Long-Running Doble Kara Enters Final Week

After 382 episodes, ‘Doble Kara’ is finally bowing out.

The ABS-CBN afternoon drama series will officially conclude its stellar run as daytime’s top drama this coming Friday. And for fans of Julia Montes, ‘Doble Kara’ will forever be remembered as the series that catapulted her to the top of the afternoon circuit.

‘Doble Kara’ first came on the air on August 24, 2015. At first, the series was originally planned to replace ‘Flordeliza’, but at the last second, ABS-CBN hastily premiered ‘Doble Kara’ amid the dominance of another long-running drama, GMA’s ‘The Half-Sisters’.

One week later, ‘Doble Kara’ was placed opposite ‘The Half-Sisters’, and following a slow start, the former gradually displaced the latter as the Philippines’ top afternoon drama. Along the way, rivals such as ‘Wish I May’, ‘Hanggang Makita Kang Muli’, ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ and ‘Hahamakin ang Lahat’ came along, but none were able to topple ‘Doble Kara’.

It was during the run of ‘Doble Kara’ that ABS-CBN’s Kapamilya Gold block eventually overtook GMA’s Afternoon Prime as the most-watched daytime drama block in the country. The overwhelming success of ‘Doble Kara’ was later felt on succeeding dramas such as ‘All of Me’, ‘Tubig at Langis’ and ‘The Greatest Love’ .

But perhaps the most important legacy of ‘Doble Kara’ is the growth of Julia Montes as an actress. Portraying twin characters Sara and Kara, Julia’s dual role proved to be the most challenging of her career, but through it all, she managed to pull it off effectively.

To sum it all up, Julia owed her success with ‘Doble Kara’ to the many viewers that have stuck with her for the past year. In a statement during the show’s final press conference, she said,

Every day, you warmly welcome me into your homes. I am beyond thankful for the memories and the people I met throughout this journey. Thank you because you made me feel that I am not alone, that I am part of one family.

Come this Friday, ‘Doble Kara’ will have its curtain call. And when it’s all said and done, this series should earn its well-deserved round of applause.

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Next Up for The Greatest Love: Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa

GMA’s push for movie remakes on television continues.

After the not-so successful run of ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ last year, GMA is attempting to turn another classic movie into a hit teleserye. This time, the target is the 1987 film ‘Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa’, directed by Ishmael Bernal and starred Maricel Soriano, Lorna Tolentino and Gabby Concepcion.

The TV remake of ‘Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa’, to be directed by Gina Alajar and Aya Topacio, will star Julie Anne San Jose, LJ Reyes, Martin del Rosario and Benjamin Alves. They will be joined by Ms. Jean Garcia, Ara Mina, Victor Neri, Allan Paule, Geleen Eugenio, Janna Dominguez and Lharby Policarpio.

In this version of ‘Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa’, Santina (Julie Anne) is an orphaned girl who wound up working in a restaurant owned by Diony (Jean). Angeli (LJ) on the other hand is a homeless woman whom Diony later adopted.

Along the way, the lives of both Santina and Angeli took a more drastic turn as they try to gain the attention of Ephraim (Benjamin), Santina’s childhood friend. Both Ephraim and Angeli’s troubled past will also be revealed, both through Diony and Mariz (Ara).

Hype for ‘Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa’ has been heavy since its official announcement late last year. In fact, one of the series’ teasers featured a slapping scene involving Santina and Angeli in bathing suits, which set the tone for arguably another of the most seriously-toned series in Philippine television.

Still, despite all the frequent promotion, it remains to be seen if ‘Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa’ will give ‘The Greatest Love’ a run for its money. The ABS-CBN series has been on a roll of late thanks to Sylvia Sanchez’s harrowing portrayal of an Alzheimer’s-stricken mother, and for ‘Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa’, they will be hard-pressed to match the former’s momentum.

That said, ‘Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa”s first week will be a crucial one. Anyone who have seen the original film will look at it and see if the TV remake is worth watching.

‘Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa’ premieres this Monday after ‘Hahamakin ang Lahat’ on GMA Afternoon Prime.

FTT Year 2016 in Review: The 20 Stories That Define the Year in Media (Part I)

Another year is about to end. But before the calendar flips to 2017, here is a look back at the year that was in television and radio. This article looks back at the 20 moments that define the Philippine media this year.

