HAWK REPORTS TV

The Vampire Diaries Returns With the Damon-Elena-Stefan-Katherine Foursome

2010-09-11T16:44:00.001+08:00

The Vampire Diaries is back and the season premiere was well worth that long break between seasons! What better way to celebrate its return than with a short but sweet favorite scenes post? Am I right or am I right?

The season premiere is best captured by Damon's predicament of always being the second choice to Stefan and this comes to fore as the premiere wrapped up. This whole relationship quadrangle will be an interesting situation for Elena, Stefan, Damon and Katherine, as the season progresses among other dynamics set up by the return of BAMF, Katherine.

Damon: I have a question. Answer it and expect the fireworks and the rockets around blare. Answer it right and I'll forget the last 145 years I've spent missing you. I'll forget it, how much I loved you. I'll forget everything and we can start over. This can be our defining moment. So we have time, this beauty of eternity. I just need the truth. Just once.

Katherine: Stop. I already know your question and its answer. The truth is, I've never loved you. It was always Stefan.

Read on, and view more screencaps from The Vampire Diaries Season 2 Premiere after the jump!
And if the first rejection wasn't enough, Damon had to get another one from the other person he felt would accept him and care and value him for what he really is.

Elena: Thanks for looking out for us, for me.

Damon: That's me. Trust the bodyguard, calm in a crisis.

Elena: You've been drinking and you're upset. That's not a good combination.

Damon: No, I'm not upset. Upset is an emotion that's specific to those who care.

Elena: C'mon Damon. That's a lie. You care.

Damon: You're surprised that I thought you'd kiss me back? You can't imagine that I'd believe that you'd want to.

Elena: Damon...

Damon: That what we've been doing here means something. You're the liar, Elena. There is something going on between the two of us and you know it. And you're lying to me. And you're lying to Stefan. And most of all, you're lying to yourself.

Elena: Damon don't! What's wrong with you?

Damon: Lie about this.

Elena: Stop it. You're better than this. C'mon.

Damon: That's where you're wrong.

Elena: No, no, no. Damon, I care about you! Listen to me. I care about you. I do, but I love Stefan. It's always gonna be Stefan.

Sidenote: Is it just me or is Nina Dobrev better as Katherine than Elena? She was seriously smoking those bad ass lines and moves. Ian is probably giving her some notes on being the cool villain everyone wants to hate and love.

Screen caps were done by the generous LJ people at RAWR Caps!

Ramon Bautista and Simon the SIM Collector

2010-09-07T20:36:00.000+08:00

Ramon Bautista does funny so well. This time he plays Simon the SIM Collector. You have got to watch their webisodes. It equals the ones he's done with McDonald's and MTV Philippines.

Are you excited for Star Cinema's Sa'yo Lamang?

2010-08-24T21:08:00.000+08:00

The 17th anniversary offering of ABS-CBN's film production arm, Star Cinema is Sa'yo Lamang, a family drama directed by Laurice Guillen. It stars a multitude of Kapamilya's biggest stars such as, Lorna Tolentino, Christopher de Leon, Enchong Dee, Bea Alonzo, Diether Ocampo, Zanjoe Marudo, and Coco Martin.

The movie dwells on the return of the character of Christopher de Leon after 10 years away from his family and the repercussions of his return on the family. It is obviously charged with very strong emotions, where each of the daughters and sons of Christopher and Lorna have their own reaction to their father's return. One expresses resentment, another anger, and...you get the point.

Read more to watch the trailer and share your opinion about it.

For some reason, the trailer feels underwhelming. It opens with a montage from one of Star Cinema's most successful family dramas in recent memory, Tanging Yaman, which eats away time that could've been used to set the premise of the story more. Besides, the montage wasn't even integral to the trailer. The trailer itself is the usual Star Cinema style where you have the climactic and dramatic scenes, showcasing the supposed dramatic prowess of its cast. In other words, kailangan ipakita ang power lines ng movie.

Oddly enough, it feels all too familiar. Is this suppose to be the middle class version of Claudine Barretto's and Vilma Santos's Anak? It doesn't help that this trailer is all over the place. Wanting to cover all those power lines, it sacrifices an overarching theme and treatment. Puro lang cut to this scene na may sumisigaw, may umiiyak, may nagsusumamo sa Diyos. To cut the long story short, I don't think I'll be watching this movie in the cinemas.

Match Airing! Another Reason to Send Our Love to Solar's ETC

2010-08-23T13:23:00.002+08:00

If you're from countries outside the United States, the legal avenue of viewing your fave TV shows is to wait for your local channels to pick them up, and air them locally, which more often than not, results to a delay of one whole season or a couple of episodes. The other route for avid viewers is to rely on Megavideo or by downloading them via torrents. Often the reason is that people already watched the previous season, so they want to be as updated as the people in the U.S. The challenge then is to air episodes as close as possible to when the show goes live in the U.S, so these channels don't lose viewership.

A couple of years ago, Studio 23 brought us Fresh U.S. Episodes (FUSE), where the delay was only a week or an episode. The consensus was that it was an amazing step towards lessening the wait, but ultimately it was still delayed. And then last year, Solar Entertainment revolutionized S23's F.U.S.E. by way of airing Glee via satellite. In other words, the delay was mere hours! In fact for the downloaders, this would become the easier route, since it freed up storage space, wait time for the download for slow connections, and predictable viewing times!

This year, Solar Entertainment pushes the boundaries again via the shows airing on ETC. Apart from Glee, they've added E! News, the Daily Ten, TMZ, and The Vampire Diaries to this same day airing scheme. Aptly called, "Match Airing," I'm pretty sure this is a welcome relief for avid TV viewers and a definite step forward towards a "smaller TV world."

Good job ETC and Solar Entertainment! You definitely love your viewers!

EDIT 8/24: I forgot they're also airing Gossip Girl on the same day! :)
EDIT 8/26: And of course, I forgot to add America's Next Top Model, How I Met Your Mother, and Hellcats. (That last one surprised me a bit, since it's new and the buzz driving it is Ashley Tisdale cheerleading. The trailer did look good though!)

TV Profile: AMC's Mad Men

2010-08-22T13:50:00.001+08:00

Let's venture into some familiar territory. Mad Men has been on the air for the past four seasons, and has been showered with awards and critical acclaim. It won the Emmy for the Outstanding Drama Series twice, awarded by the Screen Actors' Guild for the Outstanding Performance of an Ensemble in a Drama Series, and countless more nominations and wins spanning not just the acting, but the different parts of the production, such as set design, cinematography, and even opening sequence! There is reason behind all this success. Simply put, Mad Men is an amazing and high quality television show!

Mad Men is set in a post-World War 2 world, when Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy were at one point still alive. Smoking could be done inside offices. Drinking alcohol during work hours were acceptable. Oh, and the women and African Americans were yet to achieve equal rights. The story finds it home in an advertising agency, Sterling Cooper, along Madison Avenue, New York. Even then, the frantic and glamorous life of advertising men were celebrated, and at the same time, shown for what it is.

We follow the life of Don Draper, the head honcho in the creative department, and his wheelings and dealings inside the advertising world, and his personal space, his home. The mystery, intrigue, and the interplay of the different facets of the characters bring to life this period piece and the people in front and behind the camera breathes to life the world these Mad Men lived in, and what they had to face.

Let me stick more to what makes the current season of this TV show a must watch. And I definitely think, it's the cast and characters that populate the show!

Read about them after the jump!

Don Draper

Jon Hamm plays the title character of mysterious ad man, Don Draper. Known for his creative brilliance, Draper wows clients and fellow ad men with his eureka moments. But apart from is seen in the offices and corridors of Sterling Cooper, many do not know who Don Draper really is. In the previous three seasons, the audience gets to know the man behind the supposedly perfect man. We follow his heartaches with his family life, marriage, girls on the side, and the drama involved with keeping up this idyllic front.

