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Friday, February 1, 2008

TV Ratings (Jan. 29-31): GMA-7 primetime lineup too strong for ABS-CBN's new shows

Erwin Santiago

Friday, February 1, 2008
03:37 PM

Despite the heavy promotion of ABS-CBN's three new primetime shows, it still failed to topple the very strong lineup of GMA-7's primetime programs.

Aside from consistently topping the primetime race, Marimar once again reached the elusive 40-plus rating. The Marian Rivera-Dingdong Dantes starrer posted 42.8 percent rating last Tuesday (Jan. 29), although it slightly slipped to 39.2 percent the following night (Jan. 30). But it went up again to 40.2 percent last night, Jan. 31.

Marimar is pitted against Palos, headlined by the tandem of Jake Cuenca and Cesar Montano. Among the three new shows of the Kapamilya network, Palos has the lowest numbers although consistent in its No. 9 position. After debuting with 23.6 percent, the action-adventure series posted a rating of 22 percent on Tuesday and Wednesday, but it went down to 21.7 percent last night.

Richard Gutierrez's Kamandag is also steady at its No. 2 position. It accumulated 32.8 percent on Tuesday, 32 percent on Wednesday, and 33 percent on Thursday.

Kamandag's rival, Lobo (starring Piolo Pascual and Richard's ex-screen partner Angel Locsin), premiered at No. 6 with 27.7. It held on to its position and 27.7 percent rating the following night, but it dropped to No. 7 on Wednesday with 25.2 percent. However, Lobo's rating improved last night with 27.8 percent to regain its sixth position.

After leading the Primetime Bida pack Monday and Tuesday, Lobo was dislodged by the children-packed Kung Fu Kids. Pitted against GMA-7's Zaido, Kung Fu Kids opened with 26.6 percent to grab the No. 7 slot, which it maintained the following night by virtue of its 26.4 percent rating. On Wednesday, the action-adventure series moved to No. 6 with 25.5 percent and it went up to No. 4 last night with 28.1 percent.

On the other hand, Zaido's numbers are alarmingly inconsistent. After taking the fifth spot last Tuesday with 29.7 percent, it went up to No. 4 on Wednesday with 27.8 percent, but it went down to No. 7 last night with 27.2 percent.

On the other hand, GMA-7 Koreanovela Coffee Prince is also steady at No. 3 with its numbers very close to second-placer Kamandag.

Incidentally, Magpakailanman's rerun of an episode starring Kamandag's Richard Gutierrez also made the cut last night. The said episode also officially closed the five-year run of Magpakailanman because starting next week, it will be replaced by the new horror-drama anthology titled E.S.P. starring Iza Calzado.

In the daytime race, Eat Bulaga! regained its No. 1 position from its closest rival Daisy Siete.

Here are the Top 10 daytime and primetime programs from January 29 to 31 based on the overnight ratings conducted by AGB Nielsen Philippines among Mega Manila households:

January 29 (Tuesday)

Daytime: