Claudine's network switch: a wrong move?

Claudine Barretto, dubbed as The Optimum Star surprised the public when she unexpectedly broke off relations with her home network of 17 years for its fiercest rival, GMA7. The move came amidst talk of her displeasure with projects that were coming her way.

Nonetheless, she acknowledged that while she may have jumped fences, the friendships and relationships she had made with her former Kapamilya stars will not be easily broken.

Claudine’s move definitely raised more than a few eyebrows in the world of showbiz. In an article she admitted having qualms prior to making the switch but she knew she had to do it.“Nakakatakot 'yong mag-take ng risk sa buhay pero sometimes you just really have get out of your comfort zone”.

As reported by PEP.ph, Claudine expressed gratitude for her warm welcome to the network in a press conference held for her last April 5. The press conference, hosted by John “Sweet” Lapus was held to launch her first drama anthology in GMA Network, “Claudine”. She said, "Sobra akong overwhelmed sa warmth na ipinapakita n'yo sa akin and truly, you always make me feel comfortable (I am so overwhelmed with the warmth that you are showing me)."

Fans react

Avid fans were surprised by Claudine’s move, but supported her decision and wished her well. In the iGMA.tv forum, a thread on the announcement of her becoming a Kapuso were flooded with well-wishes and happy greetings. In her Facebook fan page, loyal fans posted messages of support. “Hihintayin ko yang drama anthology mo,,, susuportahan ka naming mga claudinians (I will wait for your drama anthology....we Claudinians will support you), " a fan posted.

The actress' network switch was also affirmed in another blog. “[It is] A good move for Claudine IMHO. There are no established queens/stars in GMA 7, except for maybe Marian Rivera and Regine Velasquez. In GMA she does not have to share the limelight unlike in ABS CBN where no matter what she does she will just be a notch below Sharon Cuneta, Kris Aquino, Lorna Tolentino and even Judy Ann Santos."

But not everyone is singing praises for Claudine. In the comments section of this website, many expressed dismay over her decision. "Wrong move, Claudine," posted one disappointed fan.

A new beginning

Claudine is looking forward to more opportunities to showcase her acting prowess with several big projects lined up for her. Last April 10, "Claudine" was launched with an episode that had her opposite her real life husband, Raymart Santiago in an episode entitled “Alzheimer’s”. Being able to work alongside Raymart was a plus factor for her since she had long wanted to do projects with him, but were unable to due to their previous affiliations. When asked how it felt to be back in front of the camera, Claudine said in an article that she was “more than happy to be acting again” especially since it had been quite a long time since she last worked on a project. Among the reported reasons she left the Kapamilya network was because of the lack of projects going her way.

The anthology is set to run for the 26 weeks and Claudine is said to be quite hopeful about its future. Besides Laurice Guillen, who directed the pilot episode of the series, she is also set to work with veteran directors Mac Alejandre, Joyce Bernal and Joel Lamangan. In an interview, she showed excitement on being able to take on more roles in different genres with other actors and actresses that she had never thought she would be able to work with.

Nel Alejandrino’s further reported that Claudine is also eager about the prospects of working with other artists such as Anne Curtis and Richard Gutierrez for the first time. Curtis and Gutierrrez are said to co-star with Claudine in an upcoming movie with Viva Films entitled “In Your Eyes”.

Other projects in the pipeline for The Optimum Star is a teleserye with her former boyfriend Mark Anthony Fernandez and the adaptation of the Koreanovela “Jewel in the Palace”.

Not all a happy ending

While opening a new chapter on her showbiz life is an exciting venture for Claudine, it is not all bed of roses. Her “Claudine” premiere, for one, was not only pitted against one of the most popular drama anthologies, ABS-CBN’s Maalaala Mo Kaya, but also to an episode that starred her eldest sister, Gretchen Barretto. This latest rivalry between the Barretto sisters even stirred up old issues which eventually led to the infamous Gretchen Barretto walk-out.

TV ratings of all of "Claudine" episodes have also been dismal. Its pilot received only 14.6%. The following week, the show hit only 13.8% and sank even lower at 11.6% on its third showing. Clearly, it has yet to beat its closest rival, Maalaala Mo Kaya. Rumor has it that GMA is ready to pull the plug on the show soon. Only time will now tell if Claudine's star power can beat the odds to prove that her network switch was indeed, the right move.

Photo by evilseeks. Some Rights Reserved

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