Eric and Rona Off to Singapore For Amazing Race Asia Finale

Power couple Eric and Rona Tai hie off to Singapore for the finals of Amazing Race Asia Season 5 tomorrow, December 15.

The crowd favorite since day one, Eric and Rona have kept netizens glued to their seats with their amazing teamwork and gut-wrenching feats. The real-life husband and wife tandem have also upped the bar for couples aspiring to level up their relationship goals.

Will they finally outshine the two other remaining teams comprised of Chloe Chen and Yvonne Lee (Malaysia), and Maggie Wilson and Parul Shah (Philippines)?

Tune in tomorrow night to AXN Asia at 9pm (8pm JKT/BKK) for one last mad dash towards the grand prize of $100,000!

Super Tuesdays on the All NEW & Exciting AXN Beyond!

Get set to be blown away by the latest drama and entertainment shows on an all new, all awesome AXN Beyond channel. More than ever, viewers from the Philippines will enjoy a fresh and unrivalled programming line-up Tuesday nights across a newly-expanded spectrum of genres, as AXN Beyond refreshes to redefine the entertainment experience like no other.

AXN Beyond viewers are set to enjoy a back-to-back series of the channel’s very latest shows on Super Tuesday evenings not-to-be-missed. The fun begins with reality talk show The Marriage Ref, as celebrities such as Madonna, Demi Moore and Gwyneth Paltrow pass judgement on real-life couples’ marriages.

That leads to light-hearted series like Drop Dead Diva Season 2 which continues the life of shallow model Deb (Brooke Elliott) whose soul ends up in the body of a brilliant, plus-size attorney. The night’s fun culminates in AXN Beyond’s headliner of the month – fresh new legal comedic drama The Defenders which stars Jim Belushi (According to Jim) and Jerry O’Connell (Sliders) as colourful Las Vegas defence attorneys.

With all that and more, viewers will surely adore the all-new, all awesome entertainment experience with the latest shows across the greatest variety of genres, unveiling this December on the fresh, hip and super-sized AXN Beyond. Check out some of these shows airing tonight:

The Marriage Ref

Tuesdays, 8:10pm, first and exclusively on AXN Beyond

Jerry Seinfeld is back and in the producer's chair for a funny and revealing comedy panel series The Marriage Ref, about the unpredictable and hilarious institution commonly known as marriage. In The Marriage Ref, disputes between real-life couples are revealed, examined - and ultimately judged.

For the first time, audiences will be able to look at these fights, analyze them and declare a winner. At the centre of the action and making "the call", is popular comedian Tom Papa (The Informant!) who will have the final say in determining the victor of each spat.

Advising and influencing the Ref's decision will be a rotating panel of ‘experts’ comprising top celebrities, comedians and sports stars who will weigh in and offer their own wit, wisdom and unique opinions. Guest stars featuring through the series include Tina Fey, Eva Longoria Parker, Larry David, Ricky Gervais, Madonna, Martha Stewart, Sheryl Crow, Tracy Morgan, Gloria Estefan, Donald Trump and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Drop Dead Diva Season 2

Tuesdays 9pm on AXN Beyond

Returning for a second season, comedic drama Drop Dead Diva continues the story of a shallow wannabe model that dies in a sudden accident, only to find her soul resurfacing in the body of a brilliant, plus-size and recently deceased attorney, Jane.

At the close of last season, Deb was ready to let go of her past and embrace her new life as Jane. But the unexpected arrival of Jane’s “secret” husband, Ethan (Devon Gummersall), at her doorstep left her with more questions than ever. To make matters worse, Jane may be disbarred after breaching client-attorney confidentiality when, against the firm’s advisement, she reported her client for fraud. Faced with a new love triangle and the uncertainty of her career, Jane must, once again, chart out a new future for herself…

The 13-episode second season of Drop Dead Diva features breakout star Brooke Elliott (Wicked, Taboo”), Margaret Cho (Ghost Whisperer, Notorious C.H.O.), Jackson Hurst (The Tree of Life), Kate Levering (Cashmere Mafia), April Bowlby (Two and a Half Men), Josh Stamberg (Lie to Me) and Ben Feldman (The Perfect Man).The Season 2 opener of Drop Dead Diva will feature entertainer Paula Abdul (American Idol) reprising her role as Judge Paula Abdul, a figment of Jane’s subconscious. Devon Gummersall (“My So-Called Life”) and David Denman (“The Office”) return as guest stars this season.

