The Battle of Prime Time

IT looked like GMA had not found the right formula to nullify the Batang Quiapo magic and what we saw was an exercise in futility ... a series of full-blown promises of potential successes ... disintegrating into big-time failures. 

I hear you ... they were not total failures... okay I admit ... but it did not make a dent in BQ's ratings ... let alone the ads that are flooding its doorsteps.

Look at the pretenders to the throne: Lihim Ni Orduja, Voltes V,  Maging Sino Ka Man, Maria Clara and Ibarra, Black Rider, Pulang Araw, Batang Riles, and now Lolong.

And Coco Martin ... the brains behind BQ ... has never run out of ploys and gimmicks - and its eye-catching publicity stunts and schemes reek of novelty ... it looked like when heaven was inundating Pinoy TV with ideas ... ABS CBN was waiting with both hands wide open.

So what is this we hear that the reason why major stars die in the set on a weekly basis ... was that with the opening of Batang Riles and Lolong ... BQ's head honcho planned to have a complete revamp of the cast to counter the enticing allure of the new GMA shows.

The way I saw it, GMA underestimated BQ and was confident in fielding a bevy of young neophytes to arm wrestle with Coco. To begin with "ano nga ba ang mawawala sa kanila kung matalo man sila ... eh mga baguhan ang mga BR cast. At kung manalo sila e di WOW. 

But as expected BQ remained intact despite the blows left and right ... it reigned supreme.

There was a nervous mood in Kamuning and one could feel they were trembling in their boots. This prompted the last-minute "balasahan". GMA sensing Batang Riles falls short and is dwarfed by Batang Quiapo ... finally made its bold move again and commissioned "dambuhalang" Lolong to swap time slots to avoid more embarrassments and more"black eyes".

Kung DAMBUHALA ang Lolong ... mas lalong HIGANTE ang pasabog ng BQ - aba nag-leak na ang list ng mga bagong cast ... at hindi lang ito cast ha ... star studded talaga.

Aba mantakin mo ba naman ang listahan: Jake Cuenca, Andrea Brilliantes, Angel Aquino, Gelian Vicencio, Sharmaine Buencamino, Paolo Paraiso, Albie Casino, Celia Rodriguez, Michael de Mesa and Albert Martinez.

What else can Pinoy TV watchers ask for sa smorgasbord cast na yan?