It's all joyful, fanciful and magical in the wonderful world of the Kapatid network.
That's what the Christmas station ID of TV5 for 2010 seems to be telling us.
Boldly naming itself "The Happy Network" in its SID, TV5 promises to give its loyal viewers and fans a "Happy Christmas."
The SID starts with kids caroling in front of a house that turns out to be the place where TV5 stars and personalities whip out their magic and create endless fun.
The doors open and viewers get a glimpse of what seems to be a Christmas wonderland—there are gifts everywhere and people have red balls as noses.
It's Narnia slash the Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory from then on. We see Congresswoman Lucy Torres and Richard Gomez fly to the sky through red balloons while Ruffa Gutierrez and the rest of the Juicy and Paparazzi gang give away gifts.
Other TV5 stars are spotted preparing Christmas ornaments or becoming the decors themselves. Then there are TV5's young stars, led by Alex Gonzaga, JC De Vera and Oyo Boy Sotto, playing and fooling around with each other.
Viewers will see sexy dancers Jingle Bell rocking to the music while the network's sitcom stars are having fun with giant jackstone pieces.
"Para Sa'yo Kapatid," says the jingle, but this time with music filled with the sounds of Christmas chimes and bells for that holiday theme and feel. The lyrics are updated to basically say that the happy and colorful world of TV5 is filled with smiles, laughter, love, hope, fantasy and all those good things that can make you feel warm, fuzzy and cheery inside. It's so cheery, the feisty Annabelle Rama throws confetti!
"Tara na, lipat na!" says the jolly Dolphy, former star of all ABS-CBN's station IDs before his big switch. And then everyone joins him, showing how the TV5 family has grown and expanded in a matter of months.
"Para sa'yo, Kapatid!" they all sing merrily until Dolphy takes off his red clown nose that transforms into the TV5 red-sphere logo.
What's good about this SID is that TV5 did not attempt to look like an ABS-CBN or GMA-7 station ID. It has established its own look that is consistent with the classy, modern and minimalist look it used in its launch SID. By doing so, the Kapatid netword has reinforced the red and white/gray appearance of the TV5 brand.
And say what you want about Willie Revillame but his presence in the station ID in itself is a force that adds power to the celebrity-focused SID. If TV5 found a way to bring Willie, Dolphy, Vic Sotto and Joey de Leon in one frame, that could have been a historic moment. There's also no denying the charisma of politician-turned-TV host Shalani Soledad who managed to make an impact in the SID by simply raising her hands to launch her flying gifts.
Sources say that TV5's Christmas station ID was shot in a chroma studio for several days and even involved harnesses for some of the stars. The final product turned out great, you'll almost feel cold viewing it with all the snow flakes and snowmen... wait, are those snowflakes and snowmen? Well, maybe that's where they've gone overboard. No amount of Christmas spirit can make that happen here in the Philippines.
The TV5 SID makes no pretentions showing its stars in acts of Christmas charity or kurot sa puso moments—at least that's one way of seeing it. It's simple and direct to the point (Dolphy's line, "Lipat na" comes to mind).
The other way of interpreting TV5's Yuletide station ID is just as telling. All the frolicking and merrymaking could convey the message that TV5's kind of Christmas is purely about entertainment and escapism.