http://soapnet.go.com/news/soapnet_amc_headwriters.html

BARBARA J. ESENSTEN AND JAMES HARMON BROWN NAMED HEADWRITERS FOR ALL MY CHILDREN

Brian Frons, president, Daytime, Disney-ABC Television Group announced today that long-time writing partners Barbara J. Esensten and James Harmon Brown will join ABC's Emmy® Award-winning soap All My Children as headwriters.

"We're thrilled to welcome this talented team back to ABC," said Frons. "They're known for telling compelling stories that take characters and viewers on a great emotional ride, and their creative vision promises to continue the show's tradition of cutting-edge storylines. Fans can expect an exciting summer in Pine Valley and can look forward to even more of the romance and intrigue they have come to love and look for on All My Children."

"Combined with their ability to take creative and emotional risks, Barbara and Jim write with commitment to character integrity and honesty. I look forward to working with them again and welcome them to All My Children," said executive producer Julie Hanan Carruthers.

The Esensten-Brown Emmy® Award-winning writing team have written for the ABC dramas Dynasty, Port Charles and One Life to Live. In addition they wrote for Guiding Light, and most recently served as head writers for Days of our Lives.

From SoapCentral.com:

I take that those focus groups that Kay was talking about didn't like her and the team of writers output, thus the reason why Kay wasn't offered the headwriting position.

I expect it will come out soon that Alden and Smith have parted ways with ABCD.

I don't get ABCD and its reliance on these focus groups; William J. Bell, Agnes Nixon, and Douglass Marland never cared for them. Yet a bunch of network execs who know nothing about soaps do?

Edited May 22, 200718 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

While I think this isn't good news (good for Days fans), AMC fans have no choice but to be positive. Otherwise, what else is there? The wait-and-see approach might be best....

We'll surely know more after their SOW interview.

I take that those focus groups that Kay was talking about didn't like her and the team of writers output, thus the reason why Kay wasn't offered the headwriting position.

Or maybe she didn't get along well with other's on her HW team? HWs have enormous egos, even the best ones. Who knows if British or Aussie soap ways could work for US Daytime... (I know it wouldn't.)

I believe Kay is still working for AMC/ABC---just not having the drama of being a head writer.

She got burned before--if she's got the chance to write without the head writer BS why not go for that.

And really, to be a FOJ (Friend of Julie) is the way to go--it kept Thorsten around, and now this

She got burned before--if she's got the chance to write without the head writer BS why not go for that.

What's BS?

I think Alden is better off not being HW. She has more creative freedom IMO if she's not. Given how Frons likes to interfere

Edited May 22, 200718 yr by AMC Zendall Fan

What's BS?

Bullshit?

She got burned before--if she's got the chance to write without the head writer BS why not go for that.

I don't think she had a chance to get burnt. She only head wrote for 3 years or so.

Bullshit?

Got it...

Edited May 22, 200718 yr by Sylph

Why are B&E listed as Emmy award winners btw? They were breakdown writers for the year GL won Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team. I've always thought the award went to the head-writer(s).

This was the winning team from 93:

Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team

Nancy Curlee (headwriter)

Stephen Demorest (headwriter)

Lorraine Broderick (headwriter)

James E. Reilly (headwriter)

Nancy Williams Watt (associate headwriter)

Michael Conforti

Bill Elverman

Barbara Esensten

James H. Brown

Trent Jones

N. Gail Lawrence

Pete T. Rich

Sally Mandel

Patrick Mulcahey

Roger Newman

Dorothy Ann Purser

Peggi Schibi

Courtney Sherman

Wisner Washam

God, GL had so many wonderful writers on its writing team in the early 90's, truly a golden era for the show.

I believe the whole writing team does win the Emmy.

Yea, bulls*%$! is what I am talking about. Especially with Frons and how much his hands are in every part of a show, it's a lot of BS to deal with. And between Frons and not being a FOJ it would be a tough road.

Really, she's got a better gig now as the "consultant"

Listening to the lecture that Alden recently did, it sounds like she was interested in the HW position for AMC. She expressed how she wanted to write more for these characters on a daily basis and how she spent six months getting to know them. I don't think Frons wanted to hire her though. From what she said in that lecture, she sounded more interested in writing a soap that was character driven, balanced, and having focus on vets. These are things that Frons is completely against. I think Alden would have been able to take AMC back to a stronger soap more like Y&R (or what it used to be).

I don't know what these new HW's will do for AMC. I certainly don't have a lot of confidence because everything they have done has either been cancelled or has tanked in the ratings. Maybe AMC will be a better fit for them. Who knows what will happen.

I'm sorry but who cares what other people say? Watch and judge them for yourself. There's always going to be people who hate a certain writer, while others rave about that person.

I'd rather wait and see what they do, than judge them by shows they've written for in the past.

I'm sorry but who cares what other people say? Watch and judge them for yourself. There's always going to be people who hate a certain writer, while others rave about that person.

I'd rather wait and see what they do, than judge them by shows they've written for in the past.

Exactly. People are going to have to pry my Agenda L. Beall hate out of my cold dead hands.

Exactly. People are going to have to pry my Agenda L. Beall hate out of my cold dead hands.

LOL!

That's what I mean, you hate Beall, I Like her, but I won't just take your word that she's bad, I like judging someone's work on their own merits

I agree with you Angie. I am just glad we finally have a team in place and not this period of uncertainty.

R Sinclair put it best, we wait to see if 6 months from now the show has risen, fallen or stagnated. That's really all you can do. At this stage in the game all we can do is hope for the best.

Hogan is what's wrong at DAYS IMO. Not B&E....