A Leap Forward: "Eat Bulaga" Now Has Franchise in Indonesia

Image retrieved from nakanaks.blogspot.com

"Eat Bulaga" trademark and other associated copyrights owned by TAPE, Inc. and GMA-7

Filipinos, including myself, won't bat an eyelash when a foreign TV show franchise is bought and set up here. That has been pretty much the practice for the past ten years or so. But when a local show's franchise is bought and set up in another country, that's another story. So it was a great, pleasant surprise for me when I heard that the thirty-three year-old TV Show "Eat Bulaga", a show I've watched since a kid, now has a franchise show in Indonesia. Bearing the same title, the Indonesian Eat Bulaga aired last July 16th. (Link to news source: Indonesian Network Obtains Franchise Of ‘Eat Bulaga!’ - Manila Bulletin)

Tape Inc. Senior Vice President and COO Malou Choa-Fagar said in an interview with Yahoo! Philippines OMG! (Link to news source: 'Bulaga' Pilot in Indonesia Gets Good Ratings) that it was the Indonesian network SCTV who contacted them about a possible franchise.

The COO said in the above mentioned interview, “It was they (Indonesia’s Surya Citra Televisi or SCTV) who approached us... The program director Harsiwi Achmad has been watching “Bulaga” on YouTube even before he was not yet with SCTV. He studied the show closely and felt it will work in Indonesia.”

And the pilot show, according to the same article, found great success in ratings. 

The Eat Bulaga Indonesia cast

Image retrieved from The Manila Bulletin.

This marks as a new achievement for the show "Eat Bulaga", a show that has been on air for the past thirty-three years. As a fan of the show, I can't help but feel proud for them and be amazed by their new achievement. Naysayers and critics could say all they want to say, but Tito, Vic and Joey, and their ingenious show, has added another milestone award to their already lengthy list of accomplishments and they could do nothing about it. Kudos, Eat Bulaga, for doing a very swell job! No "horse" could out-gallop your success.

The Indonesian Eat Bulaga airs every 4 PM in Indonesia at the SCTV network.

The Non-Regularity of the "Regular Show"

Regular Show main characters Mordecai and Rigby.

Image retrieved from animatedtv.about.com

"Regular Show" and other associated copyrights owned by J G Quintel and Cartoon Network Studios

So, has anybody heard of this short-ish cartoon series feature a bird named Mordecai and a raccoon named Rigby? I've been exposed to it only recently (roughly three-four months?) as a sort of short-skit cartoon acting in place of a commercial ad in Cartoon Network, specifically during the Adventure Time timeslot. (For my review/blog on Adventure Time, click here.) At first, I was a bit annoyed at it since it is a bit long for a short, and is taking a bit too much time airing when I should be watching Adventure Time instead. But then. I got the hang of it and I pretty much got fine with it.

After doing some research - translation: Looking at Wikipedia - I found out that this show is titled "Regular Show" created by the Misadventures of Flapjack creator J. G. Quintel. And it looks like he also voiced one of the main characters of the show, Mordecai. So what is Regular Show all about? As their slogan connotes, its anything but regular. Mordecai and Rigby are workers for a gumball-machine looking guy named Benson, but they usually slack off during their hours. Its these slacking off episodes where the cartoon centers on, but its usually at the arcade or some other video game-related jig.

The fascinating thing about the show is its non-regularity. Quintel mixed in surrealism with the show, making it look utterly ridiculous, and well, fun, in a sort of slap-stick way but doesn't come near it. Its so weird, its fun. There was this episode when Benson got fed up with Mordecai and Rigby slacking off that he purchased a camera-surveillance system that the two kept on outsmarting. Finally, Benson upgraded the system to the highest level (it was named "Jeepers Peepers X-Infinity") only to find out that he wasn't purchasing cameras now, but a large eye named Peeps who watches them "24/7/365, until you die".

It hasn't got a continuing plot, which makes it easy to watch and follow. Its just that: episodic packages of ludicrous laughter. I tell you, the daily adventures of Mordecai and Rigby are anything but regular.

Algebraic!: My Thoughts on Adventure Time

Image retrieved from catziac.files.wordpress.com

Adventure Time created by Pendleton Ward

It's been a while since I got hooked to an animated show (whether the Japanese Anime or the Western Cartoon). I've actually been searching for a new one to follow when I stumbled upon Cartoon Network and this new series called Adventure Time. At first, I was already hooked. The approach of the show may look child-like, but its story is actually quite mature. No, it does not reference anything explicitly taboo, but it appears more like a satirical show, allegorical, even.

First, a retrospection. According to my quick research - Wikipedia helped a lot *wink* - Adventure Time is created by Pendleton Ward (@buenothebear on Twitter) and produced by Frederator Studios. As I've mentioned, it's currently being shown on Cartoon Network. Weird though is that this show actually started from a Random! Cartoons feature in Nickelodeon. After it became a sensation over the Interwebs, Cartoon Network seized the opportunity and decided to show a full-length series for it.

The show centers on its two main characters, Finn the Human and Jake the Dog. Finn, as described by its creator, is a "fiery little kid with strong morals" and if I may add, a guy who knows so little and has the same amount of appreciation for math. He and his powerful dog-friend travel through the post-apocalyptic land of Ooo (Oooh... Aaah...) fighting evil monsters, defending princesses from an old, evil king and helping other creatures while having fun and dancing along the way.

As I've said, it may sound child-like at first, but it is actually quite mature in nature. It talks about many different subject matters that may edge over adult world, so much so that CN rater it TV-PG. Themes like love, jealousy, hate and the fight of good against evil are recurring themes of the series, and they are depicted rather allegorically. There's this one episode when Finn had injured his foot and clown doctors came in to heal him and his dog, who weirdly had the same injury. The clown doctors said that kissing the feet is the ONLY way to heal the wound and that they know what they're doing while Finn doesn't. Finn, who grew awkward to the treatment, sought to find his own way of treating his own injury. Sure enough, he did find a solution. The presentation is rather comical, but the message is rather enlightening.

Adventure Time, with its witty delivery and diverse setting, has gained a good following over the years, and I've become one of them. Truly, its hard not to fall in love with this show once you get to watch an episode or to of it. I'm so in love of the show I've managed to er, persuade, my little sister to do a cover of Adventure Time's ending song, "Island Song" by Ashley Eriksson. The video of her cover can be found below (and here's a link to her YouTube channel: natashaelouise)

To those who haven't watched this yet, then now you should. Adventure Time will give you a ton of laughs. Enjoy watching Adventure Time! I know I did, and still do! :)