“Teleseryes,” the localized term for television series, are an integral part of Filipino culture. Many families and friends have spent hours facing television screens watching their favorite series – and sometimes getting worked up about it.
PIE (Pinoy Interactive Entertainment) Channel offers a new way for viewers to enjoy teleseryes and make them feel they’re a part of it. Dubbed The Chosen One: Ang Piliserye ng Bayan, PIE audiences can control the story and determine which character stays alive until the end by voting, a first in the country.
Directed by award-winning director and cinematographer Topel Lee, The Chosen One is reminiscent of a choose-your-own-adventure experience.
“Noong bata ako, mahilig ako sa choose-your-own-adventure books. Parang ganito ‘to, you get to choose your own direction, kung ano yung gusto mong mangyari doon sa kwento. Very rewarding siya kasi you get to play god sa bagong piliserye na ginawa namin,” he said during a Zoomcon.
He added that viewers play a part in the production, and the story flow depends on the viewers’ decision on who gets to stay or leave. Despite the viewers’ choices for the show, the director reassured them that they wouldn’t veer from the plot.
The show’s pilot features a suspense thriller series called “Soap Opera” that follows Charlie (Kaila Estrada), who signs up for a shady networking group called Astra Nuevo fronted by the strong-willed Miss Jane (Melai Cantiveros).
“Malaki ‘yung role ni Melai dito. Siya ‘yung comic relief namin dito sa show na ‘to,” Lee said. On the other hand, it’s Kaila’s first time making a thriller project, so she sees The Chosen One as a challenge to give her best performance.
In Astra Nuevo, Charlie meets a group of ten aspiring entrepreneurs from different walks of life who share her dream of gaining financial freedom. But soon, they discover that their ambition could cost them their lives.
Andi Abaya, Amanda Zamora, Dustin Mayores, Gabb Skribikin, Kobie Brown, Luke Alford, Maxine Trinidad, Rob Blackburn, Seham Daghlas, and Zach Guerrero are the characters that viewers can vote among to either save or not.
Kaila is a non-player, meaning she won’t be part of the ten characters that are up for voting each week. Other non-players in the series are Emjay Savilla and Sunshine Teodoro.
Jhong Hilario joins the production as a non-player. Instead, he’s the “chosen mentor” who will dissect and rate each player’s performance in the narrative.
“Siyempre dahil suspense-thriller itong piliserye natin, gusto kong matakot sa acting nila. Gusto kong tumayo ‘yung mga balahibo ko dahil alam ko kapag natakot ako, ‘yung mga manonood sa kanila, matatakot din,” Jhong said.
Last Saturday, October 1, The Chosen One episode revealed who among the players garnered the highest number of save votes and who landed in the bottom two.
Aside from getting to play god in The Chosen One, five lucky Philippine-based voters will be selected via randomizer to win P1,000 every week.
The Chosen One airs live episodes of “Soap Opera” every Saturday from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. The episode will also reveal the players’ current standing based on audience votes.