Bubble Gang’ celebrates 30th anniversary with return of iconic skits

CEBU, Philippines —  Bubble Gang is 20 years younger than Saturday Night Live, with both comedy shows celebrating their respective anniversaries this year.

While their senses of humor differ due to cultural differences, it’s safe to say Bubble Gang is the Philippines’ equivalent of SNL. Since its debut in 1995, the Kapuso sketch comedy show has managed to stay relevant as people’s sense of humor and perception of comedy have shifted over three decades.

Earlier this month, Bubble Gang marked its 30th anniversary with the subtitle “Batang Bubble Ako” in a two-part special that aired on October 19 and 26 on GMA, promising to celebrate everything that made the show great.

That was evident when the show revived some of its classic skits with a modern flair. Among them was the Mr. Assimo sketch, which featured mainstay host Michael V and Kapamilya comedian Vice Ganda together for the first time. Vice delivered a clearly improvised political joke that proved she was a natural “Batang Bubble,” while Michael V’s effortless comedic chemistry with the It's Showtime host showed that a movie pairing the two is long overdue.

Other highlights included the return of Ogie Alcasid as “Boy Pick Up”; the Istambay skit featuring EA Guzman and Analyn Barro in a rom-com tale with a funny twist; the lovers’ quarrel sketch between Michael V and Chariz Solomon with Rhian Ramos as a special guest; and the classic “Ang Dating Doon” segment featuring Kokoy De Santos parodying Cong. Kiko Barzaga in place of Brod Pete, who was unable to appear in his regular role.

Newer fan-favorite sketches also made an appearance, such as Solomon’s TikTok vlogger character “Eva,” who gets into a hilarious confrontation with Pinoy Big Brother ex-housemate Ensyr while queuing to attend the taping of the anniversary special. Paolo Contis also delivered an exaggerated yet spot-on impersonation of 24 Oras anchor Emil Sumangil.

But the skit that truly stole the spotlight was Betong Sumaya’s iconic kontrabida parody Antonietta, featuring Jillian Ward and Ai-Ai Delas Alas as guests. While already familiar to audiences, its meta-humor on teleserye tropes proved that the sketch never gets old.

Despite these standout moments, something about the two-part special felt less spectacular than expected. Perhaps it was the puzzling omission of bigger fan-favorite sketches, such as “Balitang Ina”, hosted by Solomon and former cast member Valeen Montenegro.

The most glaring absence, though, was the lack of a reunion between Michael V and Ogie Alcasid as Yaya and Angelina — arguably Bubble Gang’s most iconic characters. The “Spoiled Brat” sketch remains a pop culture touchstone, with both comedians having hosted the pre-primetime game show “Hole in the Wall” in-character and even starred in “Yaya and Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie” — a testament to how beloved the skit was that it spawned a film adaptation. While the special made small references to it, fans were left yearning to see the duo back in their roles.

Given Bubble Gang’s legacy and dominance in Philippine comedy, outlasting many rival sketch shows, expectations for an explosive 30th anniversary were understandably high.

What made the special feel like an anniversary celebration rather than a typical episode aired every Sunday were its musical numbers, such as the festive opening performance and Rita Daniela’s rendition of the Voltes V theme during Ang Dating Doon.

Even though “Bubble Gang” deserved a grander pearl anniversary celebration, the fact that it was able to feature many guest stars and revive its iconic skits was enough to satisfy longtime fans. There’s no doubt that BG is here to stay on our television screens. Perhaps, we should hope for a bigger 40th anniversary when the time comes.