So Second Chance UG premiered on Monday on NTV Uganda. The original telenovela by the same title previously run on the same channel. As usual when the news about the localised version hit the country, the haters decided to do what they do best – hating! But some Ugandans!
Has anyone heard the saying “haters are secret admirers”? Well, most Ugandans place meaning to it. I mean, while many of them have shredded this production to pieces before the first episode even aired, the same group of people have remained glued to their screens to watch, keep up with it and share comments. Whether the comments are positive or negative, it ceases to matter because in the end they have watched! Oba what is so hard about just giving support whenever it is needed.
Anyway, as I watched the premiere in the comfort of my living room, I followed closely as curiosity took the best of me. One by one the Ugandan cast made its way to the centre stage as they were introduced alongside the characters they would be playing.
However, if you watched Second Chance in 2008, you will agree that finding a perfect person to play Salvador was all that mattered. Without a doubt, this Salvador guy, real name Mario Cimarro was such a character. He introduced most females to the world of telenovelas.
My disappointment is when our Salvador turned out to be radio veteran Roger Mugisha. You know what? Ugandan men can amuse! Are you trying to convince us that there was no fresher face other than Roger?
I mean, Roger has been on everyone’s lips from his days on radio presenter. He won the hearts of many females with his signature voice then. Now that he has been quite laid back with a switch in career from radio to management, one would expect that fresher faces have cropped up by now to give Roger a run for his money, but from the look of things, the dude has stuck around and is even going to be our local version of “Salvador.” Mnnh!
Maybe it is the similarity of winning the hearts of many females just like Salvador did when this soap aired that got him this role. Maybe it is the fact that he is a good actor and fits well into these shoes. Maybe it is the producers who were too lazy to look and work harder at getting a new face.
All the same, it still would not have hurt to see a fresh face. Same pomp. Even hotter looks and demeanor to match. But to have Roger Mugisha again as the same person in this position is as if proof that really, Uganda only has one handsome dude to run to in such moments. Perhaps the saying that “the beautiful/handsome ones are not yet born is true” hence enough reason for us to keep watching the same face. Ahem!
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