The following describes many of the more noteworthy recurring segments and characters on GMA Network's gag show Bubble Gang.
Ang Dating Doon (English: The Formerly There) is a popular recurring segment on GMA Network's gag show Bubble Gang from 1998 to 1999. It was briefly revived in 2001 and 2005. The show experienced a resurfacing in the late 2011 and is broadcast once a month. It is a parody of the religious television program Ang Dating Daan (English: The Old Path), which is produced by the Members Church of God International. At first, the nursery rhyme "Row Row Row Your Boat" was the opening and closing theme used from 1998 to 1999. In the same year however, it comically began to use instead the opening theme of the anime TV series Chōdenji Machine Voltes V ("Voltes V no Uta" by Mitsuko Horie, Koorogi '73 and Columbia Cradle Club), as both its opening and closing song. It was of perfect timing, since it was a way of promoting Voltes V for the network back then.
The sketch was headlined by the show's writers, Isko Salvador (as Brod Pete, a play on the name of actor Brad Pitt and also a parody of Bro. Eli Soriano, host of Ang Dating Daan), Cesar Cosme (as Brother Willy, parody of Bro. Willy Santiago) and Chito Francisco (as Brother Jocel, parody of Bro. Jocel Mallari). The recent popularity of the religious program Ang Dating Daan and its sister program, Itanong Mo kay Soriano, [Bibliya ang Sasagot] (Ask Soriano, [and the Bible Will Answer]), inspired the segment. Because of its popularity, their characters became their nicknames. They are sometimes referred to, or credited as Isko "Brod Pete" Salvador, Cesar "Brother Willy" Cosme and Chito "Brother Jocel" Francisco.
The segment would commonly begin and end with Voltes V no Uta as the theme song; afterwards, various members of the audience would come up and present various questions to Brod Pete, who then has Brother Willy read various extracts from Nursery Rhymes or Folk songs, and recently on the 2011 revival, various song lyrics. Brod Pete will then interpret the "passage" to answer the question presented. Instead of using the Bible, they used dictionary, phone directory, or any books. In the 2011 revival, they began to use Macbook Pros and iPads as reference materials, which leads to its new title, Ang Bagong Dating Doon (The New Formerly There), meaning "Ang Dating Doon" with the power of technology.
On the June 27, 2014 episode of Bubble Gang, the segment sported a new set, the trio now wearing suits, and the name tweaked to Ang Bagong Dating Doon International (The New Formerly There International). This change reflects the new formats of Ang Dating Daan and Itanong Mo Kay Soriano, wherein MCGI's Mass Indoctrinations and Worldwide Bible Expositions, respectively, replaced the previous ones, since Bro. Eli Soriano went in exile in 2010.
Various exclamations such as "Alien!" or Raise the Roof! would also be used (as a parody of the common exclamations Amen and Praise the Lord).
A running gag in the show is that Brother Jocel sleeps during the segment proper (he is often seen with his head resting on his arms on the desk, though this has not been the case on some episodes). In the 2011 revival and onwards, he is sometimes seen playing games with his iPad, most notably, according to him, is Temple Run, or checking his "Facebook account" for status updates (while often seen still resting his head on the desk).
