In the third and final part of this special yearend presentation, it’s time to list down the best titles from Mother Ignacia this year.
One year after being forced off the air, ABS-CBN remained relevant throughout 2021 as a content provider. Apart from their cablea and digital assets, and A2Z, the company forged a new partnership with their now-erstwhile rival TV5. Through that breakthrough deal, ABS-CBN’s selected entertainment programs became available on channel 5 beginning in January.
As for its digital outing, ABS-CBN ruled Southeast Asia in YouTube as it claimed the title as the most-subscribed ASEAN channel for ABS-CBN Entertainment in March. Speaking of which, the company’s live streaming channel Kapamilya Online Live expanded its scope to global back in August. Just this December, ABS created the first Southeast Asian production for streamer iQiyi. As for its homegrown iWantTFC, several of its original titles have since become available on Netflix, like ‘Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 3,’ and ‘Bagman,’ among others.
Now, let’s head over to the main event. In the finale edition of this year’s ‘Best Shows’ special, it’s time to review programs of media giant ABS-CBN. Aside from TV shows, programs produced by them for other platforms were also considered for this list. Please note that the following, except for number 1, are of no particular order. Also, this list is exclusive for shows or a new season of existing formats that premiered in 2021.
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An anthology series from Dreamscape and iWantTFC which ran for two seasons this year. For its first season, The Gold Squad (Francine Diaz, Andrea Brillantes, Seth Fedelin, and Kyle Echarri) starred in four separate episodes. Meanwhile, season 2 had Janella Salvador, Maymay Entrata, Tony Labrusca, Jerome Ponce, and Barbie Imperial were featured in another set of 4 eps.
After streaming on iWanTFC every Friday, the series was broadcast on TV via Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, and A2Z every Sunday from August 1 to September 26, 2021. A third season for CLS this 2022 has since been announced.
Reason for this pick:
The series is a refreshing watch on local TV. While there have been dramas tackling socially relevant themes and topics with regards to technology and social media, CLS took it one step ahead by incorporating genres like horror and fantasy to some stories. In terms of international appeal, it could be also poised to become the country’s answer to Black Mirror, albeit with a more toned-down approach than the UK-originating counterpart.
La Vida Lena
The revenge genre and Erich Gonzales made their way back to ABS-CBN’s primetime block. Initially debuted as an iWantTFC exclusive program, La Vida Lena was relaunched and repackaged as a late-evening teleserye in June this year. The story begins with Magdalena’s (Gonzales) soap bar that drew the attention of Royal Wellness, a huge skincare company owned by the Narciso clan. Out of greed, that family, led by Lukas (Bagatsing) set out a plan to get the formula of that soap. Despite immense pressure, Lena stands her ground and later pay the ‘consequences’ for that.
Also starring Agot Isidro, Janice De Belen, Raymond Bagatsing, Carlo Aquino, JC De Vera, Kit Thompson, among an ensemble cast, LVL has been airing for six months now (as of writing). The iWantTFC cut of the series was also added to Netflix earlier this year, making it the first ongoing Kapamilya drama to be added on the streaming platform.
Reason for this pick:
While La Vida Lena belongs to a genre that audiences have seen time-and-time again, it still managed to stand out from its peers in that category. For one, the writing of Lena Mendoza (Erich Gonzales) was made to prevent any similarities in terms of the psyche and attitude with other female-led revenge series in recent years like Wildflower and Ang Sa Iyo ay Akin. While the story becomes a little draggy at times, LVL still comes out strong by providing twists that can sometimes be unpredictable. In summation, LVL landed a spot in this list due to its entertaining and even societal value.
Huwag Kang Mangamba
After 12 years, Bro made His comeback on TV. In March, ABS-CBN launched a new inspirational drama series in Huwag Kang Mangamba. Starring The Gold Squad, the story takes place in Hermoso where miracles were said to have happened before. One night, the primary characters Mira and Joy figured themselves in different accidents that would both change and entagle their lives. Along the way, secrets unfold and more miracles will happen not only to the both of them, but also to the people of Hermoso.
