Battle of the ‘tweens’: From T.G.I.S. vs Gimik to Friends 4Ever vs Luv U

March 4, 2014

Some of the brightest names in show business today started out as part of teen-oriented shows and programs. And we can still identify those who were products of GMA-7’s T.G.I.S. and ABS-CBN’s Gimik, two teen drama shows that were very popular back then.

In 1995, the pair of Angelu de Leon and Bobby Andrews was the onscreen teen tandem to beat until ABS-CBN started building up Judy Ann Santos and Rico Yan. From then on, T.G.I.S. and Gimik rivalry intensified, they were head to head in terms of popularity and viewership.

T.G.I.S. revolves around a clique of friends living in a fictional village presumably located somewhere in Quezon City. The show deals with the various episodes concerning adolescent life. Meanwhile, Gimik, which was originally created as part of ABS-CBN’s 50th Anniversary, was patterned after a popular US show.

T.G.I.S.: Featuring Bobby Andrews, Onemig Bondoc, Angelu de Leon, Michael Flores, Rica Peralejo, Ciara Sotto, Red Sternberg and Raven Villanueva

Gimik: Featuring Judy Ann Santos, G. Toengi, Rico Yan, Patrick Garcia, Jolina Magdangal, Diego Castro, Diether Ocampo, Marvin Agustin, Kaye Abad and Mylene Dizon

After both series went off the air in 1999, the stars cast in these programs tried to find their own niches in show business. Some of them became successful and some of them failed. Dingdong Dantes and Anne Curtis can be considered as the most successful products of T.G.I.S. as they still remain very much visible up to this day. On the other hand, Gimik has a long list of talents that were able to maintain the luster of their stars like Diether Ocampo, Dominic Ochoa, and John Lloyd Cruz to name a few. And that gives us an idea which between T.G.I.S. and Gimik really made a mark.

The strong competition between T.G.I.S. and Gimik is revived with the debut of Friends 4Ever, IBC-13's very first teen drama series top-billed by Janella in Wonderland star Janella Salvador, with Marlo Mortel, Sue Ramirez, Khalil Ramos, Francis Magundayao, Superstar Circle alumni Liza Soberano and Diego Loyzaga. The show pitted against ABS-CBN's Luv U, a teen sitcom which featuring former Goin' Bulilit graduates like Miles Ocampo, Marco Gumabao, Kiray Celis, Igi Boy Flores, Nash Aguas, Alexa Ilacad, Sharlene San Pedro and Jarius Aquino.

Like their predecessors, Friends 4Ever and Luv U are head to head in the ratings game. Members of the main cast are constantly compared with one another. Which of them is the best, the hottest or the most popular? The same questions asked one-and-a-half decade ago.

Luv U: Miles Ocampo, Marco Gumabao, Kiray Celis, Igi Boy Flores, Nash Aguas, Alexa Ilacad, Sharlene San Pedro and Jarius Aquino

Matter of fact, much from teen artists because they are too young to deliver convincing performances. But their image as young stars can work wonders. There are so many more opportunities for stardom, they just make sure that they continuously hone their skills like what the brightest stars did when they were still part of teen dramas.

Friends 4Ever: Marlo Mortel, Janella Salvador, Francis Magundayao, Sue Ramirez, Khalil Ramos, Liza Soberano and Diego Loyzaga

GMA and TV5 have long stopped producing teen shows. Because of this, Friends 4Ever marked the newest genre of teen-oriented series for IBC-13, which began when Viva-produced H2K: Hati-Hating Kapatid aired in 2000.

During its pilot telecast last March 2, Friends 4Ever trounced the rival’s network show under the same timeslot.

The popular teen-oriented show on Philippine TV

 * Luv U (ABS-CBN)
 * Friends 4Ever (IBC-13)