‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo’ took its toll on GMA once again.
Fifteen years after the original series took the then-Rainbow Network by surprise, the newly-revised version of ‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo’ again proved its lasting power in the era of social media. It showed that even with new actors, new technology and a tweaked script, the results will still be the same.
For rival ‘Let the Love Begin’, it was a total disappointment. GMA tried to concoct a new and promising love team with Gabbi Garcia and Ruru Madrid, but it never clicked with the viewers at all.
Whether it’s the ‘Forevermore’ duo of Enrique Gil and Liza Soberano, or ‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo”s Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, the GabRu duo failed to match the chemistry and mass appeal of its rivals. And after 70 episodes by the end of Friday’s finale, their future as an on-screen duo is now in doubt.
Now GMA is going back to its old reliables in hopes of curtailing the momentum of ‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo’. Enter Lovi Poe and Heart Evangelista of the upcoming series ‘Beautiful Strangers’.
In ‘Beautiful Strangers’, Heart and Lovi are billed as rivals, in contrast to their off-screen friendship. Heart plays the role of a kind-hearted plastic surgeon, while Lovi portrays the role of an interior designer with a dark past.
The two lead stars will be joined by Christopher de Leon, Benjamin Alves, Rocco Nacino, Dina Bonnevie, Ayen Munji-Laurel, Renz Valerio, Kier Legaspi, Dianne Medina, Djanin Cruz, Gab de Leon, Nar Cabico, Mariel Pamintuan and Lovely Rivero. ‘Beautiful Strangers’ will be directed by Albert Langitan.
Once ‘Beautiful Strangers’ premieres this Monday, it will be the second of three new dramas that GMA will introduce on the same day, as part of a month-long overhaul of Telebabad. But it remains to be seen if the new series will pose a more interesting challenge to ‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo’.
One thing’s for sure: GMA still can’t make the most out of their younger talents and now resort to old-timers in hopes of gaining some relevance.
‘Beautiful Strangers’ airs starting August 10 at 8:30 p.m. after ‘Pari ‘Koy’ on GMA Telebabad.
From the Tube 
GMA will launch the Marimar remake with Megan Young late this month. We’ll see if it will match up to the Pangako sa Iyo remake.
It will be up against Nathaniel, unfortunately. MariMar replaces Pari ‘Koy.
Ironically, Pari Koy has Dingdong Dantes, who has given his thumbs up on the Marimar remake.
Still, the 2nd remake came a little too early. Eight years to be exact. GMA’s entertainment group is running out of ideas, hence the rushed remake of MariMar.
Pati remake, minamadali na. Ratings-wise, hindi yan papatok. About GMA reliying more on veterans, mukhang hindi na nila pinapansin ang young talents ng GMA. Thumbs down for Rasonable!
The entire entertainment department is in a flux. Wala kasing tiwala sa mga bata ang GMA. The creative process is at its worst.
>late this month
Pari ‘Koy has been reported to be extended again so a September premiere window for the second MariMar remake is still possible.
>Dianne Medina
Is she an ex-PBB regular housemate? (If yes, specify the season.)
>Albert Langitan
He seems to be a former staffer from the early days of PBB. His stint as a director at GMA currently spans less than a decade. The directors for the aforementioned MariMar remake and My Faithful Husband are both veterans.
So far there’s no confirmation of an extension. As far as GMA’s concerned, Pari ‘Koy is done before August is over, and MariMar will come. You may watch this link and see it for yourself.
I don’t know about Dianne Medina, but if I remember correctly, she once starred in the Jose and Wally Show.
The Kapuso directors does have some experience, but an eye for quality acting, characterization and storytelling is still left to be desired. That’s why GMA teleseryes on primetime (and with the big stars, no less) have not done well against ABS.
I seen Dianne Medina as one of the anchors of PTV Channel 4, the government channel.
GMA should’ve hired someone who’s program-wise, not a ratings-wise scumbag like Lilib**** Rasonable.
