SiS (TV series)

Hosts

Co-host

Overview

The show was conceptualized by GMA executives in 2001 who wanted a different approach to typical morning TV talk shows. At the time, the morning talk shows on TV were mostly live panel discussions with guest celebrities.

When the concept was given to director Louie Ignacio, it was decided right there and then that real-life sisters and actresses Janice de Belen and Gelli de Belen would headline the show Sis, an abbreviation for "sisters". Janice and Gelli were chosen because of their accomplishments in their fields in the entertainment industry. Janice was "Flordeluna" to most Filipino viewers in the 1980s who later metamorphosed into a serious actress and mother of five. Gelli on the other hand, had the '90s generation of the viewing public rollicking into laughter when she portrayed kooky characters on TV and movies before developing to a serious actress in the movie Sarah Jane Salazar which garnered her an Urian award.

Sis premiered on August 27, 2001 as a replacement to D! Day, hosted by Dina Bonnevie. The early episodes showed Janice and Gelli visiting the houses of popular guests from Monday to Thursday and holding a show before a live audience on Fridays. After the first season, which saw the show taking away considerable audience share from its competitor, Sis held taped shows before a live audience on a daily basis, going live on air every Wednesdays and Thursdays. The shows are broadcast from Studio 3 of the GMA Network Center.

The award winning talk show ended on New Year's Day on January 1, 2010, and replaced by Basta't Everyday Happy 3 years later in 2013.

Sis vs. Morning Girls/Kris and Korina

In 2002, Sis took over the number 1 spot in the 10:00 am–12:00 pm slot from its rival show, ABS-CBN's Talk TV. The next development showed ABS-CBN scrambling to topple the already-established morning talk show. They started to bring back "morning talk show queen" Kris Aquino and teamed her up with real-life best friends Pops Fernandez and Zsa Zsa Padilla. Morning Girls premiered in July 2002 to be pitted against Sis. However, the tandem of Janice and Gelli proved to be too strong in the ratings against the so-called Power Girl Trio who also put in Carmina Villaroel to replace Kris after she quit the show.

The year 2003 proved to be the darkest moments for Sis when Kris Aquino went back to the reformatted Morning Girls and teamed up with broadcaster Korina Sanchez. The Kris-Korina tandem was able to beat Sis consistently in the ratings.

Easy competition

Year 2004 saw the show easily coasting through the ratings after Morning Girls with Kris and Korina folded and was replaced with Good Morning, Kris and Morning Star in succession. Aside from Janice, Gelli and Carmina, Sis made household names out of Raging Divas, an all-gay group, Saver the "wonder dog", and Tessbomb Marañon. Year 2005 saw the show competing against Boy Abunda's morning talk show Homeboy and Roderick Paulate and Amy Perez's variety show M.R.S. (Most Requested Show) on ABS-CBN, and Chowtime Na! on IBC-13. However, Sis was still the preferred morning talk show of most Filipino viewers, as they clobbered the competition in the ratings. MRS and Chowtime Na! have since folded and Homeboy was left to slug it out with Sis in the ratings.

The show owed its success to its creative staff who never ceased to think of ways to make it interesting to audiences. Although there were claims that Sis has lost its luster following Homeboy's critical and commercial acclaim, all of it was put into rest following the latter show's cancellation. Other shows that Sis faced stiff competition from ABS-CBN were Boy & Kris featuring the Philippines' king of talk Boy Abunda (from HomeBoy) and Kris Aquino (2007–2009) and Ruffa and Ai (February–October 2009) hosted by Ruffa Gutierrez and Ai Ai delas Alas.

The show showed a steady decline in viewership as its rival show Showtime by ABS-CBN is slowly climbing the ratings game. It was believed to be Sis's stiffest competition with an impending revamp in the show to match the popularity of the fast-rising show from ABS-CBN. Rumors were circulating that the show would end in 2010 and would be replaced with a new daily variety show to be titled Diz Iz It which would be hosted by returning Kapuso Bayani Agbayani, Ehra Madrigal, Korean Pretty Grace Lee and Fil-Indian Sam YG (a.k.a. Shivaker).

Series end

It unofficially ended on January 1, 2010 because of poor ratings and was beaten by rival station Showtime. During this time, replays of the shows episodes/clips were shown. Wilma Galvante, the executive producer, announced that a new musical game talent show Diz Iz It! (originally Todo Bigay) hosted by Bayani Agbayani.

Limited coverage

Although Sis enjoyed high ratings, the show suddenly lost significant viewership in key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao, specifically in Iloilo, Cebu and Davao due to GMA's decision to air re-runs of Kakabakaboo and Ang Mahiwagang Baul in the 10:30-11:30 am timeslot. However, the show is still seen in Mega Manila and Luzon, and through GMA Pinoy TV in the United States, Middle East, Malaysia and Japan.

On March 3, 2008, Sis began airing again on GMA's regional stations in Iloilo, Cebu and Davao.

Awards and recognitions

Sis got a much-needed boost when it was awarded as Best Celebrity Talk Show in the 2007 PMPC Star Awards for Television. The award was long overdue: The show was nominated for six years. Two years later, it was awarded as "Best Celebrity Talk Show" in the 2009 PMPC Star Awards for TV.

The show won as "Best Talk Show" in the 2009 Catholic Mass Media Awards and repeated as winners in the PMPC Star Awards for Television for Best Celebrity Talk Show in 2009.

PMPC Star Awards for Television

Catholic Mass Media Awards

MTRCB TV Awards