The series holds the record of being the longest-running Kapamilya Channel (post-franchise) era drama of ABS-CBN. Aside from that, it was also the first Kapamilya series to premiere simultaneously on TV5. It ended after 168 episodes on November 12, 2021.
Reason for this pick:
When HKM took off, it had a promising start. Aside from the expected fare of Biblical lessons, the series also became bold by having a social commentary and putting cues on some scenes even. However, the story later saw a sluggish middle act, which caused a slight decrease in TV viewing figures around that time. But, towards the end, it was able to regain its footing and even tied up a lot of plot holes that became present over its nine-month run.
Aja-aja Tayo sa Jeju
Originally meant to air on the now-defunct Asianovela Channel in 2020, Aja-aja Tayo sa Jeju saw the light of day this year. Featuring cast members Donny Pangilinan, Robi Domingo, Kristel Fulgar, and Shine Kuk, this new season of Aja-aja Tayo took place and shot entirely in Jeju Island, South Korea. Worry not, as the whole season was filmed prior to the pandemic.
The show ran for 12 episodes from March 20 to June 12, 2021 on KapCha, KOL, and A2Z. It was produced by ShowBT Philippines, the company behind P-pop boy group SB19 (which also made an appearance in Aja).
Reason for this pick:
The variety program premiered at a right time. In late March, just as the Philippines slowly closed down again, a program like Aja sa Jeju brought back that sense of normalcy for its viewers each week. Seeing people out of the country, enjoying themselves freely and without masks have become a rare sight on TV, outside of replays of old shows. Aside from that sentimental take, Aja-aja also has that comforting vibe, which can be typically seen in Korean variety shows these days. That, in itself, is an achievement as such shows are pretty much hard to replicate. Speaking of which, the show’s overall production was also good.
Viral Scandal
Starring Charlie Dizon, Joshua Garcia, Dimples Romana, Jake Cuenca, and Miko Raval, this Kapamilya teleserye is a bold exposition of the effects of a scandal, bad netiquette, rumors, and even unfounded societal constructs. The story starts with Rica Sicat (Dizon) figuring herself in viral video scandal on social media. In that, she was seen being raped by Jiggs (played by Markus Paterson), who is in turn a nephew of Rica’s biological father, Mayor Troy (Cuenca). A number twists-and-turns later, the Rica fulfills her dream of becoming an architect in the firm of Kyle (Garcia).
The drama is premiered on November 15, 2021 and is still ongoing as of writing. VS is produced by the RCD Narratives unit of ABS-CBN Entertainment.
Reason for this pick:
Picking this program to be on this list was pretty much easy. Aside from its good story, the cinematography and the editing technique employed for this series are equally stellar. VS also does help expand viewers’ vocabulary by flashing a letterbox each time a generally unfamilar word or phrase was uttered by any of its characters.
Marry Me, Marry You
Top-billed by Paulo Avelino and Janine Gutierrez, the series is a family-romance drama revolving around the lives and ties of four families that are not bound by blood, but by their love for one another. Cherry Pie Picache, Vina Morales, Sunshine Dizon, and Edu Manzano also play the other main characters in the story. During the first episode, and later as the voiceover for the drama’s recap in succeeding editions, Janine’s real-life mother Lotlot de Leon plays the role of her ‘Mamay’ in MMMY.
The series began on September 13, 2021 and is still ongoing as of writing.
Reason for this pick:
While the show struggles in terms of viewership on TV, MMMY remains strong in terms of its storytelling capabilities. Apart from that, it is quite obvious in the production side of things that ABS-CBN began experimenting with new camera techniques and color grading in the program, helping to add texture on each frame/scene on screen. Performance-wise, the act of Sunshine Dizon definitely stands out in scenes she’s a part of. Dizon’s portrayal of Paula is impeccable, especially in a scene where she had to act various emotions in one scene and she flawlessly delivered.