Here is Part I of the four-part series. These stories are arranged in no particular order.

The Return of Tawag ng Tanghalan

‘It’s Showtime’ was on the brink of waving the white flag when rival ‘Eat Bulaga”s Kalyeserye segment (starring AlDub) became wildly popular in the second half of 2015. So in order to get back on track, they decided to revive a singing competition that was successful in the era of black and white television.

Thus on the second day of 2016, ‘Tawag ng Tanghalan’ was brought back as a segment of ‘It’s Showtime’. The segment would set the tone for ‘It’s Showtime”s renaissance, as it recaptured the ratings lead from ‘Eat Bulaga’ by the third week of January.

Speaking of ‘Eat Bulaga’…

Kalyeserye Concluded, Revived, Then Concluded Again

The long-running Kalyeserye segment had been on a roll since its debut on July 16, 2015. Unfortunately, the return to form of ‘It’s Showtime’, coupled by the presumed seven-month suspension of Paolo Ballesteros (a.k.a. Lola Tidora) and fans’ apparent frustration over repetitive and predictable storylines, led to a decline in popularity for the segment.

Along the way, Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza took time off to record and promote the film ‘Imagine You and Me’. With the desire to push the duo to new territory, ‘Eat Bulaga’ decided to end Kalyeserye on September 3, although they revived the skit from October 15 to December 17 with a new chapter.

Both Alden and Maine are scheduled to star in the upcoming GMA teleserye ‘Destined to Be Yours’ beginning next year, putting Kalyeserye’s future in doubt.

KathNiel, LizQuen and JaDine’s Reign on Primetime Continues

ABS-CBN’s ‘Big Three’ love teams continued to roll in 2016. The year began with ‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo’, starring Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla, reigning on the 8:40 timeslot, followed by its replacement ‘Dolce Amore’, starring Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil, which debuted on February 15.

Unfortunately, although James Reid and Nadine Lustre began the year with the highly successful ‘On the Wings of Love’, they failed to keep the momentum going when ‘Till I Met You’ premiered on August 29 to a rather lukewarm reception in the ratings. As a result, on September 19, ABS-CBN moved the series’ timeslot to 9:30 p.m., which eventually paid off.

But for every successful pairing, there are some love teams that did not click at all, as seen in this next entry.

AnBie, AlNine and ElNella: The Lost Love Teams

Barbie Forteza and Andre Paras were paired in the long-running afternoon drama ‘The Half-Sisters’, which finally came to an end on January 15. Two weeks later, they received a primetime push with ‘That’s My Amboy’, but the series ended in late April with just 68 episodes and little fanfare.

Its successor, Aljur Abrenica and Janine Gutierrez’s ‘Once Again’, did not even come close, clocking at only 59 episodes from May to July. Over at ABS-CBN, Janine’s ex-boyfriend Elmo Magalona was paired with Janella Salvador in ‘Born for You’, but the series made little impact either, lasting 65 episodes from June to September.

It remains to be seen if the three love teams will have a chance to redeem themselves next year. But in the meantime, let’s move on.

Sexy Time in 2016

The trend towards sensually mature programs continued in 2016. On ABS-CBN, ‘Pasion de Amor’, ‘Tubig at Langis’ and ‘Magpahanggang Wakas’ stood out, with Coleen Garcia, Ellen Adarna, Arci Muñoz, Isabelle Daza and Cristine Reyes emerging to showcase their newfound abilities in a more raunchy setting.

Over on GMA, ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’, ‘The Millionaire’s Wife’ and ‘Hahamakin ang Lahat’ provided a new dimension for stars Rhian Ramos, Andrea Torres and Joyce Ching to show their chops. But perhaps their greatest contributions were ‘Juan Happy Love Story’ and ‘A1 Ko Sa ‘Yo’, both of which feature a mix of comedy and sensuality.

If 2016 set the tone for more sexual themes with SPG ratings all over the place, then what else is in store come 2017? Find out soon.

In the meantime, Part II of this four-part series is coming up tomorrow. Stay tuned.

A Fifth Opponent for Doble Kara

 

Add ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ to the list of victims that ABS-CBN’s ‘Doble Kara’ left in its wake.

