Since it first aired in 1995, GMA-7’s award-winning comedy show Bubble Gang quickly became a favorite among viewers who want to get a good laugh after a long day’s work. The show combines half slapstick and smart comedy to get the audience thinking about the logic behind the joke while also appreciating its simplicity in how it was delivered.
Every year, Bubble Gang does more than just add new segments to delight its viewers. The show also adds a diverse cast of characters who also have the gift of making people laugh.
Bang Arespacochaga, a Senior Program Manager at GMA Network, Inc., shared during an online media conference for the show’s relaunch that they’ve planned the relaunch for a bigger and better Bubble Gang on its 25th anniversary, which was two years ago.
However, the pandemic kept pushing this plan further. Luckily, as health protocols became laxer this 2022, the network’s plan for their longest-running gag show became achievable.
“It’s the best time for us to come up with a new Bubble Gang. We want to offer our viewers something fresh and new, kaya we have new sets of members of Bubble Gang family,” Arespacochaga said.
Frasco Mortiz, the director of Bubble Gang, added that he already saw improvements in the show when he first worked with the team and cast.
“One of the reasons why they wanted to do this revamp is [because] they wanted to make the show continue to be relevant to the viewers kasi ‘yung mga viewers ngayon, the way they consume content is different from before,” he said.
Unlike before, when people would rush home to catch their favorite shows, viewers can easily access entertainment anytime and anywhere. As a result, Bubble Gang’s production team developed new approaches to work alongside present trends.
“I think ‘yung pagpapalit ng cast at saka ‘yung paglalagay ng mga bagong segments, eto ‘yung much needed improvement doon sa show. Hindi kasi pwedeng maging stagnant ‘yung Bubble Gang,” said long-term Bubble Gang member and notable Filipino comedian Michael V., who also works as a creative director on the gag show.
The original Bubble Gang cast, including Michael V., Valeen Montenegro, Chariz Solomon, Archie Alemania, Paolo Contis, and more, will also continue to make viewers laugh alongside the show’s new members, which include Tuesday Vargas, Dasuri Choi, and Kim De Leon.
Arespacochaga shared that they only chose a small group of people to add to the show because they wanted to focus on the characters and the stories of the new segments. However, she clarified that they can still bring back or add more characters, depending on who’s trending online.
Michael V. added that downsizing the cast is also an ideal situation to focus on the existing members so they can have the opportunity and motivation to improve their craft on the show.
“It’s a good exercise. It’s a good training ground for the cast to improve their craft, hindi lang sa comedy but sa acting as well,” Michael V. said.
Catch the relaunch of Bubble Gang on May 27 at GMA-7.