Betty Draper

The Grace Kelly stunner, January Jones plays the wife of Don Draper, Betty. She struggles with the philandering of her husband, and at the same time, she epitomizes the struggle of the women of her time. Much like her husband, we follow her journey towards an identity, but in a starkly different sense. Hers is the challenge of finding her place in a world where the men ruled society, and women were largely left to tend to the suburban haven, have babies, and leave the career and moneymaking to their husbands. But as we saw in the recent episodes, change is coming.

Peggy Olson

If Betty Draper struggles in finding her place in society, Peggy Olson, played wonderfully by Elizabeth Moss, is already challenging the norms of society. Terribly unconventional in not just her look and career, Olson finds herself looking for the how to live in man's world manual. From the secretary of Draper to a full-fledged copywriter of Sterling Cooper, she's also in search of love. Her short-lived tryst with Pete Campbell resulted into a love child, which she leaves to her family, to pursue career advancement. And if you've seen the last couple of episodes, there are still sparks between her and Campbell, which makes us squee in delight.

Pete Campbell

The snarky Pete Campbell is played by Vincent Kartheiser. The ultra competitive accounts man always finds himself over reaching, but in the end gets what he deserves. It's probably because everything was given to him on a silver plate, and he's not used to working for it. In any case, he's probably the person you'd love to hate, but also can't help but adore. He's married to Trudy (Alison Brie), who doesn't mean to undermine him, but always finds herself in such a position. The two had really funny moments at the end of season 3, when the show tackled JFK's assassination.

Joan Holloway

Christina Hendricks plays the queen bee of the office. She's big in the right places, and knows how to work the girls and boys of the office. In fact, she's the one that keeps Sterling Cooper's operations to run as smoothly as possible. She's the sometime big sister of Peggy, once the mistress of Roger Sterling, but always knew what she wanted in her life, to have the perfect family. I guess her charm comes from how different she is from Betty and Peggy, in that she is confident from the onset of the show. But of course, all isn't perfect with her, as seen in her tension filled marriage.

Roger Sterling
John Slattery is a veteran in the industry and it shows in his role as Roger Sterling. He plays the suave, philandering, and rich kid to a tee. Sterling is the stereotypical man of the 50's. What he wants, he gets. And I can't help but notice how true his lifestyle is even in our times. He's rich business man, who's got a healthy dose of humor, but also loves the new and shiny things like cars, and of course, young girls. He even suffered a heart attack while attempting to go for another round and followed it up with a divorce with his wife Mona, and marrying the very young Jane Siegel (Peyton List). Now, he has to deal with his own daughter, and the dynamic between her and the new wife. And it sucks for him.

Will Nike's Support Turn UAAP Stars Into Celebrities?

2010-08-21T20:28:00.000+08:00

There was a time basketball players were popular with everyone. They were celebrities in their own right. Alvin Patrimonio and Benjie Paras even transitioned to doing movies at one point. Patrimonio starred in a movie with Kris Aquino, and Paras has forayed into a full time TV career.

The next wave came when UAAP started airing on Studio 23. They packaged the good looking and talented players from the premier universities, and that gave us James Yap, Chris Tiu, and were instrumental to breathing new life to the PBA. But in recent years, there has been a lack of stars in the UAAP. It could be just a lack of the mixture of a great game and face or just the challenge for marketers to find the right balance of looks and game.

Read more about Nike and watch its unique advertisement after the jump.
This year, Nike introduces us to a " new breed, new game," and "new legacy" via their campaign for NikeZoom Hyperfuse. They've built this campaign around three marquee players from three different and storied universities. Representing the Ateneo de Manila Blue Eagles is Nico Salva, Aldrech Ramos for the FEU Fighting Tamaraws, and the lone NCAA representative, Borgie Hermida of the San Beda Red Lions.

I've added their commercial below. It's always nice to see campaigns made for the local market, especially if it's made well.

Will this bring the three the success of those that preceded them? Thoughts?

TV Guide: ABS-CBN and GMA Are Moving Around Old Shows and Premiering New Shows

2010-08-21T19:47:00.000+08:00

There seems to be a wave of changes in the programming of ABS-CBN and GMA. Have you noticed the noontime block of ABS-CBN? They've pushed Showtime to a later time to accommodate a pseudo new entry, Kapamilya Blockbusters, and considerable shortened Pilipinas Win Na Win. So now, we have an 11:45 - 3:00 of Showtime and PWNW to battle it out with Eat Bulaga. They also moved Banana Split to an earlier slot, just right after Simply KC. It seems to me, they're still looking for this show's audience, but can't seem to kill it.

The network has also premiered its new Primetime Bida offering with Cristine Reyes's Kristine, which looks amazing by the way. In the coming weeks, Agua Bendita will be replaced by the kantaserye Sarah Geronimo-starrer Idol. Imortal, on the other hand, seems to be pushed back. By the looks of it, the earliest it can see light would be once Momay ends, and if Noah is bumped off to the pre-TV Patrol slot. (I've been hearing lots of good things from those who are part of the cast. It seems like it really is connected to Angel Locsin's previous teleserye, Lobo. I'll talk about that more once more buzz comes my way.)

GMA, on the other hand, will be introducing a new game show in the next couple of weeks. The show is Asar Talo Pero Laging Panalo and will be hosted by Edu Manzano, who formerly helmed the Game KNB slot that Showtime now occupies. From what I've read about the show, it seems like it's lifting some of the traits from the game show Distraction.We'll also be treated to a new season of Survivor Philippines, which will feature celebrities instead of regular people. They're also building up Glaiza de Castro, as a lead, with her new show, Grazilda, already in production and scheduled to start airing in October.

All in all, the latter half of 2010 seems to be heavier for both networks. As for TV5? They've been ramping up original content, as well. In fact, I caught a promo spot of a new show starring Ryan Agoncillo, as a crossdresser. It's title is Lady Dada.

When's the Premiere of Your Favorite TV Show?

2010-08-20T22:10:00.001+08:00

September draws nearer, and you all know what that means?! It's time once again for our favorite TV shows to premiere and grip our hearts and stomachs. So wouldn't it be nice to track the dates when the different TV shows come back? For my readers in the Philippines, you know the drill! Just push back the date by one day. Mark your calendars already!

To help us prep and get excited, I'm posting, as well, the teaser trailers for each show I listed here, as soon as they go live. In other words, I'll constantly update this page for the latest! :)

September 9

The Vampire Diaries

September 13

Gossip Girl

More shows after the jump!

September 14

Life Unexpected

September 20

Chuck

House

How I Met Your Mother

Lone Star (New)

September 21

Glee

September 22

Cougar Town

Undercovers (New)

September 23

The Big Bang Theory

30 Rock

Grey's Anatomy

Community

Private Practice

September 26

Dexter

Willie Revillame Will Definitely Have A New Noontime Show

2010-08-18T17:57:00.001+08:00

The rumor mill is once again in full swing, trying to pin down where exactly Willie Revillame is headed to. What I'm sure of is that he's definitely planning a new show and the only question is where this new show will be aired. There have been reports that his camp secured a blocktimer agreement with TV5, but that's been disputed by TV5's management. The other options left would be in the other local channels, RPN9 and IBC13. It is doubtful he'll return to ABS-CBN, or GMA, currently the home of Eat Bulaga.

Alongside Revillame is a bevy of people behind the production of Wowowee, such as the show's business unit head, Jay Montelibano and choreographer, Anna Feliciano, and her ASF dancers. Aside from the two, there have been reports that half of the Wowowee staff has joined Revillame and supposedly, Revillame is paying their salaries, which are 20% higher than what they last received working in Pilipinas Win Na Win.

Is this connected with Mariel Rodriguez's indefinite leave from PWNW? Where will this new show air? Will Willie be able to capture the market of his now defunct show?

