Gauging from my hometown TV viewing, the survey ranking GMA-7 primetime shows at the top of ratings rings true.
Legions of fans, mostly kids, calling themselves Encantaddicts play “Encantadia” characters. They are the most popular along with Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza in “Destined To Be Yours”; Barbie Forteza and her hunk suitors Ken Chan, Jak Roberto, Ivan Dorschner, Andy Raj in “Meant To Be”; Mike Enriquez, Arnold Clavio, and Ali Soto in DZBB morning slots.
The chief reason for the largely positive following for GMA primetime soaps is they only run for a quarter season unlike ABS-CBN’s year-long shows. But even the shorter time does not make them flawless at all. Take the case of “Encantadia.”
If “Ang Probinsyano”, which competes for provocative focus against “Encantadia”, has drawn repetitive with the slew of characters thrown into the fray, “Encantadia” is also guilty of over-indulgence. Its enchanted gems push-and-pull game and the tribal-dominance rivalry over again annoy more and entertain less.
Now on its last week, expect all the resolutions of conflicts at the finale. What Kapuso followers want is – why not resolve them earlier so the rest of the nights will be a feel-good viewing lull for the viewers.
We hope the last two weeks of “Destined To Be Yours” won’t suffer the same fate. Can we call the “creative writers” to use reverse thinking now? Say, go, Sinag and Benjie, dominate and make life for Thea and Catalina unbearable!
Can’t they please the viewers this time by portraying the vidas as brainy and the contravidas as a bunch of birds?
Or are they really happy to ruffle the feathers of the audience? No go for “Mulawin vs. Ravena”, please.
And now, the DZBB-AM radio programs of Mike Enriquez, Arnold Clavio, and Ali Sotto. Bright and early, you’ll hear Mike and Ali contesting and guessing Igan’s blind item – for an hour! Gosh! Could’nt they add more imaginative reports aimed at giving listeners some positive alternative?
The good singer Ali is so comfortable with her casual “ano” and “pwet” expressions; the talented Igan seems eager to flaunt his subconscious sexuality on air (at this time and age, huh!), while the pious Mike blocks field reports with side comments longer than those of the reporter’s!
Anyway, he’s rightfully, the boss.
Finally, the afternoon “Walang Siesta” is both odd and funny because of the bad English of one “badingding” host, miseducating the listeners by so doing. Hear his slighted remarks too, for the other two anchors – Totsie who is the most natural and entertaining, and Mega who stays on middle ground.
GMA’s cutting edge technollogy does it easy to win wider audiences as smitten as the ones awaiting its “Makulay na Summer” headliners such as “Mulawin vs. Ravena” and “My Love From The Stars.” (Pit M. Maliksi)