Fantaserye and telefantasya

Fantaserye or Telefantasya is a genre of Philippine television programming which mixes soap opera, telenovela, fantasy, myth, magic and enchantment. The episodes are usually 30 minutes long and have a daily slot in the evening primetime row.

Usage
The term fantaserye is often used to refer to ABS-CBN's fantasy series. The first official fantaserye was Marina, a series about a girl cursed to become a mermaid. Telefantasya often refers to the creations of GMA Network; their first telefantasya was Mulawin, a series about a humanoid bird who fell in love with a girl who was later revealed to be part-bird. But even before, GMA has its first fantasy-based soap via Ikaw Na Sana in 1997 and Pintados in 1999. ABS-CBN also reinvented the name of their fantasy TV depending on its origin, like Krystala, named superserye (pertaining to superhero) and Ang Panday as sineserye (cinematic origin). However, both are still regarded by many as fantaseryes.

History
The Fantasy genre of television has been around even before the word was conceived. Probably the first Filipino fantasy series could be regarded as Okey Ka Fairy Ko!1 produced by TAPE, Inc. in 1987 and broadcast originally on IBC, moved to ABS-CBN until TAPE Inc. transferred its programs to GMA after its contract expired with ABS-CBN.

Okey ka, Fairy Ko! is a story about Taga-Lupa ("Earthling" in English) Vic Sotto who married Engkantada (a fairy) Alice Dixson. They had children who were half-earthlings and half-fairies. The fairy, a princess in her world, had a stern mother, Ina Magenta (Charito Solis) who visited the neighborhood everyday, criticizing their lifestyle on earth (sometimes battling with evil from the dark world).

Fantaserye's origins were more rooted towards situational comedy than soap opera (today's fantaseryes and telefantsayas are lined up in evening prime time along with other soap operas), and Okey ka, Fairy Ko! is proof of that. The series had a run of about seven years and was aired on one day of the week for about 60 minutes per episode. Other notable series with similar nature are Wansapanataym of ABS CBN and Beh Bote Nga of GMA Network.

Telefantasyas or Fantaseryes need not only depict magical worlds in space or underwater. They may also depict future settings. Pintados, launched by GMA, could also fall under the same genre. Pintados was about a band of painted warriors (Pintados) with the power to control the elements on a mission to save the world. Nowadays, several titles fall under this genre. However, the most popular fantaseryes or telefantasyas are the ones shown weeknights during primetime television. Once-a-week fantaseryes are also included under the same genre but do not receive as much viewership as the ones shown every weeknight.

Fantaseryes weren't given as much as attention earlier and thus were usually shown on a once-a-week basis with each episode running for one to one hour and a half. In 2003, ABS-CBN introduced a new genre of teleserye which mixes soap opera, fantasy, myth, magic and enchantment on a nightly basis. This genre was called fantaserye, with such shows falling under this genre broadcast on a nightly basis during primetime. The first fantaserye that was shown on primetime TV was officially Darating ang Umaga. However, it was commercially a failure. Fantasy themed TV series have been around for while already in the Philippines prior to the launch of the series Darating ang Umaga although they weren't popular on television. in 2004, ABS-CBN took another risk by showing yet another fantaserye called Marina. Unlike its predecessor, Marina set a benchmark for fantaseryes on television when it garnered consistent high ratings during its entire run. The ratings and audience share of the said fantaserye were even higher than the usual more established primetime teleseryes. Because of this, the television series Marina was officially the one that popularized the genre. Today, fantaseryes are the most viewed TV program in the Philippines. Recent surveys by media research firms AC Nielsen and AGB state that fantaseryes have the highest ratings in the evening primetime block.

Although ABS-CBN started the fantaserye fad, its rival GMA network introduced its own fantasy-based series which they called telefantasya which has a similar meaning and nature as a fantaserye. After Marina, ABS-CBN produced fantasy-based series under a different name but with a similar nature in the hope of saturating the ratings game such as superserye Krystala, sineserye Ang Panday and Super Inggo. On the other hand, rival GMA network started their telefantasya run during primetime with Marinara and ''Mulawin. (But Marinara is more so called as kwela-novela). Although in 1997, GMA officially have their first soap with fantasy genre in titled Ikaw Na Sana.'' Because of this, GMA network has decided to focus on producing telefantasya shows while ABS-CBN's productions are a mix of at least one fantaserye and several other soap operas (drama).

