Jane the Virgin About to Conclude, Says ABS-CBN

Apparently ABS-CBN does not realize the difference between American and Filipino series.

Such is the case for ‘Jane the Virgin’, the Tagalized American comedy-drama series that premiered in the Philippines last March 28. The series, which starred Gina Rodriguez as the titular Jane, was recently renewed by the American cable network The CW for a third season.

Yet ABS-CBN insists that ‘Jane the Virgin’ will come to an end soon. A teaser for its presumed conclusion was recently released by ABS-CBN and has been airing on the network during commercial breaks (see trailer video below).

If the ABS-CBN management were smart enough, they should know the difference between a typical Filipino teleserye and an American series. Look at these contrasts.

American series

• A season consists of at least 20 episodes
• An American television season lasts from October to May
• An American series airs weekly, with a few preemptions for special events in between
• If successful, they are usually renewed for another season, otherwise they can be cancelled

Filipino series

• A season ranges from at least 60 episodes to at most 160 episodes, usually divided by ‘book’
• There is no such thing as a Filipino television season; programs air year-round
• A Filipino series airs five times a week, except during Maundy Thursday and Good Friday
• Cancellations rarely happen in Filipino series, but renewals to extend its run take place

From the perspective of ABS-CBN, it appears that the reason why ‘Jane the Virgin’ is about to ‘end’ is because of ratings and a desire for another experiment. As it currently stands, ‘Jane the Virgin’ averages around 7% per episode, which is good enough to beat a GMA Asianovela but not against comedy programs ‘A1 Ko Sa ‘Yo’ and ‘Bubble Gang’.

This means that based on ratings alone, ABS-CBN might not bring back ‘Jane the Virgin’ in the foreseeable future. Even though a third season is expected to air in the United States this October, there is a possibility that it may not be aired at all in the Philippines.

If this is indeed the end for ‘Jane the Virgin’ in the Philippines, expect nothing less than an impressive finish. Hopefully ABS-CBN can reconsider its so-called ‘decision’ on this beloved American series, otherwise they will have to regroup.

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American Series Return to ABS-CBN via Jane the Virgin

The unthinkable has happened.

On March 28, ABS-CBN will bring ‘Jane the Virgin’ to Channel 2 as a replacement to ‘You’re My Home’. This will mark the first time in over a decade that Channel 2 had an American series on its lineup.

‘Jane the Virgin’ stars Gina Rodriguez as the titular 23-year-old virgin woman. She was accidentally inseminated artificially with sperm samples of a wealthy and married hotel owner Rafael (played by Justin Baldoni), disrupting her plans of keeping her virginity.

The incident eventually led to the two becoming a couple and raising a child of their own. Still, it didn’t help that her plans to marry her detective boyfriend (Brett Dier) ended in ruin because of it.

In the United States, ‘Jane the Virgin’ airs on the CW and has a total of two seasons and 36 episodes since premiering in the autumn of 2014. It was recently renewed for a third season thanks to good ratings and positive reviews.

Due to the fact that ‘Jane the Virgin’, like all other American series, airs weekly and only on a seasonal basis, broadcasting the series will be a problem for ABS-CBN. Because of that, they might need to produce or import a replacement as soon as possible, due to these circumstances.

And even if ‘Jane the Virgin’ was renewed for another season or two, the Kapamilya network may not even make a long-term commitment. That said, their decision to air ‘Jane the Virgin’ will depend on its performance and how willing are they to take a risk.

The truth is, Filipino viewers have no penchant for patience, and for ABS-CBN, this may turn out to be a big mistake. After all, such seasonal series only caters to the upper and middle class, and for a station with a mass following, this might not help at all.

‘Jane the Virgin’, dubbed in Filipino, airs weeknights starting March 28 after ‘The Story of Us’ on Primetime Bida.

FTT Advisory: From the Tube will take a break in observance of Holy Week. Regular posts resume on March 28. Have a wonderful and blessed Holy Week.