For the past 74 episodes (running from July 18 to October 27), ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ tried its best to rattle the confidence of the no. 1 afternoon drama in the country. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain, as ‘Doble Kara’ continued its dominance in the national ratings.

To make matters worse, ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ failed to receive adequate promotion from GMA’s entertainment group. This has become a constant pattern for the network’s Afternoon Prime block, even as its Telebabad counterparts began to redeem themselves.

It was a humiliating fact that cast a spell on the series’ two lead stars in Rhian Ramos and Rafael Rosell. Although the two tried their best to present their more mature and sensual roles for ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’, it was not enough, as GMA simply gave up promoting the show for whatever reason.

‘Sinungaling Mong Puso”s finale will take place later today. On a related note, GMA announced its replacement.

Starting this Monday at 3:20 p.m., it will be the reunited tandem of Joyce Ching and Kristoffer Martin who will try to best Julia Montes. Their newest series, ‘Hahamakin ang Lahat’, will be a more mature project for the duo.

‘Hahamakin ang Lahat’, according to GMA Network, will ‘revolve around the repeating fates of a mother and her child who both had to bear the agony of not being able to be with the man they truly love because of the struggles and conflicts they encounter in winning the approval of their family’. The series will center around a Chinese Filipina named Rachel (Joyce) and her love interest Junjun (Kristoffer).

The supporting cast will include Eula Valdes, Ariel Rivera, Snooky Serna, Thea Tolentino, Chinggay Alonso, Marc Abaya, Jett Pangan, Marina Benipayo, Renz Valerio, Mona Louise Rey and Bruno Gabriel. It will be directed by Don Michael Perez.

Going up against a still-strong ‘Doble Kara’ will be a tough challenge for ‘Hahamakin ang Lahat’, considering the former’s high ratings. GMA’s inability to sell its afternoon dramas will also be a major focus, and if they want ‘Hahamakin ang Lahat’ to be successful, they must give ample promotion time to the series in order to pump some life into it.

A new challenger awaits ‘Doble Kara’. Now ‘Hahamakin ang Lahat’ must go all out to give the former all they can handle, otherwise another victim comes ‘Doble Kara”s way.

 

Doble Kara Turns One; Tubig at Langis to End This Week

The ‘one-year teleserye club’ has just inducted another member.

Last week, ‘Doble Kara’ celebrated its first anniversary with an Instagram post from lead star Julia Montes. The said post can be seen below.

View this post on Instagram

This day is the day nagsimula ang lahat sa teleserye sa hapon sa buhay naming mga DK family…. would like to grab this opportunity na magpasalamat sa lahat ng bumubuo ng DK…. First sa Abs-Cbn/ Dreamscape … sa taong laging naniniwala sa kakayanan ko simula't simula kay sir Deo @montie08 ….sa adprom na kasama namin sa pagpromote … sa buong Creative @rondellindayag , at sa writers @danix8 and the whole team kanila kuya dave and the rest na nagpapagod and nagiisip ng napakagandang kwento ng kambal …sa editing /scoring para sa mga eksena …sa mothership na nageedit ng kambal kanila kuya Carlo … Sa directors (direk Manny /Direk Trina) pati sila Direk spoonky … sa mga A.D namin …#ram stylist na isa peg ko sa kambal 😂 @nericbeltran Sa mga staff from original up to now PM @ericksalud … sa mga crew (ang aming love na mga boys sa set) sa bigrock/lights mga cameraman &utility men … mga talent na nainvolve at nakaeksena namin sa show … Mga cast from @mina_villarroel to tatay ariel @allentdizon tita Glo , Tita alicia @patriciajavier1 @korekkajohn @anjodamiles @zackwey @samuelmilby @ea_guzman @rayvercruz @maxenemagalona @missmylenedizon @unitednationsofalora And sa aking mga naging kakambal ss show …most specially i wanna say thank you @cjacleus my twin!! Ndi magiging possible ang twin without you …. MARAMING SALAMAT sa lahat na patuloy na nanunuod ng Doble Kara … 1 taon po ang pinagsamahan natin patuloy pang magsasama sama kaya marami pa po kayong dapat abangan …. #DobleKara1taon

A post shared by Julia Montes (@montesjulia08) on Aug 23, 2016 at 9:37am PDT

Produced by Dreamscape, ‘Doble Kara’ first hit the small screen on August 24, 2015. The series, which starred Julia Montes as twin sisters Sara and Kara, became an immediate hit, and soon after, it overtook the equally long-running GMA series ‘The Half-Sisters’ as afternoon’s must-watch teleserye.

