GMA Network
Descendants of the Sun
Actors: Dingdong Dantes, Jennylyn Mercado, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Rocco Nacino
Format: TV Series
Premise: A love story between a surgeon and a member of the armed forces takes place in a war-torn country.
Time Slot: Weeknights, after 24 Oras
Why You Should See It
Descendants of the Sun returns triumphantly with new episodes to further shed light on the developing love story between Captain Manalo and Dr. Maxine. How beautifully shot the new scenes are, amid pandemic restrictions, is one thing very commendable about the show, but the romance and how the soldiers defend the country remain the most important elements of the plot.
Returning with fresh episodes, since it aired its last one in March, the local adaptation of the hit Korean series of the same name teems with both brooding and hopeful scenes that faithful audiences will watch with bated breaths. The romance between Capt. Lucas Manalo (Dingdong Dantes) and Dr. Maxine (Jennylyn Mercado) remains an irresistible delight in Descendants of the Sun, but the most recent episodes have been very accommodating in presenting peripheral stories, that feels necessary in pushing the overall narrative, forward.
A powerful earthquake shakes Urdan, leaving a trail of loss and suffering behind. Dr. Maxine’s team is first to respond, witnessing the unbelievable scale of damage that the disaster inflicted on the chaos-stricken community. Capt. Lucas’s group follows immediately, ensuring his reunion with Dr. Maxine, whose eagerness to see him again is visually apparent with her facial expression when she sees silhouettes of him and Wolf (Rocco Naccino) emerging from the dark.
It is important to note that these new scenes were shot when strict set protocols and guidelines were already enforced, prompting the production unit to cut a portion of its manpower, hence the absence of many people in almost every scene of the new episodes. It is, however, very commendable that showrunners are still able to come up with amazingly shot-scenes, as evident in the visually-appealing new episodes of the show. It remains to be seen whether or not the ensuing episodes will finally feature full-combat scenes, as the insurgency story arc, further integrates with the main plot.
Jennylyn Mercado has one heartwarming scene where she gives heartfelt advice to a colleague who is unable to hold himself together when one of his patients died under his watch. Such a moment reminds the audience that the show isn’t just all about romance and kilig, but more importantly, of hopefulness, and the many forms of bravery and patriotism, that the show has been trying to showcase. Mercado, whose artistic capabilities, are way more than what Dr. Maxine requires, easily pulls off that scene with ease, proving her brilliance as a dramatic actress.
It is interesting to see how the future episodes will unfold, given how production units are now faced with restrictions, which may prompt writers to point the narrative in a different direction. But as this remains an adaptation to an already popular story, fans of the show will undoubtedly look forward to that one ending they all recognize. The highly-marketed scene where Capt. Manalo lent Dr.Maxine a hand to help her tie her shoelaces is just one of the magical moments that followers will keep raving about as the show continues to head for its very much-anticipated resolution.
Descendants of the Sun is back with new episodes on GMA Primetime block, GMA Telebabad, airing weeknights after 24 Oras
