| Genre: | Drama |
| Runtime: | 30 minutes |
| Creator: | Emil Cruz, Jr. |
| Director: | Emil Cruz, Jr. |
| Developer: | ABS-CBN Studios |
| Editor: | Rachel Aguilos |
| Theme Music Composer: | Nonong Buencamino Amado Lacuesta |
| Opentheme: | "Mara Clara" by Therese Amper |
| Endtheme: | "Mara Clara" by Therese Amper |
| Country: | Philippines |
| Language: | Tagalog |
| Company: | Dreamscape Entertainment |
| Network: | ABS-CBN |
| Num Seasons: | 2 |
| Num Episodes: | 1,175 |
| Executive Producer: | Annaliza A. Goma |
| Related: | Mara Clara (2010–2011) |
Mara Clara is a Philippine television drama series broadcast by ABS-CBN. Starring Judy Ann Santos and Gladys Reyes. It aired on the network's afternoon line up from August 17, 1992 to February 14, 1997, replacing Sebya, Mahal Kita and was replaced by Esperanza. It is the second longest running drama series of ABS-CBN.
The title is derived from María Clara, the mestiza heroine of José Rizal's .
This series is streaming online on YouTube.[1]
Mara and Clara were switched at birth, and the details of this event were recorded by Kardo (Dan Fernandez), a hospital staff, in his diary. Mara (Judy Ann Santos) lived as the poor daughter of the couple Susan (Susan Africa) and Gary Davis (Eruel Tongco/William Martinez) while Clara (Gladys Reyes), their real daughter, was brought up the rich Amanthe (Juan Rodrigo) and Almira Del Valle (Beverly Vergel).
The good-natured Del Valle couple (Juan Rodrigo and Beverly Vergel) takes in Mara (Judy Ann Santos) as a servant and decides to spend for her education, not knowing that she is their real daughter. Gary (Eruel Tongco/William Martinez), who is actually a gang and syndicate leader, approves of the idea that Mara lives with the Del Valles to extort money. Clara makes life for Mara difficult. But, as time progresses they find out their true identity in the spotlights, damages are paid, and they all know where to stand.
After the cancellation of Ula, Ang Batang Gubat, director Emil Cruz Jr. conceptualized a soap opera entitled "Mara Clara" and was presented to ABS-CBN for approval. Judy Ann Santos and Gladys Reyes were handpicked by the director for the titular roles. During the early years of the soap, majority of scenes, particularly the Del Valle mansion are shot inside the studio. It was near the end of Book 1 towards Book 2 that the series started shooting on an actual location.
On May 19, 1996, cast members Eruel Tongco, Ireneo Sevilla, Joy Clarise Cojuangco and Bienvenido dela Rosa died when their vehicle fell into a ravine in Palayan while driving home from a Nueva Ecija stage presentation.[2]
The series originally aired at 2:30 p.m. as a blocktimer produced by its original director Emil Cruz Jr. from August 17, 1992, until September 30, 1994, after Anna Luna. It moved to a 2:00 p.m. timeslot on October 3, 1994, when its predecessor Anna Luna moved from the said network to RPN. The show's rights was later on purchased by ABS-CBN Entertainment and was moved to a primetime slot on July 8, 1996, after TV Patrol to challenge RPN's Tagalog-language dub of Mexican telenovela, Marimar and Villa Quintana of GMA. It ended on February 14, 1997, to make way for Esperanza as the replacement on February 17.
The series re-aired in 2007 by affiliates Studio 23 (later S+A) and Kapamilya Channel (internationally subsidiary of The Filipino Channel) through 2008. It aired internationally in 1994 til its series finale on The Filipino Channel when it first aired as same day airings. It then re-aired in 2007-2008 for the first time on the Kapamilya Channel.
On September 18, 1996, a movie was produced based on the television series. This was the first television series created by ABS-CBN to be adapted by Star Cinema.
In the film, Gary Davis' character was changed. It was portrayed by Eruel Tongco in the series, while William Martinez played the role in the film due to Tongco's death from a car accident in 1996.
Additionally, Qureubin was originally portrayed by Whitney Tyson in the series but Jinky Oda portrayed the character in the film following a series of bullying cases to Tyson during shoots leading eventually to her withdrawal from the series.
See main article: Mara Clara (2010 TV series). During the ABS-CBN trade event held on August 24, 2010, at the World Trade Center Manila, it was announced that a remake of the series will start its production in 2010.[3] Kathryn Bernardo is slated for the role of Mara, with Julia Montes as Clara.[4] It aired on ABS-CBN from October 25, 2010, to June 3, 2011.
| Series | Movie version[5] | |
|---|---|---|
| Kardo revealed to Gary that Mara is not her real daughter later in the series. | Gary knew from the start that Mara is not her daughter. | |
| Susan attacked Lenita after the latter ordered Mara to wash her clothes. | Susan attacked Lenita after the former discovered Gary's affair to the latter. | |
| Clara brought the diary together with her things in the mansion. | Kardo handed over the diary to Clara after she found out the truth of her identity. | |
| Clara heard from the conversation of Amanthe and Gary that she is the daughter of Susan and Gary. | Amanthe revealed to Clara himself that she is the daughter of Gary and Susan after he saw her hurting her biological mother. |
The series had its highest rating of 45% in one of its episode in 1994, it is considered as one of the highest rating Filipino TV series of all time.
The TV series made waves through most of the Filipino audience and being called by ABS-CBN as, "Ina ng Pinoy Soap Opera" owing to the series' huge success.
The highly-overt antagonism of Gladys Reyes' main antagonist character, Clara, by way of her violent actions done throughout the series against Judy's character, Mara, had provoked a huge reaction on those who viewed the show's protagonist Mara, more favorably, such to the point that Gladys Reyes had earned the title "Bella Flores of the 90's".