Silvana Sin Lana

Mediacorp is airing an American telenovela called Silvana Sin Lana (English title: Rich In Love) on Mondays and Tuesdays at 11pm on Channel 5. The family drama was screened on television in the United States from 2016 to 2017.

Originally in Spanish and starring an almost all-Spanish cast, the show is dubbed in English with a very strong and stereotypical "dumb young blonde" American accent, sort of like what you get in iCarly but ten times more exaggerated.

The high-pitched squealing can get a bit painful on the ears after a while. But it proves to be only a minor flaw in an otherwise solid production.

Silvana Sin Lana revolves around two families, the Villasenors and the Gallardos.

The head of the Villasenor family Antonio Jose flees from FBI agents investigating him for financial crimes and disappears. In a single disastrous day, his family loses almost everything they have, including their mansion in an exclusive private estate.

Antonio's wife Silvana is left to pick up the pieces. She has to learn to survive on her own on a modest budget while taking care of her mother and three daughters, none of whom take to their newfound status as "poor people" with much enthusiasm.

Silvana's first priority is to find her family a place to stay. She travels around the state, viewing various homes for rent. On one such expedition to a middle-class neighbourhood, she accidentally reverses her car into a truck driven by seafood wholesaler Manuel Gallardo as she is distracted looking for the address of a duplex in the area.

They argue about who is responsible, Silvana desperately trying to deflect the blame for the accident as she cannot afford to compensate Manuel for the damage.

Meanwhile, she finds the duplex and moves in with her family. Her mother Trinidad complains incessantly about the "spartan" surroundings, while eldest daughter Maria Jose battles insecurity over no longer being part of the wealthy elite class, believing that her boyfriend will lose interest in her if he finds out.

The investigation into the car accident concludes that Silvana should pay Manuel. She reluctantly writes him a cheque, which bounces because she does not have enough money. An angry Manuel calls her while standing in his bedroom.

She answers the phone in her bedroom. As they engage in another vicious argument, they begin to notice that they can hear each other yelling... but their voices are not coming through the phone line.

They step onto the adjoining balcony outside both of their rooms, and stare in amazement at each other across a few-foot gap. Manuel Gallardo, his three sons, and one daughter live in the other half of the duplex!

The rest of the series builds on this foundation with the usual elements in a family drama: romance, antagonistic scheming, and more romance. The Gallardo boys turn their attentions to wooing the Villasenor girls. Trinidad finds a love interest in an elderly neighbourhood baker. And of course, despite their relationship starting on the wrong foot, Silvana and Manuel develop feelings for each other, creating a love triangle as Manuel, whose wife died eight years prior, is already subject to the affections of Stella Perez, who works with Manuel at the fish market.

Even though the plot is formulaic and predictable, an accusation that can be fairly levelled at most television dramas to be honest, Silvana Sin Lana is still great fun to watch.

The camerawork is smooth. The view sometimes follows one character for an extended period without cuts, reminiscent of the signature style employed by Chad Stahelski in the John Wick film franchise (without the accompanying wanton violence obviously). Between scenes, a transition technique of swivelling the camera from one part of the house to another seamlessly is occasionally used to emphasise how cramped the house is and how close the two families live to each other.

In terms of talents, the show offers up a veritable host of Latinos and Latinas as eye candy. Look out for Carlos Ponce (Manuel Gallardo), a very handsome middle-aged man with chiselled cheekbones, alluring grey eyes, and salt-and-pepper facial hair. There is also Thali Garcia (Angie Villasenor, Silvana's second daughter), whose disarmingly shy smile lends her a girl-next-door kind of appeal.

Indeed, over and above the exotic beauty of its actors and actresses, Silvana Sin Lana benefits greatly from its Latin American origins as the entire show is blessed with a sort of carefree, feel-good, positive vibe. Although the Villasenors are facing dire circumstances, the overall mood remains lighthearted and upbeat. You will almost feel like throwing a one-person fiesta, those parties that the Latinos are known for involving street processions, the waving of colourful cloths, and the banging of handheld drums. What else could viewers want from a television show besides good feelings?

But make no mistake about it: Silvana Sin Lana is by no means a bimbotic show, irritatingly squeaky English voiceovers notwithstanding. See past the seemingly shallow sexual tension and silly humour, and you will find many relatable and resounding themes: what it means to be a family, a father, a parent, a friend.

It beautifully illustrates the complexities of life and how tricky it can be to navigate the social world while seeking one's own happiness.

Perhaps the best example of this is Manuel, a devoted single father of four children who are beginning to test the boundaries and assert their independence. He has to raise his family and manage his business, all the while grappling with an inner demon: his fear that after his children have grown up and left home, he will be old, bitter, and alone, with no one who loves him and no one to love.

Although his eldest son Vicente encourages him to seek a woman, Manuel is wracked with guilt over moving on from his deceased wife to someone else. His other children also oppose him bringing another woman home.

Just like Manuel, all of us play multiple roles in our lives. We may be someone's child, parent, friend, or colleague. At the same time, we remain distinct individuals, with our private set of hopes, dreams, goals, aspirations, worries, fears, likes, dislikes, and emotions. Our roles will at some point conflict with one another or with an aspect of ourselves. How we resolve the conflict is largely a balancing act of reaching a compromise based on the situation at hand. It also demonstrates our personal values: whether we do something sketchy or not to achieve our own ends.

This is a major overarching theme in Silvana Sin Lana, a moving tale of family and friendship, greed and lust, and ethics and morals. Regardless of whether you are looking for a thought-provoking show, or just one to warm the cockles of your heart, Silvana Sin Lana has what you never knew you wanted in a single package. It promises a very, very good time, and delivers in spades.

Catch Silvana Sin Lana on Channel 5 at 11pm every Monday and Tuesday. It is also available on Netflix, for those people who have an irrational hatred of television sets or the state broadcaster. Read more about Silvana Sin Lana on IMDb.