Janella in Wonderland - IBC's First Fantasy Series

January 6, 2014

This was good before it aired such soaps as Cristine Reyes' Esperanza and Safe in the Arms of Love. But then, the Kapinoy network wil be a teen actress to portray that Pinoy mermaid.

IBC-13, which has been acquired a reputation for innovation, first positioned is the fantasy series for evening primetime in 1986 when it produced and aired the highly successful Ora Engkantada, a popular Filipino children’s fantasy as one of IBC-13's pioneer shows which is starred by by Luz Fernandez, playing as "Lola Torya" while reading from a huge ancient book of magical stories in a story-telling. Okey Ka Fairy Ko!, the first fantasy sitcom, which is a story about Enteng Kabisote (Vic Sotto) and a fairy Faye (Alice Dixson). The network again introduced on primetime the action-packed superhero fantasy Computer Man in 1990 into 1991. During the early 90’s, Computer Man featuring Eric Quizon portrayed as a superhero.

Now, a fantasy come true for the Kapinoy network IBC-13 introduced the very first fantaserye on primetime slot considered as the genre over stiff competition. Discover a fantasy made a splash in the deep blue sea about a mermaid tale from an underwater fantasy as IBC-13 launches their first “fantaserye” for its own mermaid offering Janella in Wonderland starring a teen actress Janella Salvador who plays the title role, premieres tonight with its pilot episode, January 6, after Express Balita, the station's longest-running flagship newscast.

“This is the first fantasy series produced by IBC-13 which aims to offer more quality programs that made popular than any other TV networks and the viewing public this year,” explained the executive in-charge of production Ginny Monteagudo-Ocampo, IBC business unit head. The first fantaserye on Philippine television that not only breaks out of traditional soap elements by use of fantasy, but also highlights its drama with breathtaking locations, underwater scenes, and up-to-date special effects. Janella crowned her as the Primetime Princess of IBC.

If the mermaid tale such ABS-CBN has Marina, Dyosa, Agua Bendita, Mutya and Aryana, GMA has Marinara and Dyesebel, and now as IBC has Janella in Wonderland.

Wherein the story revolves around the mermaids and sea creatures, Salvador will play the lead role as Janella, a girl turning good as a mermaid tale under the sea as the Princess of the Sea where she rule the island, at home, school and the underwater scenes about mermaids and sea creatures.

She's a classmate from high school who she wearing a school uniform. She's a teenager and learns as she's a mermaid! Janella and her dolphin friend Zuma (voiced by Alyanna Angeles) set off on an undersea adventure to rescue from Oceana. With help from her mermaid friends, Janella saves the ocean kingdom.

Janella in Wonderland, which is being introduced as the first-ever fantaserye, is another IBC-13's innovation that is expected to create waves in local programming. It made a splash in the landscape of primetime TV viewing habit when it heat up the nights of TV viewers and competing with other big television networks. The showing of Janella in Wonderland is in line with IBC-13's celebration of its 54th year anniversary since March 1, 1960. With the launch of Janella in Wonderland, the Kapinoy network is living up to its reputation of program innovation following the phenomenal success of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, the first-ever game show for the million-peso prize that took the country by storm and Born to be a Superstar, Viva's second attempt as the reality singing search of IBC-13.

According to the sequestered TV network, Janella in Wonderland will not only an enjoyable fantaserye, but it is also an educational series, cartoons and animes for kids. At the media launch, IBC Entertainment TV Head Laurenti Dyogi emphasized that IBC-13 will focus on producing dramatic teleseryes and added to fantaserye, while keeping with its mission of airing its primetime programming.

Directed by Jeffrey Jeturian and Paco Sta. Maria, and written by Joel Mercado, Agnes Gagilonia-Uligan, Jimuel dela Cruz and Dexter Hemedez, Janella in Wonderland is the latest addition to the network's weeknight primetime line-up of IBC-13 to be dubbed as “fantaserye” for its fantasy with a light drama and romance elements in the mix. Help director Jeffrey with the fantaserye's underwater scenes.

Joining Salvador in Janella in Wonderland are on-screen partner Marlo Mortel as the leading man, as well as Angelu de Leon, Bobby Andrews, Andrei Felix, Bettina Carlos, Kat Alano as Janella's mother Calissa, Gabbi Garcia, Alexandra Macanan, Kiko Estrada, Joshua Dionisio, CJ Navato, Alessandra de Rossi as the evil queen of mermaid Eris, Meryll Soriano as Ursula, RJ Ledesma as the voice of Shark, Jai and Joj Agpangan, Celine Lim, Dexie Daulat, Aria Cariño, Paolo Serrano, Yen Santos as Louise Tolentino, Mikee Lee and the voices of Alyanna Angeles as Zuma, Elmo Magalona as Sebastian, Harvey Bautista as Snouts, Nel Gomez as Kim's Pet Fish, Ciara Sotto as Dreamfish, Raine Salamante as Lipstick Fish, Josh Padilla as Remo and Jake Roxas as Pufferazzi with the special participation of Sofia Millares as young Janella.

Janella in Wonderland will lead in IBC primetime starting tonight on January 6 and will air from Monday to Friday at 7:45 p.m., after the early evening newscast Express Balita as part of IBC-13's horizontal primetime programming Kapinoy Primetime. PBA now aired on Saturday at 3:30-5:30 p.m. and Sunday 3-7 p.m.
 * Hanggang Kailan
 * Words and Music by: Ryan Cayabyab
 * Produced by: Christian Martinez and Jimmy Antiporda
 * Arranged by: Vehnee Saturno
 * Performed by: Janella Salvador

The Mermaids of the Hit Fantaseryes
ABS-CBN GMA IBC
 * 2004: Marina (Claudine Barretto)
 * 2008: Dyosa (Anne Curtis)
 * 2010: Agua Bendita (Andi Eigenmann)
 * 2011: Mutya (Mutya Orquia)
 * 2012: Aryana (Ella Cruz)
 * 2004: Marinara (Rufa Mae Quinto)
 * 2008: Dyesebel (Marian Rivera)
 * 2014: Janella in Wonderland (Janella Salvador)