Willie Revillame was the host of hugely successful noontime show, Wowowee. But he was forced out of the show, when he challenged management to remove one of its other talents for supposedly deriding his show. Before Wowowee, Revillame hosted MTB, but was removed because of his penchant for using off color jokes. Even outside the spotlight, he continues to reap the benefits of his success with a loyal following from Filipinos living abroad to the masa market and his recent foray into real estate via Manny Villar's Vista Land.

Bea Alonzo + Maja Salvador = Bela Padilla

2010-08-17T12:16:00.000+08:00

I've caught a couple episodes of Party Pilipinas, and really didn't know much of the names of their hosts. But one host caught my eye. Not necessarily because she was doing a phenomenal job or something extraordinary, but she reminded me of another actress. I couldn't thumb it down and then it hit me! This host looks like a cross between Bea Alonzo and Maja Salvador. Her name is Bela Padilla, by the way.

+ =

Amazing coincidence, wouldn't you say? Do you have other celebrities in mind who look like the fusion of other celebrities?

Jericho Rosales and the New Chowking Tender Beef Commercial

2010-08-09T08:00:00.000+08:00

I'm sure you've seen Jericho Rosales's new commercial for Chowking's Tender Beef. Well, if you haven't yet, I've embedded it at the end of the post. I think it's pretty well known that Jericho came from very humble beginnings, and his journey (much like Sarah Geronimo's was) lends well to a cinematic storyline. In this case, the commercial tracks his kargador days. I have no real problem with the advertisement at all, but it did remind me of Jericho's other commercial for Extra Joss. I guess, it's just that the story is essentially the same, but highlights two distinct brand characteristics.

Chowking's Beef Tender TVC

Extra Joss's Bangon TVC

P.S. I love how clean the Extra Joss commercial was. The black & white treatment really transforms its simple look to something very classic and stylish.

The TMZ Clones: Tweetbiz and Dokumentado

2010-08-08T08:00:00.000+08:00

Filipino networks have this penchant for copying shows from other countries. We've had clones of Dawson's Creek (ABS-CBN's Tabing Ilog), Dancing With The Stars (ABS-CBN's U Can Dance and TV5's Shall We Dance), and who could forget the many variations of the American Idol done by both ABS-CBN and GMA. From those competitions and occasional dramas, the networks have moved to include the entertainment reporting style of Americans.

If you watch some of the gossip shows, one would notice the similarities with Entertainment Tonight or the Daily Ten. But I think what has caught the Filipino's taste is the satirical gossip reporting of TMZ. To be fair, the original show is a riot, and the concept of making it seem like a conference of the gossip columnists on whether a story is worth a mention on TMZ's website transports us to a behind-the-scenes look on where the gossip is coming from. And of course, I have to mention the sound effects and side comments they always have when they throw the story up into discussion. It always cracks me up when they report on Justin Bieber, they always have this high-pitched voice doing the Bieber voice. Genius!

So what did the two shows copy and scrap? Read after the break!

So successful was the TMZ style that GMA's cable channel, QTV and TV5 copied their style of reporting. The two shows, however, differ in how they adapted it to fit the Filipino flavor. Let me breakdown the TMZ Clones:


	Tweetbiz	Dokumentado
Tag line	The Bizniz of Chizmiz	None
The Topics	Entertainment & Gossip	Politics
The Harvey Levin	Tim Yap & Mr. Fu	Luchi Cruz-Valdez
The Max & Company	Maxene Magalona	Jove Francisco
	Justine Ferrer	TV5 Reporters
	Suzuki Sadatsugu
	Tabloid Reporter
Reason for Being	Make the "Swak o Ligwak" List	A different take on news reporting
The Other Things	Desks! Commentary	Desks Too! Commentary
		The TMZ Sound
		The TMZ Graphic

Oh, let's not forget that they try to create that behind-the-scene feel of TMZ! Both are poor copies of the original. I don't really get how the TMZ format helps Tweetbiz. For one thing, what's the point of the Swak o Ligwak list? They write the news stories on their white board because? Dokumentado, on the other hand, seems like the 3rd World version of TMZ. LOL. They do the voice overs and even copied how TMZ spaced their news. But they've gotten the groove of getting footage of the politicians at their unguarded instances. Plus 1 to you Dokumentado.

To be fair to both shows, the whole spirit of TMZ is hard to copy. They have the ditzy female reporter, the surfer dude, and the lawyer rounding up the circus. They have paparazzi videos, a culture of breaking the news first, and their irreverence is very American.

Top 10 Leading Men in Philippine Entertainment

2010-08-04T08:00:00.025+08:00

Let's move on from the Top 10 Leading Ladies, to who I consider to be the Top 10 Leading Men of Philippine Entertainment. For some odd reason, this was a tougher ranking duty. One, there are more male leads than ladies. Two, the eras aren't as clear cut, as many of the actors are able to still carry movies to success, so ages range from the early twenties to the early thirties. Lastly, there is some level of parity after the top three because most are either new to the business or they may be old but are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. To whittle down the list, I'll exclude Aga Muhlach and Robin Padilla and grant them the status of being "In Their Own League."

My criteria remain the same. I look at movies starred in, teleseryes, where they were central to the story, how successful these projects were in terms of box office earnings, buzz, critical acclaim and of course, ratings. The last component would be endorsements held, as this exhibits their crossover appeal, meaning they are not just known by Kapamilyas or Kapusos exclusively. I definitely put greater weight on recent success than past success. Having said that, I made sure I referenced the past, as well.

1. John Lloyd Cruz
The Why: He's leading the pack with a bevy of endorsement deals, numerous box-office hits, and starring roles in high rating teleseryes. He slowly transformed himself to a bankable leading man from his days as Rovic in Tabing Ilog. His success was tied to the Bea Alonzo-John Lloyd love team, but with the success of the Sarah Geronimo-John Lloyd love team, one has to consider already that he might just have needed flexibility to be able to carry a film on his own. It's good that he's mixing up his projects, and trying to improve and extend his acting skills more and more.
The brands that trust his star power: Lucky Me Pancit Canton, 555 Tuna, Sta. Lucia Properties, Biogesic, Greenwich Pizza, Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs, Swatch, Joel Cruz Perfume and Body Care, Chocolava
Hit Movies: Miss You Like Crazy, In My Life, You Changed My Life, A Very Special Love, One More Chance, Dubai, Now That I Have You
Hit Teleseryes: I Love Betty La Fea, Maging Sino Ka Man, Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin, It Might Be You, Kay Tagal Kang Hinintay

2. Piolo Pascual
The Why: A few years ago, one could probably say Piolo Pascual would've been the numero uno leading man. But since this is a list made in 2010, one has to consider the lack of recent successful projects to back this claim. At the same time, even with the lack of success his extreme popularity among women despite rumors that hound him is a testament to the brand that he's built for himself. To be fair, his career seems to be in another upswing, but I wonder if he'd be able to recapture the magic he had with Judy Ann Santos that made him a household name in the industry and at the same time, made so many fans scream and shell out money to watch their movies.
The brands that trust his star power: BDO, Belo Medical Group, Bench, Century Bangus, Centrum, Century Properties, Smart, Timex
Hit Movies: Don't Give Up On Us, Milan, Till There Was You, Dekada '70, Kahit Isang Saglit
Hit Teleseryes: Lovers In Paris, Lobo, Sa Piling Mo, Sa Puso Ko Iingatan Ka, Kahit Isang Saglit, Esperanza

For the rest of the list, click Read More!

