Showrunners naturally aspire to get the nod of their critics, but the longevity of a show usually and solely relies on another factor: viewers’ support.
The entertainment critics’ nod is [undoubtedly] ‘gold’ for showrunners. The reflected by high TV ratings or good reviews for actors or artists, who got the viewers’ approval–is [definitely] something more.
To TV networks airing these shows, it means money. Healthy advertising support is usually the primary reason a show stays longer on the air than initially planned.
While top-rating shows or movies usually hurdle harsh comments from TV and movie critics, TV networks still create dramas that may be too unconventional to be rooted for by local audiences.
There are also some successful TV experiments that both won the critics and the casual viewers. Initially projected, some titles managed to win both the critics and the viewers, but some failed to get the latter’s ‘nod.’
Big-budgeted productions like ensemble and epic dramas–are then expected to win household audiences. Because high ratings also mean more advertising revenues for the network. The fate of most expensive productions is [usually] anchored on the amount of public support the show gets.
GMA Network’s head writer, Suzette Doctolero, recently caught the attention when she publicly aired her frustrations over the low ratings of her new show Legal Wives.
Doctolero served as a writer to many big-budgeted Kapuso series, including her brainchild, Encantadia.
While Legal Wives consistently won its time slot against its closest rival show, Huwag Kang Mangamba–there are expectations about how high the ratings it should be getting. GMA Network defeated its main free TV rival–ABS-CBN–when it lost its franchise last year.
The Dennis Trillo-led series will get to pit against its new rival show–the now six-year-old Kapamilya action-drama series, FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano. Recently, the Coco Martin-starred series threatened to dislodge The World Between Us as the number one primetime TV series.
Thus, an intense tug-of-war in ratings between FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and Legal Wives will take place–once the face-off began on August 30.
Should the Kapuso show fail to keep its predecessor’s already slim lead?
That is going to be disappointing indeed.
Legal Wives, however, is not alone in its dilemma as many other big productions by three major networks, ABS-CBN, GMA Network, and TV5, have either flopped or failed to meet their expected popularity.
In 2004, for example, GMA Network premiered its grandest production that year.
Hanggang Kailan, an ensemble drama led by Lorna Tolentino with Christopher de Leon, Ogie Alcasid, and Alice Dixson in the cast–got envisioned by the Network to become the new standard in Philippine soap operas.
The high expectations for the show, however, didn’t reflect in its ratings. It prematurely ended the show after 95 episodes. Back then, successful soap operas usually last longer than six months. ABS-CBN’s Marina and Hiram, both aired in the same year, lasted for eight and ten months, respectively. Both shows posted very impressive ratings.
Spirits, was one of ABS-CBN’s biggest productions in 2005.
It was well-received by critics, too, noting its impressive visuals and exotic storyline. The Chito Roño-helmed supernatural series starred the then teen stars Maja Salvador, John Wayne Sace, Joseph Bitangcol, Rayver Cruz, Jiro Manio, Serena Dalrymple, Michelle Madrigal, and Mico Aytona.
The show suffered miserably in AGB Nielsen ratings. Take its April 15, 2005 rating–it was already below 20% while its rival Kapuso show, Darna, was above 40%, or more than double its rating.
Another ABS-CBN teleserye, Vietnam Rose, was cut short due to low TV rating.
Partly shot in Vietnam, the 2005 drama featured an ensemble cast headlined by the Diamond Star Maricel Soriano. The show, which was directed by critically-acclaimed director, Joel Lamangan, received critical nods from the entertainment press but didn’t quite earn the same level of validation from the viewers.
Because of its disappointing ratings, Vietnam Rose adjusted to later timeslots, twice in its entire run. Its ratings also dwindled from high 27% to low 15%.
GMA Network’s Etheria, was highly expected to duplicate its mother series, Encantadia in terms of TV rating.
The prequel series was positively received by critics for its visuals and extravagant production design. The show, however, didn’t last longer than three months, as it bowed down to Kapamilya shows, Mga Anghel na Walang Langit and Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition, which mostly won their matches against the Kapuso telefantasya.
Over the years, both ABS-CBN and GMA Network gambled on big productions, and not all of them turned out to be as satisfactory as both networks’ big bosses’ hope. These productions were not [necessarily] flops, in terms of viewership, but for big productions, high ratings are usually projected.
Ikaw Lamang by ABS-CBN, was one of the Networks’s banner soap operas in 2014. It starred big Kapamilya stars Coco Martin and Kim Chiu.
The series wasn’t a flop as it [actually] consistently won its timeslot, according to Kantar Media. According to AGB Nielsen, however, it was the contrary.
Lorenzo’s Time, which starred Zaijian Jaranilla in the title role, was a highly-anticipated drama in 2012.
The show came as a follow-up to Jaranillas’s massively hit debut, May Bukas Pa. Adored for its unconventional plot, positive words were also rewarded to the show by many critics. The show did not, however, duplicated May Bukas Pa‘s success.
It ended after three months of airing.
Experimental dramas are still poised to be served from time to time by local TV networks, and there’s no harm to that.
While it’s true many of the past unconventional offerings failed to win the local viewers, times have changed. As a mode of entertainment consumption has drastically changed in the last few years, as well as the genres and contents people consume. The rise of boys’ love (BL) subgenre is strong proof of that, and local productions that have adopted Western elements and styles have also been increasingly watched by Filipinos.
