The Coco Martin and Julia Montes-starrer Sigabo and the Kathryn Bernardo, James Reid, and Maja Salvador-led Someone, Someday have, ever since these programs were offered for public consumption, earned considerably impressive concurrent viewers.

Concurrent viewers are the total number of people watching these shows streamed at the exact same moment. Across all the digital platforms where these ABS-CBN-bankrolled programs are being showcased, the public’s preferred means of viewing them are laptops, desktops and Android phones. Their market has moved to the digital sphere.

The free TV standing of the two shows offers a different scenario. Sigabo’s ratings lag behind and plummet on a daily basis compared to Master Cutter, its main primetime competition, while Someone, Someday is no match at all for Firewall, its toughest time-slot rival.

Thus, I cannot help but wonder: Given the disparity between concurrent viewership and free TV ratings, which truly carries the greater weight? To advertisers, which numbers are more important? And to the viewing public, do these numbers matter at all?

‘Sigabo’

It cannot be denied that Sigabo has a massive online following. Its peak concurrent viewership averaged 404K, and these numbers are most evident on the Kapamilya Online Live and iWantTFC charts. What is perplexing is its continued failure to capture higher ratings and its struggle to come close to the current free TV ratings of the Dingdong Dantes-led action-drama spectacle Master Cutter.

Martin’s program relies on a multi-network strategy. Being aired on TV5, ALLTV, A2Z and the Kapamilya Channel for free television broadcast results in divided ratings per channel, producing diminished figures.

“Gasgas” is the most apt word to describe what is currently happening and the many twists and turns in the life of Gabo (Coco Martin) in the show. It is a clear case of “been there, done that,” as we have already seen the romanticizing of poverty, the glorification of urban squatting and its many settlers, the long and tiring action sequences, vengeance consuming the lead character, and the unbelievable blossoming of a romance between the major protagonists — all of which were present and in full throttle throughout the seven-year runs of FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano and Batang Quiapo. The real-life romance between Martin and Julia Montes also did not arouse the curiosity or draw in the masses the way Martin once did.

‘Someone, Someday’

As for why Bernardo, Reid and Salvador have unimpressive free TV ratings, they share the same fate as Martin’s Sigabo because of the multi-channel broadcasts. The lead stars’ failure to lure and capture the general public, whose preference is to watch the Sparkle stars in the action series Firewall, is the biggest reality check on the trio’s stellar status, which has now become debatable.

The many bombshells in Someone, Someday, which were revealed all at once during its maiden run, seemed fresh and progressive at first. However, this approach proved chaotic. Having so much to absorb in one sitting can be overwhelming, and viewers need time to connect with and invest in the fast-paced shifts and revelations.

Bernardo as an app developer and corporate CEO is totally unconvincing. Salvador’s portrayal overpowers Bernardo’s. Kathryn’s Billy is flat and superficial and cannot hold a candle to the commitment and truth Maja brings to Abi.

There is no palpable chemistry between Bernardo and James Reid. Making them “best friends” with the “what do we mean to each other?” and taguan ng feelings trope bores everyone to tears. And yes, Reid’s overly subdued, “no acting, please” approach to Jordan makes him seem more absent than present in the show.

Advertisers say

Free TV ratings are important because of their mass reach. Concurrent online viewership is important as well because it represents immediate, interactive, and targeted engagement. For advertisers, neither can claim to be a universally superior indicator of success, since everything depends on the specific goals and target market of a product’s campaign.

In these curious cases of Sigabo and Someone, Someday versus Master Cutter and Firewall, the ultimate winners are the viewing public. The more entertainment offerings there are, the better and merrier. For the artistic and production teams behind these shows, complacency must not be part of their vocabulary. Every day offers room for improvement, and this kind of competition is a healthy challenge and an opportunity that brings fulfillment to all.