Maria Clara at Ibarra

I haven't seen any "teledrama" made in the Philippines for a long time. I have always thought most series from the Philippines are unnecessarily long, repetitive and boring. I decided to give this title a shot after hearing about it on Social Media, and boy I'm glad I did!

The script is well-written, funny, witty, and relatable. The characters are mostly likable (except for the villains, of course). The costumes and settings look great (especially considering budgetary constraints of a show produced in a developing country). And most importantly, the story is engaging.

It's amazing how this book was written over 100 years ago (where this series is based on) and still reflects the modern struggles of the Filipino.

My only complaint is how the volume changes from loud to quiet in one episode, and how the music is jarringly cut off from one scene to the next (but that may very well be becasue I'm watching the series online, rather than on local TV).

A recommended watch!