Still Undisputed: Gandang Gabi Vice Claims Another Victim

‘Bossing & Ai’ was cancelled by GMA after only 20 episodes and low ratings opposite ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’. (Logo courtesy of GMA Network)

Once again, no one can stop ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’.

The latest victim of this ABS-CBN Sunday night talk show was ‘Bossing & Ai’, a game show/talk show hosted by Vic Sotto and Ai-ai delas Alas. Following its last episode on February 4, GMA quietly cancelled the program without any explanation.

First premiered on September 24, ‘Bossing & Ai’ marked Vic Sotto’s first foray into late-night television after years of producing primetime sitcoms. It also became his first television project with Ai-ai delas Alas following a string of box-office films.

From the moment it first aired, however, it became clear that ‘Bossing & Ai’ was destined to fail. The program only mustered an average of 6% in the Kantar ratings whereas ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ scored around 11%.

The mismatch between ‘Bossing & Ai’ and ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ was of no surprise considering that ‘Eat Bulaga’ and ‘It’s Showtime’ are also running in the same vein in recent years. It can also be said that Vice Ganda has had Vic Sotto’s number on television unlike in the Metro Manila Film Festival where the two comedy legends seem to be evenly matched.

Overall, ‘Bossing & Ai’ only aired a total of 20 episodes. While it was still eight episodes better than ‘Pare & Pare’ and nine more than ‘Para Sa ‘Yo Ang Laban Na ‘To’, the run of ‘Bossing & Ai’ remains short by GMA’s standards.

After the cancellation of ‘Bossing & Ai’, GMA reverted back to airing ‘Sunday Night Box Office’ opposite ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ (with occasional airings of Manny Pacquiao’s drama anthology ‘Stories for the Soul’ in between). Perhaps this is their last resort considering the numerous shows that failed against Vice Ganda’s talk show.

It remains to be seen whether or not GMA will once again try to beat ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ with a program of their own. But if ‘Bossing & Ai’ is definitely the last straw, then what a way to wave the white flag of surrender and concede to an unbeatable opponent.

Mayweather-Maidana II on FOX and TV5; PacMan Returns to GMA

Unnoticed on Philippine TV the first time, the rematch between Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and Marcos Maidana will finally get its due.

TV5 and FOX Sports Asia will broadcast the second installment of Mayweather-Maidana, with the former’s WBC, WBA and The Ring welterweight titles and the WBC light middleweight title on the line. The bout will be aired on tape delay this Sunday at 12:00 p.m.

Mayweather and Maidana first fought on May 3 (May 4, Manila time), with the former successfully defending his titles and preserving his unbeaten record via majority decision. However, no TV station in the Philippines, not even GMA or Solar Sports, covered the fight, angering some boxing fans in the process.

This time around, however, TV5 and FOX Sports Asia are making sure that the rematch won’t be missed by boxing fans across the country.

The rematch between the two combatants will be as highly anticipated as the first. While Mayweather’s attempt to retain his titles and unbeaten record will once again be the center of attention, boxing fans will also look forward to Maidana’s quest to exact revenge, as he once again tries to become the first boxer to beat Mayweather in the ring.

Mayweather-Maidana II is a rematch worth watching. And boxing fans can’t wait.

A New Show for PacMan, Again

Manny Pacquiao gets another crack at the small screen.

PacMan’s latest television program, ‘MP Featuring Sport Science’, will premiere on GMA this Sunday on a timeslot that is yet to be determined. The said program will feature segments from ESPN’s ‘Sport Science’.

The entry of ‘MP Featuring Sport Science’ came at a not-so opportune time. Pacquiao has been busy preparing for his fight against Chris Algieri in November, while also dabbling into his new role as a player and head coach of the PBA’s Kia Sorentos.

Pacquiao also serves as a congressman of Sarangani province, but due to his frequent absences, he has not been able to fully commit to his political responsibilities.

For the ‘Pambansang Kamao’, ‘MP Featuring Sport Science’ represents an opportunity for redemption, especially after his recent shows ‘Show Me Da Manny’, ‘Manny Many Prizes’ and ‘Para sa ‘Yo ang Laban na ‘To’ flopped in the ratings. But then again, PacMan’s redemption is easier said than done, since its upcoming opposition are just as strong ratings-wise.

Viewers, critics and fans can only hope that Pacquiao’s latest foray into television will not affect his preparations for an upcoming boxing match, not to mention his stint in professional basketball. ‘MP Featuring Sport Science’ may be a program worth watching, but does it help PacMan in any way? Let’s see.

Of Gandang Gabi Vice and GMA’s Inability to Beat the Show

Sunday nights have not been kind to GMA in recent years, thanks to shows like ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’. (Logo courtesy of ABS-CBN)

‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ has victimized GMA programming for the past three years.

Not only is GGV a top-rater on ABS-CBN and a social media hit, but it also forced GMA to make some changes in an attempt to beat the program. Still, no matter how many changes GMA would make, Vice Ganda’s show will always find a way to stay on top.

