Weeks before airing, they had already caused a stir online. It was hard not to notice those head-turning memes of a girl with two faces sharing one body. It was this rarity that made the memes.

The cast and crew pointed out that beyond the memes, they want to share a story that is new and different

The girl on spotlight is the character Kara Mia, a fictional one and the subject of the primetime show of the same title premiering tonight on GMA-7.

As soon as the teaser of Kara Mia was published, people could not help but poke fun at it.

There she was, solving the problem of double dating; being the jeepney driver who cannot be fooled by passengers who do not pay their fares; taking exams and conveniently seeing the answers of the student behind her; and even as Kara Mia Gray, a reference to 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray.

Even the cast could not help but be amused.

THE show is top billed by Mika dela Cruz who plays Mia, Barbie Forteza as Kara, Jak Roberto as Boni and Paul Salas as Chino. “The memes were good! You can see that they really made an effort. We’re happy because even though we have yet to air, we’re all over Facebook with us not exerting much effort to promote our show,” gushed lead star Barbie Forteza.

Forteza plays Kara, one of the titular roles. Her “twin,” Mia, is portrayed by Mika dela Cruz.

Naturally, they also generated negative comments. Had they ever been asked or pried about those memes being “planted” to spur interest in their upcoming show?

“Thank goodness we have not encountered that. Even when we did our regional tours, we saw them (the audience) do their own drawings. Their reaction was organic,” Hazel Abonita, senior progam manager, said.

Barbie added, “We’re not offended. As Miss Hazel said, good or bad publicity is still publicity. It means we’re being talked about, the attention is on us. Good or bad, we take it. Whatever it is.”

The cast and crew pointed out that beyond the memes, they want to share a story that is new and different.

Abonita said they noticed that viewers are more discerning; they want more than the traditional drama.

EVEN the cast couldn’t help but be amused of the memes circulating online. “Viewers are very discerning. They want plus one in their story. Not to dilute the value of traditional drama, but they want a traditional drama and yet there’s plus one. Like Onanay, it stars a little person. They want stories with plus one that features a medical condition or superstitious origin of the protagonist. That was one of our realizations when we were studying our programs,” Abonita explained.

She cited the currently airing Onanay which stars newcomer, Jo Berry, who has dwarfism. It airs nightly on the primetime block.

Kara Mia will have the same element. Abonita said they were inspired by the story featured on Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho about an elemental in Negros Oriental which legend tells robbed the panties of the locals. She revealed this is the why they shot their pilot episode in Bacolod, one of the cities in the province.

Abonita added they were also inspired by the story of Edward Mordrake, the subject of a 19th-century urban legend about a man born of the peerage. In the stories, he had a “demon face” at the back of his head that whispered to him vile intentions which drove him to commit suicide at age 23.

In addition, there is a rare congenital disorder called diprosopus or craniofacial duplication. It is a condition where a part or all parts of a face are duplicated on the head.

Their inspirations might sound “creepy” at the very least, but the show, said Forteza and Abonita, is rated PG.

“We would like to make it clear that our show is for kids. It is not horror nor a comedy. It’s a fantaserye (fantasy series) with romance,” Barbie described.

Kara Mia Gray, a reference to 2018 Miss Universe Catriona Gray. Abonita explained, “In terms of feel, it’s like ‘Disney-esque’. That’s why when you see the colors — it’s pink, it’s light. No blacks or dark colors. Iswal, one of our characters, we think he’s going to attract the kids. He’s very engaging. He’s not a bad engkanto (elemental). The feel is very young.”

Iswal (Mike Tan), the elemental in the forest, lays his eyes on Aya (Carmina Villaroel), who came to reside in Bacolod with her husband Arthur (John Estrada). The couple left Manila and settled in the province after encountering financial troubles while living in the capital. This will serve as the starting point of the story. Aya will conceive and give birth to a girl with one body and two faces.

The memes about the girls’ dating life, among others, will be illustrated when they meet two men: Boni (Jak Roberto), the guy who likes Kara but catches Mia’s attention, and his cousin Chino (Paul Salas), Boni’s well-off cousin who steals Kara’s heart.

Also in the cast are Glydel Mercado, Liezel Lopez, Althea Ablan, Karenina Haniel, April Gustilo and Arthur Solinap. Seasoned stars Alicia Alonzo and Gina Pareño also star in the show.

The show is created and penned by Tina Velasco, Elle Ortizluis, Cynthia Paz (brainstormers); Onay Sales, John Kenneth de Leon, Kutz Enriquez (writers); and Des Garbes-Severino (head writer). It is under the tutelage of the Creative Team headed by creative head Richard “Dode” Cruz and creative consultants Aloy Adlawan and Denoy Navarro-Punio.

It is directed by Dominic Zapata and is an original production of the GMA Entertainment Group.