He’s Into Her
He’s Into Her was another victim of the pandemic and broadcast ops hurdles of ABS-CBN. Initially slated to be released on then-iWant service last year, it made its debut in May this year to an extraordinary response from fans. It was enormous enough to cause major technical problems for iWantTFC twice due to the number of people trying to access the app at the same time. Directed by Chad Vidanes, the youth-oriented series is the adaptation of the Wattpad story by maxinejiji (Maxine Lat) of the same name. The series is led by Donny Pangilinan and Belle Mariano, who play as Deib and Maxpein, respectively.
HIH: The Series is produced by Star Cinema for ABS-CBN Entertainment and a second season for the show has since been greenlighted for next year.
Reason for this pick:
Its cinematography remained consistent in its run, exuding an ambiance that could pass the series as an ‘episodic movie.’ In terms of story, there have been numerous changes from the book version, which is understandable as there are some things and themes that can’t be seen on TV. As for the stars’ performance, Belle Mariano was able showcase more of her acting prowess in this series. Criza Taa’s Nadia could also be one of the most memorable characters in the series, thanks to the character’s quirky nature and Taa’s well-delivered portrayal of the role. Finally, He’s Into Her proved that there is still a sizeable audience for youth-oriented dramas on Philippine TV.
Almost Paradise
Last year, prior to the whole health crisis, ABS-CBN gave their Hollywood aspirations as shot by collaborating with Electric Entertainment for an action series that was entirely shot in Cebu. Titled ‘Almost Paradise,’ it follows a former DEA agent Alex Walker (played by Christian Kane) as he tries to retire peacefully in the Philippines. However, rampant crimes in his surroundings makes him go on various missions in each episode.
For this series, Philippine-based actors were also cast like Arthur Acuña, Nonie Buencamino, and Ces Quezada, along with Fil-Am actress Samantha Richelle.
Reason for this pick:
First up, let’s clear up some air first. Although the series was first shown in the US last year, the basis for its qualification was the Philippine broadcast, which in this case began in March 2021. Another one, ABS-CBN was also the line producer for the series, which makes it pass as a co-production of the company for other country in this case.
Okay, now as for the other criteria, the cinematography of the show is rich. Not only did it showcase action stunts beautifully, many of the B-roll shots of local sceneries were surely breathtaking. As for the acting, no doubt that they hired only the best actors in town, which delivered in their roles no matter the amount of screen time given to them. Stories featured were also crafted nicely to make sure that a good twist could knock people off by the end of each episode. Banters between the main characters are also amusing to watch. Overall, Almost Paradise was a good watch and considering that it’s only 10 episodes, binge-watching it should be quite easy.
Everybody, Sing!
After the end of Gandang Gabi, Vice in March 2020, ABS-CBN mounted a replacement show for Vice Ganda. Titled ‘Everybody, Sing,’ the program is dubbed as the “first community singing game show on TV.” The mechanics are easy as there are 25 people from a certain sector that would each week try to take home the jackpot prize of P500,000. Adding to that twist, whenever each contestant answers correctly, they will earn ‘jackpot seconds’ that they will be using to answer in the final round of the game.
Originally, the program was meant to be launched with 100 contestants on March 15, 2020, the week after GGV ended. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show was postponed until June 5, this year, when it aired with a revised format. Still, those already-taped episodes with 100 contenders last year made its TV debut as the final presentations for ‘Everybody, Sing! season 1’.
Reason for this pick:
Everybody, Sing! stands out from other Kapamilya game shows in recent years as it is an original concept developed by the network. The show is also a fun watch, thanks to the remarks and banters of Vice Ganda and the contestants. The games played in the program are also easy-to-follow even to those at home. Recently, the hard work of the whole team behind ES paid off as the program was nominated in the Asian Academy Creative Awards and the Venice TV Awards.
Commendations
Your Face Sounds Familiar Season 3
The transformation of celebrities to other popular figures continued as YFSF returned for a third season this year with its new host, Luis Manzano.
Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity Season 10
After only seven months, Pinoy Big Brother graced the screens once again when it returned for its tenth season, still in partnership with a livestreaming platform.
