“Touch Screen,” a three-episode original anthology series on the streaming service iWant, explores the impact of technology on how we connect with each other as people, whether it’s with family members, friends, or a potential partner. Our gadgets and devices allow us to interact with each other – it’s true. But as the series says, “sometimes, life happens when we disconnect,” and it definitely forces us to look not just at our screens, but at ourselves, and teaches lessons about how to treat our loved ones better. (Warning: Spoilers ahead!)
Lesson 1: It doesn’t matter where you find love
In the episode “It’s A Match,” relationship-phobic and cynical Elvi (Denise Laurel) dreams of meeting the man of his dreams in a coffee shop. But after she “matches” with Justin (Joseph Marco) on a dating app and decides to go out with him, she learns that it doesn’t really matter where the magic begins. What counts is the connection you both feel when you hang out in real life that will allow you to get to know each other on a deeper level. Also: Don’t judge a person by their online profile!
Lesson 2: Seeking online validation won’t always bring you joy
We are so obsessed with our social media “clout” these days, that building ourselves up online sometimes leads to heated arguments with people we don’t even know. In “Wittyrella,” Mandy (Janella Salvador) hopes to gain more followers to get her celebrity crush to notice her. However, when she finds out that the person behind the account she’s feuding with is close to her, she realizes that her fangirling has become detrimental to her relationship with her family – the people who truly care about her – and that having thousands of followers does not automatically lead to happiness or satisfaction.
Lesson 3: “Old-schoolers” don’t have to be afraid of technology
Technology indeed makes everyday life easier and more convenient. But it becomes a threat to old-school househelp Inday (Pokwang) in the episode “Vixee vs. Inday,” as she finds herself neglected and undervalued when the father brings home a fully functional smart gadget named Vixee. She later comes to terms with the reality that the gadget is not her enemy, but her partner in taking care of the people who matter to her and have always treated her like family.
Stream “Touch Screen” and other original movies and shows on iWant, which is available on iOS and Android or may be accessed through the web (iwant.ph).