Update:
Exactly like Wowowee.
Willie Revillame, the former host of the now defunct Wowowee, started the pilot episode of his new show "Willing Willie" at his new home network TV5 this Saturday. It was a fun and energetic pilot episode, with little to no mistake or confusion at all. It was a highly anticipated evening, especially when lawsuits are being thrown here and there to stop the airing of the said program.
Like I expected, Willie Revillame and company laid their cards properly on the table. Willing Willie's initial episode was as vivacious as any other Wowowee episode: There was lots of good ruckus, properly executed sound bits, good lights, and of course Willie Revillame's trademark hosting. What I could say was lacking though was the introduction numbers they used to have at Wowowee e.g. the Boom Tarat Tarat intro portion Wowowee would've have been doing if it still existed (the Boom Tarat Tarat number was sang when the Christmas season was nearing). It also lacked the dance portions of the sponsors sponsoring Willie Revillame previously, at least I think it was.
Then there's the contests. I think Willing Willie's new contests have been planned to near perfection because I didn't observe any major mistake done during the run of the program, especially the way Willie commandeered instructions to the people in the establishment. The only part I disliked about the last contest (forgot the what it was called, the wheel looks like it was from "The Wheel of Fortune" in my opinion) was the show of obvious greediness by the leader of a pack of old women. She wasn't "game." She took whatever amount Willie Revillame threw at her. At the end, Willie, even though he could've gave the smaller amount, and seeing how dedicated the lead old lady was to taking any amount of money home, decided to give away an unchallenged P500,000.
On the other hosts, there's Mo Twister, formerly from GMA 7. Man, his voice sounds so tiny compared to his morning radio program on Magic 89.9. If a weener can talk, I think it would probably sound like Twister's squeaky voice. Anyway, there's also DJ Coki which stood loyally by Revillame's side. Count the back-up dancers in too, albeit they're fewer in number now than they were before, I think. I didn't see Luningning, Milagring, Congratulations and Palakpakan in the show.
Okay, so on the negative. I loathe at how the camera angles were shot at the pilot episode. There's this horrible top view which shows the highest point of the 20ft background screen and there's this irrational spinning view from about 50 to 60ft away. I mean, who does that? It would destroy the show. Nobody likes spinning camera angles for the simple fact that it makes it difficult to process what you're watching, especially at the evening where people are beginning to ease up from a hard day's work. So you Willing Willie camera dudes, DON'T SPIN THE CAMERA or else I'll sue you for destruction of a hopeful program.
I also have a bone to pick on how uncommandeered the audience were during pre-commercial transitions. The audience were just sitting there like they would on a classroom listening to a professor. It could be that they were starstruck on how Willie Revillame was able to make a return this grand or it could be that they were dumbfounded on how Willie Revillame was able to make a return this grand. Well, let's just say Willie Revillame is a lucky man. Imagine, after committing all the sins he had made, he's still able to do what he loves to do. I hope the floor manager fixes this problem soon.
I expect more supporting hosts to come as the show seems somewhat dry when compared to the diversity of people present in Wowowee. Willing Willie needs female hosts. Willie needs a Pokwang and a Valerie Concepcion imitation. He built Willing Willie on the same format as Wowowee, why stop with the hosts?
Now I'll discuss the genius time slot placement of Willing Willie. If you'll notice, Willing Willie wasn't placed at the afternoon time slot, the traditional slot for variety shows and whatnot. One reason is because Eat Bulaga regained dominance in the afternoon hours during the long hiatus of Wowowee. Before the Jobert Sucaldito rant of Revillame, ABS-CBN and GMA were duking it out on ratings. Well, we can't say the same for Pilipinas Win na Win which still remains a craptacular failure. At least it's picking up. Pokwang and Rico Puno are carrying the weight of the show.
Another reason is, maybe, just maybe, the people involved in making Willing Willie saw that the period of 5:30 to 7:30 in GMA and ABS-CBN have very little entertaining shows at all. This is the time slot for Korean dramas, Kokey, and the evening news. Adults don't watch these shows, they don't watch Korean dramas, they just watch the news. Now, adults arriving home from work could just filter out all those shows - especially the evening news where all they air is negativity and animosity - and switch to Willing Willie where it is lively and fun. This way not only does Willing Willie avoid direct competition with the rock-solid Eat Bulaga, they would also gain more viewers because there are more people at their home during the evening i.e. coming home from work, school, long trips and the like. In short, placing Willing Willie in this time slot would result in a very favorable viewership gain. The show will also monopolize and change the primetime slot.
I would not be surprised at all if TFC subscribers would willingly cancel their subscriptions and instead tune in to TV5. Besides, it looks like TFC's popularity is decreasing. ABS-CBN would give you a chance to win a house and lot if you would refer your family members to subscribe to TFC, and they always plug it in during the morning. A sign of desperation perhaps?
All in all, the show looks promising. It looks like it'll click. There's this umph factor I saw in the initial episode of Willing Willie that was absolutely absent in Pilipinas Win na Win, not that I'm a Willie Revillame nut hugger. This experimental time slot of theirs could literally make or break the show.
Either way, I've no problem with Willie Revillame's selling power. The dude has charisma like no other. I just hope he won't commit the same mistakes as he did in his previous show. Once is enough. Two is too much. Three would bury you down to the ground.
Willie, clean up your act. I'll be the first one to blast you if you don't. Now go sing your Boom Tarat Tarat.
'Till my next installment.
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