To pit against its rival networks, IBC started producing their fantasy series starting with the phenomenal and top-rating fantaserye Janella in Wonderland starring teen actress Janella Salvador as Janella, a girl who will transform into a mermaid tale under the sea which was started on January 6, 2014. The first fantasy series of IBC since Marina and Marinara started the fantaserye craze in 2004 and set the trend of fantaseryes for IBC when it garnered consistent high ratings during primetime. It was pitted against Honesto and Adarna toppled the two fantaseryes in the land. Because of that, IBC's fantasy series Janela in Wonderland got the high ratings winner for 7:45 p.m. timeslot after the network's longest-running and top-rating news program Express Balita. In March 17, 2014, Janella in Wonderland will be battled for the mermaid wars, it is also the most popular IBC-made fantasy series pitted against Dyesebel and Kambal Sirena are in the same timeslot. Because of this, Janella in Wonderland are officially the one that popularized the fantaserye genre for IBC.

After Janella in Wonderland, IBC produced the fantasy-drama series under a different name with similar nature in the saturating ratings games such as the crocodile fantaserye Kroko: Ang Alamat sa Zoo, the feel-good fantaserye Janella: A Teen Princess (fantasy-teen drama also expanded for action and light drama with the right amount of comedy and family-oriented romantic drama similar to ABS-CBN's Be Careful With My Heart) and the feel-good action superserye Voltron Man.

Since then, IBC is also reinvented the name of their fantasy TV craze on its origin recovered the ratings during primetime run, like Janella: A Teen Princess, a light fantaserye (teen fantasy-light drama) for a teen princess and super-heroine princess known as the longest-running and top-rating fantaseryes, making Janella Salvador known for the honorific title as the Asia's Teen Sweetheart and the Primetime Princess of IBC and Voltron Man for the crime-fighting Pinoy superhero, named as the action superserye (action-fantasy and pertaining to superhero), making AJ Muhlach known as the Action Prince and the Primetime Prince. Both fantaseryes are proved to be a consistent winner in the ratings game (as for IBC) during primetime.

Ratings
Telefantasyas and fantaseryes today can be arguably described as the most awaited part of the evening primetime blocks of GMA and ABS-CBN. Recent surveys by media research firms AC Nielsen and AGB state that these telefantasyas have the highest ratings in the evening prime time block. Mars Revelo's Darna from GMA Network was considered being the first primetime telefantasya to reach a 47.1% rating (according to AGB and AC-Nielsen) in its pilot episode, the highest rating for a pilot episode in the Philippine television history, beating Pangako Sa'yo with its 46.5%.

Values formation
A TV-magazine show's episode on November 5, 2005 pointed out that fantaseryes have a negative effect on the young children because they cannot clearly mark the borderline between reality and fantasy.

Also in this line, the themes of the telefantasyas often feature battles between two factions: good and evil. Although the good and evil parts of the battle are clearly marked, people, especially the children emphasize more on the fights rather than the victory of good over evil. The children imitate the fights scenes and thus inculcate them in their lives. Conservatives have always critiqued the showing of violence on television as detrimental to the children's values.

Social constructionism
The theory of Social constructionism is often used as defense by the critics not just of Fantaseryes, but of the television as a postmodern invention. This theory, by Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann in the 1960s suggests that reality is constructed by the society in general, and individually, by the people who interpret and perceive reality.

In this case, television forms a reality in the minds of the people, specifically, as an "ideal" world on where to live in. The people perceive it and then in turn form the notion that "this is how life should be." This happens, when, in fact, it should not be, because the television is not the reality but life is the ultimate reality.

ABS-CBN's fantaseryes
2003
 * Darating Ang Umaga (2003)

2004
 * Marina (2004)
 * Krystala (2004-2005)
 * Spirits (2004-2005)

2005
 * Kampanerang Kuba (2005)
 * Panday (2005-2006)

2006
 * Panday: Book 2 (2006)
 * Super Inggo (2006-2007)
 * Komiks (TV Series)
 * Komiks presents Da Adventures of Pedro Penduko (2006-2007)

2007
 * Kokey
 * Komiks presents Pedro Penduko at ang mga Engkantao
 * Rounin
 * Mars Ravelo's Lastikman (2007-2008)
 * Princess Sarah
 * Super Inggo 1.5: Ang Bagong Bangis

2008
 * Lobo
 * Kung Fu Kids
 * Marina: The Director's Cut
 * Mars Ravelo's Komiks presents Kapitan Boom
 * Dyosa (2008-2009)
 * Komiks presents Mars Ravelo's Varga
 * Komiks presents Mars Ravelo's Tiny Tony
 * Komiks presents Mars Ravelo's Dragonna (2008-2009)

2009
 * Komiks presents Mars Ravelo's Flash Bomba
 * Agimat: Ang Mga Alamat ni Ramon Revilla presents Tiagong Akyat
 * Agimat: Ang Mga Alamat ni Ramon Revilla presents Pepeng Agimat

