BetterForgotten

It’s remarkable for sure - the network that pioneered soaps as a cornerstone of its daytime lineup with the production company that launched the medium to existence on television. Full circle moment in a way. Not to mentioned being penned and created by a writer who many of us have been singing her praises for over 25 years, and who always deserved better from the soaps she lent her craft to. I know a lot of us wanted her to go back to GH, but this is where she needs to be and lend her skills to in 2024. This will be MVJ’s legacy in daytime if all goes well - for her sake and ours, I am really rooting for it to succeed. MVJ’s talked a lot about how important mentorship is for developing writers - I really hope she gets the chance to nurture new and diverse writing and producing talent as opposed to recycling through the existing pool of elder statesmen in the daytime swamp.

That’s something we also have to be fair about because most, if not all, daytime soaps have had growing pains to work through during their first year on the air. I expect this to be no different - however, they at least have to show that they’re making some effort and that the general premise makes sense and has an intriguing “hook.” Also, they better make sure the casting has very few, if any, missteps. Having charismatic and skilled actors will go a long way in covering up any initial bumps.

Probably because they don’t have ownership in those shows, so change is slower to happen. This is an opportunity for them to do something fresh from the start and jump through less hoops (assuming the collaboration with the NAACP and P&G works out).

Yeah, I wonder who those other folks are. This entire group seems like corporate heads that will have a producer credit because they can. Ducksworth oversees that entire joint venture studio between CBS and the NAACP, and Doebereiner’s role at P&G is more expansive beyond these scripted productions. MVJ seems like the sole creative head and probably the only one from this group overseeing it in a day to day capacity (at least in her “showrunner” role). I assume when they fill out the staff, they’ll need to hire technical producers who handle the day to day production of the actual show. That’s potentially when we’ll probably hear of any daytime talent we’d be familiar with.

Having worked on projects that were led by Marc Pritchard for P&G, he’s a smart and tough cookie that isn’t afraid to spend money to make money. I know he wouldn’t have signed off on this endeavour back to scripted content across multiple mediums if he didn’t have a good reason to. Extremely intelligent, and tough man who is not afraid to call people out on their bullsh!t. As I said before, he’s one person I am sure will not put his name or P&G’s name on a crap product (unless it’s beyond his control).

So, apparently, P&G started to throw their hat back in the ring again for scripted content in 2020/2021. Of course, the goal is to push their brands in a subliminal/less obvious way. They also have their hand in producing films, documentaries, and streaming content. ——————————————————— With Fewer Ads on Streaming, Brands Make More Movies Imagine is also working with the consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble. The company, which effectively created soap operas when it began to sponsor serial radio dramas in the 1930s to help promote its soap products, is cofinancing a feature-length film with Imagine called “Mars 2080.” It will be directed by Eliza McNitt and begin production later this year. The film, which is scheduled to be released theatrically by IMAX in 2022 before moving to a streaming service, focuses on a family resettling on Mars. It grew out of a breakfast in New York in 2019, where Mr. Wilkes, Mr. Howard and Marc Pritchard, Procter & Gamble’s chief brand officer, discussed technology in the pipeline. The Imagine team later toured Procter & Gamble’s research labs in Cincinnati, seeing examples of its “home of the future” products and meeting its scientists. Kimberly Doebereiner, the vice president of Procter & Gamble’s future of advertising division, said the company hoped to do more long-form storytelling, like “The Cost of Winning,” the four-part sports documentary its shaving brand Gillette helped produce. It debuted on HBO in November. “We want to be more interesting so consumers are leaning into our experiences and we’re creating content that they want to see as opposed to messages that are annoying to them,” she said. “Finding a way to have content that is in places where ads don’t exist is definitely one of the reasons why we’re leaning into this.” It’s all part of a deliberate shift by brands to try to integrate themselves more fully into consumers’ lives, the way companies like Apple and Amazon have, said Dipanjan Chatterjee, an analyst with Forrester. And they want to do so without commercials, which, he said, have “zero credibility” with consumers. “If the right story has the right ingredients and it becomes worthwhile for sharing, it doesn’t come across as an intrusive bit of advertising,” Mr. Chatterjee said. “It feels much more like a natural part of our lives.” ———————————————————

I wonder what the production model will be like for this show - will it be shot like a traditional soap, or more like primetime/film? It’s clear they aren’t interested in doing things the way they’ve been done before.

