made me feel better because my penmanship sucks. His eyes of wonderment as he read a foolish girl’s romantic wishes about being a queen, having flowers and smiles handed to her were just so moving. The way she narrated it and how his face would light up at each word she wrote made the scene perfect.

Noah and Lyka have a deep ingrained love story of great history and future conflict but they also make us feel like we are back in high school feeling the weird gush of first love. I’m sorry the whole pinching of the nose thing had me rewinding like crazy.

But my favorite scene was when he snuck in to give Lyka’s final wish and that is to see the moon stone whole again, so, he gives her a replica of their childhood moonstone. There was something that tugged my heart strings in this scene, one was that he actually did a cheap replica of their moonstone just to have Lyka’s one totally farfetched wish to really come true, two was how he glanced at her as if she is so beautiful even when her mouth is wide open and her legs were sprawled on the bed and lastly, was how there was great sadness in his eyes when he heard Lyka being yelled at by her aunt. For some reason I love that Noah knows of her bitter circumstances right now to know underneath the façade of our crazy and funny girl is a sad life. There is something so comforting about it.

Aside from this, one other important subplot developed immensely in one episode… Nessa is a Spider-Lobo… err… I mean has managed to escape the Research Luna Facility. For a while I thought I was watching “Palos”. Her whole escape really felt like HEROES 2.0, which is a good thing. Agot Isidro is back with a vengeance alright! Nessa must be so pissed after fourteen years of being patted on the head like a Doberman.

I would like to applaud the special effects people now because they kept it simple and clean. Stick to this, please! Please! You are not Pixar learn to deal with your limitations.

But the biggest theme in this episode loving from afar, something that Noah has to do for his mission but the one who seems to have reach the complete boiling point is Gabby. She has been over-protective of her partner for some time now, but now knowing fully well he has fallen for Lyka shows her supreme weakness and that is her own feelings for Noah.

bitofheaven noticed that my despicable scale for Gabby goes higher every episode, and as that gets higher, she also gets younger and younger in my reviews.

But I will give credit to Shaina Magdayao tonight for FINALLY, FINALLY showing her strength to playing this character. Aw, 13 year old spy is now cussing, they allow Bull-caca on national television in the Philippines? Really that comment aside she pulled her own weight with the brilliant Piolo Pascual in this scene.

Gabby seems to really know Noah, she even knows of the so-called Ulay his dead childhood sweetheart, it seems like they really have a rich past when it comes to their friendship. It also seems like girl has been sprung on him for years and this realization just drove her to emotion.

I would also be mad at him for going around in a black ski mask in the middle of the early AM hours… oh wait… no, that wasn’t the reason. But What the hell? Noah would get shot roaming around the street with that ski mask! Gabby should push him on his biceps for doing that!

On a serious note, Gabby seems to have been expecting all these years that it was Noah and her, their first scene together in this drama was filled with obvious flirting, he has shown interest in her in the earlier episodes that even other people have noticed, and he even checks her out in a backless dress. Gabby has been used to the attention that Noah gave her and yet his heart is still clinging on to Ulay, but it’s not just Ulay he is in love with, it is Lyka… the crazy girl that used to get to his nerves. Gabby fully knows this she did witness that kiss as early as that she already knew.

Hearing it coming from Noah with such intense lines of dedication and love just tore her apart. I do agree that she should not have been that emotional in front of Noah for being an intelligence officer but, if you look closely her tears did not fall until he turned his back on her. That’s when the one tear drop started to fall. She was furious, yes in front of him, but she did not show her real weakness when his eyes were right at hers. Shaina Magdayao finally showed why she deserves to be in this cast, although, she is still a miscast she has proven she can spar when needed to be.

Now we are stuck with more mysteries, Nessa’s escape, Gabby’s heart, Noah and Lyka’s love story, the scary black lobo, and when is the Lady Elle coming back because I miss her!

Lobo tonight delivered well, I am not weary of the previews because it is the episode I truly care about and that is the main factor for me if I should stay on or not, not its commercials. After being disappointed with the last two episodes for the ho-hum and mediocre story telling it picks itself up and gives us the same energy level it has promised. For Lobo tonight showed us entertainment, but aside from that it goes deeper than the usual. It shows us strength in everyone’s fragileness and imperfections which brews from love may it be near or far. I love this drama!

wow! imogene, you amaze me ...

thank you.

[Guest bliss_]

Amber- Another awesome review.. and very detailed, too! You pretty much covered the whole episode which is almost like watching it

Mann, I had to repeat Trixie's and Lyka's conversation. It was too damn funny.

I totally did not expect Noah to do the akyat bahay thing. I thought it was a black lobo or something.

Although I knew he was the one who put the flowers there but just didn't think he would do it.

cho_chang- Just a friendly reminder.. please don't quote the whole thing. It's takes a while to scroll down and also don't quote images. It's actually not allowed in Soompi. The mods might get mad at us. Thanks =)

[Guest imogene_af]

Thanks cho_chang.