Indeed.
Crisis after crisis in Timog Avenue…
from entertainment division to Gozon himself to regional stations to the news department, puro na bad news sa GMA week after week. GMA is now the ‘new’ IBC 13.
Exactly. Mukhang parallel ang pagbagsak ng dalawang istasyon.
Back to PSY, it will be months now as the new Beabianca will be surfaced.
More bad news for GMA.
Bea Bianca just debuted tonight
Good then.
In other news, On the wings of Love starting James Reid & Nadine Lustre will start on Monday and it is expected to replace Bridges of Love which will end on Friday. Well expect also social media buzz as KathNiel and JaDine will take over the 8:30-10:00 PM timeslot. Means even more bad news for GMA.
On the Wings of Love will be up against My Faithful Husband, another debuting GMA teleserye. More on that in an upcoming article.
Overpopularized loveteams problem anyway….
Well, GMA couldn’t make it work unlike ABS. That’s what happens when they don’t have someone like Cathy Garcia-Molina who can create chemistry out of her loveteams.
GMA should have thought of that in the first place. Keep tandems together.
But proper training and marketing is a must as well.
But proper training and marketing is a must as well.
and now ABS has Antoinette Jadaone for On The Wings Of Love. Nasa director tlga ang magic. Now PSY has Cathy Garcia Molina and Richard Arellano as directors both came from Forevermore Director’s pool.
Finding a good director (which GMA hasn’t been able to do) has worked wonders for ABS, mapa-TV man o pelikula.
andoy ranay left them already. Dpat new breed of directors kaso sadly wala atang may gustong magwork for them.
Too bad.
I agree with you that Megan Young’s Marimar came too early. PSY took close to a decade before it was finally remade. I believe that this was GMA’s way of keeping Megan active after her reign as Miss World ended. No more room for her at ABS with so many young stars while TV5 already has its alternative programming like the PBA.
Yung PSY, it took more than a decade para iremake. Yung second Marimar remake, minadali (less than a decade) para lang iremake. Walang ideya ang GMA ngayon.
Next thing you know, GMA News will be producing a teleserye as well. Desperate times indeed.
@Ralph:
I know one, remember Illustrado?
The first of many GMA News-produced teleseryes. The beginning of a creative slump for the entertainment department. But what we’re talking about are fictional dramas.
ABSCBN re-made Dyesebel 6 years after GMA re-made it. If this hadn’t happened, then this year’s Marimar remake wouldn’t have happened at all. Meh.
Though, it was ABS who acquired the rights to the Ravelo characters and made their own spin on it. But this is not the point. A second remake/adaptation made by the same station a few years after the first is definitely not good in a creative standpoint. Kung ubusan lang naman ng istorya ang batayan, then this is it.
But if GMA 7 shuts down, the country will only be left with 2 networks for general mainstream programming namely ABS-CBN and TV5. Obviously by then, many kapuso viewers will have no choice but to rely on those if that’s going to happen.
Definitely a dilemma GMA wants to avoid. If they’re smart enough to spend these things would have never happened. Instead here they are, at the worst shape possible.
The only thing we have to wait though, is for a miracle to happen, if that persists. Perhaps by now, GMA is doing all they can to earn and save money for next year’s election coverage and make use of that for their big (and not literally extravagant) studio, advanced equipment, the resources, so many you can think of.
Yes indeed. GMA has a proud history of its own, but with the recent negative events, those things may tarnish their legacy.
And with the ongoing conflict between GMA and Ramon Ang, the station is in a real mess.
Among the new tandems from GMA, BiGuel lang ang pumatok. Unfortunately.
Bankable talent and love teams remain their Achilles’ heel.
Maybe AlDub but GMA doesn’t own them.
AlDub is under TAPE, so big loser pa rin ang GMA.
Yung BiGuel at GabRu tandem lang nila ang only hope. Kaso kulang sa training at exposure.