Balikbayan
By Monica Eunice Santiago
Balikbayan is a celebrity-oriented travel program that features known TV personalities, movie stars, singers, and even news reporters as tour guides in their hometowns. Hosted by Drew Arellano, it can be caught at 10 p.m. every Friday on QTV-11.
The process of the whole thing goes by inviting a particular celebrity to tour Balikbayan in his/her hometown, sharing every bit of memories in every corner they turn to. Thus, the show does not only give benefit to the viewers who gets to see the wonders of the places featured, but also to the celebrity himself who gets to travel back home and show the country “who he was before stardom”.
Since it is a reality TV show, everything appears to be spontaneous. No scripts were used, and the actors they pick (except the host) vary every week. The set, the clothing, and props all appear to be natural. The camera placement and movement are expected to be not too perfect and organized since there are no exact timings for each scene. Lighting and special effects are usually not paid much attention to, since the main concepts of the show are the featured places and celebrities.
Once in a while, music is plugged in to add more emotion to the featured celebrity’s memories. Also, the division of parts of the show gets to be organized when the host narrates the sequence of events. Editing is remarkable, that it would seem to the viewers that Balikbayan is really inviting them to witness the uniqueness of the city at hand. There may be neither lessons nor issues to be disseminated to the viewers; the only evident goal of the show is to introduce its audience to places where their favorite stars grew up.
The peculiarity of this reality TV show has placed it on the hall of nominees for Best Travel Show in the 21st PMPC Star Awards for Television. Drew Arellano, being an excellent host, was also a nominee for Best Travel Show Host. Among the show’s most acknowledged episodes featured celebrities Nina, Ricky Reyes, Rhian Ramos, and Howie Severino. So far, the show is getting positive feedbacks, and may be ready for show-off with other leading travel shows.
The UAAP Cheerdance Competition
By Mico Letargo
The University Athletics Association of the Philippines will never be complete without this annual contest featuring the eight pep squads and dance troupes of the respective schools. Since its inception in 1995, the UAAP Cheerdance Competition has grown from just a mere dance-off into a grand showdown of skill, creativity, and school spirit.
With the excitement around the event only second to that of Ateneo – La Salle matches, the competition showcases another rivalry that could possibly eclipse that of the Blue and Green. I talk of no other than the bitter enmity between UST and UP, specifically between the UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe (SDT) and the UP Pep Squad.
Bagging the first three titles from 1995 – 1997, the Salinggawi made its name as a solid contender for the title. However, in 1998, the Espana-based squad sat out the competition and let the FEU Pep Squad claim the trophy. The following year, 1999, saw the beginnings of the rivalry as UST fell behind as runner-up to champion UP.
The following years, the league saw the UP Pep Squad match the grandslam of the Salinggawi, claiming the ’99-’01 trophies. In 2002, however, apparently done with licking its wounds and learning from its losses, the SDT got back in perfect shape and snatched away UP’s would-be fourth title with the battle cry “The REAL Champions are Back.”
This began the era UST’s unprecedented five consecutive years of lording it over the other competitors while at the same time putting benchmark after benchmark with their yearly performances.
To the surprise of many, and expectations of a few, the UP Pep Squad put a halt to the rampaging Salinggawi and claimed the 2007 title with their rock inspired routine and trademark all-male pyramids and tosses.
This coming 2008, with the University of the Philippines hosting the UAAP, and the UST coming off from a bitter loss, the expectations and predictions are sure to be abound for another historic chapter in the duel of the two schools in the Cheerdance Competiton this coming September.
Grey's Anatomy
By Ayesa Lubag
Seattle Grace Hospital has been the focal point of interns and doctors that have hit the success of the television series Grey's Anatomy. The writers, directors, producers, and editors have established its main objective which is to show the different tasks inside a hospital and the relationship of people inside.
With dozens of TV shows aired, a production must have strong characters for it to be good. Meredith Gray, the narrator, is a driven and opinionated woman who happened to have slept with a neurosurgeon without any idea that he was her supervisor. Another character, Cristina is strong willed and competitive but such identity didn't become a hinder for her to share beautiful friendship with another woman.
The feeling of unity along with its main theme is seen. This applies to the setting, color, and wardrobes. Amidst the hectic day of any doctor like Grey on her scrubs, the place has been a harbor of secrets that gets hold of every character's life in the series. With this one truth that doctors and nurses have been observed to be sleeping with each other, it has been part of a single visual frame that will entice, weaken or confuse the meaning to the audience. The hospital is a small world that will cause to intrigue a lot. Each episode should be uncovered so that nothing will be detracted from the central idea.