Unloving U
Real-life couples Ariel Rivera and Gelli de Belen, and Loisa Andalio and Ronnie Alonte teamed up for this iWantTFC original series, which later aired on TV.
Love Beneath The Stars
The sequel to the 2020 Metro Manila Film Festival 2nd Best Picture The Boy Foretold by the Stars streamed on iWantTFC this year.
My Sunset Girl
An iWantTFC series about a girl allergic to sun who can only have her life when it sets starring Charlie Dizon and Jameson Blake.
Best Kapamilya show of 2021: Init sa Magdamag
In April 2021, ABS-CBN promised viewers of a steamy series starring Gerald Anderson, JM de Guzman, and in her first-ever lead role ever, Yam Concepcion. Titled ‘Init sa Magdamag,’ the series takes place in the town of Esperanza, where a burning love between Tupe (Anderson) and Rita (Concepcion) who were both aspiring to become medical professionals. That love later turned into horror, as a major corruption scandal forced Tupe’s family to exile themselves to Canada. With Tupe’s intense refusal to go there, he chose Rita over his family; only to be beaten up badly by hired goons on the way to her. Little did he know, their love bore a child, who tragically died when Rita had a miscarriage.
Years later, the two exes see each other as different people. This time, Tupe is now a doctor in a small town inside Esparanza, while Rita had already been elected as a Congresswoman and is now married to Peterson Alvarez (de Guzman). In a twist of fate, Peterson’s incapability to produce sperm caused him to ask Tupe to impregnate his wife via invitro fertilization (IVF). That event would later change the marriage of Rita and Peterson, so as the feelings of Rita and Tupe for each other.
This canned series, which was produced by the ABS-CBN Entertainment unit Star Creatives, aired for 105 episodes from April 19 to September 10, 2021. It is one of the first ABS-CBN titles to premiere on WeTV/iFlix.
Reason for this pick:
The series did not hold themselves back from tackling sensitive issues. From common marital issues, taboo medical procedures like in vitro fertilization, domestic abuse, gender roles to even political dynasties, among others, ISM was able to weave those in as either underlying themes or arcs in the story. The cinematography and editing also did not dismay as many frames are so visually pleasing to see even when seen for a couple of times. All actors in this series also showed superb performances, which made it hard to pinpoint even a single person from the ensemble.
Overall, ISM is a remarkable Kapamilya program that can transcend even this 2021 list and compete with other ABS-CBN productions from previous years.
That’s about it! Those were the top 10 programs of ABS-CBN in 2021. Despite its still franchise-less state, the company’s pivot as a content creator is one of the best decisions that they have made. Now, the content is given greater importance than ever and the quality of programs this year can speak for that. Still, the company should be mindful that sometimes extending programs beyond their targeted length could affect the flow of the story. Thus, if they are still going to follow such model, they should begin implementing more effective measures that would make programs more amenable to extensions, but without sacrificing the content at large.
For next year, ABS-CBN has already bared their lineup of offerings. In the drama side, JRB Production’s Darna is one of the most-awaited Kapamilya programs of 2022, while Dreamscape’s Doctor Foster adaptation The Broken Marriage Vow will be the opening salvo come January. KathNiel will also return with a new teleserye in 2 Good 2 Be True under RGE Unit. LizQuen are also due to make a teleserye comeback next year, two years after Make It With You. For iWant, a bunch of prods led by The Goodbye Girl, Sleep With Me, and Lyric and Beat will begin streaming in the platform next year.
With the quality of work that they’ve shown this year, a lot is expected from ABS-CBN in 2022. As they say, there should be “no other way, but up,” and may that be the trajectory for what’s now the “Philippines’ biggest content provider.”
Now, we’ve come to the end of this three-part special ‘Best Shows’ presentation featuring the Big 3 media companies in the country. If you have your own take on these lists or have any thoughts about it, don’t hesitate to comment here or tag Trendrod Box on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube or Trendrod on Twitter and TikTok. Also, thank you for joining us in celebrating the bests Philippine TV has to offer this year. See you next time!