It was early 2000 when the term "reality television" was coined in the U.S. Top-rating shows Survivor and American Idol dominated the television scene. Soon the Philippines caught the realiTV fever.
Pasok at patok would best describe the response of Pinoys to the craze.
For the longest time, TV series had reigned supreme in the primetime block of both GMA-7 and ABS-CBN. But in 2003, Extra Challenge provided the viewers with an entirely different dish in the show menu.
People liked the spontaneity.
Celebrities would react impulsively or instinctively. Sometimes they'd argue, cry, and even curse.
People liked the idea of seeing their idols in a natural setting.
The stars would participate in the challenges sans makeup, their signature clothes, and alalays. They would be told to perform tasks that ordinary people do for a living and even do the extraordinary things that some ordinary people can do.
People liked the idea of being involved.
The new format gave Extra Challenge some flexibility. If we were to recount all its episodes, it had a bit of everything reality-based in the U.S.—from Amazing Race to Fear Factor to Survivor to Simple Life to The Bachelor, among others.
From here, more reality shows sprouted in local television. There are more than 40 in the list, but let us pay attention to the ones which successfully invaded majority of Philippine households.
We set the following guidelines in choosing the shows for this list: (1) they present real-life, unscripted situations (2) and/ or they document actual events (3) and/or they feature ordinary people (4) they got included in the primetime block.
StarStruck and Star Circle Quest, which were both launched in 2003, had brought instant stardom and millions of pesos to young hopefuls.
For a certain period of time, unknown teens were subjected to rigid training and workshops, including physical and mental challenges. Each week, one would be eliminated. In the end, the one with the most number of text votes from the viewers and with the glowing recommendations of the jury emerge as the victor.
StarStruck became a phenomenon that it aired four seasons. SCQ had two seasons. Both artista search programs even spawned a version for kids.
The Hiccup. Some showbiz veterans expressed their censure on the said shows. The search had become a popularity contest instead of a talent race. It had made things much easier for the newbies to gain ground in showbiz.
Kung sa mga reporters, may mga tinapatawag na pinabili ng suka, sa mga artista, meron na rin.
