‘Bulaga! E.A.T. Showtime!’: The new three-way battle for our lunchtime loyalty begins

“Two’s company, three’s a crowd.”

The noontime television landscape in the Philippines entered a new era today. Borrowing terms from video games, familiar players are still in the game, but all of them have updated their “stats” and “weaponry.”

On the side of the red orb that is TV5 is the team of Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, Joey de Leon, and their band of ‘legit Dabarkads’ returned to the competition after one month of being ‘M.I.A.’ or missing in action. Their established opponent from the Kapamilya bench, ‘It’s Showtime,’ has found their new partner and wider audience in GMA Network’s GTV channel. Not to be forgotten is the new ‘Eat Bulaga!’ airing on GMA’s main channel and is still being produced by TAPE, Inc.

Let’s now take a closer look at each of them.

First of, the “return of the comeback” of TVJ on TV5 was met with huge fanfare. According to the statistics provided by TV5, the pilot episode of their noontime show ‘E.A.T.’ was viewed by more than half a million viewers online, a record in local noontime TV. It is also a testament to their strength and longstanding popularity as a group, as they were also able to survive their transfer to another network (judging at least their first day). Megastar Sharon Cuneta also became the first special guest of the ‘Dabarkads’ in their new home.

The program was all too similar to the old ‘Eat Bulaga,’ thanks to their antics and of course, the people who run the show off and on camera. Segments, however, have not yet been shown, but based on their sneak-peek, they are not bringing any of the titles from ‘EB.’ Instead, they are tweaking these, but will have a similar format to what was seen before. For example, the former ‘Bida First’ segment on EB is ‘Password Please’ on ‘E.A.T.’

The show airs from 12 noon to 2:30 pm from Monday to Friday, and from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm on Saturdays. Apart from TV5, it is also simultaneously aired on One PH and BuKo channels on Cignal TV.

Up next is ‘It’s Showtime’. True to its nature of bringing spectacles on noontime TV, today’s episode was one for the books. In the opening number alone, which also served as their introduction to the GTV audience, left a clear impression of what the show is to Kapuso viewers who may have not yet seen the program.

To summarize, the said production number involved ‘Showtime’ hosts, guest Kapamilya stars Jolina Magdangal-Escueta, Belle Mariano, and Alexa Ilacad, and Kapuso artists Barbie Forteza, Sanya Lopez, Pokwang, Mark Bautista, among others. Some of the highlights in that were of course, the Kapuso stars in the production numbers, singing the ‘Showtime’ song, and even greeting “what’s up, madlang people!”

The “network-hopping” of Vice Ganda also ‘wow-ed’ netizens. It saw Vice hopping on a chopper, which brought her from ABS-CBN in Mother Ignacia to the GMA Network Center in Kamuning. She also made a grand entrance to the building, where she was warmly welcomed by Kapuso staffers. Outside, she performed the song “Glad You Came.”

Kapuso singers Christian Bautista and Mark Baustista also served as special hurados for the grand finals of ‘Tawag ng Tanghalan Duets,’ which saw Marielle Montillano and JM dela Cerna named as the special edition’s winners. Stars of ‘Unbreak My Heart,’ Jodi Sta. Maria, Joshua Garcia, Richard Yap, and Gabbi Garcia, also paid a visit to promote the GMA-ABS co-produced series with Viu.

‘It’s Showtime’ now airs on GTV, along with A2Z, Kapamilya Channel, Jeepney TV, and Kapamilya Online Live every weekdays from 12 noon to 3:00 pm.

Finally, the new ‘Eat Bulaga.’ Its edition earlier marks the show’s first month on air with the new set of hosts, following the departure of TVJ’s faction last May.

During the show, host Paolo Contis even greeted ‘It’s Showtime’ on air, and called the show as “kapitbahay” (“neighbor”) as they began airing on GMA’s sister channel. Meanwhile, segments-wise, they pretty much have all their usual offerings, but booked Andrew E. and Aegis as musical performers of the day.

Today, July 1, will go down in history as the day that started the new era of lunchtime TV competition. But at the end of the day, viewers are the real winners as they have plenty of option in terms of entertainment during those hours. Plus, competition brings out the best from people. In return, the people that run the shows also give their 100% to please their audience.

May the best noontime show deliver the entertainment that the Filipino people want and truly deserve.

• “What’s up, madlang Kapuso!”: ABS-CBN, GMA sign contract for GTV broadcast of ‘It’s Showtime’

• ‘TVJ on TV5’: Original ‘Eat Bulaga’ hosts to set up noontime show on the Kapatid network

• New chapter for ‘Eat Bulaga’ under TAPE as show resumes with new hosts

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