Innovative gambits in show business

AUNOR AND CRUZ. Reunited in “When I Fall In Love.”

The entertainment scene is generally characterized by a predictable comfortable sameness, governed  by “business as usual” practices that are adhered to because they have proven their financial worth in the past, and have brought in profits with the least possible threat of risk and failure.

And yet, it cannot be denied that, after a long while, “reliable” show biz practices lose their appeal to viewers and listeners, so producers are forced to come up with innovative ploys and gambits that will catch the fancy of sated, jaded audiences in search of something relatively fresh and new.

This season, we are struck by the relative audacity of these unexpected gambits (let’s hope that other producers will come up with their own inventive moves):

Over, at TV5, the big deal this month is the revival of the TV movie format, leading off with “When I Fall In Love,” the “reunion” film of Nora Aunor and Tirso Curz III, and following up last Tuesday with “The Replacement Bride,” topbilling young leads, Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Daniel Matsunaga.

While the results of TV5’s “experiment” have been rather dicey to date, the channel should still be cited for its innovative bent, which we hope will entice other producers to come up with their own full-length TV movies, as well.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN has also introduced its own programming tweaks, like its expansion of Kris Aquino’s morning show to one and a half hours and its revival of the Boy Abunda-Kris Aquino talkfest by way of a new weeknight show telecasting after “The Legal Wife” and before “The Biggest Loser.”

Unusual move

What makes the new program, “Aquino and Abunda Tonight,” noteworthy is the fact that it’s only 15 minutes long. This is a most unusual move in a TV industry characterized by exceedingly long programs, like noontime shows that stretch up to three hours! We welcome it because, if it clicks with viewers, it can prove to other producers that less is indeed more!

To date, Kris and Boy have been interviewing controversial newsmakers, the better to build up an audience of curious viewers. If the “compacted” show succeeds, we hope that other, shorter programs will be launched, to make better and brisker use of valuable TV time.

For instance, on US TV, most weekly sitcoms are only half-hour long, and yet they become huge hits. On local TV, comedy programs are at least an hour long—and aren’t even half as funny. So, pertinent lessons can be learned!

Other innovative moves include Solar News’ 1 p.m. newscast in Cebuano. The “logic” here is that there are literally millions of Cebuano-speaking people now living in Metro Manila, so if they can be enticed to shift viewership by way of a language-specific program, why not?

If the little “experiment” is sufficiently successful, it could result in some other program types also being done in Cebuano.

Thinking even more long-range, a bigger outcome could be the revival of the Cebuano movie industry, supported not just by Visayans, but also by Cebuanos living in Metro Manila. Even more unexpected things have happened in the biz, so why not give it a shot?