‘Almost Paradise’ Recap: ‘Bahala Na’

8/16/2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Art Acuña, Christian Kane, and Samatha Richelle as Detective Ernesto Alamares, Alex Walker, and Detective Kai Mendoza in ‘Almost Paradise’. (Photo Courtesy of Chari Villegas/Amazon Freevee.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 204 of ‘Almost Paradise’. To revisit the previous episode, clickhere. Also, this piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.

For the most part, crime dramas rarely explore the world they inhabit in an intimate manner. Yes, we see landmarks and have a good understanding of the how the city operates. But the nit and grit, the daily life stuff and the lore and history of a particular location stay in the shadows, and it makes sense as to why. For the crime and the investigators that deal with them are the focus of the story, and the city is merely the world in which they play in and well… that is simply what audiences accept about crime dramas. Which is why the next episode of Almost Paradise on Amazon Freevee is of note. Simply because, ‘Bahala Na’ took the time to break from that convention hard, and toy with what a crime story might look like if it dug deep into the history and the culture of the city in which its heroes work.

A feat that this story accomplished, by creating quite the problem for Alex Walker. In that, the gift shop was infested with termites and that meant he needed a place to stay, and thankfully, Ernesto opened the doors to his home inside a commune to Alex. Which brought forth a unique sleeping arrangement for Alex, since he was to bunk with Ernesto’s granddad, Silvio, who also lived with Ernesto and his family, and one quiet night… brought forth some surprises. Because someone tried to kill Silvio, and that attempt on his life, one foiled by Ernesto and Alex, prompted the department to investigate the attack. Wherein they came to learn, this kind of attack was happening all over the island and that other older gentlemen were dying off at alarming rate and there was in fact, a common thread to this case outside of age. In that, all of the men that died, served in World War II as part of a unit that worked on an important mission with the Americans and Silvio was part of that unit.

But the bigger concern on Ernesto’s mind was why Silvio, and so many from his unit, were being targeted and killed and sadly… it came down to ego and secrets. For an intrepid reporter was also looking into this, and she came to discover that the grandfather of a hopeful senator, Colonel Alejandro Fernandez, shamefully served this unit, and was hoping to have anyone that might have knowledge of his disgusting and cowardly actions, removed from the equation. All to continue maintain his family’s proud (and false) legacy, since he sold himself as a true hero of that unit. And that truth, alongside that reporter’s eagerness to spread it with the world, forced Alejandro’s lackeys to act foolishly to protect the truth… and that allowed for Alex, and Kai, and Ernesto to move in and save the day, and even restore Silvio’s honor in a beautiful ending that wrapped up… a powerful exploration of the past regarding the Philippines’ involvement in the Second World War.

Which let’s be honest, isn’t something we read about in history books all that often. For the vast majority of history regarding the Pacific Theater in that war, revolves around the American Campaign to retake the region. But in reality, it was a joint effort, and while dramatized certainly, we still were able to learn more about life under Japanese Empirical rule during that era, and the contributions soldiers from the Philippines made to the war effort and well… that made for a very different type of episode. One that basically balanced the action with a fascinating history lesson. One told through the eyes of Silvio, and well… this was quite the revolutionary move for an established crime story to make, but it is one that pays off in spades. Simply because… it’s refreshing, it’s bold and it does the impossible… it explores the world it is set in. Allowing for the Philippines to be more than just pretty visuals and allowing for this story to be more than just a high-octane crime drama… and that is no small feat, and it works here.

Not to mention, this move also allowed for the cast to stretch their acting legs a bit. For Silvio’s story about the past, allowed for Art Acuña, Samantha Richelle, and Christian Kane to take on new roles as people from Silvio’s memories from that mission. Which made for some fascinating and downright quality performances since each actor melted into these echoes from the past. If anything, all of these elements combined to bring forth one bold and beautiful episode. One that really did add newfound depth to this series, and informed us that it is going to do some amazing things in season two, and tinker with the structure of the crime drama and see what it is capable of, and if this is the opening salvo to that exploration, then we are in for quite the treat as season two of this refreshing and original series continues along. Until next time.

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