ABS-CBN’s iWant Series ‘Nurse the Dead’ Unveils First Looks

Philippines media giant ABS-CBN‘s premium streaming platform iWant is betting on supernatural workplace comedy with “Nurse the Dead,” a bilingual half-hour series currently in production in Los Angeles. First looks have been unveiled.

The dark comedy follows Noa Reyes, a driven Filipina nurse supervisor whose ability to see ghosts — referred to as her “third eye” — makes her the go-to handler for a hospital ward teeming with restless spirits. Juggling demanding apparitions alongside staff burnout, family pressures and a coworker who seems to know more about her than expected, the series grounds its supernatural premise in the cultural specificity of the Filipino healthcare experience.

The project represents a significant expansion for iWant, marking the streamer’s first bilingual English-Tagalog series produced on U.S. soil. Production is underway in Los Angeles and is slated to wrap during the second week of February.

Mark Labella serves as showrunner, creator, writer and director on the series, with Wesley Villarica and Drea Castro directing episodes in a collaborative approach across the season.

“‘Nurse the Dead’ is a dark comedy rooted in something very real: the Filipino healthcare experience,” Labella said. “Filipino nurses make up about 4% of the U.S. nursing workforce, yet were disproportionately represented among COVID-era nurse deaths — and that reality stayed with me. We’re using the supernatural and workplace chaos to explore grief, resilience, and legacy with bite, humor, and heart.”

The series stars Jelynn Malone as Noa Reyes. Malone, a Filipina American actor, host and Mostra Coffee co-founder, leads an ensemble cast that bridges Filipino and American entertainment. Gigette Reyes, who appears in Disney’s “Freakier Friday,” plays Mami Tess, while Johari Johnson (“American Crime Story: Impeachment,” “9-1-1: Lone Star”) portrays Jane.

Anthony Jennings, the ABS-CBN breakout recently seen in the record-breaking “Hello, Love, Again,” takes on the role of Grim. The cast also features iconic multi-platinum Filipino recording artist and actor Tootsie Guevarra as Zeny, longtime “Eat Bulaga!” fixture Ruby Rodriguez as Ros, and award-winning Filipino actress Princess Punzalan as Camille.

Rounding out the principal cast are Sydney Bollenbeck (DonDon), Kyle Rezzarday (George) and Natalie Orsi (Archangel Yolanda).

Jolly Estaris, head of iWant and ABS-CBN Integrated Digital Sales, positioned the series as part of the platform’s broader strategy to reach Filipino diaspora audiences. “At iWant, we’re focused on building boldly Filipino storytelling with global reach,” Estaris said. “‘Nurse the Dead’ reflects that ambition – and producing our first bilingual series in Los Angeles marks a major step in iWant’s quest to connect with generations of audiences across the diaspora.”

iWant serves a global audience with strong penetration across Filipino communities in North America, offering original series, films, and select live programming alongside library content from ABS-CBN.