TV5 shows fighting spirit in battle of networks

As the third challenger in the race for television supremacy, TV5 appears to have been doing much better than its competitors expected. We notice, therefore, that both ABS-CBN and GMA7 have been fielding more innovative teleseryes as well as game shows and interview programs.

We recently tuned in on TV5 airing Tuesdays with a concept that reminded us of Maalaala Mo Kaya, a drama anthology that airs Saturdays on ABS-CBN based on real stories sent in by letter writers, and hosted by Charo Santos-Concio. The series has had adaptations on radio, a comic book, a pocketbook and translations into English. The difference is that TV5’s Studio 5 Original Movies has original stories, and recently aired last Feb. 4 The Lady Next Door with Alice Dixson in a May-December affair with teenager Mark Neumann.

On Feb. 11, When I Fall in Love was the advance Valentine offering of the channel with Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz III reviving their partnership of long ago which brought Noranians to their TV sets.

Coming up on Feb. 18 is The Replacement Bride, a romantic comedy with Jasmine Curtis-Smith as a girl who makes a mistake involving someone else’s wedding. Daniel Matsunaga is her leading man. Finally, on Feb. 25, Sa Bawat Sandali finishes off the month of hearts with a drama-thriller featuring Derek Ramsay, Yul Servo and Angel Aquino as the unfaithful wife. It was certainly a well-thought-out package that makes us want to take note of every Tuesday on TV5.

In an interview with the press, TV5’s head of entertainment Wilma Galvante admitted it would be difficult breaking audience viewing habits, especially since they are coming across as the new kid on the block. She mentioned For Love or Money and Obsession as two of their initial ventures to attract viewership. For Love… was an American reality television show on NBC in 2003 and 2004. The series was a dating game show where one had to choose between starting a relationship with an available man or woman, and taking home a cash prize. Obsession, on the other hand, tells of a ballet teacher’s obsession with a student, which makes him use the girl’s mom to get to the daughter. Of course, mother is completely unaware of his intentions.

After the launching of Studio 5 Original Movies, we would surmise that the channel is now more confident with their product. Wilma must have settled for the return to local telesine which we believe to be the best decision ever. Of course, it was more difficult to do an entirely new story weekly than just buying into an expensive foreign franchise. It is also not too often that one could bank on the much-awaited teaming up of Nora and Tirso (A.K.A. Guy and Pip) as in When I Fall in Love with Joel Lamangan directing.

We sit and watch Pip, now older and a little grey and certainly a much more accomplished actor than he was in his youth. He plays a husband who has been cheating on his wife of almost 40 years, and is now diagnosed with stage four cancer of the pancreas. With their 40th anniversary coming up, Tirso knows that he will not survive the ailment and forgoes treatment to spend all his remaining time with his family. He also requests Nora to renew their wedding rites before he dies, which happens in the company of his wife Nora, doctor Menggie Cobarrubias, children Nadine Samonte, Marc Abaya with wife Dianne Medina and Felix Roco.

As expected, Nora who in her all her years as the long-suffering wife accepts Tirso’s proposal. Her children are not as understanding and wish she would leave him, or at least make him toe the line and leave his mistress. She goes through with the wedding renewal, holding his hand at the hospital bed until he expires, as we are treated to the legendary Nora Aunor school of restrained acting.

We hope that TV5 will be able to maintain the quality of Studio 5 Originals. See you at the succeeding screenings.

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