Bliss- I liked this episode because it brought back the Lobo energy that was missed on Friday and Monday's episode. It's like ZOMG it's back. And I believe everything is explained... even his stalkerish ways and her oddly accepting it, but denying herself that Noah may really be Jayjay.

Trixie saying that she may be lusting after Lyka was .

[Guest pinkie pink]

i've seen the teaser for tomorrow's episode and i wanna kill gaby she's a richard simmons :tongue2:

i love this gif

credit: meebo

[Guest rissa1010]

amber, you do know i wait for your reviews before i watch the epi right?

another awesome review! thanks dod!!!

[Guest rainy_summer]

As always...Amber...amazing, amazing review. I sure do wish to have my own Noah. I wouldnt be complaining that he is taking me for granted since he is using his training to know what I want.

The brilliance of LOBO and how Piolo Pascual handles this romantic hero/anti-hero is we are falling in love with Noah the same way Lyka is falling for him. When she loves him, we love him too, when she hates him, we hate him too. It’s almost like we are seeing him through her eyes.

I agree!! I think the writers are so brilliant in being able to do this. All of a sudden it seems we are living our life vicariously through Lyka. Or even better we feel ourselves transported that we feel we are part of the drama rather than just being a viewer. Thats not an easy thing to do. Bravo to them and to FM Reyes and Cathy Garcia-Molina.

pinkie pink - that is indeed a very, very nice gif. simple and yet it depicts the core of "Lobo"

[Guest bliss_]

omg the episode was good until the freaking last five seconds in the preview! gahh i'm so maddd >_<

When I thought everything was gonna be good, someone just has to ruin it. Hayyy..

What the?! There are people in hoods. That was beyond weird.

And there's a new twist to the story. Now there's so many people going after Lyka.

Amber- Lady Elle is back! hahaha!

[Guest coolwinni3]

Oh GAWWWD!!! The teaser for the next episode got me yelling in rage! I nearly cried for Lyka I just despise gabby!!!!! She's gettin into my freakin' nerves (I believe this makes Shaina quite effective)... It's so sad 'cause that kind of act will be difficult to take back...which will most probably cause a drought in the Noah-Lyka story...Good bye to all the sweet and giddy scenes---

As always...Amber...amazing, amazing review. I sure do wish to have my own Noah. I wouldnt be complaining that he is taking me for granted since he is using his training to know what I want.

I agree!! I think the writers are so brilliant in being able to do this. All of a sudden it seems we are living our life vicariously through Lyka. Or even better we feel ourselves transported that we feel we are part of the drama rather than just being a viewer. Thats not an easy thing to do. Bravo to them and to FM Reyes and Cathy Garcia-Molina.

pinkie pink - that is indeed a very, very nice gif. simple and yet it depicts the core of "Lobo"

Amen to that! I totally agree with you

[Guest cho_chang]

thanks for the reminder bliss ...

next time i'll know better.

the black wolves ... they emit white rays in their eyes too ... very similar to what came out from noah's eyes during that emotional embrace scene with lyka ... hmmmm ...

could he be a black wolf too? ... just not transforming yet ...

do the lunas know that he is the black wolf destined to kill the tagabantay?

could the lunas be expecting that noah and the tagabantay will eventually face each other to kill each other ... and thus are chanelling all their effort toward preparing noah and trying to inject so much hatred in his heart?

[Guest imogene_af]

Rainy_Summer- We all wish to have a Noah. Creepy stalker and all. Siiiigh.

I love everyone's speculations... if Noah is some sort of Lobo himself that would be a hard twist to pull off, but we don't know his mother! So that might be something else.

Reluctant Villains

Lobo Review: February 27, 2008

Tonight’s episode trims the fat, meaning it gives us a lean plot-driven episode rather than the usual character studies that have been given to us in the past few days. It is INTENSE and very fast paced for a drama, you blink and you might miss a beat. Blink and you may see that the blurred lines between “hero” and “villain”. What is vile? And what is the plain victimized?

Again, watching two dramas at the same time and now both seemed to give me a wham of different of emotions, I will need some whiskey after all these episodes!

Okay first off, TPTB, do you guys read our reviews? Because let me just say, the editing has improved immensely ever since we all ranted about it, the lighting has been more consistent, the music has been less over-the-top, and Oh My God! ESTABLISHING SHOTS?! I thought I was just seeing things last night but tonight you guys showed the Binondo building once again with the light streaks of the purple sky… you listen to us? Why thank you. Or if it’s just purely coincidence, why thank you again for being psychic.

The episode opened in such a haunting way, with a naked Nessa hugging on to the memory of her child, Lyka’s pillow. Though, I was confused at the place she was at was it their old burnt home in San Adolfo or was it her old home with her husband? Whatever it is, Agot Isidro really delivered well, I could feel her pain and anguish as a mother and there was something so “animal” about it as she wailed there looking for her daughter. What an underrated actress, though, I have not seen much of her work to really know how good she is as a performer.

The episode’s main arc was Lyka quickly but hesitantly, confronting Noah. You guys know that sort of gushy scene in “Notting Hill” when Julia Roberts’ Anna told Hugh Grant that she was simply a girl in front of a boy asking him to love her?