2010
 * Agua Bendita
 * Agimat: Ang Mga Alamat ni Ramon Revilla presents Tonyong Bayawak
 * Agimat: Ang Mga Alamat ni Ramon Revilla presents Elias Paniki
 * Noah (2010-2011)
 * Imortal (2010-2011)
 * Kokey @ Ako

2011
 * Agimat: Ang Mga Alamat ni Ramon Revilla presents Bianong Bulag
 * Mutya
 * Agimat: Ang Mga Alamat ni Ramon Revilla presents Kapitan Inggo
 * 100 Days to Heaven

2012
 * E-Boy
 * Wako Wako
 * Aryana (2012-2013)

2013
 * Juan dela Cruz
 * My Little Juan
 * Little Champ
 * Galema: Anak ni Zuma (2013-2014)
 * Honesto (2013-2014)

2014
 * Mirabella
 * Mars Ravelo's Dyesebel
 * Pure Love

2015
 * Pablo S. Gomez's Inday Bote
 * Nathaniel
 * All of Me (2015-2016)

2016
 * My Super D

Considered ABS-CBN fantaseryes
 * Okay Ka, Fairy Ko! (1989–1995)
 * Wansapanataym (1997–2005, 2010–present)
 * Hiraya Manawari
 * Love Spell
 * Bayani
 * Marry D`Potter
 * Komiks Presents Mars Ravelo's Nasaan Ka Maruja?

GMA Network's telefantasyas
1997
 * Ikaw Na Sana (1997-1998)

1999
 * Pintados (1999-2000)

2004 2005
 * Marinara (2004)
 * Mulawin (2004-2005)
 * Leya, Ang Pinakamagandang Babae sa Ilalim ng Lupa
 * Mars Ravelo's Darna
 * Encantadia
 * Sugo
 * Etheria (2005-2006)

2006
 * Encantadia: Pag-ibig Hanggang Wakas
 * Majika
 * Mars Ravelo's Captain Barbell (2006-2007)
 * Atlantika (2006-2007)

2007
 * Asian Treasures
 * Mga Mata Ni Angelita
 * Super Twins
 * Fantastic Man
 * Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan (2007-2008)
 * Carlo J. Caparas' Kamandag (2007-2008)

2008
 * Joaquin Bordado
 * Mars Ravelo's Dyesebel
 * Carlo J. Caparas' Gagambino (2008-2009)
 * Tasya Fantasya
 * Luna Mystika (2008-2009)

2009
 * Mars Ravelo's Darna
 * Totoy Bato

2010
 * The Last Prince
 * Panday Kids
 * Pilyang Kerubin
 * Kaya ng Powers
 * Ilumina
 * Grazilda
 * Bantatay (2010-2011)

2011
 * Dwarfina
 * Alakdana
 * Machete
 * Captain Barbell Season 2
 * Iglot
 * Daldalita (2011-2012)

2012
 * Alice Bungisngis and her Wonder Walis
 * My Beloved
 * Luna Blanca
 * Aso ni San Roque (2012-2013)
 * Paroa: Ang Kuwento ni Mariposa (2012-2013)

2013
 * Indio
 * Kakambal ni Eliana
 * Home Sweet Home
 * Pyra: Ang Babaeng Apoy
 * Adarna (2013-2014)

2014
 * Kambal Sirena
 * Ang Lihim ni Annasandra (2014-2015)

2016
 * Magkaibang Mundo
 * Encantadia 2016

Considered Telefantasya
 * L.U.V. Pow
 * Lovely Day Force
 * Magic Kamison
 * Fantastikids
 * Mahiwagang Baul
 * Hokus Pokus
 * Mga Kwento Ni Lola Basyang
 * Beh Bote Nga
 * My Daddy Dearest
 * One Day Isang Araw

TV5's Fantasy series
2008
 * Batang X: The Next Generation

2011 2012 2013 2016 Considered TV5 fantasy series
 * Bangis
 * Felina: Prinsesa ng mga Pusa
 * Kapitan Awesome
 * Enchanted Garden
 * Kidlat
 * Cassandra: Warrior Angel
 * Tasya Fantasya
 * Ang Panday
 * Pidol's Wonderland
 * LolaBasyang.com

IBC's Fantaseryes
2014 2015 2016 Considered IBC fantaseryes
 * Janella in Wonderland (2014)
 * Kroko: Ang Alamat sa Zoo
 * Janella: A Teen Princess (2014–2016)
 * Voltron Man (2014–2015)
 * Pirate Kidz: The Next Level
 * Princess Charm
 * Kung Fu Fighting
 * Kumander Bawang (2015–2016)
 * Syrena
 * Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang (1976–1977) (GMA 7, 2007)
 * Ora Engkantada (1986–1990)
 * Okey Ka Fairy Ko! (1987–1989)
 * Compuer Man (1990–1991)
 * Computer Kid
 * Magic Kamison