On the Old Shows of Channel 2 Long Ago

A question was once posed on a Facebook group which was composed of loyal viewers of ABS-CBN's Channel 2: If you were to make a set of old shows of Channel 2 that you consider your favorites, what are they?  The catch: name only 10 shows on the list.  Of course, being an ABS-CBN viewer since a kid, the shows this blogger liked were too many to mention.  Now he is all grown-up, and got some insights with my study of general education (yes, this blogger got training to be an educator) and of the Catholic faith, he felt he is now more discriminating with this set of shows he  really missed.  He hopes that these will be re-aired in other ABS-CBN digital channels (like Yey for kiddie programming and Jeepney TV for non-kids fare).

Let's list them here according to genre.

Philippine drama

OK, the blogger is hands-down about Mara Clara, Esperanza, Mula Sa Puso/From the Heart and Pangako Sa Iyo/The Promise (both the 2000 and 2015 editions) and even Ang Probinsyano/Brother From the Province and Wildflower--they are hard-core dramas; there's no question about that.  He  considers them honorable mentions.  He just realized this year a detox of the heavy dramas watched every night for the past 2 decades is what he really needed.  After all, too much heavy TV dramas make viewership unhealthy.

Top choices for me are the classic light dramas like Be Careful With My Heart with Jodi Santamaria and Richard Yap, and We Will Survive with Melai Cantiveros and Marietta "Pokwang" Subong. And do not count out faith-based dramas such as May Bukas Pa with Zaijan Jaranilla--such shows are what PH TV Primetime needed.

Philippine comedy

Sure, there is Home Sweetie Home continuing the tradition of family-oriented PH sitcoms on ABS-CBN.  But nothing beats the old-time favorites such as Home Along Da Riles with PH's great Comedy King Dolphy and Arriba Arriba then headlined by Jolina Magdangal.  Also, before the likes of Banana Sundae and Goin' Bulilit, there were Goin' Bananas and Super Laff-In (the pre-1972 edition and the 1996 edition).

Philippine talk

There is Magandang Buhay on weekday daytime.  But this blogger has missed big-time gabfests like Talk TV,  and Morning Girls: Kris and Korina. (Wait. Did I mention these were helmed by newscasters?)

Philippine variety

For a lack of a homegrown TV game show on Channel 2, the writer proposes bringing back the beloved Game Ka Na Ba.

Philippine TV news

Nothing beats TV Patrol, Bandila and The World Tonight (now on ANC). This blogger though has missed the action-packed ABS-CBN Headlines mainly anchored by Tony Velasquez and Karen Davila and a gamut of ABS-CBN journalists.

Philippine TV current affairs

Yes, there is Mukha (on ANC) and the DocuCentral specials on Channel 2 (and on ANC too).  There is something about the earlier editions of Magandang Gabi Bayan with Noli de Castro along with The Correspondents with Karen Davila and Probe with Cheche Lazaro--both on Channel 2--that this blogger wonders if broadcast excellence the ABS-CBN way can be showcased again to the world.

Public service

Hurray for My Puhunan, SOCO, Mission Possible and Red Alert! But nothing beats the original Kapamilya public service show Hoy Gising (then headlined by Ted Failon, Korina Sanchez and Kris Aquino).

Educational

Ah, all classic ABS-CBN Foundation shows (Bayani, Sineskwela, MathTinik) the writer really missed! Then again, besides Yey and Knowledge Channel, when will Channel 2 have more of these shows in daytime?

Teen showcase shows

Ah, this blogger means the comedy-variety shows Ang TV and Kaybol, and the infotainment show Cyberkada. That is amidst the fact that the tradition continues with the segments in ASAP and the broadcasts of the regional editions of "MagTV Na".  Cyberkada all the more brings the empowered ABS-CBN young artists to the fore of the network's mission "In the Service of the Filipino".  Only time will tell if a show akin to Cyberkada and Ang TV will be launched soon.

Australian live-action series

Only one Kapamilya show stood out: Bananas in Pyjamas.  Who can ever forget B1 and B2 plus the 3 bears Morgan, Lulu and Amy and Doding Daga (Rat-In-A-Hat)?  That is one classic Australian show on Channel 2

Japanese live action shows

Now these shows are the first shows this blogger watched when he was a kid.  Because of these shows, he eventually became a young Kapamilya viewer  For live action (tokusatsu in Japanese), nothing can replace in this blogger's heart the series like Bioman (the last Super Sentai/Super Squadron series on PH TV dubbed in English), Maskman (the first Super Squadron series on PH TV dubbed in Filipino though it moved from its original PH TV network Channel 13 to Channel 2) and Shaider (the first Metal Hero series dubbed in Filipino).

Japanese animation shows

Also, part of his childhood has become his viewing of My Patrasche (animated TV adaptation of the novel "Dog of Flanders") and the World Masterpiece Theater programmes (Princess Sarah/adaptation of A Little Princess, Cedie/adaptation of Little Lord Flauntleroy).  This blogger noted that gone were the days when TV adaptations of child-oriented literary classics abound.  As for the teen-oriented anime like Tenchi Muyo and Akazukin Chacha, yes, the blogger misses them. (Not all teen-oriented anime had violence and sensual themes, just a few of them.)

Chinese drama comedies

Well, the legendary Chinese TV show for Kapamilyas happened to be Meteor Garden.  Then again, the show Girls Marching On charmed this blogger more.  A Chinese drama-comedy is indeed possible.  Cheers for more Chinese drama comedies!

British animation series

With the UK as a favorite country aside PH, one show stood out: the animated version of the Mister Bean series.  And the blogger really liked it more than the live-action original, which also was aired on Channel 2 (after a few years on Channel 5).

Spanish American shows

Surely, Rosalinda and Maria Mercedes are iconic shows from Spanish America, but this blogger would have them rated as honorable mention.  For him, nothing beats the child-lead telenovelas
Chabelita (Televisa-Mexico's Gotita de Amor), Nino Felipin (Televisa-Mexico's El Nino Que Vino del Mar) and Frijolito (Telemundo's Amarte Así Frijolito).  These three shows have cute leads and child-friendly and values-laden story lines (with no need of adult-oriented language, violence, sexual, horror, drug-related themes).

American sitcoms

American sitcoms like The Nanny and Mad About You--these are what were missed more from Channel 2.  After all, a good laugh is what the blogger need after years of watching depressing drama series on primetime.  He misses more of such shows on Channel 23 as Studio 23 (then considered the home of such American sitcoms).

American animation shows

There was Lilo and Stitch on Channel 2 (finally, after decades of Disney cartoons on rival channels), There were the Warner Brothers cartoons (Merrie Melodies and Looney Tunes--personal childhood comedy favorites, also shown on Channel 2), all Nickelodeon Junior cartoons--and he liked them really.