Known in its country of origin as FPJ's
Ang Probinsyano, the series has made history as one of (if not the best) Filipino drama series of all time, says StarSat.
It began as just a serial version of the 1997 film of the same name. StarSat adds that the runaway success of
Brothers greatly expanded the story and enabled nine seasons over 1 600 episodes.
Not only is
Brothers the longest-running non-anthology drama series in Filipino TV history, but none could match its ratings, according to the brand. The show's pilot episode garnered ratings of 41.6% — breaking all other national records.
The brand says that only
Brothers broke that record two years later, with its 782
nd episode getting ratings of 47.2%.
Critical acclaim followed the high viewing numbers. In only four years,
Brothers received over 100 awards, most of which were for
Best Series and
Greatest Actors.
The brand adds that Coco Martin, the lead actor in the series, is considered a living legend in the Filipino film and TV industry.
He's also won over 100 awards, including:
- two FAMAS Awards
- two Gawad Urian Awards, and
- three Golden Screen Awards.
Brothers is a series that deals with vital issues that South Africans must also face. To name but a few, the show handles:
- drug trafficking
- police corruption
- prostitution
- poverty
- increasing crime rates, and
- vast class divides.
"We're eager to bring our audience such a relatable and inspiring story," says Debbie Wu, On Digital Media's CEO.
Wu concludes, "Growing our Zulu-versioning capabilities has been a tough challenge, but it was worth it. Making world-class entertainment more accessible while promoting home-language use is a mission we believe in, and our investment in the project proves that."
The third season of the English version of
Brothers debuted in October and can be watched Monday to Friday at 19:50 on ST Novella E Plus (channel 128).
The Zulu version of
Brothers will premiere on Monday, 31 October.
For more information, visit
www.starsat.co.za.