3. Dingdong Dantes
The Why: Dingdong didn't start out as the star. Like the other two in the top three, he slowly built his way to the top and then all of a sudden, everything started to click. He became the biggest male star of GMA, and built this strong male image, whom women would love to fall in love with. Like John Lloyd, he relies heavily on the love team model. It helps that his current girlfriend and screen partner, Marian Rivera garners the same (or even more!) positive response from Filipinos.
The brands that trust his star power: Belo Medical Group, Bench, Goldilocks, Gran Matador, National Bookstore, San Marino, San Mig Light, TM
Hit Movies: You To Me Are Everything, Kimmy Dora: Kambal sa Kiyeme
Hit Teleseryes: Stairway to Heaven, Dyesebel, Marimar, Atlantika, Encantadia, Etheria

4. Richard Gutierrez
The Why: Without the necessary research, he probably would rank lower. But the results of his work speak for themselves. He's been quite successful in movies, even with the different leading ladies each movie had. This definitely bolsters his credentials to the title of top leading man in the Philippines. As for his teleseryes, they've been hit or miss. Some blew everyone out of the water, but the more recent ones while successful, haven't replicated his earlier work's success. It'll be interesting to see how he does in hosting Survivor Philippines. He's got pretty big shoes to fill and I don't think he's ever done this kind of hosting ever.
The brands that trust his star power: Bench, Emperador, Flawless, MET
Hit Movies: When I Met U, My Bestfriend's Girlfriend, The Promise, I Will Always Love You, Let The Love Begin, Sigaw
Hit Teleseryes: Full House, Zorro, Codename: Asero, Sugo, Mulawin

5. Gerald Anderson
The Why: Gerald is the other half of the most popular love team right now, Kimerald, if you've been living under a bush. The only way for this young actor is up. I'm sure ABS-CBN is trying to test his leading man status in movies and in his new shows. The love team experienced great success in landing big commercial endorsements, such as Enervon, Whisper and currently, Nescafe. What surprises me though, is that he lacks the movies to bolster his leading man status right now. But he does compensate with the TV projects he doesn't to run out of. The future looks bright for Gerald, as more will definitely bank on this action star image he's positioning himself in.
The brands that trust his star power: Bench, Clear, Dermablend, DGC Paint and Body Shop. Monde Voice, Nescafe, Payless, Smart/Sandbox
Hit Movies: Paano Na Kaya
Hit Teleseryes: Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo, Tayong Dalawa, My Girl, Sana Maulit Muli

6. Jericho Rosales
The Why: He was once the King of Teleseryes and Kristine Hermosa his Queen. But once that love team ended, he's had a bevy of hit or miss projects. His version of Panday only received a lukewarm response from the audience. Recently though, he's started the journey back to the top. His recent legal drama was a hit. He's been bagging more endorsement deals and is definitely on his way to reclaim that matinee idol title he once held. It helps his cause that he's quite popular in other Asian countries because of "Pangako Sa'yo" and he probably knows better now.
The brands that trust his star power: Chowking Orange Chicken, Extra Joss, Mint Clothing, Skyflakes Fit, Water Plus
Hit Movies: Nasaan Ka Man, Santa Santita, Noon at Ngayon, Ngayong Nandito Ka, Kailangan Kita, Forevermore, Bagong Buwan, Tanging Yaman
Hit Teleseryes: Dahil May Isang Ikaw, Pangarap Na Bituin, Sana'y Wala Nang Wakas, Pangako Sa'yo

7. Sam Milby
The Why: Another guy that came from that yellow and blue house, Sam Milby is an interesting case. For one, he's gained success even though he speaks really bad Filipino. His first love team was with Toni Gonzaga, and then moved to Anne Curtis, who at some point became his real life girlfriend. Currently, he's starring in an afternoon drama with Maja Salvador. He might just be another "Universal Leading Man" in the making. As to what kind of brand he wants to be, it's not as clear cut. His recent endorsements point to a more upper class target market. But one thing is clear, he's on an upswing right now with an upcoming primetime show with Sarah Geronimo and Coco Martin.
The brands that trust his star power: Belo Medical Group, Dermablend, Folded & Hung, Samsung
Hit Movies: Babe, I Love You, And I Love You So, My Big Love, You Are The One
Hit Teleseryes: Maging Sino Ka Man, Dyosa, Only You

8. Derek Ramsay
The Why: Dubbed as the "Universal Leading Man," Derek Ramsay sits comfortably in his healthy and hot category that Piolo Pascual has been positioning himself in, as well. It's funny that he's probably the only guy in this list, who doesn't use the love team angle. What he's been known to do though, is to take his shirt off as much as possible and show off his built body, which the women and gays adore. In the next couple of years, depending on how well he improves his acting, he's poised to climb the ladder of stardom. And there is little doubt that he'll lose out on endorsements now with brands looking towards a more healthy and active lifestyle type of campaign.
The brands that trust his star power: Century Tuna, Lucky Me Lomi, Nesvita, Oxygen, San Miguel Beer
Hit Movies: And I Love You So, I Love You, Goodbye,
Hit Teleseryes: Habang May Buhay, The Wedding, Ysabella

9. Coco Martin
The Why: Coco Martin's star is rising. He's not the typical movie star to say the least. He's starred mostly in indie films, playing off beat roles. It was only recently that he started transitioning to mainstream television and soon, to movies too. But of the two teleseryes he's starred in, he definitely stands out among the lead actors. He plays the antagonist quite well, and there is that humanity that is sometimes lost with less skillful actors that he's able to pull off regularly.
The brands that trust his star power: Bench, Cossack Blue,WOW Ulam
Hit Movies: Noy, Kinatay, Serbis, Jay, Masahista
Hit Teleseryes: Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo, Tayong Dalawa

10. Dennis Trillo
The Why: I had trouble placing Dennis Trillo. His recent shows in GMA's Telebabad have been weak (Does Adik Sa'yo ring a bell?). The Dingdong-Marian tandem is definitely helping him in their current teleserye. He was once the go-to-guy of his network, but most probably his initial reticence in manning up and admitting his child with Carlene turned off viewers. On the other hand, maybe this new girlfriend in real life might just jumpstart his career again.
The brands that trust his star power: Aficionado, Generoso, Nescafe
Hit Movies: Mano Po, Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita
Hit Teleseryes: Gagambino, Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan, Super Twins, Majika, Etheria, Darna, Mulawin

Waiting in the Wings: Aljur Abrenica, Diether Ocampo, Enchong Dee, Geoff Eigenmann, Jake Cuenca, Luis Manzano
In A League Of Their Own: Aga Muhlach, Robin Padilla

I'm sure you have your own ranking, what does it look like? Happy ranking and listing everyone!

P.S. Don't worry too much if I didn't list all their endorsements.

Top 10 Leading Ladies of Philippine Entertainment

2010-08-02T13:33:00.003+08:00

The rise of the teleserye as a vehicle for up and coming leading ladies has never been stronger as it currently is. Gone are the days where there were leading ladies in movies exclusively. The game now, is to be on teleseryes AND movies. It was a trend that must have started with Judy Ann Santos and Claudine Barretto, who starred in teleseryes made into movies. They've graduated to another level altogether, passing the baton, so to speak, to a new generation. We've truly entered a new era of leading ladies.

To come up with the list, I considered not only the success of their movies and television shows, but also looked at their influence, by way of the endorsements they currently have.

1. Sarah Geronimo
The Why: She's truly built a very strong brand for herself. She stands as the only true star that can be considered a triple threat. She sings, dances, and acts. She 's headlined sold out concerts, movies and has also starred in her fair share of television shows. While one can nitpick and say she has yet to prove herself in a drama, few can lay claim to truly establishing this goofy comedy she seems most comfortable in
Brands that trust her star power: Sunsilk, Cebuana Lhuillier, Robitussin, Elaia, 555 Corned Tuna, Lucky Me Pancit Canton, Belo Essentials, Globe Tattoo, Jollibee, Selecta Fortified Milk
Where did we see her? ASAP XV, A Very Special Love 1 and 2, Pangarap na Bituin, Hating Kapatid, Idol (upcoming series)

2. Marian Rivera
The Why: Out of the top three, she might have the most endorsements. She's proven herself to be a very dependable TV star with almost all her shows rating well. Her tandem with Dingdong Dantes has proven the test of time and the audience seems to want more and more of their love story. While one can say she has yet to prove herself in being a bankable movie star, she has proven that even without that star under her sleeve, she's gained the trust of marketers to endorse their brands, most probably because of her undeniable beauty.
Brands that trust her star power: Maxipeel, SM Residences, Jag Jeans, San Miguel Light, San Marino, Honda, Natasha, Phoenix Gasoline, Gran Matador, PLDT Touch Card, PLDT Landline Plus, Talk ‘N Text
Where did we see her? Darna, Marimar, Dyesebel, Endless Love (current series)

For the rest of the list, click the read more link!