The Defenders

Tuesdays 9.50pm first and exclusively on AXN Beyond

The Defenders is a comedic drama about two colourful Las Vegas defence attorneys who go all-in when it comes to representing their clients. Nick (Jim Belushi, According to Jim) and Pete (Jerry O’Çonnell, Sliders, Crossing Jordan) are the local go-to guys with an eclectic client list who are still looking to hit their own jackpot.

Leading the law firm of Morelli & Kaczmarek are Nick Morelli, an earnest, hard-charging attorney who represents his clients to the best of his ability, no matter how big or small the case; and his partner, Pete Kaczmarek, whose passion for the law is matched only by his love of fast cars, beautiful women and expensive clothes. 

Joining them in their growing law practice is new associate Lisa Tyler (Jurnee Smollett, The Great Debaters), an enthusiastic young attorney looking to put her exotic dancing days behind her; and their young assistant, Sophie (Tanya Fischer, Life On Mars), a spunky and sweet ingénue who is eager to please her bosses.

2010 Is Where AXN Becomes The No. 1 International Channel in Southeast Asia!

For many years now, AXN has been claiming the top position as Southeast Asia’s leading international channel. Especially in the key markets of Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, viewers have embraced AXN as one of their favourite entertainment destinations. As the year 2010 is coming to an end, AXN once again cements its position as Southeast Asia’s number one international channel, averaging 10.2 million viewers every month to take the top spot in results tabulated from January to October 2010.

Malaysia, in particular, is a star performer. Not only is AXN the top international network, it is also the most-watched channel on Astro, leading in average monthly viewer reach at 5.9million. Amongst English channels, AXN beats the next closest competitor in primetime ratings by 24%, and out of the 14 first-run shows that AXN aired in 2010, 10 premiered at the top of the ratings chart.

Likewise, AXN is ahead of all English pay-TV channels in Singapore in primetime ratings among cable 15+; while in the ultra-competitive market of Philippines where all channels are offered on the basic tier, AXN leads in the English general entertainment category among cable 16+ audience.

Says Mr. Ricky Ow, Senior Vice President and General Manager, SPE Networks – Asia, “Our report card for the first 10 months shows some really great result for the year as a whole. Especially with superb ratings from two key shows in the last quarter – The Amazing Race Asia and Hawaii Five-0 – it is pretty much a foregone conclusion that AXN will finish strongly as Southeast Asia’s top English channel for 2010.”

Indeed, viewers can expect an exhilarating run to the finish-line in the fourth quarter, starting with a chart-topping performance from the highly-anticipated premiere of the re-imagined Hawaii Five-0 that airs Sundays 9PM on AXN. The elite team of crime-fighters led by Alex O’Loughlin as Steve McGarrett in the reboot of the TV classic certainly mesmerized viewers as the original series did 42 years ago, passing the ratings test with flying colours. Asia’s very own reality production, The Amazing Race Asia, is another favourite that never fails to thrill viewers across the region. Here is how each market fared with these two marquee shows so far:

In Singapore, Hawaii Five-0 captured the hearts of both young and old viewers, winning the timeslot during its premiere on 14 November among all English channels on StarHub, and beating the next closest competitor by 20%. Subsequently, episode two on 16 November rated higher and even broke the record to become the top programme of the year… not just on AXN, but amongst all premiering English drama series in 2010 on StarHub!

In Malaysia, the Hawaii Five-0 premiere ratings surpassed all English pay-TV networks during the timeslot, out-performing even the Formula 1 final race which aired at the same time. The Amazing Race Asia also put in some stellar performances since the latest season premiere in September. Its season-to-date ratings is ahead of the next highest-rated English channel by a whopping 175%!

With Team Philippines led by Richard Hardin and Richard Herrera winning this season of The Amazing Race Asia, this AXN Original Production won in its timeslot among all international ad-supported channels, and saw an increase of 71% in average ratings over the previous season.

Ow continues, “I would like to sincerely thank our viewers, as well as our cable partners and sponsors, for all the support we have received in making AXN the number one international channel in Southeast Asia. It is precisely because of their great support, that we have been able to expand our AXN family of channels, which today includes Animax, AXN Beyond, Sony Entertainment Television, as well as ONE. With the expanded suite of channels, we will be able to cater to even more viewers, provide greater variety and deliver a diverse range of programmes to suit the whole family’s viewing preferences. We have enjoyed a good year, and it is my promise to all our viewers that next year will be even more exciting.”

