ABS-CBN’s ‘Nurse the Dead’ Filming Bilingual Ghost Comedy in LA

ABS-CBN, the major media company from the Philippines, is producing a new TV series called 'Nurse the Dead' on its streaming service iWant. The show is a half-hour bilingual comedy about supernatural events in a haunted hospital in Los Angeles. Production started recently, and the team has shared first glimpses of the set and cast. The story centers on Noa Reyes, a Filipina nurse supervisor who can see ghosts, which she calls her 'third eye.' This ability creates funny and tense moments as she handles hospital work and the spirits around her.

Background

ABS-CBN has long been a leader in Philippine entertainment, with shows, news, and movies reaching millions at home and abroad. Its streaming platform iWant offers premium content to viewers worldwide, focusing on stories that connect with Filipino audiences. 'Nurse the Dead' marks a step into international production, with filming in Los Angeles. The choice of LA ties into the large Filipino community there, many of whom work in healthcare. This setting lets the series explore real-life experiences of immigrant nurses while adding a layer of ghost stories drawn from Filipino folklore.

The Philippines has a rich tradition of tales about spirits and the afterlife, often mixed into everyday life. Shows like this build on that, but 'Nurse the Dead' sets it in an American hospital to show cultural clashes and shared human struggles. Production teams from Manila traveled to LA to work with local crew and actors. They picked a real hospital location that fits the haunted vibe, though they built sets inside to control the look. Casting included actors who speak English and Tagalog, reflecting the bilingual lives of many Filipinos in the US.

Development on the series began over a year ago. Writers drew from interviews with Filipina nurses in California, who shared stories of long shifts, patient care, and personal challenges. The supernatural element comes from Noa's gift, which started in her childhood back home. Now in LA, she uses it to help both living patients and wandering ghosts, often leading to mix-ups with her staff.

Key Details

'Nurse the Dead' runs 30 minutes per episode, with a planned first season of 10 episodes. Filming takes place at a shuttered wing of a Los Angeles hospital, giving an authentic feel without disrupting active medical work. The cast features up-and-coming Filipino-American actors alongside established names from Philippine TV. Noa Reyes is played by a rising star known for roles in Manila dramas. Her team includes a skeptical doctor, a chatty orderly who suspects her secret, and a ghost who sticks around as comic relief.

Production Insights

The crew films five days a week, aiming to wrap principal photography by early spring. Special effects handle the ghosts, using practical makeup and digital touches for see-through appearances. Bilingual dialogue switches naturally between English for hospital scenes and Tagalog for private moments or spirit talks. Directors focus on quick pacing to balance laughs from workplace mishaps and scares from ghostly encounters.

Budget details remain private, but sources say iWant invested heavily to compete with global streamers. Post-production will happen partly in Manila for sound and editing, blending US and Philippine talent.

"Noa's third eye brings the hospital to life in ways no one expects. It's about finding humor in the chaos of nursing, ghosts or no ghosts." – Lead actress portraying Noa Reyes

Episodes cover shifts gone wrong, like a ghost mimicking a patient alarm or Noa advising spirits on unfinished business while dodging her boss. The show avoids heavy horror, leaning into dark comedy where the dead provide life lessons.

What This Means

For ABS-CBN, 'Nurse the Dead' tests waters in the crowded streaming market. iWant gains a title with US production values, appealing to Filipinos in America and beyond. The bilingual approach reaches non-Filipino viewers curious about immigrant stories. Healthcare workers, especially nurses, may see their realities reflected, from night shifts to family pressures.

The series highlights Filipino talent on an international stage. Actors and crew build resumes with LA credits, opening doors to Hollywood. It also spotlights supernatural beliefs common in Filipino culture, introducing them to wider audiences through comedy.

Streaming competition grows daily, with platforms chasing niche viewers. A show like this could carve a space for diaspora stories, mixing laughs with cultural nods. Release is set for later this year on iWant, with possible wider distribution. Viewers can expect a fresh take on hospital dramas, where the biggest emergencies come from the afterlife. Success might lead to more cross-border projects from ABS-CBN, expanding its global footprint.