3. Kim Chiu
The Why: She started out as the winner of a reality competition that launched her to stardom. Her tandem with Gerald Anderson, like the Marian-Dingdong love team, has probably one of the most devoted fanbase. The force of Kimerald has lorded over TV and recently, even movies! Their home network has started to build and strengthen the two individually, with more projects that pair them with other stars. Like the Top 2 leading ladies, she's cornered the teen market category.
Brands that trust her star power: Rejoice, Whisper, Voice, Cherry Mobile, Payless, Nescafe
Where did we see her? Sana Maulit Muli, My Girl, Tayong Dalawa, Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo, Bcoz of You, Paano na Kaya

4. Anne Curtis
The Why: We've seen her grow from her nene days in TGIS and Anna Karenina to the Dyosa she has become now. Her undeniable beauty and appeal remain bankable for her home network. It also helps that while she is in a masa industry, she's maintained her upper class appeal, and this is proven by being the first Filipina endorser of the French hair care brand, L'Oreal.
Brands that trust her star power: L'Oreal Paris Hair Care, Whisper, GSM Blue, Swatch, myPhone, Greenwich Lasagna,Natasha
Where did we see her? Hiram, Maging Sino Ka Man, Dyosa, When Love Begins, Baler, Babe I Love You, Showtime (current show), Green Rose (upcoming series), In Your Eyes (upcoming movie)

5. Angelica Panganiban
The Why: While her star waned when she was transitioning from her pacute days, she's risen again thanks to her reinvention of her sexy image to the sexy comedienne that can do drama too! Her beauty has never been questioned and it was always a question of where she'd fit in, and it seems she's found her niche in the business. It definitely helps that her success in her personal life bolsters her star power.
Brands that trust her star power: Del Monte Pineapple Tidbits, Pantene Conditioner, the Bar, TM, Swatch, Bench, Naughty or Nice Cologne
Where did we see her? A Love Story, I Love You, Goodbye, Here Comes the Bride, Iisa Pa Lamang, Banana Split (current gag show), Rubi (current series)

6. Angel Locsin
The Why: Many might question her high rank in this list. Many will say that since her move from GMA to ABS-CBN, she's lost some shine in that star of hers and isn't even seen much on any screen. But given that situation, she's still a go-to-person of many brands. She's traversed her sexy image (FHM' Sexiest anyone?), the action star (Lobo), and her humanitarian causes, which has probably gotten her more screen time in the past couple of years.
Brands that trust her star power: Head & Shoulders, Folded & Hung, Myra 400E Lotion, Century Tuna
Darna, Majika, Mulawin, Asian Treasures, Lobo, Only You, Imortal (upcoming series)

7. Bea Alonzo
The Why: For such a young woman, she's always played characters older than her age. But that hasn't stopped her from achieving the success, she's been experiencing. Before there was Kimerald, there was the John Lloyd-Bea love team. The two have teamed up to catapult numerous primetime teleseryes and box-office hit movies. In recent years, they've started to branch out into other pairings and stand on their own star.
Brands that trust her star power: Angel Evaporated Milk, 4G, Kashieca, Greenwich Pizza
Where did we see her? It Might Be You, Now That I Have You, One More Chance, Miss You Like Crazy, Maging Sino Ka Man, I Love Betty La Fea, Magkaribal (current show)

8. Rhian Ramos
The Why: GMA defintely lacks leading ladies in their stable, but they're definitely lucky they have Rhian Ramos. She's young, fresh, and even though she lacks a constant love team, it has given the station enough flexibility to pair her with their more numerous leading men. And she exhibits this flexibility in the genres she's starred in. In the next couple of years, she's bound to get bigger, as her studio develops her into a more bankable leading lady.
Brands that trust her star power: Palmolive Soap, PLDT MyDSL, HTC, Sabella
Captain Barbell, LaLola, Zorro, Stairway to Heaven, Kaya ng Powers (current show), Ilumina (upcoming series)

9. Heart Evangelista
The Why: Heart is still as pretty as ever. But since her relationship with Jericho Rosales and its end, she hasn't found the spark that catapulted her into an endorsement and teleserye machine again. If one had to track her career, by this time, she should have equaled or surpassed Anne Curtis. But the Fates had a different plan for her. She's slowly building her career in GMA, and hopefully the network finds a suitable pair for her. I just don't think pairing her with Mark Herras will help her cause though. What does separate her from many of her contemporaries is that she's done it all. She's been a host, singer, television and movie actress. And she was successful in all those areas.
Brands that trust her star power: Olay Natural White, Missy by Bayo
Where did we see her? Hiram, Panday, Codename: Asero, Luna Mystika, Full House, Langit sa Piling Mo

10. KC Concepcion
The Why: In the short time since she was launched as the new star to watch for, she's come a long way already. She started with those movies with Richard Gutierrez, and then made her way into the Primetime Bida lineup via the Pinoy adaptation of Lovers in Paris. Now, she's helming a morning talkshow and shares hosting duties in The Buzz. She's released successful solo albums too. What's fascinating about this young lady's career is that she's attracted brands to her even before she had TV shows! It definitely helps that she's the only daughter of Gabby Concepcion and Sharon Cuneta, who were the love team of the '80s. But I can't rate her any higher because she lacks the projects to back up a higher ranking.
Brands that trust her star power: Palmolive, Bayo, Garnier, UN World Food Programme
Where did we see her? For the First Time, When I Met U, Lovers in Paris, I'll Be There, The Buzz (current show), Simply KC (current show)

Waiting in the wings: Cristine Reyes, Maja Salvador, Erich Gonzales, Andi Eigenmann, Carla Abellana
In a league of their own: Judy Ann Santos, Claudine Barretto

How would you rank them?

The Week in Review: Farewell and Welcome the New Shows; Kris Aquino Tells All

2010-08-01T08:00:00.166+08:00

From across the seas to our shores, no TV news is left unturned. Just the exact amount of crazy will be served. Anyway, this week's been pretty busy with Comic-con and all the goodies that came with it. I'm sure I'll be able to blog more about it, once I've digested all the news on my feed. Or I could do another highlight piece, just like this one! There's a LOT, I tell you!

Aside from that, we've been pretty much hearing more casting coups, and in this part of the world, more of both the most hated and crowd favorite, Kris Aquino. Of course, let's not leave the previews for next week unpublished.

American Idol News: Ellen is leaving. Kara got fired. And what's this talk about J.Lo and Steven Tyler being snagged as the new judges? I doubt the last one is true.
Kris Aquino returns to Manila and faces the intrigues. It wouldn't be Kris at all to scrimp on the details and do it in private, so she tells all to Boy Abunda and to the whole world.
From the cryfest end of Wowowee to the beginning of Pilipinas Win na Win, which for at least a day was Pilipinas FTW.
Friends-lovers rejoice! Jennifer Aniston and BFF IRL Courtney Cox will reunite in Cougar Town. After four years out of the picture, Matt LeBlanc is returning to our TV sets!
Glee doesn't seem too shy about adding new cast members, and bringing the favorites back. Kristin Dos Santos of E! Online dishes on "who's in and who's out."
If you haven't caught the teaser of Dexter's fifth season, then you seriously need to make time for it! This trailer is AWESOME.
And while we wait for the new season, let's enjoy the summer fare and get excited for what awaits us this week. Pretty Little Liars is in for The Perfect Storm and the girls are ever more insecure of the ties that bind them together. Looks like there's trouble brewing inside The Gates and maybe we'll get to see what the "rules" say about killing inside the village. Annie's stuck in Zurich with a Mossad agent in next week's Covert Affairs. There seems to be some friction again between Neal and Peter in next week's White Collar.
Lastly, let me sneak one in for Rubicon. Matt Roush of TV Guide asks, "Can a show be too intelligent?" His sluggish is my idea of letting it boil and simmer, so you get closer to the perfect end product.