Isko Salvador and Cesar Cosme once worked on the legendary sitcom John En Marsha.There are also brief revivals of Ang Dating Doon since the first incarnation of the segment ended. First, when Isko Salvador went to ABS-CBN and became a regular of the gag show Klasmeyts, he revived Ang Dating Doon but with a variation. The segment features the same concept and the same usage of exclamations "Alien" and "Raise the Roof," but changes the segment title into "Doon Dati" (also meaning "Formerly There") which is a running joke about the segment's tenure in Bubble Gang. The theme song was also changed from Voltes V opening theme to the opening theme of Tōshō Daimos ("Tate! Tōshō Daimos" by Isao Sasaki and Columbia Cradle Club). At the same time, Doon Dati has a sister segment named "May Tama Kami" ("We Are Nuts", lit. "We Are Correct"), which is a parody of Iglesia ni Cristo show Ang Tamang Daan. Hosted by Bayani Agbayani and Herbert Bautista (they play as a parody of Bro. Michael Sandoval and Bro. Maximo Bularan, Jr.), the show focuses on retaliating Brod. Pete's teachings by also using Nursery Rhymes and Folk Songs, sometimes the same rhymes referenced by Brod. Pete while teaching. This happened during the heated rivalry between Ang Dating Daan and Iglesia ni Cristo.The comedy show Ispup made a parody of Ang Dating Daan and its rival Ang Tamang Daan entitled Ang Sangang Daan ("The Branched-Out Path"), hosted by John Lapus and Leo Martinez. It was shown on ABC 5.There is also another segment based on Ang Dating Doon, this time calling it Ang Daming Daan ("Many Paths" or "Many Hundreds"), which was shown on ABC's gag show Teka Mona! This segment was hosted by Joey de Leon as Bro. Elvis Soriano (a parody of Bro. Eli Soriano with an Elvis Presley look), who usually seen with his guitar, and Mike "Pekto" Nacua as Brother Hud, Bro. Elvis' Judas Iscariot-like assistant (his name was a pun on the word "brotherhood"). the concept was as same as Ang Dating Doon, except for the fact that every question is worth P100.00 and it will be put into a fishbowl after the question was answered (a parody of one of the accusations to Ang Dating Daan by Iglesia ni Cristo wherein Bro. Eli allegedly charges his followers with a large sum of money).The Trio made a cameo appearance at the film D'Sisters Nuns of the Above starring Michael V and Vic Sotto and Tweets For My Sweet.Despite having a show in Bubble Gang, Brod Pete (Isko Salvador) became a judge in It's Showtime.Brod. Pete is also a segment host for the UNTV show Klasrum (formerly as Bread Tambayan), UNTV is a current home of Ang Dating Daan and one of the owner is Daniel Razon, who is a nephew and co-minister of Eli Soriano.Bubble Gang X – 10th anniversary. X is a reference to the Roman equivalent of 10 (2005)DO-SE-NA Television film - 12th anniversary. The title refers to the Spanish "dozena" meaning a set of 12 (2007).Bubble Gang Sa Japan Katoru Sei Na - 14th anniversary. Katoru Sei Na is a Romanized parody of the word "Katorse na" meaning "We are 14 years". As the name implies, this anniversary special took place in Japan (2009).Bubble Gang Kin-Z – 15th anniversary. The title is a parody of Dragon Ball Z and also a reference of the Spanish word "quince" meaning 15. (2010)Bubble Gang 4x4 – 16th anniversary. The title is a reference to the 4x4 van and also the multiplication factors resulting to 16 (2011).Bubble Gang Diz Is Siete – 17th anniversary. Instead of a standard gag show, it showcases a collection of "indie films" that consist of drama, action and horror (all of which, of course, added with comedy). The title is both a play on the words "Diz Iz It", a former talent show from GMA7 as well as Michael Jackson's "This Is It" supposed concert in 2009 as well as on the Spanish word "diecisiete", meaning 17. (2012)Bubble Gang Barely Legal – 18th anniversary. The phrase is a reference of the legal age of majority of a person. (2013)Bubble Gang XIX 19 B.C.- 19th anniversary. The phrase is a pun on the Roman numeral for 19 and the phrase "19 B.C.". The title card and the opening gag sketch are parodies of Ancient Greco-Roman-inspired films such as "300" and "Gladiator" (2014)IMBG- 20th Anniversary. A documentary of Bubble Gang's history. The title is a pun of the movie website IMDb and the show's theme parodies Anonymous's famous pose, standing in unison in a circle. (2015).21 Gang Salute- 21st Anniversary. The phrase is a pun on 21 Gun Salute, a custom of military honor by firing ammunitions (2016).