MANILA, Philippines - Inside a window-less facility in an undisclosed location, covert operatives frantically pound away at computers to access tactical information and real-time satellite feeds. From her glass-enclosed office, the highest rank character orders an air-strike on foreign soil?a patch of Arabian desert where their lead secret agent is under heavy enemy fire.

You?re not watching ?24,? and it?s not Jack Bauer (Keifer Sutherland) and his team at Los Angeles? Counter-Terrorism Unit racing to stop another terrorist attack.

This is the latest GMA 7 prime time offering, the high-tech action series ?Codename: Asero.? Top-billing Richard Gutierrez and Heart Evangelista with a stellar supporting cast, ?Codename: Asero? aims to dazzle and excite local audiences.

Fresh take

It?s a fresh take on a genre long considered dead by many, at least on film. But while action has enjoyed prime time exposure via recent series like GMA 7?s ?Lupin? and ABS-CBN?s ?Palos,? this is by far the most ambitious and appealing, even for viewers who are Hollywood-oriented and more demanding.

A large part of it is due to the show?s very contemporary feel, thanks to the use of believable high-tech gadgetry and weapons. It seems the show has spared no expense (by local standards), giving it an authentic feel and almost eliminating a look of ?fake-ness? that we?ve come to expect from local productions.

It?s great to see a local production move with the times. Campy, convoluted, and contrived action-slash-fantaseryes (and plain fantaseryes) have certainly had their 15 minutes of fame.

Still campy

Which is not to say ?Asero? is not without a certain degree of campy-ness. What recent local network offering has been spared from this? For ?Asero,? at least, the camp factor is balanced with believable material.

We feel that this one could capture a bigger audience, maybe school boys fascinated with cars, gadgets, and the like, and older male audiences across a broad demographic who hanker for the good old days when action meant big guns, gizmos, and girls in trouble.

Still, ?Asero? tries to have the best of both worlds, by way of maintaining its appeal for traditional prime time audiences. This is where Pinoy-ization comes in.

Scripting is still decidedly ?old school.? Even when characters such as Michael V?s resident computer whiz spews out tech-speak in fluent English (a laudable effort) it?s still far from realistic. Janno Gibbs? cardboard sidekick to Gutierrez?s titular Grecko tries to inject humor, but the jokes often feel dated.

The digital effects are not flawless, but they?re a marked improvement from just a few years ago. However, there?s still a lot to be desired when it comes to set pieces, i.e., the control center. While painstakingly designed, it still looks like an elaborate play-set.

Requisite romance

Pinoy-ization is also illustrated in the requisite love angle. Thankfully, it doesn?t slide back to familiar, syrupy, sappy territory. At least not yet.

As Gutierrez?s love interest, Evangelista should be credited for giving the show the ?heart? it needs to balance all the action, espionage, and machismo. She displays impressive (though understated) acting, and affects viewers when she?s shown in a predicament.

Also praiseworthy is the evident chemistry in spite of their love-hate relationship. We hope the team-up is sustained; it is more fun to watch than lovers merely going gooey at every turn.

As for Gutierrez himself, the role does not seem to require serious acting. It only demands that he be convincing in his dual role of agent and cyborg. And he is.

Return to drama

Over at ABS-CBN, another genre, much missed by many viewers, has been revived: the drama.

Of course, dramas never left prime time, but often they are either lightweight outings about young lovers, or tiresome murder-and-revenge sob-fests.

So far, ?Iisa Pa Lamang? is a successful throwback to the days when drama?especially in the movies?was engaging, thanks to good story lines and compelling plot twists.

?Iisa? has all the hallmarks of a ?classic? drama: Claudine Barreto as a poor lass who catches the attention of the handsome, privileged son (Diether Ocampo) of her rich, vile and scheming señora (Cherry Pie Picache); ?betrayal? that leads to a life of bitterness and misery; a reversal of fortunes where the oppressed becomes the oppressor; and, presumably, a climax that will bring all conflicts to a head.

What makes this series stand out is that it does not slide back to melodrama. Though far from being original, the conflicts and plot twists are executed in such a way that they seem fresh. A good story line, insightful directing, superb acting, and realistic scripting have all contributed to this.

Gabby Concepcion, who?s making a comeback, further legitimizes ?Iisa? as a drama in the mold of Pinoy classics. Though his well-preserved looks were certainly the first come-on, it?s his well-preserved acting chops that elevate the show above regular fare. There?s none of the over-acting that hapless audiences have been accustomed to, especially from younger leading men.

Concepcion is subtle, which is more or less how real men are in real life. It?s okay to want to watch him even if you?re an alpha male and not a gushing female reliving her teens.

Diether Ocampo who, not long ago, was on the verge of show biz extinction, has found a new lease on life, a chance to re-invent himself as a serious contender in the arena of male leads. And it looks like he?s not about to waste the opportunity.

Cherry Pie Picache has consistently lived up to her reputation as a thespian. While not as despicable as Cherrie Gil in the latter?s heyday, Picache displays just the right measure of villainy so as not to appear like a standard soap opera tormentor.

Familiar territory

As for the lead star, Claudine Barretto, she?s obviously in familiar territory. But despite her prowess and experience in this department, something seems amiss, which is why so far, her character doesn?t jump at you despite being the main role. It?s easy to empathize with her, but that?s because of the situation more than the character.

Many viewers will welcome the pacing. Watching one episode feels like watching a week?s worth.

Overall, ?Iisa Pa Lamang? serves its title well. It?s the only drama that can be enjoyed by a bigger audience than usual?covering both those who really like soaps and, more significantly, those who usually don?t.

So what will it be?action or drama?

?Codename: Asero? is aired after ?24 Oras? on GMA-7. ?Iisa Pa Lamang? is the current main offering on ABS-CBN?s Prime Time Bida block, after ?The Singing Bee.?