For starters, the producers attention should be called about using high noon because their show gets on air at 11 a.m.. If they are determined to whack the giants in the lunchtime slot, as they boldly threatened in their primer, they should squarely pit their program at 12, not an hour earlier when competition has not started.

We wanted to see how the wannabes fared in their first outing on television so we tried to catch a couple of episodes.

It was batch four we caught at Market, Market. From the very first moment of the challenge, it was Rick, the loud pot-bellied gay lording it over with his voice. It did not help that the only workable lapel microphone was attached to him. All that could be heard from his batchmates were whimpers.

If this was the type of program for young viewers, mothers better watch out because any of the questors, through a stroke of fortune, might be a future idol. It was not the lazy editing that bothered us. Nor the mediocre lighting. Neither was the fact that the entire game reeked of Extra Challenge and Pinoy Big Brother. It was the tentativity of everything: From the vague reason why they were raising funds (pang charity po ito) to ridiculous claims of being star-studded simply because Faith Cuneta and Nap Gutierrez happened to pass by.

How did the wannabes fare? Shan looks toothless on TV; Gail has earrings so large and unbecoming they can land her a slot on Guiness while Shanel’s speech is sobrang full of sobra. Patrick had to content himself with background treatment, all because whoever held the collection hat and had the microphone enjoyed camera advantage.

What appalled us were snide comments made by two questors. When a Korean national gave a few pesos, Jeff nonchalantly quipped: Kuripot! Koreano kasi! Later in the same episode, a similar incident happened where a female contender audibly whispered: Mga Chinese talaga, kuripot.

One wonders if the fault rests on the brash young talents, on the negligent director who couldn’t discern what was ethical for television or the irresponsible editor who did not prevent the racist remarks from being included in the final material for telecast. Thankfully, the show must have been watched only by friends and relatives that it escaped notice. Imagine if that were aired over a leading station or on prime time? There would have been endless diplomatic tussles and broadcast hassles.

In two other episodes, we were able to validate our earlier assessment. Editing was constantly faulty and dragging, as if the intent was to fill in the entire hour with uneventful activity. The threat hurled by the show was 26 weeks of real challenges! It was only on its second week and it was already shown signs of wear and tear.

For instance, the rock climbing derby was among the most unexciting sports moments on local television: The most we saw were rumps of the wannabes. Hilariously, Mystica confronted the rocks in full manicured glory.

Next event was the human pyramid building contest. It was like a home video of a family reunion shot by kids. Painfully lazy camera work. Everyone talking at the same time in the same frame. A classic example to broadcast students about how to effectively repel TV audiences.

Along with a few other evaluators who watched the episodes with this writer, we felt by the fifth minute that we would be better off switching channels. Like the Market, Market episode, both episodes were interminably long and boring documentations with no annotation. If there was any provided, it was by an annoyingly gay voice-over and it was as deep as a rain puddle.

In true reality and entertainment TV fashion, some questors were interviewed after the feats. Contender Wish tried to fill in her less than a minute with as many sobra as possible that the word sobra was sobrang getting out of our ears and we sobrang wished she was eliminated sobrang fast. Jeff, the resident pakwela, is one subject that will make a perfect model for bad TV etiquette: He demonstrated all the possible bodily quirks and offputting mannerisms one can concoct, from wiping his face unbecomingly, to crunching his nose to contorting whatever part of his anatomy that can be seen on national TV. He is better enjoyed in a village circus or barangay perya. We were certain only his family and friends found his antics cute.

But again, we doff our hats to Vanessa Untalan, billed as quest master, for lending some degree of professionalism to the program. Pity the poor girl draining her vast storehouse of energy and talent in a pathetic program for the youth. Pity IBC wasting precious airtime on an inane show.