Transitioning to its post-TVJ phase, the four-decade noon-time show decided to go back to square one, with its roster of brand-new hosts.
Eat Bulaga resurrected itself, on air, yesterday, June 5, after having been on hiatus for four straight episodes. Navigating its post-TVJ (Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, Joey de Leon) phase, the revised version of the most successful noontime show in Philippine showbiz, introduced a brand-new set of hosts, led by Kapuso actor and former child star, Paolo Contis.
A hefty, non-stop, 25-minute opening production number, served as the show’s welcome to its audience, who may not be composed of the same group of people who ardently followed the show, for the past 44 years.
SAME SHOW, DIFFERENT SET OF HOSTS.
Aside from Contis, TAPE Inc (now under the control of the Jalosjos clan), tapped comedians, Betong Sumaya and Buboy Villar, to form the newly formed ‘Dabarkads’. Joining them is Alexa Miro, former host of the now-defunct noon-time show, ‘Tropang LOL’. Twins and Sparkle artists, Mavy and Cassy Legaspi complete the updated roster of hosts. Kapuso PPOP group, XOXO, performed at the show.
WELL-LOVED SEGMENTS AND THE ICONIC OPENING THEME SONG ARE MISSING.
During the opening segment of the program alone, one could easily get the impression that it isn’t the same program that previously aired on GMA’s noontime block. The iconic opening theme song is gone. A move to prevent any future rift with the song licensee-ABS-CBN’s Star Music.
The popular and well-loved segments, the ones which defined the show in the past few years, are no longer part of its offering. ‘All for Juan’, which trio, of Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, and Paolo Ballesteros, a.k.a. JoWaPao, headlined for many years, is not part of the new segment lineup, and so are ‘Pinoy Henyo’ and ‘Bawal Judgmental’.
Put in their places are new segments, ‘Watch, Copy, Pose’, which entails a contestant copying a given dance routine or pose; ‘Count Me In You Win’, a guessing game that allows callers to win PhP5,000, for correctly enumerating the number of items being asked; ‘Ikaw Ang Pinaka’, meanwhile, is a tweaked version of the popular parlor game, ‘Bring Me’. People who fit perfectly into a certain category, however, are the ones being sought here.
BLAND CHEMISTRY.
While there may be ample time for the newly appointed hosts to find rapport among each other, it’s worth noting that an excellent first impression is an excellent way to allow shows like the recently launched ‘Eat Bulaga’, to soar. The chemistry of the hosts is undoubtedly a crucial element, that will keep the noon-time show intact, for a very long time. Sadly, this group tapped by the Jalosjoses failed to achieve such an initial goal.
AN ‘ALL-OUT SUNDAYS’ EXTENSION?
Another noticeable aspect of yesterday’s episode was its between-segment production numbers. One could think that the show is actually just a weekday edition of the Sunday noontime musical variety show. Also, the presence of comedians Contis, Sumaya, and Villar makes watching the show like watching Sunday Kapuso.
BARELY THE SAME SHOW.
It remains to be seen how long TAPE Inc could use the name ‘Eat Bulaga‘ as the trio, TVJ, continues to stake a claim to the brand. That said, loyalists of TVJ and the version of the noon show which aired before June 6, 2023, are surely convinced that the legitimate ‘Dabarkads’ are TVJ and anybody who will join their upcoming show.
