Low and slow start for new morning show

Last April 18, we caught the first telecast of ABS-CBN’s new 7:30 a.m. weekday show, “Magandang Buhay,” cohosted by Jolina Magdangal, Karla Estrada and Melai Cantiveros.

The new talk and magazine show is obviously intended for a generally female viewership, hence its choice of hosts.

Judging by the first telecast’s buena mano focus on young screen sweethearts Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo, it could more specifically be aiming for the tween and teen market.

Our initial reactions: The new show got off to a slow start, with the three hosts greeting viewers, exchanging pleasantries and trying to establish rapport with each other and their audience from the get-go.

We understood the motivation, but it still felt like a low and slow start—not the way to generate anticipation and excitement for a new program.

Hopefully, with the ice now officially broken, we’ll get a crisper and breezier show from here on in.

The decision to lead off with the “KathNiel” love team was a logical move, since Karla is Daniel’s “momager.”

Since they’re popular, the now young-adult screen tandem’s hour-long feature assured good viewership for the debuting production.

The “Karla connection” also made the long feature more personal, and the guests helped by being more forthcoming than usual.

The program’s focus was on young love, and what both youths and their folks can do to avoid its many and obvious pitfalls.

The presence of an “expert” as resource person added to the discussion’s credibility as a teaching and learning encounter. Thus, the feature was not just a “for the fans” romp, but also rated well on point of “infotainment.”

On the minus side, the proceedings were generally predictable and “generic,” even in the lessons they taught, and the hosts, especially Melai, were sometimes too ditzy “for effect.”

Due to the predictability of the proceedings, the program-length feature felt too long. Therefore, it would have been better if the show followed up with another topic and group of guests.

TV people really have to develop a better appreciation of the compressed interest value of “TV time,” as opposed to real time.

That’s why most TV shows in other countries are only 30 minutes long, because they know how to make full use of its heightened possibilities.

If a local TV show insists on being an hour long, it should add more features to its daily lineup so it doesn’t end up feeling “stretched.”

On point of its cohosts’ proficiency and “chemistry,” some adjustments could also be made.

On point of popularity and experience, Jolina is the new program’s biggest stellar draw, so perhaps her colleagues won’t resent it if she’s given her own separate portion. Given her diverse interests, its specific focus should be left up to her.

For her part, we’re glad Karla has staged a successful comeback on television, but she needs more time to more effectively make the shift from performing to cohosting.

As for Melai, we know that she’s the “ditzy” or mali-mali one in the show’s hosting mix, but she needs to be more aware of her tendency to overeagerly butt in, or take the talk into relatively unproductive and unfocused detours. Just saying.