Walang Kapalit
| Walang Kapalit | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Drama, Romance |
| Created by | ABS-CBN |
| Written by | Keiko Aquino |
| Directed by | Wenn V. Deramas |
| Starring |
Claudine Barretto Piolo Pascual Jodi Sta Maria (see cast) for complete details |
| Theme music composer | Rey Valera |
| Opening theme | Walang Kapalit by Piolo Pascual |
| Country of origin | Philippines |
| No. of episodes | 95 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Emerald Suarez |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABS-CBN |
| Original release | April 23 – August 31, 2007 |
Walang Kapalit (lit. Irreplaceable) is a Philippine television series broadcast by ABS-CBN. It aired from April 23, 2007 to August 31, 2007 on ABS-CBN's Primetime Bida starring Piolo Pascual and Claudine Barretto It is loosely based on Mike De Leon's 1985 film Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit, an adaptation from an earlier komiks version of the same title by Nerissa Cabral.
Plot
Ariston and Agnes (played by award winning actors Edu Manzano and Dina Bonnevie) are childhood lovers who reunite. Ariston and Agnes are on their second marriages: Each lost their loves and has children. They decide to marry. Ariston has young Noel played by Sam Concepcion and young Melanie played by Julia Barretto. As they grow up, they transform into beautiful siblings but grow hatred toward one another. Fate has different plans them.
Noel is intelligent but causes a lot of tension in the household when Melanie comes into the picture. When Melanie grows up, she and Noel try to get along, but things don't go too well until they have their first kiss. They realize their love for one another but end up miserable as the death of their parents seem to make things even more complicated. The question that arises is "Is love a sin, even if not connected by blood, or is it just immoral or real?"
Detailed story
Long-time sweethearts Ariston and Agnes find themselves ready to marry and settle down after the losses of their married partners. They have children from their previous marriages: Noel (Sam Concepcion later played by Piolo Pascual the son of Ariston) and Melanie (Julia Barretto-Padilla later on played by Claudine Barretto). The two do not develop a good relationship as step-siblings, and the idealization brings them to many personal problems leading them to love. Noel confides in Agnes and Melanie confides in Ariston.
They live peculiar lives: Noel has always longed for his father's attention while Melanie wants a perfect family consisting of a father, mother and sibling. As the two grow Melanie becomes rebellious and Noel becomes more well accomplished.
Melanie creates mayhem unexpectedly for Noel and causes him to be blamed. Rather than facing the harsh realities, Noel takes an offer from his friend Brian (DJ Durano) to get a job and learn in Australia, to leave personal problems between Ariston and Agnes. Noel begins to live a fast life accomplishing his goals but is completely unaware that even Melanie misses him. Melanie plans to see Noel on a summer vacation to Australia, with Ariston and Agnes. Cynthia (Jodi Sta. Maria), Brian's manipulative sister schemes to have Noel all to herself.
As the vacation goes through Melanie becomes so with Noel as they spend a moment in paradise. Cynthia becomes so obligated to find the truth behind this unlikely compromise and gathering of the siblings. The two immediately fall in love until a secret develops, leaving Ariston and Agnes speechless as Ariston stays with Noel and Agnes stays with Melanie. They try their best to not communicate but, with Melanie's help from her friend Ressie (Nikki Valdez) and her long-lost suitor and Ressie's cousin Ronald (Bobby Andrews), they do communicate. As Ariston comes home an agreement is open. All of a sudden time flies and gets worse as Agnes contracts cancer, leaving a tearful moment and grief. She gives her blessings to Melanie: She would rather have Melanie and Noel go on with their relationship than cause themselves lifelong delusion. As Agnes succumbs to her sickness, an ill-fated move comes along: Cynthia hides the truth from Noel that Agnes has just passed leaving an unstable communication between Melanie and Noel.
As Melanie decides to give up any communication involving Noel she finds herself, she decides to finish high school and enter college as an architect and help Ariston in the family business. Noel goes back to Australia and begins a relationship with Cynthia so Melanie can offer Ronald a chance. When Ariston suddenly, dies Noel has to take care of Melanie for two years. She is about to turn 18 but, on the day of her graduation, the two decide to end a feud. Noel hoping to have Melanie's trust back loses it when she comes home drunk from Ressie's gathering. Melanie sets a plan to marry Ronald without living in their home. Noel marries Cynthia after being heartbroken. With their decisions will there be any love left for them to cherish as they try to live with those they marry?
Cast
- Claudine Barretto as Melanie Santillian-Borromeo, the young stepsister of Noel. She has always wanted an older brother to protect her, but ended up with Noel, who seems to have an inexplicable dislike of her. She tends to get hurt easily but will also put a good fight when challenged. Her life changes forever when she unexpectedly falls in love with Noel. After a disastrous marriage to Ronald, she ends up marrying Noel, her true love, however, not without many challenges.
- Piolo Pascual as Noel Borromeo, the strait-laced stepbrother of Melanie. Raised by his father's iron hand, he tends to be rigid, and wants nothing but to achieve his father's high expectations from him. Still grieving from his mother's unexpected demise, he dislikes Melanie to the core, thinking that she and her mother, Agnes snatched Noel's mother's place in Ariston's heart. After a disastrous marriage to Cynthia, he ends up marrying Melanie, his true love, but not without many challenges.