What's Showing in Manila: August Movie Previews

2010-07-31T08:00:00.080+08:00

Opening in theaters this coming August are the usual suspects for the summer Hollywood blockbusters. We have the action-packed video game adaptation, a thriller directed by an Oscar winner, a comedy with tons of familiar comedians, a teenage romance with a twist, a sequel to an animal feud, and of course, the romantic comedy. In this new feature of the blog, I'll give you what you'd want to know about what's out there for you to get crazy about!

So click on Read More to get the lowdown on what you might want to spend your hard-earned cash on!

AUGUST 4

Tekken
Buzz: The much beloved PS game is now a movie. If you're a fan of the game, just don't get your hopes up too much. We haven't had a good adaptation of a video game like Tekken since I don't know when. This movie follows Jin Kazama's journey to avenge his mother's death and features almost all of the iconic characters of the Tekken franchise.
Synopsis: I'll let CrystalSky take care of this part.
Familiar Faces and Names: Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa (aka Mortal Kombat's Shang Tsung)

The Ghost Writer
Buzz: An adaptation of the novel, The Ghost, is a political thriller directed by Oscar winner Roman Polanski. It has competent and familiar actors as leads, and supposedly alludes to former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. It's a political thriller, so for those conspiracy nuts, I think this movie will be a good fit for you!
Synopsis: I'll let Rotten Tomatoes explain it for us.
Familiar Faces and Names: Ewan McGregor (aka Obi Wan Kenobi/Renton), Pierce Brosnan (aka James Bond), Kim Catrall (aka Samantha), James Belushi and Tom Wilkinson.

AUGUST 11

Grown Ups
Buzz: If "The Expendables" gathered the action stars of the nineties and noughties, what we have here is the comedic equivalent of that. It looks like a reunion of sorts for the SNL alumni too. So my assumption is that this should be a ridiculously funny movie. Don't expect it to be complicated and expect the usual antics of Sandler comedies.
Synopsis: After their high school basketball coach passes away, five good friends and former teammates reunite for a Fourth of July holiday weekend. And since I've been linking like crazy to Rotten Tomatoes, here's how it fared there.
Familiar Faces and Names: Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, David Spade, Kevin James (aka the guy from Hitch), Rob Schneider, Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Steve Buscemi, and Maya Rudolph (another SNL alum)

Beastly
Buzz: The defaced pretty face of Pettyfer has been making the rounds in the Internet. Because it is an adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast" expect the rich guy to be mean and be humbled by the curse of the witch, played by Olsen in this movie. The addition of Hudgens should be a huge come-on for all the teenyboppers, but the treatment of the film doesn't seem to point to that kind of market. I'm actually interested in this one, but I'm not expecting it to be mind blowing by any means. NPH apparently plays the scorned assistant of Pettyfer here.
Synopsis: A modern-day take on the "Beauty and the Beast" tale where a New York teen is transformed into a hideous monster in order to find true love.
Familiar Faces and Names: Vanessa Hudgens (aka Gabrielle of HSM), Alex Pettyfer (aka Alex of Stormbreaker), Neal Patrick Harris (aka Barney of HIMYM), Mary Kate Olsen (of the Olsen twins. lol)

AUGUST 18

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore
Buzz: If you didn't catch the first movie, I'm pretty sure you'll still get the gist of this sequel. My expectations are that this movie will be purely for entertainment and that kids will most likely love it. We all know the story that cats and dogs don't get along, so the movie takes it one step further. Cats and Dogs are devious and super smart and witty. This should be a lot of fun.
Synopsis: The ongoing war between the canine and feline species is put on hold when they join forces to thwart a rogue cat spy with her own sinister plans for conquest.
Familiar Faces and Names: You'll hear the voices of James Marsden (aka Prince Charming of Enchanted), Nick Nolte, Christina Applegate, Bette Midler, Neil Patrick Harris, Sean Hayes (aka Jack McFarland of Will & Grace), Roger Moore (aka James Bond), and Chris O'Donnell (aka Robin of Batman Forever)

AUGUST 27

Going the Distance
Buzz: Couples IRL Drew Barrymore and Justin Long star in this romantic comedy. Barrymore has perfected the art of the goofy charm. Who could forget her 50 First Dates character Lucy or even her Josie Geller in Never Been Kissed. Long, on the other hand, fits in the geek category that has its own charm. The premise of the story is sure to be the perfect bait for shippers.
Synopsis: A look at the trials and tribulations of a long-distance relationship.
Familiar Faces and Names: Drew Barrymore (aka Gertie/Lucy Whitmore), Justin Long (aka the guy in the Apple Ad), Christina Applegate (aka Samantha), and Jason Sudeikis (of SNL fame)

10 Scenes: White Collar and Covert Affairs Back-to-Back Extravaganza

2010-07-30T11:39:00.000+08:00

I'm a sucker for sleuths and spy thrillers, so watching White Collar and Covert Affairs was a natural fit. What I like about the summer season is the intensity isn't as fever pitched as my normal TV fare, but it isn't really too soft on the story. In other words, it's the perfect preparation for more awesomeness in the coming months. Fall Season anyone?

For those who haven't heard of White Collar yet, it stars the ever charming Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay in a buddy cop series that takes on the white collar criminals of New York with the help of conman Bomer. Plus, the show gives the viewers a smorgasbord of dapper suits, art, and sleuthing. Covert Affairs, on the other hand, is a new show with Piper Perabo, who plays a newbie CIA operative, protecting the US from terrorists. ~~You can check out my Covert Affairs TV Profile for a more in depth look of the show~~. (Darn, I forgot I haven't gotten around to writing that yet! Haha)

On to the meat: For this week's edition of 10 Scenes, let me source it from the two shows from the USA Network, White Collar's Copycat Caffrey (S02E03) and Covert Affairs' South Bound Suarez (S02E03)!

READ ON AFTER THE JUMP! I've also added pictures this time around.

White Collar: We got a solid episode this week. We get the process of solving cases the show is known for, and we get a bit movement with the plot, as Peter and Diana try to crack the secret of the music box. Bit by bit, the mystery of the plane's explosion and the music box gets pieced together.

1. LOL-worthy moment: Peter tells Neal that they have another lead on who's taking a page off of his art heist book. It turns out, a Criminilogy class studies Caffrey's previous exploits. Peter just knows how much of an ego boost this news would bring and Neal makes sure he doesn't hear the end of it.

N: They spent a week on me?
P: Apparently, you're one of the interesting criminals of the 21st century.
N: A new breed of forger, technological virtuoso with a classical artistic foundation. They got it.
P: Yea, yea. I read it.
N: Oh, they covered the Antioch manuscripts. Did you see that?
P: I know. Relax. They've only covered you for a week. By the end of the year, they probably won't remember your name.
N: Obviously, a few of them will.

2. Oh, Eric felt he's God's gift to the world of conning, but Alex and Neal had a different view and put him in his rightful place. Ouch! (Odd thing though was Alex not showing the card to other people, to make sure that she wouldn't be able to lie about what card she picked. Unless, Eric thought the girl sitting alone in the bar wouldn't lie.)

