The Big Dome was packed full of fans of each of the six finalists. Akihiro had the most number of cheering fans and they seem to be well organized, even equipped with walkie-talkies as they communicate with each other.
The show started at 8 PM and ended at 12 MN. The opening number showed the six finalists performing a musical number together. Then each of them performed a song and dance number solo that segues to a short dramatic film directed by Eric Quizon for the girls and Joyce Bernal for the boys.
The best in the musical numbers among the girls is Chanel. There was a hitch as she performed when the knot of her gown won’t open to reveal her silver bodice. The dancers had to help her untie it, but she showed great showmanship as she continued to perform so well despite what happened. Among the boys, the best musical number is from Akihiro who started as a choirboy singing Hallelujah and is transformed to a rocker singing Bamboo’s version of “Halleluia”.
In the acting segment, Chanel is again the most impressive for us in ‘My Dear Sister’, where she plays dual roles. Chanel is shown visiting her insane twin sister in a hospital with them ending up switching identities. Among the boys, the most effective for us is Mark in a very simple but touching episode, ‘The Box’, about a balikbayan teener from the States who visits an old man in the slums (Bembol Roco) with a box containing old fotos. The old man turns out to be his long lost dad. The episodes of Vin and Aki are both action-oriented stories complete with fight scenes and so much histrionics. Mark’s episode is very quiet and his acting is so effortless that’s why it works so well for us. Too bad he didn’t win when he’s the one who’s the most “mukhang artista” among them.
The eliminated contestants were also made to perform and a balikbayan friend of ours who watched the show with us was wondering why Benjo Leoncio and Brent Manzano were not among the finalists. “Di ba artista search ito? O, mas mukhang artista sila kaysa roon sa natirang tatlo.”
It will be a real challenge now for TV5 to make the stars of Vin and Sophie really shine. Vin will be up against the popularity of his own brother, Aljur, who was there to give him moral support. He’s the third artista signed up by TV5 who’s the sibling of a more popular Ate or Kuya. The first two are Alex Gonzaga (sister of Toni) and Jasmine Curtis Smith (sister of Anne). Up to now, both Alex and Jasmine’s careers have yet to really take off.
As for Sophie, she needs to lose a bit more weight as she registers as flabby looking on screen. After she won as best actress, we already had a feeling it’s Vin who’d be best actor because, earlier, they were already paired as a love team called Sophvin. Mark was paired with Shaira and the Aki, who’s vertically challenged, was paired with Chanel, the shortest among the girls.
All of them will be given their own show, along with the eliminated finalists (we hope TV5 will stop calling them Kickouts as this has a negative connotation), a youth oriented one called FB (Forever Barkada.) It’s also announced that the next “Artista Academy” will be for Tweens, aged 12 to 15.
