Child seryes continue to rule TV

If ABS-CBN audiences nationwide rushed home for Hawak Kamay to weep over the many misadventures Piolo Pascual had to encounter before finally reaping happiness, this season will be Zanjoe Marudo’s turn to play yaya to a brat played by Jana Agoncillo, who is not only brazen in her behavior but is absolutely charming in her brattiness if such is possible.

Many audition hours had been spent with children before direk Jeffrey Jeturian gave the go-signal that the search had ended with a five-year-old kid who was discovered in a McDo commercial. In the teleserye Dream Dad, Zanjoe plays Baste, a company president trying to move on from a heartbreak. He crosses paths with Baby Jana, whom he describes as a super find — bright, inquisitive, charismatic and completely captivating.

Because of these experiences, our thoughts go back to the days starting 2014 and the many stories focusing on children as prime attraction.

Our favorite is still May Bukas Pa’s Santino (portrayed by Zaijian Jaranilla), a little boy who speaks directly to God whom he calls “bro.” The series was such a hit with everyone, young and old alike. It is the highest-rated show of all time, according to Kantar Media Philippines.

Meanwhile, Anna Manalastas portrayed by Coney Reyes in 100 Days to Heaven is the owner of a toy company who grew up to be mean, selfish, obnoxious and greedy, and who dies in a car accident with no one caring. On her way to hell, Anna meets the gatekeeper of heaven who gives her a second chance to go to heaven by making amends on Earth with those she had wronged within a span of only 100 days.

Little Champ is a TV drama with a touch of the supernatural where the story revolves around the simple lives of Caloy, his parents and their sickly horse, Chalk. Their quiet family life will change, however, when Caloy’s playmate, the son of a rich haciendero gets into an accident and dies. Caloy is blamed for it, so he flees with his horse Chalk when a meteorite falls on E arth changing Chalk from a sickly horse to a powerful stallion that can talk. An alien named Kokey from the planet Yokek crash-lands on Earth in his ship. He befriends a young orphan Bong who helps Kokey repair his ship so that he could return to planet Yekok.

Mga Anghel Na Walang Langit depicts the lives of exploited, unfortunate children. The series was inspired by the Fernando Poe Jr. ’70s film of the same title. Binoy Henyo tells of Binoy, a six-year-old genius and his struggles with poverty and his longing for a father figure in his life. The show garnered both high ratings and positive feedback from viewers and critics. Jillian: Namamasko Po is a comedy, drama, fantasy from GMA shown 2010 to 2011, which tells of the delightful story of Jillian Ward, the magical doll and assistant of Santa Claus that can talk, sing and dance, among a lot of other things. Jillian believes that Santa Claus has granted her two wishes — to have a sister and a gift this Christmas.

Carlo J. Caparas’ Panday Kids is a story of three kids destined to protect the world from the evil Lizardo using the shards of the Panday Sword. In their journey, they face a lot of suffering as their families are torn apart and those they care for die. In the end, they are returned to their normal lives without their Panday powers and Lizardo perishes.

Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang is a Filipino live-action children’s television anthology series retelling Lola Basyang’s stories. It headlines a mother and child team portrayed by Manilyn Reynes and Paul Salas driving around in a “rolling library” — van packed with Lola Basyang’s books of her classic tales and golden values. The show won Best Children’s Program at the 2007 Catholic Mass Media Awards.

(E-mail your comments to [email protected] or text me at 0917-8991835.)