The teleserye revolution is on at ABS-CBN

What does it take to make the Filipino happy? If you’re judging from the AGB TV ratings from January to August, what makes them happy is also what makes them cry. Specifically, it’s ABS-CBN’s array of star-studded primetime teleseryes and fantaseryes, all of which have taken their places among the most-watched television dramas in Philippine broadcasting history.

It was in the first week of July, that most of the country’s TV-watching population rushed home to catch the stunning finale of ABS-CBN’s Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas. This much-anticipated finale promised the conclusion to the question fans have been asking since February — who among the four main characters Ara (Kristine Hermosa), Christian (Jericho Rosales), Leo (Diether Ocampo) and Mary Anne (Angelika dela Cruz) will end up together? When the finale, for which millions voted for a wedding for Ara and Christian, finally aired on Friday, July 9, Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas finished with a huge 48.3 percent in Mega Manila, while the special screening at Manila’s Plaza Miranda also attracted sizeable crowds.

With an audience share of 65.2 percent more than half of the homes watching TV that evening were tuned in to ABS-CBN to watch Sana’y Wala Nang Wakas. Even the alternate ending, which showed Ara and Leo together, was a ratings smash when it was shown the next evening (Saturday, July 10), taking in a 34.6 percent rating. Overall, Sana’y earned a 37.8 percent average rating in the first half of the year.

When ABS-CBN debuted the expensive, expansive and epic story of the mermaid Marina in February, many were dazzled by the very first fantaserye’s fusion of traditional fantasy and myth, high-tech television production methods, and the scope and polish of ABS-CBN’s legendary teleserye projects, with Claudine Barretto leading the cast. The ratings numbers proved that ABS-CBN’s gamble on this new genre paid richly, as Marina’s ratings average is at 41.4 percent for the first eight months of 2004, making it the most consistently high-rating primetime soap in the country.

With a cast consisting of Kris Aquino, Dina Bonnevie, John Estrada and Heart Evangelista, it’s no surprise that Hiram, ABS-CBN’s teleserye primera klase, is no slouch in the ratings department, taking in a 36.7 percent rating in only its first month and a half of broadcast.

Putting two superstars together is the winning formula behind the country’s only action-drama teleserye, Basta’t Kasama Kita. Debuting in May 2003, Basta’t Kasama Kita combined the talents of Robin Padilla and Judy Ann Santos for the fast-paced adventures of two agents taking on many secret cases. But the extreme popularity of Basta’t Kasama Kita is no secret: from January to August, Basta’t Kasama Kita averaged a 36.5 percent rating; and it’s only getting stronger. Basta’t Kasama Kita’s July and August figures have reached above 38 percent, making it one of the most-watched primetime series of the past two months.

The country’s favorite new love team, John Lloyd Cruz and Bea Alonzo, continue their winning streak with their second hit teleserye in a row, It Might Be You. After establishing their team-up in the ensemble cast of Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay, John Lloyd and Bea stepped up to head the cast of It Might Be You in December 2003, and to this day, their fresh, engaging love story continues to lure in viewers of all ages with an average rating of 34.5 percent for the first eight months of 2004.