- Jodi Sta. Maria as Cynthia Bermudez-Borromeo. She is Noel's best friend Brian's bipolar sister, who's been in love with Noel ever since they were little, and is more than willing to marry him even though she knows that he doesn't love her back. Her jealousy and infidelity cost her marriage to Noel, and her actions after ends up being vengeful towards Melanie. She is married to Dr. Victor Hizon, her psychiatrist. She kills Ronald & frames Melanie. She also kidnapped Ernest from Melanie when he was a newborn. In the series finale she finally came clean but ended up committing a suicide by jumping off the jail roof. She was cremated.
- Edu Manzano as Ariston Borromeo Noel's adoptive father, later revealed, Noel's half-brother. He is rather unreasonably strict with Noel, and seems to favor Melanie all the time, fueling his son's anger towards Melanie more. Right before his death, due to a car accident, he tries to tell Noel the truth of his paternity.
- Dina Bonnevie as Agnes Borromeo Melanie's biological mother, and Ariston's second wife. Sensing the tension between Noel and Ariston, she tries to make it up by taking Noel's side, and encouraging him whenever she has the chance, as she wants nothing more than to patch things up between Noel and her daughter, Melanie. Later, she sees the romantic connection between Melanie and Noel, and with Ariston, tries to separate them. She later dies of a stroke.
- Amy Austria as Ceding, Ariston's loyal maid. She showered Noel lots of love, something which his father lacked. Often playing as the arbiter between Noel and Melanie, she holds the secret to Noel's real identity. It is later revealed that she is Noel's mother, however, Noel has yet to find out. Noel feels as if she is his mother due to the love and affection that she has always given him.
- Bobby Andrews as Ronald Santillian who pants after Melanie. He's used to getting everything he wants, and knowing that Melanie doesn't love him back poses a big challenge for him. His infidelity costs him his marriage to Melanie. After a long court battle for an annulment, he still pines for Melanie. He is murdered by Cynthia (revenge for destroying her marriage to Noel) during his attempt to win back Melanie's affections.
- Nikki Valdez as Recy, Melanie's wacky best friend, who often leads Melanie to trouble without meaning to. She is Ronald's cousin, and the bridge to Ronald and Melanie.
- DJ Durano as Bryan Bermudez, Noel's best friend and Cythia's older brother. He wants nothing but the best for his little sister. However, he is beginning to realize Cynthia's actions and sides with Noel against her.
- Candy Pangilinan as Moody, Ariston's new maid, who likes to dabble in other people's problems. Despite that, Ceding always turns to her whenever problems arise.
- Lloyd Samartino as Arnold Santillian, the rich and powerful father of Ronald. He's more than willing to do everything for his children, and will go as far as cover up their mistakes.
- Susan Africa as Elaine Santillian, Arnold's wife and Ronald's mother. She doesn't have a mind of her own, and just goes along with what her husband wants. Her lying testimony during Melanie's murder trial is what sends Melanie to prison for Ronald's murder, though she is innocent.
- Eda Nolan as Vanessa Santillian, Ronald's younger sister. Known as the "campus bad girl", she doesn't care what other people think of her, and always gets into fights with her older brother, Ronald. She is a good daughter and helps around the house. She sides with Melanie during the murder trial, even though her parents become very angry with her. She ends up marrying Miguel.
- Victor Basa as Miguel, Ceding's nephew. He grew up in the province and is very conservative. However, he unwittingly falls for Vanessa, even if they are worlds apart. After being reunited years later, he ends up marrying Vanessa.
- Joem Bascon as Anton, the "campus heartthrob" and Vanessa's boyfriend. His immaturity always leads him into fights with his girlfriend.
- TJ Trinidad as Dr. Victor Hizon, Cynthia's psychiatrist. He and Cynthia will later get married, even though he knows that Cynthia is still in love with Noel.
Guest cast
- Sam Concepcion as Young Noel, who never seems to run out of ways to torture his stepsister, Melanie.
- Julia Barretto as Young Melanie, who tries hard to gain her stepbrother's love.
- Frances Ignacio
- Debraliz Valesote
- Cheena Javier
- Marco Aytona
- Miguel Aytona as Jun Hidalgo
Production
Walang Kapalit was directed by Wenn Deramas, who has worked with Claudine Barretto in numerous soaps, making this her initial reunion. It was also her reunited with Piolo follow by the successful of their film Milan, while the series marks the comeback of Jodi Santa-Maria follow by her pregnancy in 2005. The finale was the shortest series finale (running approximately 15 minutes without commercials) that aired on ABS-CBN.
Because it became a favorite television series in 2007 it was released in eight volumes initially with all episodes in the Philippines and internationally.
Theme song
The theme song entitled Walang Kapalit was originally composed and interpreted by Rey Valera. The theme song of the soap-opera also covered by Dingdong Avanzado.
See also
- ABS-CBN
- List of programs broadcast by ABS-CBN
- List of shows previously aired by ABS-CBN
- List of telenovelas of ABS-CBN
- Walang Kapalit unofficial episode guide at Pinoy TV Junkie