Among the notable victims of GGV’s success were a pair of Manny Pacquiao’s programs in ‘Show Me da Manny’ and ‘Para Sa ‘Yo Ang Laban Na ‘To’, the ill-fated talk show ‘Pare & Pare’, the sitcom ‘Andres de Saya’, and most recently the public affairs program ‘Imbestigador’.  All of the aforementioned programs, save for ‘Imbestigador’ which moved to a new timeslot, were axed by GMA.

Making it even worse for GMA is the guesting of their prized talents on Vice’s program. While contracted GMA artists Richard Gutierrez and Dingdong Dantes managed to make an appearance on GGV to promote their films (and subsequently get high ratings), the same cannot be said for Marian Rivera, who last year turned down a guesting stint on GGV out of respect for her mother network.

Nevertheless, the guestings of Chard and Dong will always prove that GGV is welcome to all artists, no matter which network they belong. Even the embattled Aljur Abrenica, who recently filed a case to void his GMA contract, is welcome to guest on Vice’s program.

Moving on, ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ will have a new opponent two Sundays from now. ‘Sa Puso ni Dok’, the upcoming medical docudrama on GMA, will premiere this Sunday night, but with the finale of ‘Pinoy Big Brother: All-In’ expected to run for two hours, the rivalry between the two shows will have to wait for another week.

The new series, starring Dennis Trillo and Bela Padilla, follows a similar formula that was used on critically-acclaimed GMA News docudramas ‘Katipunan’, ‘Bayan Ko’ and ‘Titser’. ‘Sa Puso ni Dok’ was originally slated to air on GMA News TV, before it was decided that the show will instead air on GMA in order to attract a bigger audience.

Whether or not ‘Sa Puso ni Dok’ will overcome the juggernaut that is ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: ‘Gandang Gabi Vice’ will always be a formidable and strong opponent, no matter what show it faces.

FTT Year 2013 in Review: GMA

Another year is about to end. But before the calendar flips to 2014, here is a look back at the year that was in television and radio. This article will focus on the GMA Network, which had a rather abysmal performance this year.

The Positives

There have been a few bright spots for the Kapuso network. ‘Bubble Gang‘, ‘Eat Bulaga‘ and ‘Startalk‘ continued to impress in the ratings on their 18th year. ‘Pepito Manaloto‘ and ‘Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho‘ became social media stars, and ‘I-Witness’ racked up nominations on various international award-giving bodies. They even gained notoriety by unveiling eight-year-old child star Ryzza Mae Dizon as host of her eponymous talk show.

But perhaps GMA’s most important contribution of the year was ‘My Husband’s Lover’, whose same-sex relationship storyline was both praised and derided by critics during its run. The network also scored big with Megan Young‘s victory at the 2013 Miss World and Manny Pacquiao‘s win over Brandon Rios.

GMA’s other network News TV 11 branched into the teleserye genre with ‘Bayan Ko’ and ‘Titser’, with both series earning critical and commercial acclaim. Despite the fact that both programs were uncharacteristic of a typical all-news network, its political and socially conscious storylines made it an appropriate choice to air on the said network.

The Negatives

Teleseryes like the revived ‘Anna Karenina’, ‘Indio’, ‘Kahit Nasaan Ka Man’ and ‘Love & Lies’ didn’t even last at least six months, and despite the success of ‘My Husband’s Lover’, none of the other teleseryes clicked with viewers. GMA also tried to place a kiligserye (‘With a Smile’) in the morning slot, but it didn’t work out either.

On weekends, ‘Party Pilipinas‘, ‘Extra Challenge‘, ‘Teen Gen‘, ‘Dormitoryo’, ‘Hot TV’, ‘One Day Isang Araw’, and ‘Para Sa ‘Yo Ang Laban Na ‘To’ became victims of GMA’s continued purging of that slot. Eventually GMA resorted to airing four movie blocks on weekends in order to save costs. But the truth is, a majority of GMA programs have been extremely lackluster of late, and as a result of declining ratings and ad sales, its revenue declined from last year.

Worse, GMA programs ‘Bubble Gang’, ‘Unang Hirit’, ‘Party Pilipinas’ and ‘The Ryzza Mae Show’ were summoned by the MTRCB for indecent episodes. Even sister network News TV 11 suffered thanks to repetitive public affairs programs and unconventional movie blocks.

Outlook

So what’s next for GMA? They are expected to unveil a trio of new teleseryes starring Jennylyn Mercado (‘Rhodora X’), Marian Rivera (‘Carmela’) and Louise delos Reyes (‘Kambal Sirena’) in the new year. However, with its rival continuing to push the envelope thanks to its younger roster of stars and newly-acquired television franchises, GMA is again under pressure to improve its lackluster 2013 showing. And with its lack of purpose and ability to adapt and change haunting them, it looks like GMA is poised for another down year.