"What a grand entrance!"

My exact thoughts as Ruru Madrid zoomed into the German Moreno Studio of GMA 7 astride a motorbike, a truly fitting approach for the primetime hero of the new action series Black Rider.

Ambitious, high-octane, and testosterone-driven action and fight sequences, plus the requisite heart-stirring scenes and colorful and complicated characters were all plain to see as the full trailer flickered on a gigantic television screen.

Asked how he was feeling about his new show, Madrid answered, "Excited, grateful, nervous, and honored to be Elias Guerrero" — the name of his driven character. 

"Doing Black Rider is a dream come true. That is why I give it my all, puso (heart) and passion. The training that I did in hand combat, martial arts, and motocross riding was not painless. Siempre, hindi lang aksyon ang pinaghandaan ko. My character Elias' narrative is equally difficult. Kita naman sa trailer na 'yung tragedy he experienced is not for the faint-hearted. And why he chose to strike back, and not just let karma do its job, is something that I fully understand. I feel for him," the actor added.

Black Rider's crystal-clear strengths include a relatable and fresh story rooted in the lives of pandemic front-liners, especially delivery drivers. Woman power shines as the female characters are not the usual damsels who need a knight to save them.  Both Yassi Pressman and Katrina Halili are badass, feisty, and ready to fight.

Adding another layer of powerful feminine presence to the action series are Gladys Reyes, Maureen Larazabal, and Rio Locsin.

Commendable is the casting of John Paul Joseph Santos, the fairy we all love as Pipay; and Turing Quinto, the boom-bastic drag queen. The duo said they are ecstatic they get to play appealing and relatable pink characters on TV.