N: And never never think you're the smartest guy in the room, unless you're the smartest guy in the room.
And the challenge ensues.
A: He doesn't think it will be.
E: He's wrong!
A: 200 bucks says he's right!
E: Uh...I can't take your money.
A: Why not? You can't make bets with girls?
E: And that's your card!
A: And, no it's not!
E: *frazzled* That was suppose to be your card.
A: I guess he was right. Sorry!

3. Jones gets to do a double cross! He's always the serious FBI guy doing all the legwork. At least, this time around he puts on his game face on, while carrying the Krugerrands. And Peter's right, Jones deserved an Oscar for that play.

E: Dude, watch where you're going!
J: I'm sorry about that. Here, let me help, hold on.
And they switch the suitcases.
E: This guy runs into me and now, he's trying to pocket my stuff.
J: I'm not trying to steal anything, okay? I'm just trying to help you out here!
E: Just hit and run me then!

4. Peter gets in the double cross action again! Now he takes on the persona of the Peacemaker from the Detroit mafia. Professor Oswald definitely got spooked. Mozzie makes a special appearance in this one, where he feeds Peter the topics he needed to cover, like cutting of fingers. I noticed Peter was more comfortable doing the double crossing now, unlike in Season 1.

O: Hello? Can I help you?
P: You took something of mine.
O: Is that so?
P: I'm the Peacemaker.
O: Well, I don't remember having any wars. This is a misunderstanding.
P: You stole my Krugerrands, and I want them back.
O: Krugerrands? Listen, I don't have time for jokes.
P: Hey! Points gun at him. [through Mozzie's script] When it's a matter of our missing money, I never joke. This picture tells a story professor.
O: I don't see myself in that story.
P: No, but you see the case and now, you've got it. I wouldn't want anything to happen to your hands, professor.
O: Listen, if you're the peacemaker, then we can find some common ground.
P: The Krugerrands were worth 2 million, I want 3 for my trouble.
O: Well, that's simply not possible!
P: Make it possible. Deliver it tomorrow or I'll start with your thumbs.

5. The kiss at the end has to be mentioned. I really like Alex for Neal 'cause she gets the price of having the kind of life Neal lives. Plus, the two definitely have chemistry. I have to give credit to the writer's for not forgetting about that last piece of the music box (which totally slipped my mind). She really does care about Neal, and he knows it, but isn't prepared to let go of Kate just yet.

A: Goodbye Neal.
N: Alex. Be careful.
A: You too. If someone's looking for me...
N: Then they're after me too.
A: It's the last piece of the music box. I'm giving up my obsession.
N: You suggesting I give up mine?
A: Kate's gone. The rest of us are still here.
Alex hesitates, at first and then gives Neal a kiss.
N: Goodbye Alex.
A: Bye.

Photo Source: White Collar Online

Covert Affairs: This isn't my favorite among the 3 episodes shown thus far. I felt it was too sappy, and I'm just not a fan of the storyline of Julia and her mistressing ways. I get way too much exposure of those kinds of stories IRL. But on the plus side, the banter between Chris Gorham's Auggie and Piper's Annie are adorable, as was the hand-on-the-knee flirting of Diego (Michael Steger of 90210 fame).

1. Annie and Diego are adorbs. I really liked the cut scenes between the Sunday football in Georgetown and the chase in Caracas. They were able to include the intensity of the friendly and the kill. Piper plays the charming Annie well that I can accept that she's a magnet for guys. The first few moments of the scene on the bench, I had to reorrient myself 'cause I was yelling, "It's Navid!" LOL.

2. Anne Dudek plays the sweet mom and sister. I loved her when she was in House, and I still love her here. She seems thinner now though that definitely caught my eye. The past few episodes, we've only seen her trying to make Annie feel at home, and try to get a handle of her little kids. I'm sure there will be an episode where Annie's professional life starts to interfere with her family life. It's the unavoidable reality of these kinds of shows.

3. Annie confronts Julia about being a mistress and closing off her emotions. She tries to use her relationship with Ben Mercer (who we still know zilch about) and her difficulty on where to place that memory of them in her life now. Julia tells Annie, "And now, you are a woman with walls." Ouch.

4. Annie drives from clumsy to race car star-like. You just knew that Victor was testing her. The moment he asked Diego how long they've known each other, I smelled the fishiness already. Annie did try to keep her cover by bungling up the stick shift of the Ferrari and then, brought her A-game driving skills when she needed it, which inevitably blew her cover. On a sidenote, the douche factor of Victor runs high with that red Ferrari.

5. Annie and Auggie give us some banter after ruminating about the CIA.

Auggie: Is that a sigh? It sounds like a sigh, like a troubled guilty sigh. This is the business Annie. It's what we do. The fact is you should be feeling good.
Annie: Yea, well my shoulder's still sore. My sister can't understand how a car accident would cause me to lose a $300 carry-on she gave me for my birthday and I've got a 20 year old lothario, bragging he spent the night with me in Caracas.
Auggie: Aside from that...
Annie: Aside from that I'm fine. And you shouldn't be here.
Auggie: Ahh...Sundays I'm drawn to the sound of the thundering herd, so sue me.
Annie: So if Joan found out...
Auggies: She knows what it feels like to jones her field work. I think she envies you.
Annie: I bet she was pretty good.
Auggie: One of the best.
Annie: I bet you were pretty good.
Auggie: Still am. And I envy you too. All that time to move on she preaches, I don't buy into it for a second. Every step forward begins with firmly planted foot in the past.

Photo Source: Rawr Caps

Twilight x Filipino = Imortal?

2010-07-29T20:06:00.001+08:00

With ABS-CBN's shift to shorter episode totals for its prime time shows, Kapamilyas are treated to new shows every couple of months. In the next month or so, I'm pretty sure Imortal will finds its place in the network's Primetime Bida lineup. What we know right now is that there are four new shows in production, namely PHR's Kristine with Cristine Reyes, Idol with Sarah Geronimo, and the much talked about tandem of John Lloyd Cruz and Angel Locsin in Imortal, I'm pretty sure, they're also producing a Filipino adaptation of Green Rose with Anne Curtis. She even tweeted about it. (I'm thinking this one will be released either in Q4 2010 or Q1 2011.)

(Imortal's teaser trailer and more buzz after the jump.)

But let me put the spotlight on Imortal. As the buzz spreads, we're hearing more and more about the supernatural aspect of the show. We know it'll be a love story between the Locsin and Cruz, but the twist is that one is a werewolf, while the other is a vampire. The feud between the two creatures has been well documented and is experiencing tremendous amounts of popularity recently with the rise of Twilight, True Blood, and The Vampire Diaries. It'll be quite interesting how ABS-CBN tries to pull this off. What they do have right now are two very effective actors leading the cast. The question now is whether the two have enough chemistry to pull of this "Me Against the World" love affair.

I'm really curious though if John Lloyd Cruz can be an effective vampire. He can be disarmingly charming, but I've always thought of his charm as pa-cute and not really sexual, which vampires are known for. It'd be a bigger twist, if he played the role of the werewolf and Angel played the vampire! And I'm sure it'd only enhance her image, if she were the vampire! Oh, everyone will be demanding for more Angel if this happens! (She didn't win FHM Philippines' Sexiest Poll without the body to show for it. *wink*)

Anyone agree with me?

Sarah Geronimo Stars in a New Kapamilya Show

2010-07-25T08:00:00.002+08:00

With Agua Bendita and Rubi wrapping up in the coming weeks, ABS-CBN is banking on their new shows to continue their ratings leadership. One of the new shows has Sarah Geronimo as the lead and is set to replace Agua Bendita's spot

According to initial reports, the new show will be a musical and carry the title, "Idol." The network will pair the Popstar Princess with Coco Martin and Sam Milby. As to who she'll end up with in the show, it has yet to be revealed.

The two men have proven themselves to be quite established in the primetime slot. Coco Martin traces his mainstream success to Tayong Dalawa, and has not looked back. Sam Milby, on the other hand, starred in the adaptation of the Koreanovela, "Only You" and currently plays the lead in "Impostor."

