Janella Salvador as IBC's Only Primetime Princess

March 24, 2014

Janella Salvador as solo primetime princess and a teen mermaid tale in her first IBC fantaserye, titled Janella in Wonderland, which airs weeknights

MANILA, Philippines - Drama is the princess of primetime, says IBC-13 teen star Janella Salvador. After playing the most promising character as Nikki-Grace Lim in ABS-CBN's daytime teleserye Be Careful With My Heart, the Kapinoy network gamble to go head to head with the soap operas of competing network with the first fantaserye Janella in Wonderland which already premiere last January 13, Janella's first daily primetime series with the network since her cross-over from ABS-CBN last January 24, 2014 as part of the network's contract.

Her mother for singer-theater actress Jenine Desiderio says that Janella is the only primetime princess. The 15-year-old singer-actress was celebrated on its 16th birthday party on March 30, she is purposed to do fantasy drama as her first fantaserye for IBC-13.

When she signed up with the network last January 24, Janella was also host for Y2K: Yes to Kids (Saturday morning at 9 a.m.), a children's program with JV the puppet, and she is part of the cast in Friends 4Ever (Sunday at 3 p.m.) started last March 2, a youth-oriented light drama also starring Marlo Mortel, Sue Ramirez, Khalil Ramos, Francis Magundayao, Liza Soberano and Diego Loyzaga.

The network decided to change their horizontal programming strategy last January 13 by airing a fantasy series from the success of heavy drama. The primetime block also aired with Mutya Orquia's child adventure drama Carita de Angel (5:45 p.m.), the station's high-rating newscast Express Balita (6:30 p.m.), the Thai superstar Mario Maurer's romantic light drama Crazy Little Thing Called Love (8:30 p.m.), Claudine Barretto's heavy drama Your Heart, My Love (9:15 p.m.), Ramon Bautista's political satire Sic O'Clock News Naman (9:45 p.m.), Victoria Ruffo's hit telenovela La Madrastra (10:15 p.m.) and Jang Nara's hottest Korean drama My Love Patzzi (10:45 p.m.). Meanwhile, the network is hoping the gamble will dominated with the trend-setting fantasy series Janella in Wonderland, since the first fantaseryes in 2004 are Marina (ABS-CBN) and Marinara (GMA 7).

Janella's popular expression "Oh my gee!" which had stated several times for the entire episodes of the weeknight fantasy series Janella in Wonderland, the Saturday morning educational show Y2K: Yes to Kids and the weekend feel-good teen drama Friends 4Ever.

She said it has such a fantasy, adventure, action and romantic love story. "Oh my gee, she's here because it's feel-good that IBC-13 is running third in the ratings behind ABS-CBN and GMA 7. We need to be able to come up with the fantasy and drama series that will enjoy watching," Janella says when she asked about the Sirena Wars, she is facing now as a superstar of the Kapinoy network.

As of March 17, oh my gee, grrr, the fantasy series already dominate with their two mermaid fantaseryes like Dyesebel starring Anne Curtis and Kambal Sirena starring Louise delos Reyes, while Janella in Wonderland also instantly became the #1 most-watched fantaserye on its timeslot.

With that, Janella in Wonderland completes the #1 primetime shows for IBC-13 lineup. From Monday to Friday, Express Balita also became the #1 most-watched newscast on its timeslot during 6:30 p.m. timeslot dominated by TV Patrol and 24 Oras. The basketball fans continues for the PBA (Saturday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.) ranked the #1 basketball every weekend. Four of IBC-13's top-raters: every Saturday with Who Wants to be a Millionaire? (Saturday 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.) hosted by Drew Arellano has been consistently ranked the #1 game show on its timeslot dominated by Bet on Your Baby and Picture Picture!, and DMZ-TV hosted by Cara Eriguel and Victor Anastacio (Saturday from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. simulcast over iDMZ 891), also reign the #1 dance music show on its timeslot against The Biggest Loser Pinoy Edition Doubles and Celebrity Bluff; on Sunday is Robi Domingo's The Million Second Quiz (Sundays 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.) ranked the #1 game show on its timeslot than Home Sweetie Home and Pepito Manaloto, and Born to be a Superstar (Sundays from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.) hosted by Anja Aguilar ranked the #1 show on its timeslot and has become such a huge hit that it set a trend in talent shows on rival networks.

"IBC-13 already begun winning weekends, especially on Saturdays with PBA, Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and DMZ-TV, and every Sunday with PBA, The Million Second Quiz and Born to be a Superstar. The addition of Janella in Wonderland makes IBC-13 truly the network to watch. It’s any programmers dream to have their own stars like Janella Salvador, Drew Arellano, Cara Eriguel and Victor Anastacio, Robi Domingo and the young singing diva Anja Aguilar in one network and on one night.

Perhaps, oh my gee, the heart-pounding fantasy series for Janella, who plays the lead character Janella Bernardo, a 15-year old girl who turning into a teen mermaid tale under the sea as the Princess of the Sea where the sea creatures rule in the island, at home, school and the mermaid into underwater. She's a student from high school who she wearing a school uniform. One minute she's a teenager and the next she learns a family secret: she's a mermaid! Janella and her dolphin friend Zuma set off on an undersea adventure to rescue her mother, the queen of Oceana. With help from her mermaid friends, Janella saves the ocean kingdom.

Victor Fred, her boyfriend in the series played by Marlo Mortel, a popular boy who is crush in his girlfriend Janella Bernardo. He is Janella's love interest and she called "Mallows".

Primetime leading man Marlo Mortel who is also played the character Nicolo Cortez in ABS-CBN's daytime teleserye Be Careful With My Heart admitted that he has a crush on her, stand-up comedian Victor Anastacio who is also hosting the dance music show DMZ-TV and TV host Andrei Felix are also part of the cast in this fantaserye, as well as Gloria Romero, Joel Torre, Bettina Carlos, Liza Soberano, Nathan Barrera, Miel Cuneta, Aldred Nasayao, Chin Chin Gutierrez, Michael Martinez, Shy Carlos, Francis Magundayao, Kelly dela Cruz and Carlo Lazerna. Also, featuring the mermaids underwater Alfred Vargas, Jai & Joj Agpangan, Mikee Lee, Yen Santos, KC Montero, Kat Alano and Paolo Serrano, the villains Alessandra de Rossi, RJ Ledesma, and Meryll Soriano, and the voices of Louise Abuel as Zuma, Elmo Magalona as Sebastian, Jon Santos as Shrimp, Pia Magalona as Disher, Timothy Chan as Dreamfish, Josh Padilla as Remo and Chienna Filomeno as Whale Shark

Salvador knows the show is a big risk for IBC-13, a David to ABS-CBN and GMA-7’s primetime drama Goliaths, considering the audience is still accustomed to drama on weeknights.

“Oh my gee, we're so exciting for major player we’re continue to capture the Asian market. We just want to offer heavy dramas, very entertaining, drama-wise,” she muses. Oh my gee, kasi naman sa primetime ang princesa ay drama. Talaga sila sa fantaserye kung sirena."

Janella in Wonderland airs weeknights after Express Balita on IBC-13's Kapinoy Primetime.