Word is out that ABS-CBN's Channel 2 will air the 2018 remake of the Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden. Back in 2003, Channel 2 aired the original Taiwanese drama (produced and aired first on CTS Taiwan back in 2001) with fantastic viewership levels in time for ABS-CBN Television's 50th anniversary. Airing the Mainland Chinese remake of the Taiwanese drama (set to premiere in Greater China next year) seems logical for Channel 2--no problems of producing its own remake of that widely popular show, focus on producing all-original Filipino dramas.
In response, GMA's Channel 7 bagged the rights to produce the 2018 Filipino remake of the Korean drama Boys Over Flowers (originally produced and aired by KBS Korea in 2009, then telecast in PH by Channel 2 on the same year).
Truth to tell, Meteor Garden and Boys Over Flowers trace their roots in the Japanese comics series Hana Yori Dango. HYD was printed in the Margaret Magazine in Japan from 1992 to 2003 and in Shonen Jump Magazine in 2005. It had an adaptation in animation in Japan itself produced by Toei and aired by Asahi Network (the home of Bioman, Maskman and Shaider which were all aired on ABS-CBN Channel 2). It was adapted also on film in Japan and Taiwan. It had adaptations in TV: yes, Taiwan's Meteor Garden and Korea's Boys Over Flowers, plus Japan's Hana Yori Dango, aired on TBS in 2005 and telecast in PH via Channel 7 in 2009. (TBS is the home of the Ultraman Series, aired on ABS-CBN's Channel 2 and other channels in the 1990s and 2000's.)
Well, Channel 2 happened to be first one to remake drama shows (local or foreign). A number of people said that ABS-CBN think-tanks seemed to like a few stories in the dramas featured on the other channels, so making a remake of that show for them is a good risk to take. After all they have more all-original local stories to weave for the drama shows the channel is making, and making a remake of a show originally seen in PH in another channel that is so good is worth taking the risk.
Here are the list of shows from ABS-CBN's rivals which were took on by the network.
Gulong ng Palad: This was originally aired as a radio drama in the late 1940s over MBC-DZRH. MBC was one of the premiere AM radio stations in PH after World War 2, and its chief rival happened to be ABS-CBN (then named Bolinao Corporation) with its radio station DZBC (later named DZAQ). In the 1970's, it got a TV adaptation via government-owned Channel 9 (a channel formerly owned by ABS-CBN) featuring lead actors Marianne dela Riva and Ronald Corveau. In 2006 (60 years after the founding of ABS-CBN as Bolinao Corporation), the network's Channel 2 aired its take of the radio drama featuring lead actors Kristine Hermosa and TJ Trinidad.
I Love Betty La Fea: Featuring lead actor Ana Maria Orozco, it was originally aired by RCN Colombia in 1999. It aired in PH during lunchtime on Channel 7 in late 2001 as the channel's answer to the ever popular Alicia (originally El Amor No Es Como Lo Pintan of Mexico's Azteca Network), only to face off later with Eco Moda (its sequel aired on Channel 2, also from RCN Colombia). Channel 7 personnel got the surprise from ABS-CBN's airing of its take of the Colombian drama in 2008 in collaboration with RCN. It featured lead actor Bea Alonzo.
Maria la del Barrio: Featuring performer Thalia as its lead actor, it was originally aired in Televisa Network in Mexico in 1995. It aired in PH a year in Channel 9 replacing Marimar and re-aired in 2003 in Channel 7. In 2011, ABS-CBN worked with Televisa for its take on the drama featuring Erich Gonzales as the lead.
There are accounts on Maria Flordeluna and Annaliza though. Ray Benedicto brought both the shows which were actually Cebu radio shows to Manila. Maria Flordeluna was an ABS-CBN Cebu radio drama. (There might be a possibility that Annaliza was also an ABS-CBN Cebu radio drama, which is to be verified further by the blogger.) The radio shows got TV adaptations in Manila in the late 1970s/early 1980s: Maria Flordeluna aired in Channel 9 featuring lead actor Janice de Belen, while Annaliza aired in Channel 7 featuring lead actor Julie Vega.
Ultimately, both shows were remade by Channel 2: Maria Flordeluna aired in 2007 with lead actor Eliza Pineda, while Annaliza aired in 2013 (as part of the 60th anniversary of Philippine TV and ABS-CBN TV, the media firm that started it) with lead actor Andrea Brillantes.
And to cap off the entry, let then be told that there are Channel 2 shows which were remade by the rivals.
Shaider: This show, along with Bioman (and later on Maskman) served as Magandang Gabi Bayan's pre-programming hour every Saturday on Channel 2, before giving way for an earlier 90-minute run of MGB in the early 1990's. It found Channels 13 and 7 as new homes in the late 1990s and early 2000's. In 2007, Channel 7 aired the action-drama Zaido, the channel's take on Shaider. Mixed results on the airing of Zaido, various accounts said, made ABS-CBN think twice on remaking Japanese tokusatsu shows, especially Maskman. (The ABS-CBN take on Maskman never materialized.)
Rosalinda: Featuring performer Thalia as its lead, it was originally aired on Televisa Network in Mexico in 1999. (It was actually a Mexican take of 1972 Venezuelan drama Maria Teresa aired on Venevision.) It premiered in PH via ABS-CBN in the year 2000 much to the delight of the viewers. The ABS-CBN airing of the show ultimately became the most-watched drama series in PH TV history as per AGB-NMR. That was the reason why Channel 7 re-aired the show and did a remake in 2009 featuring Carla Abellana as the remake's lead.
And this is a look back at ABS-CBN TV history (specifically the remakes). Honestly, nothing beats an original story--and that's a Deal.