Sarah Geronimo's last teleserye with ABS-CBN was in 2007's "Pangarap na Bituin," where she played Emerald Gomez of the Jewel Sisters. The teleserye also banked on her singing prowess.

This should be quite interesting, especially since the network has had previous successes in staging musically-oriented dramas, which starred the singer. Will this perform better than GMA's Diva?

Matt Bomer and Tim Dekay Dance to Ke$ha's Tik Tok

2010-07-24T08:50:00.001+08:00

White Collar's Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay were at San Diego for Comic-Con 2010. Aside from the panel they participated in, the pair gave lucky fans signed photos and posters of the show. But the highlight for the two was when they played the Wii's Just Dance 2. They danced to Ke$ha's Tik Tok and I have to say they did a really good job with it. Matt has some groove in his step and seemed so familiar with the song, which makes me wonder whether he's danced to this tune before! Tim, on the other hand, was really intent on nailing those moves. Watch for the kid in the middle of the two stars! He looked like he was about to cry a minute into the game. Was it the song choice?

Watch the clip after the jump! The whole clip is LOL-worthy, don't miss it.

TV Profile: Rubi, Ang Bidang Kontrabida

2010-07-17T02:10:00.001+08:00

Most of the time, I avoid Pinoy Soap Operas. It's largely because the stories they want to tell aren't compelling enough. I'm sure every Filipino can name the stereotypical situation of the Pinoy soap, like the rich guy falling in love with a poor girl or it could also be the wicked stepmother treating ruthlessly the innocent and frail protagonist.

Local networks usually steer clear of the complex emotions, coherent storyline, and round characters, especially during the time when there was no end date for these kinds of shows. But Rubi is probably the only show I'd follow religiously, if I always had the time. And it's not because it is against the grain per se, but it's because while it does fall prey to the tried and tested, the writers (both the Mexicans and their Filipino counterparts) have found a way to at least develop the complex character of Rubi, slip in timely awesome zingers, and cast the perfect actress for the role, Angelica Panganiban.

In the typical telenovela story, Rubi is a poor girl, aspiring to take her family out of poverty, but atypical of a protagonist, she is decidedly scheming and uses all the things available to her, her charm and beauty. She is strong willed and in the Filipino version, focuses on her family-centric motivations. Her solution to her poverty? Marry a rich guy. Her target was Hector (Diether Ocampo), a dashing young man, who was initially enamored with Maribel (Shaina Magdayao), the stereotypical sweet innocent girl. At first her attempts to lure Hector were unsuccessful, and she was sidetracked by falling in love with Hector's best friend, Alejandro (Jake Cuenca), an orthopedic doctor in training. The big stumbling block was while she loved Alejandro, the guy wasn't rich enough for her. So she chose to sacrifice her love for the wealth a relationship with Hector would bring. As the story unfolds, the tension between filial duty and love are tested constantly.

The greatness of this show is built on Rubi and Angelica Panganiban's brand of acting, and is ably supported by strong character actors such as Cherry Pie Picache and Cherie Gil. Both of whom play the protective mothers of their children, Rubi and Maribel. Rubi has to be flirtatious, charming, beautiful, scheming, and head strong. But at the same, she has to be sympathetic, and vulnerable. In other words, she has to be human, and this isn't an easy assignment for any actor, more so with the grueling schedule of television in the country. Angelica Panganiban is able to capture this essence of the character. It seems to come naturally to her. She's as loud as a palengkera would be. She wears the tackiest and skimpiest of red clothes, but pulls it off. She uses the come hither look and body movements as Rubi would have done. To put it simply, she became Rubi.

But apart from Panganiban, I have to give credit to the writers of this show. They've been able to tap into Pinoy Pop Culture, and utilize its gay subculture and exploit this penchant for quick comebacks. These are the phrases used by those behind the camera, in the parlors, inside the posh offices of advertising agencies. "Achieve na achieve!" and then she shouts, "Bongga!" or goes for the witty jab or sound her approval with "I love it!" with the extended pronunciation of the i.

While story-wise they can go a wee bit crazy, they've made a wise decision in making sure the focus is always on Rubi, and on the ramifications of her actions and non-actions. Maribel was only to really be close to Alejandro because Rubi left him and hurt her by snagging Hector. In this show, everything has to be about Rubi and the good thing about that is we'll at least enjoy getting sick and/or laughing our asses off because of her.

James Tupper Moves to Grey's Seattle Grace Hospital

2010-07-16T14:23:00.002+08:00

From Dr. Chris Sands in NBC's short-lived nurse drama, Mercy, to trauma counselor Andrew Perkins in Grey's Anatomy, James Tupper is set to appear in at least 2 episodes of the series. After the craziness of the season finale, it would've been surprising, if everything went back to normal. Shonda Rimes seems to have zeroed in on using therapist to move the story along. I can't forget the time, Meredith was talking about her attempt to kill herself, and of course, there was Cristina and Owen working out their relationship with the same therapist.

Come to think of it, isn't it odd that they're not using Amy Madigan's Dr. Wyatt again? Or it could be because she's also traumatized, since she presumably was inside Seattle Grace Hospital, as well! I'm sure this is a good excuse as any to add another good-looking guy to guest star in the show. I wonder though, if he'll do some therapy on the side, if you know what I mean.

In any case, I'll be tuning in to Grey's Anatomy, when it premieres this fall!

Dolph Lundgren joins 'Chuck'

2010-07-15T08:40:00.002+08:00

Dolph Lundgren is slated to join the geekiest (and the coolest) show, Chuck! Josh Schwartz, the executive producer of the show, tweeted that Lundgren will be in the season premiere of the show, and will "try and 'break' Chuck Bartowski."

Lundgren gained popularity in the action genre. He played He-Man in the live-action version of the 80's hit cartoon show, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. He's also part of the Universal Soldier franchise.

If you haven't heard yet, Lundgren with the other iconic action stars are part of Stallone-directed film, The Expendables. Which action stars, you ask? Well, there's Sly, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Gov. Schwarzenneger, and a ton of other elite fighters! Check out its IMDB page, I'm sure you'll get a kick out of the casting!

While Olivia's Out, Amber Tamblyn Can Play Doctor with House

2010-07-15T07:42:00.001+08:00

Amber Tamblyn, who starred in Joan of Arcadia and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, is joining Hugh Laurie in House M.D. SPOILER: Highlight at your own risk! The last season ended with Olivia Wilde's Thirteen announcing she was leaving the team. Actually, in real life, Wilde will be filming Cowboys and Aliens, a movie with Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford. According to reports, she'll be playing a med student and will temporarily be part of the best diagnostics team in the business for a multi-episode arc. I'm sure the newcomer will find House a handful.

So how far can the new girl stand House? Thoughts?

The Vampire Diaries Trio are Cover Stars for TV Guide's Special Comic-Con 2010 Magazine

2010-07-13T13:37:00.001+08:00

Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev, and Paul Wesley of CW hit The Vampire Diaries, are on the special cover of TV Guide Magazine for this year's Comic-Con. The trio will be joining executive producers Kevin Williamson, Julie Plec, among others in Comic-Con 2010 in the San Diego Convention Center on July 24.

The cover actually has four versions. SciFiCool.com previewed the version for Fringe. The other two shows are The Big Bang Theory, and Smallville.

Warner Bros. TV Group (WBTVG) teamed up with TV Guide for this special edition of the magazine. It will be distributed for the duration of Comic-Con 2010 and will be available exclusively at the WB Booth. Aside from the four featured series, the magazine also dishes on Chuck, V, Supernatural, True Blood, and other shows WB is involved in.

I've added the other versions of the cover after the jump.
Photo credits: Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev, who tweeted the cover, Smallvillbuzz.Net, and SpoilerTV.com

For the larger version of the cover, just click the thumbnail.