*Source: Kantar Media Singapore / Philippines, AGB NMR Malaysia.

Will Team Pinoy Emerge as the winner of Amazing Race Asia?

It’s the final showdown in the upcoming finale episode of The Amazing Race Asia (TARA) Season 4! Coming head to head will be the youngest team in TARA history versus the first father-and-daughter team versus the super athletic best friends, Richard and Richard! Smelling victory at hand, the teams have upped the game and kept fans teetering on the edge of their seats, as they race neck to neck and check in at stops within minutes of one another!

With the last leg of the race taking place in Singapore, it is the unlikeliest of teams that have made it to the final three that will fight for the first place in TARA 4.

In the only Fast Forward of the race, the Richards sacrificed their lovely locks by shaving their heads, which gave them a significant head start. While their physical fitness placed them at a solid advantage as they led in the top three for seven legs, the Richards hit a spate of bad luck in the last two legs, where they got terribly lost and even broke a race rule that had them backtrack their route and cost them a near-elimination.

As for Michelle and Claire, the girls showed that their youthful age and pint-size builds were anything but a handicap. The best friends beat the other teams with a lot of grit and determination. No one can forget how the feisty duo swallowed 275 chicken balls, out-eating even the men from the other teams! Besides, they managed to trail close behind the Richards with top three rankings in five legs, even after being yielded by the Indian team Dimple and Sunaina!

Despite having a familial bond that is the envy of many, Natasha and Hussein have been cracking under the pressure, which led to constant bickers that saw them end up at the bottom of the pack in several portions of the race. Natasha’s patience was duly tested by her father's antics during the race, especially during his attempt to cheer her on with his whistle blowing during the log sawing session. As the oldest participant this season, Hussein also had some physical limitations in completing some of the tasks, like the high-wire walk in Galle or the trapeze act in Sydney. Not all’s lost though, for in the penultimate leg, the father-daughter team rise to form to take the lead for the first time!

Throughout the race, there have been some pretty extreme challenges presented to the teams, with some that resulted in unexpected outcomes. The underwater dive in Malaysia for example, saw not one or two but five teams failing to complete the task, which resulted in a four-hour penalty for each team. Transportation woes also saw teams arguing, haggling and at times, flirting with pilots to set off early, while others got lost on the roads so much, it almost became a routine. Add in complex dance numbers, eating of exotic food (think crunchy fat grubs with the consistency of jelly!) and death-defying acts and there is no question that this race has become the ride of a lifetime for all teams.

With very little rest and an even tinier time gap among the three teams, will the Richards do Pinoys proud by finally changing TARA history of strong teams not fulfilling their potential (think Marc & Rovilson, Geoff &,Tisha), or can underdogs Natasha and Hussein put aside their generational conflicts to emerge as the winner? Or can Michelle and Claire bank on their home advantage and continue to show that age and size matter not in this race around the world?

All will be revealed in the gripping grand finale of The Amazing Race Asia Season 4 on AXN, 9 December at 8PM (JKT)/ 9PM (SG, MY, PH)/ 10PM (HK)!

Pinoy Leads The Amazing Race Asia Season 4!

Pinoy Power leads the Amazing Race Asia this season 4, aside from featuring Misibis Bay as one of the locations for the race. Tessa Prieto-Valdez was part of the welcoming committee for the contestants. I got A chance to view the next episode of the Amazing Race Asia Season 4 at the National Sports Grill together with bloggers and other friends of the contestants. There are actually two Pinoy Teams, (The Two Richards and the girl tandem of Lani and Jess. 

For this episode, they now travel to New Zealand, and face the challenges of the wide fields of milking cows and of  snow-capped mountains. There there was the race on how to get to the destination with flights limited and has delays up to hours in the airport. The challenges that face them are the great bungee drop or a very, I mean VERY big swing that I have second thoughts of doing. Also they faced the challenge of sawing lumber the old fashion way. This challenge also used a lot of time for the other teams to catch up. The one of the last challenges is the Rugby football which is also a test of skill and agility. At the end of this leg of the race, the Richards were the one who made it first. Yet with their teamwork, I think they have a very good chance of winning!

with Lani, sweet yet very competitive!

PDA stars also joined in for the event

Bugoy Drilon spotted! 

Team Pinoy (and an excess baggage LOL)

I want that laptop case!

another exciting race!

Now, we hope that in this season, Pinoys will be the ones to make it first!