Imortal: review of episode 17

Review written by: Angeladik

So finally! we meet Jethro   Okay, probably this for me is the most significant part of episode 17, after all we've waited for him for some episodes and of course an older daddy Tikboy is around too only he seems to avoid having anything to do with what's happening like bad luck for any Gabay? 

So off we start with Mateo and Sam scenes at the bar.  I dunno, its kinda I find a prolonged scene particularly because they've been talking but it's like their still hanging around and trying to trick each other after a while I thought it becomes repetitious.  It's probably just me though.

So how's Jethro? Dino Imperial plays the role with a very youthful kinda energetic approach it's alright I guess.  For a while there, I thought we were watching kids on the block and for a while there too Angel who dons these conservative outfits the scenes looked kinda preppy.  With the Angel and Dino I. combo, they both looked a bit cute and amusing to me maybe the way Jethro was almost scared of Lia.  Lia looking like a harmless, nice young lady...and why would she scare him?  Of course, it scared Tikboy too so much so he wants to be not anywhere near Lia.

That was pretty much the episode.  Mateo and Sam trying to find out more of each other all in that bar scene, that constant Vampire spy who doesn't trust Sam, what's his name, the one who scared Lia at the Ball when she discovered a Vampire was around.

Well a sort of a backgrounder for Tom, it must be his mother, when he was so attracted to Sam that meant becoming like her, a Vampire.

While Sam and Tom are finding out more about Mateo, Mateo is finding more about himself through Sam.  Sam and Tom are obviously hiding all these from the other Vampires, thus another Vampire faction spying on them.

Jethro is Lia's new ace since through him she knows Mateo's life's in danger.  Someone is going to attack him anytime and that's the scene we will see which Jethro already saw for next episode - red balloons that Mateo was carrying and the Vampire guy about to harm Mateo or whatever the intent is.

Well, we see Tikboy ordering son Jethro they're leaving so as to Lia still connecting with them lets see.

In the last scene, we seen Mateo and Lia in yet another argument outside.  This time Lia needs to warn Mateo of what she found out from Jethro without telling him about this kid.  Well we expect Lia to be waiting outside Mateo's house since she can't wait to tell him.

Just as I guessed Lia's not about to transform anytime soon so we will have to wait for that. So far, the writers want to just spend more time on Mateo's issues.


Thoughts.  I think they tackled only very few scenes here with extended dialogues particularly the bar scene of Mateo and Sam interspersed with the Lia finds Jethro's home and scares him out of his wits there.

In a way we know these two scenes intentionally shown entangled is just that supposed to have that suspenseful effect only I thought we didn't really have enough shown for 1 episode.  I thought the dialogues could have been shortened particularly the bar scene and get over with Lia's scene with Jethro.

Okay I guess sometimes we want more and they had few scenes for this episode and I thought the same for the previous so hopefully we find more scenes tackled for the next.  Maybe its time something significant happens this time to Lia since we've been with Mateo for some time now and Jethro's blogs are concerned too with Mateo in danger.
Of course we are aware the writers are saving the Lia transformation for later but after a while we need some more after dwelling a bit longer on Mateo' s issues.  Well we don't need dragging episodes.  Hopefully let's move faster now to what really happens next to Mateo because that's what we need to know now and lets face it dilly dallying events make it dragging and we don't want that happening this early.

While slowing events create more suspense as to what to watch out for next but overextending might instead result to dragging and suspense looses steam eventually.

Hopefully that danger Mateo we'll see for hopefully the next episode is really worth this long wait and no not any more any further extension.  We want that danger happening in the next episode...cmon writers we know you know how to tackle pace.

Now let's see how suspenseful and exciting this turns out and lets see how Lia figures out since she's in that scene...maybe the need to save Mateo what happens there? This should be very good I hope.


Sam-Tom.  The dialogues are actually competently executed except for that one, Sam-Tom scene rooftop when they were having that discussion about Mateo, that was after the bar episode.  It seems Maricar's having difficulty with the actor playing Tom. You actually catch her in a not so comfortable position and it's so unlike her scenes with John Lloyd Cruz where she's more in her elements.  The actor playing Tom comes out kinda awkward but I guess his role is a good excuse since he's like some blind follower smitten over his boss Sam.


Angel with Dino. I found it cute to find Angel Locsin acting with younger faces.  I remember loving her scenes with kids even before so the scenes with Dino Imperial. Cute even if he's really very hyper I should say.

It's a good thing Angel didn't really find the youthful acting style of Dino I. distracting although I thought it just suited him fine since he's actually a kid here, no problem.  There's one part though were Direk made Lia as if illustrating her point, made her do some hand gestures.  It could have been alright but for me it didn't need that in that scene really...ok its just me again.

Dino I. was alright but I need to see more acting from his eyes to match his physical acting hehe.  Actually the physical acting I thought was alright the kind of youthful energy a kid like him would be expected of but overall he's ok and Angel as usual very competent acting her eyes really doing it very well for her.

Their scenes actually wanted to elicit some amusement perhaps because of how Dino I. was so yah straight serious Lia and I don't like to be involved Jethro there in that scene.


John Lloyd Cruz.  As for JL, there are very serious scenes for him but I dunno perhaps we want to see more and something else.  Maricar's scenes with JL are well executed but after a while it's JL being his same old baddie Mateo maybe we want some change of pace or maybe its just me.  Maybe a scene by himself were we see a human side? Is it possible a person can always be that hot headed most of the time and recently he's not anymore in that attracted to Lia mode.

We understand we want JL's role to be as equally challenging and the way to go is to spice up so after a while that he's been too mean lets see some scenes even just by himself.  It could be short but not we need to see a human side, again its just me.  So if we try to assess the character of his role, would you agree that indeed even for foreign standards a person could be that unfeeling most of the time and remember he feels sick.  When one feels sick and weak I think it's when even the hardest of persons find their soft human side, whatcha think Nicks? [writers didn't dwell too much on self-reflection or perhaps they forgot to do that -nicky]

Remember I did say Lia was kind of this nice girl next door here suffocatingly concerned about Mateo.  Okay he's sick but she's being constantly repulsed we know that.  Well, okay, we know she knows the significance of all these, her connection with Mateo and eventually transforming with Mateo getting weak in the process? And she needs to find out more too and protect Mateo.  So okay her concerns are actually very valid.

Well the story flow makes us think what happens next but let's just say again we don't need to drag some episodes with overextended dialogues and then as a series progresses we need the main leads roles eventually evolve too because we know both JL and Angel can be an explosive tandem.



Hehe did we miss bratty Clarisse here? Yeah and cheesy Lucas yeah I needed a break from him actually.  I mean he's okay but after a while he should be slowing down too since we're into the serious side now of Lia and Mateo.  Maybe the next time he appears Mateo might be needing him again.  We want his role evolving too so let the writers make it happen.

Angel looks slimmer sans makeup in that SNN interview hehe getting ready for later scenes when she becomes the gorgeous sexier Lobo? Well, perhaps thats for the next month's episode? [heard that something big will happen to Lia next week and to Mateo the following week so perhaps, Lia's transformation to Lobo will come first - nicky]

I'd be happier if Angel finally bags the best actress for Imortal and cross fingers at the iEmmys.  I already have a strong feeling she will be nominated again.  So far Angel's been consistently good here.