The State of the Primetime TV Wars

The historical drama Ilustrado debuted last October 20, 2014 on GMA 7 with a not-so-good performance in the ratings game. (Poster courtesy of Starmometer.com)

The respective launches of the historical drama Ilustrado and the Korean period drama Empress Ki is a strong and valid statement that GMA 7 is more desperate and very serious about conquering primetime in Philippine television over its rival network ABS-CBN. So far throughout the year, GMA has been known for its groundbreaking and heartwarming primetime shows that captivate many Filipino viewers. However, despite the success, many of its programs are still no match for the world-class, high-quality lineup of primetime dramas aired on the true number one television station in the Philippines.



The only saving graces of GMA 7 in the primetime grid are the value-oriented drama Nino and the worldwide trending Korean romantic comedy drama My Love from the Star. There have been only a few programs that are, for me, inconceivable to the Philippine viewing population. Although their storyline and powerhouse cast are fit for primetime, there are certain things in these shows that I do not widely accept because of the issues they have all throughout the course of their airing. Some of these shows include Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real, Rhodora X, and most recently Strawberry Lane.

For ABS-CBN, many of its primetime shows have been successful during their time on television. Some of them were already consistent in both television ratings and social media such as the recently-ended masterpiece drama Ikaw Lamang and The Legal Wife. It is a clear fact that some of them have reached their highest national TV rating of all-time such as Annaliza, Pure Love, and the finale episode of the movie-like drama Sana Bukas Pa ang Kahapon. From early primetime sensations to the 15-minute late night talk show Aquino and Abunda Tonight, it is obvious that ABS-CBN knows how to make their primetime shows worth watching for the Filipino families.

On the other hand, TV5 has made an unprecedented but unexpected move to transfer some of its primetime programs to the 9:00 pm timeslot to pave the way for the 40th season of the PBA (which is aired every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday on primetime). It would seem that the fastest-growing TV station in the country has made their move a worthwhile experience for those who want to stay away from the tradition of watching dramas.

In the end, ABS-CBN and TV5 have the upper hand in making their primetime programming a great experience for Filipino viewers. Meanwhile, GMA 7 would need to improve the storyline of its primetime shows to make them successful in the ratings game. It also needs to remove all the heavy drama elements in these shows to make a beautiful and graceful ending like My Destiny, for example. And that would be a fact.