Many telenovelas and soap operas make a bid for the ridiculous, and in general the world is better off for it. But if a soap can’t stick the landing when it tries to manufacture conflict, it just ends up becoming infuriating to watch. Such is the case with Linlang, a Filipino drama that already sets itself up weakly from the outset through the idea of cheating as a plot device, and fails to give us anything crazy enough to earn its sudden bursts of action and perpetually intrusive score. It’s almost impressive how none of these characters seem to be capable of communicating with each other like adults—which can be fun in small doses, as these people leap to conclusions with full aggression at the drop of a hat. But these misunderstandings also just stretch out plot points unnecessarily, ultimately reinforcing very tired, very traditional family values.
Victor “Bangis” Lualhati has always been a fighter. As a former boxer, he gets used to overcoming obstacles through tough times. However, when he finds a suspicious message on his wife's phone, he will be faced with a challenge he never saw coming. As Victor investigates, he discovers there is more at play than just a cheating spouse. The deeper he digs, the more shocking realizations he makes.
Suspecting his wife of infidelity, a former boxer begins to uncover a web of betrayal around him.
The first two episodes watched for this review don't have as many outright ridiculous moments as there should be, but when the unintentional comedy hits, it still feels like a well-earned reward for sticking around. A particular standout includes a recently injured corporate office man attending his send-off even if he's still in zero condition to be out of the hospital. It's not necessarily illogical, but the sight of him with the full triple crown—neck brace, arm in a sling, one crutch; with bruises still all over his face—is just absurd. Capitlism, am I right?
We can do better than this, I promise.
