By Candice Montenegro, Contributor
INQUIRER.net
“PAUTAKAN! Pagalingan! Patatagan!”
It was not exactly the direct translation of the tagline “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast” but I knew that it only meant one thing — “Survivor” is coming to the Philippines.
GMA 7 got the exclusive Philippine franchise of the hit US reality show, and a lot of people are more than thrilled not only to watch the local version of the show but also to audition as a castaway. The network is currently looking for contestants, and to say that there will surely be a lot of hopefuls lining up is quite an understatement.
I wouldn’t say I am a very big fan of “Survivor,” but I really enjoy watching the show and seeing the contestants go through the different challenges. The concept is pure genius; throwing a bunch of people together and making them work as a team, while at the same time reminding them that they’re there to basically be the last man (or woman) standing, is just enough entertainment to keep me glued.
And while I like the format of the US version of “Survivor,” I’m a little concerned about how they are going to make it fit the Philippine version. The concept might have worked in other countries, but it might be a little trickier to adapt to the Pinoy setting.
The idea of the whole game is to see how the castaways will survive with minimal tools: a machete, water canister, and some matches to light a fire. These are the basics given to all contestants, and the fun comes from seeing them try to live life without the dishwasher and the double burner oven that they’re used to.
While this might prove to be a challenge for the other castaways, Pinoys are quite used to doing things mano-mano style. We can live with cooking our food over direct fire and washing out clothes by the river. Heck, we have people opening coconuts using their teeth! It’s highly likely that the Pinoy outcast will gnaw his way out of twisted vines and just forget about the machete altogether — the tools could just slow them down, you know.
Another highlight in the show is watching the contestants try to eat “exotic” food. You think the Pinoy castaway will have a problem eating some wild animal or duck embryo? No way! Pinoys are very inventive with their food, and it’s not like it’s going to be their first time to eat animal innards or something like that. As long as there are wild animals abound, there’s plenty of adobo and kilawin to go around. Pass the improvised vinaigrette dip, please.
Lastly, Filipinos are very adaptable. I don’t think a tribal change or merge will shock the core out of a Pinoy castaway as it does other contestants in the US editions. We are not called the most hospitable people for nothing, and I’m sure new blood will be most welcome to stay in their makeshift nipa huts. I’m not saying there wouldn’t be some catfights and backstabbing along the way (if it’s anything like our local telenovelas, I’m sure that would be F-U-N), but Pinoys are pretty much friendly and courteous most of the time. If anything, a merge in tribes will be like one happy family reunion, and we all know how much we love that.
Given these, I still think that “Survivor Philippines” is going to be a hit. It”s not like all of us are still used to the rural way of living anyway. It would be interesting to see a high-society city dweller live in some remote island with no cable TV, no Internet access and no Starbucks coffee to drink in the morning. Throw in some drama and possibly Paolo Bediones extinguishing a torch, and I’m not touching my TV remote.
8 Feedbacks on "Will ‘Survivor Philippines’ survive RP TV?"
marlo
i hope they would get a franchise of the Amazing Race
heather
well… in my opinion all that you cited as “entartaining factors” (merge, challenges, environment adaptability) of the game which makes people watch this show is not the real essence of watching and being entertained. Some people watch survivor when they catch these people eating spiders but they would’nt when they’re not.
Well… the real secret of survivor’s long existence is its unpredictability. Not its challenges, not the catfights, and not the people in the island. Its the controversies, lies, deception, backstabing, power tripping, underdogs, blindsiding, and politicking which makes people watch the first episode till the end.
And I agree that this will be a great hit to the Filipino audience because we are fond of these concepts. We want Filipino people get mean and bad on TV and hate them for being themselves.
If only GMA would understand this concept which comprises of only one key. They need people who are as ruthless as the devil, and normal people who filipinos can relate to and connect to.
this means. survivor is not a social experiment its just grandious game of poker or bluff.
tserilu
have you seen the commercial plug of this show? there was a long queue of “applicants”. I had to take a closer look because the “survivor applicants” look like they were lining up for lotto or a movie or something other than the survivors show! Don’t get me wrong but do they even know what a challenger has to go through in there? do they even know the show at all? I’m all in for equal rights here but i think that like any other contests there should be rules and guidelines for the applicants.
it will also shortlist the candidates…don’t u think?
manfred
is it really true that the said castaways are just planted contestants. GMA already hired semi-professional artists to be on the island as their “castaways”. this was confirmed by one of the survivor crew named neil.
also, some 121 contestants were gathered sometime last week of may on GMA network. some of them were from the provinces whom they gathered from their provincial auditions. although GMA paid for their air fares but unfortunately the contestants shouldered their food and lodging( some of them are first timers in Manila with almost no financial budgets). This was confirmed by a contestant from cebu and davao respectively.
They were forced to sign the confidentiality contract not to share what they experienced and what they went through. They were not allowed to talk to other contestants as well. Afterwards, they proceeded to la consolacion college, to have the swimming audition. They also went through some psychological test done by some doctors and casting directors.
Then, the waiting game begun, number of days, almost a week were wasted especially for those who came from the provinces who have no money and nowhere to live. Tsk.. tsk.. tsk..
Well, it only shows how GMA as a network handles their “kapuso” contestants.. very insensitive, so unkind and nasty.. hmmmm..
oscar
It’s funny to see GMA’s drumbeaters proclaiming the 3M cash prize as the biggest in Philippine TV History. Can someone remind them that Pinoy Big Brother season1 winner Nene Tamayo took home a much bigger prize? She got 1Million Pesos, a house and lot, a brand new Nissan Frontier, and a franchise of a water refilling station (worth 1.5Million).
Jedd
Even if the premise of Survivor reality shows is exciting, it still doesn’t guarantee Survivor Philippines will be a hit. You have to consider the amount of production value they are going to give this show. Look at what they’ve done to the Idol franchise. Poor production values. Let’s all hope this doesn’t turn out to be Survivor Philippines: The Extra Challenge edition.
camille
I think the set of castaways were exciting enough for us to watch it!!!! I am excited about this! I am personally cheering for coach veronica domingo!!!
Mike
I agree with Oscar, Nene Tamayo won more money. I don’t like GMA shows, parang may kulang sa mga programs nila.
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