CBS owns The Talk outright, no? I assume they’re still making some type of profit from it and it’s cheap to produce.

The City and Port Charles were relatively quick from announcement to production, no? But then, they were spin-offs with more of an existing infrastructure. How long was the Passions development process? That should really and hopefully give MVJ time to craft a well thought out Bible.

Y&R airs as late as 4pm in some affiliates, particularly in the South, where it's traditionally done well.

I'm not worried about the write-up saying it will focus only on rich people in a gated community - because you can't have the haves without the have-nots. There has to be some type of dimension or inherent balance for the overall narrative to work.

I wonder if it's possible Mishel Morgan could be considered as one of the younger leads for this - given her popularity with the CBS Daytime audience already and fresh after her Emmy win last year as the first black woman to win Lead Actress.

MVJ deserves this moment, possibly more than anyone else in daytime right now. She's paid her dues, and was never ever given a fair chance when she was promoted to HW at GH. She's written standout scripts for both GH and B&B, she's contributed to SL's even when she wasn't the HW, and spent years slugging it for people like Sally Sussman Morina, Pamela K. Long, the Labine's, Guza, and finally Brad Bell. She's as talented, if not more, than those whose work she often uplifted. This is her chance and I hope this succeeds and she's given the creative freedom and respect she deserves.

I’ll always have a soft spot for the classic CBS lineup that included GL and ATWT. I don’t expect ever see those shows back in any form - but I’d settle for The Gates taking place in the classic P&G soap universe (which, technically, Y&R and B&B exist in that universe too).

Did it say exactly where production is taking place - NYC or LA? Or could it be an Atlanta based production? Atlanta’s emerged as a hub for cheaper film/television production and is often referred to as the “Black Hollywood.”

Debbi deserves to be the active star matriarch (meaning she can lead story and not just be a talk to) of her own soap in the tradition of Helen Gallagher at Ryan’s Hope or what Erika Slezak was to OLTL.

This is the biggest news to hit our genre since the rapid cancellation era of 2008-2011. But who would have thought the news would be a positive development for a change?!

Since P&G has an ownership stake, can this show potentially be set in the P&G soap universe? Will we hear mentions of Springfield, Oakdale, Henderson, and Bay City?

Casting should be interesting if this is ordered. Will they go for “named” talent from primetime and film, or hire some daytime stalwarts as well? Maybe a combination of both? Michele - please cast Debbi Morgan as the star matriarch of your new soap, if you get this message. She’s more than earned it and can always deliver the goods!

I think the bigger question is will a new scripted daytime soap please the CBS affiliates be able to obtain significant clearance at launch? When B&B launched in 1987, that was something the Bell’s had to really work on for a number of years and something that plagued every new soap launching since. Even if CBS owns it outright.

If this soap gets ordered, I need Y&R to fire Josh Griffith and Brad Bell to step it up at B&B. This soap will be dead in the water if it follows a weak and waning CBS soap lineup.

So, is this the part where I can say I worked indirectly with Marc Pritchard at P&G years ago and I know him to be a trustworthy man with morals who won’t put his name on sh!t? Initimidating as hell, but appreciates good and hard work.

I am so happy for Michele and so proud of her!

I can appreciate a nice moment like Sonny’s predator past being explained for what it really is. But, what does any of it mean though? They’re never going to have Sonny admit who he really is or suddenly make him the town pariah for it. This show will always have the underlying narrative that Sonny (and soon Jason) are the town heroes, and law enforcement and everyone else who begs to differ are in the wrong ultimately.

That made my teeth itch and looks like more of the same for this played out character.