Angel Locsin’s portrayal of vulnerability from her nervousness, to her constant ramblings to her controlled tears was reminiscent of the same kind of openness Julia Roberts gave in this particular scene.

She did have a rough start though, when she first stated her lines it was almost a bit too “scripty” as if she was acting in a sitcom rather than in a drama, she needs to be aware of her line delivery at times, but she completely redeemed herself when her eyes showed that sweet vulnerability of someone afraid to get hurt. Her eyes pleaded for her, it was like she was half-expecting Noah will reject her right at that moment.

And does she really need the answer? The way Noah looked at her, with the same kind of pleading eyes as if dying to just burst it all out! It was as if his heart is going to explode any minute. We all agree that we truly see Noah in Lyka’s eyes now; when she falls deeper, we fall with her.

I do not know why but we all know that Lyka is the “mythical” character here; we are far from becoming werewolves! But you know how she comes off so human to all of us? With her extreme vigor and her weaknesses, it is like we know her so much and we live through her.

Noah is the human one but he seems more mythical, the way he loves Lyka from afar hiding his feelings from his coldness, lack of answers, and secret admirer ways. The way he takes her to “different places” with the fruits or how he makes her a replica of a moon stone. All these great gestures make him a sort of a mysterious romantic figure, the same way Edward does it to Bella in “Twilight” or a less brash Phantom in the Phantom of the Opera… but instead he’s human! A human who does not know he may be infiltrating into a world beyond what his mind could ever grasp. I love the contrast of this, how someone so mythical comes off human and someone human comes off as mythical.

When he struggles with his feelings for her, I can feel his hollowness when he’s apart from her. When he told his friend that this was the one person he adored his entire life, can I blame him for being swayed with emotion?

But of course, these young (would be?) lovers have bigger problems than stages of human-lobo courtship.

The Lunas are now hoodie gangstas! What the hell… now they are a cult? It’s a lot like the secret society in “The Da Vinci Code” but this is extreme much? Please, can we really lessen all these Luna scenes? Wayas are like a thousand times cooler than these wannabe ninjas or whatever the hell they are.

No matter how utterly laughable and weird that scene was it brought a poignant point they think Noah is WEAK. His emotions control him, even when he tries hard to hide it; he at his foundation is driven by his sensitivity and all around idealism. Like a boy still stuck in stupefaction and heroism. Another reason why Piolo Pascual plays this role perfectly.

They want to stir his anger and his sadness, but his love for Lyka overpowers that. And uh-uh did that shadowy general just say might as well get rid of Lyka? Uh-uh! Oh no he didn’t! Try shooting her, you’ll wake a million Lobos inside her! Please, amateurs! Psh!

The Waya council is also having their own meeting which is a thousand times cooler than lame Lunas. Minerva vs. Lady Elle biznitch fights make good TV. I love Minerva! And Lady Elle is back, hells yeah! I love feisty female leaders.

So, the Waya council has a bigger fish to fry than just the Lunas but the Black Lobos who are one of them.

Okay, the introduction of the Black Lobos was like an entrance to an Ozzy Osborne concert. Manic, scary and at times very cheesy. But that was saved as soon as their plight was focused on. Eric Fructuso brings forth one menacing villain, he looks like Wolverine on drugs, which is a good thing.

The introduction to the black Lobos shows that there is more depth to them than just wild villains who just want to wreak havoc. No odd character motivations or just plain shallow plot directions, they are VICTIMS of circumstance. They are renegades who have either been bitten by a Lobo or have defended themselves against Lunas. I feel an odd sense of sympathy because they are exactly like LORENZO (Diether Ocampo's character/Lyka's lolo). This new plot twist is actually refreshing, more because of their motivation, now if only they would really lessen the “I’m-so-scary” stunt; they would actually scare me more. Just their plain animalistic movements and the light flickering in their eyes are quite enough to give me a good jump. No weird howling, please.

But yes, there is a blur of lines when it comes to the villains. Are the villains those who have been victims of circumstance? Or the righteous council who just want to live peacefully with humans? Or is it the humans who see these mutants as menaces to our society? Or is it a young woman who really has the foundation of someone with a conscience who is torn? I really do not think she would go far as killing Lyka, her sense of conscience just kicked in.

Such deep-rooted characters that I could not really despise any of them at the moment…

Well until I saw THAT preview. Whoever made that preview is a genius because I would be only an inch from my television tomorrow. I will be ready with my BAT as I watch that episode. What a B^^^^^^^^tch!!!!

“I missed you.” Those lines I will dread forever.

If I come on here calling on Gabby to play with her Barney collection… I may move on to Telletubbies collection after this episode. Ugh! No!

I will see you all tomorrow with a bat ready for Gabby.

Overall an intense ride of an episode that made me think of who everyone really may be.

[Guest coolwinni3]

Imogene--Needless to say, a remarkable review--yet again I presume everyone has their bats ready for Gabby by now...I'm sooooo gonna smash her off tonight!!