2017 gets underway with two teleseryes concluding their respective runs this Friday.
On one end, there is the ABS-CBN primetime series ‘Magpahanggang Wakas’. The latest in a series of ‘kabitseryes’, ‘Magpahanggang Wakas’ starred Jericho Rosales, Arci Muñoz and John Estrada in a story that involves a romantic love triangle and a man wrongly accused of murder and was thought to have been killed.
On the other end is the GMA primetime series ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’, starring Tom Rodriguez, Lovi Poe and Max Collins. Like ‘Magpahanggang Wakas’, this series featured a love triangle, this time with a plot centering on a man who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.
‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ premiered on September 5, and was initially pitted against the short-lived series ‘Born for You’. But after the latter’s conclusion, many expected to see ‘Magpahanggang Wakas’ go up against the former.
Unfortunately, ABS-CBN had other ideas. On September 19, the network demoted ‘Till I Met You’ to the third slot of Primetime Bida, and ‘Magpahanggang Wakas’ was placed in the second slot, opposite another debuting series in ‘Alyas Robin Hood’.
But while ‘Magpahanggang Wakas’ regularly got the better of ‘Alyas Robin Hood’ in the Kantar national ratings, it averaged only 26%, a far cry from the 30% or better numbers of ‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo’ and ‘Dolce Amore’ earlier in 2016. Much has been said about its plot line, which may have turned viewers off due to its obvious familiarity.
As for ‘Someone to Watch over Me’, it only scored an average of 12% during its run. But unlike previous GMA dramas that aired in this timeslot, ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ actually fought well, pushing the JaDine-starred ‘Till I Met You’ to the limit in more recent episodes.
Overall, ‘Magpahanggang Wakas’ will have aired for 80 episodes, while ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ will have a total of 90 episodes. Not bad, but not good for either network’s standards.
In the end, it is clear that the success of the so-called ‘kabitserye’ is wearing thin. It was a tried and tested formula, but for those who have seen this plot before, it is no longer a healthy obsession.
This Friday, both ‘Magpahanggang Wakas’ and ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ will have one last chance to impress themselves. One can only hope that the two series will end on a high note, after all these difficult times.
From the Tube 
Finally, I’ve been waiting for your first post of the New Year 2017. Well, I took the liberty of taking the opening salvo and the outlook of each player.
While I might not going to last long, I’m solely looking forward to the 65th Miss Universe pageant.
Anyway, it’s going to be an interesting first month because several new programs will premiere this January, including the replacements for Magpahanggang Wakas and Someone to Watch Over Me. As for you, let’s just hope you reconsider your decision from last year, because the demise of your blog could be huge for us.
Ano pala ang papalit sa TIMY? Baket di pa rin nila sinasabi. Last 2 weeks na yata yun.
Maghintay ka na lang imbes na magmadali. Once TIMY enters its last week, I’ll write about it. After all, it’s hard to pick a new teleserye to replace a concluding one since sa trade launch ng ABS, marami silang bagong hinahandang teleserye.
Most likely baka Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin ng Kimerald, hula ko lang…
Again, sa last week ng TIMY natin malalaman.