‘Doble Kara’ maintained its dominant status even as GMA rolled out ‘Wish I May’, ‘Hanggang Makita Kang Muli’ and ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ to combat the said threat. And on Wednesday, August 24, ‘Doble Kara’ celebrated its first anniversary on television with this riveting confrontation between Sara and Kara.

‘Doble Kara’ joins ‘Be Careful with My Heart’ as the only ABS-CBN dramas of the current decade to last at least a year. Other ‘one-year teleserye club’ members from ABS-CBN include ‘May Bukas Pa’, ‘Only You’, Kaytagal Kang Hinintay’, ‘Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan’ and the original ‘Pangako Sa ‘Yo’, among others.

Meanwhile, Kapamilya Gold’s other teleserye is wrapping up this week.

‘Tubig at Langis’, the series starring Cristine Reyes, Zanjoe Marudo and Isabelle Daza, will air its final episode this Friday, September 2. The immediate conclusion of ‘Tubig at Langis’ had been planned in advance, as Isabelle Daza’s wedding with Adrien Semblat is set to take place eight days after the show’s finale.

First airing on February 1, ‘Tubig at Langis will have aired for a total of 152 episodes. The series was not without controversy, however, as it had to deal with the acrimonious departure of Vivian Velez one month into its run.

Despite that, ‘Tubig at Langis’ was able to win consistently in the national ratings. Along the way, it dominated past GMA rivals ‘Buena Familia’, ‘Hanggang Makita Kang Muli’, ‘The Millionaire’s Wife’ and ‘Sa Piling ni Nanay’ during its long eight-month run.

The series was also a constant trending topic on social media. Viewers all over the world remain hooked to ‘Tubig at Langis’ thanks to some heart-wrenching confrontations involving Irene (Cristine) and Clara (Isabelle).

Now that ‘Tubig at Langis’ will end this week, ABS-CBN can only hope that a memorable finale is in store. For the viewers, production staff and the cast, this is going to be an ending to remember.

TV Remake of ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ to Air Starting This Monday

Big things are indeed coming for Rhian Ramos.

The beginning of July saw Rhian make her debut as a cover girl for FHM. Then came the series that could make or break her, ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’.

Much like her first-ever sexy pictorial on FHM, ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ will portray a more mature and serious Rhian. Her role as Clara is simple: she was abused by a womanizer in Roman (Rafael Rosell), then ended up falling in love to Jason (Kiko Estrada), who is not happy with his marriage to Hannah (Jazz Ocampo).

Clara and Jason’s love affair was soon exposed, however. And as the series rolls on, that revelation could pose a severe threat to their own lives.

Also joining the cast of ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ are Michael de Mesa, Glydel Mercado, Cheska Diaz, Sherilyn Reyes, Stephanie Sol, Gee Canlas, JC Tiuseco, and Gab de Leon. The series will be directed by Ricky Davao.

‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ the drama series is a remake of the 1992 hit film directed by Maryo J. Delos Reyes. The film was headlined by Vilma Santos, Gabby Concepcion, Aga Muhlach, and Aiko Melendez.

But if the film version was a blockbuster, what chances will the TV remake have in store? As far as the entire nation is concerned, all eyes are on Julia Montes and ‘Doble Kara’ every weekday afternoon, and its domination of the 3:15 p.m. slot has not been a good sight for a Kapuso fan everywhere.

Indeed, GMA is wasting time producing these dramas without any sufficient promotion. Just look at the series ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ will replace, ‘Hanggang Makita Kang Muli’, which at the beginning was heavily promoted by the network only to cease further support after the first week of airing.

With ABS-CBN’s ‘Doble Kara’ nearing its one-year anniversary this August, it will be interesting to see if ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ can fare well against this afternoon juggernaut. Yes, Rhian Ramos is about to take the next step in her evolution as an actress, but will this translate to impressive ratings?

Find out starting this Monday, as ‘Sinungaling Mong Puso’ premieres after ‘Magkaibang Mundo’.