The interim noontime program does not seem like one.
On Saturday, October 14, ABS-CBN debuted ‘It’s Your Lucky Day,’ its new game and variety show which will fill the network’s noontime block until the 27th. This, as its longest-running noontime show ‘It’s Showtime’ takes a break after the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) issued a 12-day suspension versus that said program.
Back to ‘It’s Your Lucky Day,’ the program is led by the “Pambansang Host,” Luis Manzano and his gang of ‘Lucky Stars’. They are: Shaina Magdayao, Melai Cantiveros, Robi Domingo, Jennica Garcia, Francine Diaz, Seth Fedelin, Kyle Echarri, and comedians Long Mejia, Negi, Petite, and Divine Tetay.
With that, let’s check out what the show has to offer.
Content
The pilot episode of the program began with a humble opening production number and a simple introduction of the main man, Luis Manzano. He then presented the ‘Lucky Stars’ who joined the audience as they sang in chorus the show’s theme song. Yep, it’s a filler show, but it does have its original theme song.
After that, the gang gathers back on stage to do the usual opening banter seen in noontime shows.
Moving past that, the first segments are “Cashingko” and its pre-requisite “PangmaLUCKasan”.
First, the chosen audiences have to dance to the theme song in order to make it to the game proper. Once that is finished, the 10 audience members will have pick between two words: lucky or swerte. The host will then draw from a bowl which of the words, and by essence, which group will go to the next round.
After that, the remaining 5 contestants will take turns in launching a ball to a “pachinko”-type board. Their respective Php 5,000 each will then have the chance to eiher multiply from 0 to 5. At the end of the game, the total cash prize that they get will be divided amongst all players.
The second portion that aired was “Lucky-ing Kalye,” where hosts Robi Domingo and Seth Fedelin hit the roads in search of a lucky player, who will then pick from three envelopes that will determine their prize.
Back to the studio, the third game is “Lucky Pick”. Here, the contestants are determined through a “lotto”-like drawing machine, where the numbers of each audience member is included. Like in the first game, there are only 5 players.
This time, they will have to select a random item from a wall. They are then tasked to use that “lucky weapon” to fulfill the challenge. For example, earlier, contestants either had a tong or an umbrella that they used to collect marbles and transfer those to their basket. Whoever got the heaviest weight in the scale won the game and will proceed to the jackpot round.
The jackpot round for “Lucky Pick” is called “Match-Swerte,” which is similar to ‘The Price Is Right’. The contestant will have to select from three items, whose corresponding values will either complete the worth of the showcase or not. If they go pick the correct item, they will take home the entire showcase.
‘PotLUCK’ is another segment of the show. Again, five contestants are picked through the same “tambiolo” as the second game. This segment, however, is a quiz portion, where the players will pick a number of a pot, from which the questions will be drawn upon. They will have to race to three points to be hailed as the winner of the said game.
Like in “Lucky Pick,” the winner of the game will also proceed to “Match-Swerte.”
Finally, the program also offers a talent search by way of “Stars Of All Seasons,” which features contenders in their silver years. The segment itself is similar to “Stars on 45” on ‘It’s Showtime,’ which aired back in 2014.
In ‘SOAS,’ the two contenders will perform both a classic song and a contemporary song from the 2000s and beyond.
The good
‘It’s Your Lucky Day’ brings nostalgia as it is reminiscent of older Kapamilya noontime shows, from the noughties, like ‘Wowowee’ and even later shows like ‘Pilipinas Win Na Win’ and ‘Happy Yipee Yehey’.
Speaking of which, after hearing the theme song multiple times in the episode, the words “hey, hey…” now require a response of “today’s your lucky day!” No, just kidding. But jokes aside, the theme song is good, too.
The show also thrives in the simplicity of its mechanics and the familiarity of the games that it conducts. Another “yay” part is the maximization of the audience as players in most of the segments.
Aside from that, the rapport between the hosts also comes out as both interesting and surprisingly good. This might also stem from the fact that each of them have already established relationships through other shows even before ‘IYLD’ was formed.
With that, the hilarity of many moments during the first show do not come out as lame or even forced.
Some of the best jokes that came out on the pilot are, ironically, also regarding the program’s short-run like Luis’ “Hindi pa man natatapos ang unang episode, pwede na naming i-aannounce ang huling dalawang linggo.”
Not to be outdone, Melai also has her entry: “Ayan, biruin niyo may pa-weekly finals pa tayo,” which takes a funny swipe on the fact that “Stars Of All Seasons” will stahe a weekly and grand finals despite the show’s two-week broadcast window. Speaking of, Jennica Garcia’s “sabaw” moment gave off that “Anne Curtis energy” from ‘It’s Showtime’.
Areas of improvement
As it is and will 99.9% of the time be the case for all first days, there are of course the usual jitters.
Foremost are the awkward dead airs at some parts, although that could easily be fixed by putting sound effects or background music.
Consider this nitpicking, but despite efforts, there are also jokes or banters that don’t land or finish smoothly. Although, that is quite understandable, given that the show’s three-hour-long airtime is packed with eight (or nine, if you add the opening banter and production number) segments.
‘Push your luck’
That is a message directed to people behind the show’s production (and even the management, if you happen to be part of it while reading this).
The creation of an ensemble like this, as well as the interactive and entertaining portions are not to be wasted after the 12 airing days that it had been given to fill.
‘It’s Your Lucky Day’ should be taken beyond its initial purpose and shall be looked upon as a program that might eventually beef up the network’s pre-noontime or pre-primetime block, or even the PIE Channel.
Hence, go, push your luck as you indeed got lucky with how good the show came out to be.
‘It’s Your Lucky Day’ will air from October 14 to 27, Monday to Saturday at 12:00 nn on Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, GTV, and other ABS-CBN platforms.
‘It’s Showtime’ will then return with ‘Mini Miss U: The Grand Finals’ on October 28.