ATWT: A timeline

[David V]

Here's a timeline chronicling the ups and downs of ATWT in the years since 1993. I'd like to know how accurate this is, I am open to corrections/additions/suggestions here.

1993: Douglas Marland, whose writing saw renewed ratings success and critical acclaim for ATWT, dies in March.

Following Marland's death, Juliet Law Packer and Richard Backus are named Head Writers under EP Laurence Caso. Their main task is to continue/wrap up Marland's storylines and to introduce characters and storylines which had been planned by Marland before his death. The show is still in the upper echelon of the ratings chart at the tiem.

1994/1995: Richard Culliton takes over Head Writer. Culliton writes what remains the most acclaimed post-Marland storylines, the John/Lisa medical malpractise storyline.

1995: Laurence Caso, Executive Producer since 1995, is replaced by John Valente. Valente had previously served as EP of Another World and had been replaced there by Jill Farren Phelps.

Valente moves to impose his stamp on the show by letting go of a number of popular actors, most notably Patricia Bruder (Ellen Stewart), much to the dismay of fans.

1996: Stephen Black and Henry Stern, who had experience primetime writers (most notably Falcon Crest), become Head Writers. Black and Stern's attempts to remould the show prove disastrous in terms of quality as ratings correspondingly fall. Observers believe the deterioration in quality is such that the show had not only become the worst soap, but also the worst program on TV.

Later in the year, P&G takes action. Kenneth Fitts, Valente, Black and Stern are all fired. Felicia Minei Behr, widely considered the driving force behind All My Children's successful years in the 1990s, is hired as EP and a transitional writing team is put in place. Ratings initially spike but this is not sustained- and the recast of Connor Walsh, despite not being a truly pivotal character, proves to be extremely unpopular with fans.

1997: Jessica Klein becomes Head Writer. Klein's tenure is brief, and fails to improve the quality of the show greatly.

Once more, a transitional writing team (including Stephen Demorest) is placed in charge as 1997 draws to a close. Fans note that storylines in this period (e.g. Kim Hughes' open-heart surgery and the brief return of Jennifer, played by Gillian Spencer) were an improvement on much of 1996-97.

1998: Lorraine Broderick, acclaimed for her writing on Guiding Light and All Mychildren, becomes Head Writer. Broderick's writing on ATWT receives a mixed response from fans and critics- however, is generally regarded as an improvement on the previous two years and ratings stabilise.

1999: Behr and Broderick are replaced on ATWT by Chris Goutman and Leah Laiman, the last EP and HW of Another World. Laiman's writing is lambasted by critics and fans.

2000: Hogan Sheffer takes over as Head Writer. Working with Carolyn Culliton and Stephen Demorest, Sheffer's first year on ATWT receives a positive response.

2001: ATWT wins first Emmy awards for several years. Culliton and Demorest leave show, Jean Passanante- whose tenure on All My Children was deeply unpopular- joins writing staff.

2005: Passanante replaces Sheffer as HW. Ratings in the middle of 2005 climb to the extent ATWT occupy 3rd place (behind fellow CBS soaps Y&R and B& but once more this is not sustained.

2007: ATWT reaches new lows in ratings, along with several other soaps, as Passanante's insipid writing continues to take its toll.

[EricMontreal22]

"1996: Stephen Black and Henry Stern, who had experience primetime writers (most notably Falcon Crest), become Head Writers. Black and Stern's attempts to remould the show prove disastrous in terms of quality as ratings correspondingly fall. Observers believe the deterioration in quality is such that the show had not only become the worst soap, but also the worst program on TV.

"

Wow I never knew it sunk THIS badly in the 90s... I forgot that Broderick went to ATWT and Behr was there--their brief period togethe ron AMC is one of my fave soap eras ever but I guess magic w3asn't repeated

[stenbeck212]

And yet her time as head writer is nowhere near as "brief" as Jessica Klein's.

[Soapsuds]

I remember being at my local Kroger's at the time and reading about her(JK) hiring. I knew she had been a writer before that for ATWT. But not in the HW capacity. To this day I dont remember her storylines from her run as HW. I guess it is because she didnt last long...LOL.

[P.J.]

***2005: Passanante replaces Sheffer as HW. Ratings in the middle of 2005 climb to the extent ATWT occupy 3rd place (behind fellow CBS soaps Y&R and B& but once more this is not sustained.****

To be fair, the ratings started their decline under Sheffer.

[Soapsuds]

Correct PJ. The ratings were already falling before Sheffer left. His storylines got stale and boring.

[Toups]

Does this look right?

September 1985 to March 1993

Douglas Marland

1993 - 1995

Juliet Packer and Richard Backus

1995

Juliet Law Packer, Garin Wolf, Richard Culliton

1995

Richard Culliton

1996

Stephen Black and Henry Stern

1997

Stephen Demorest, Mel Brez, Addie Walsh

May 1997 - October 1997

Jessica Klein

January 1998 to June 1999

Lorraine Broderick

Who was writing after Klein and before Broderick in Nov/Dec 1997?

[juppiter]

I'm pretty sure we had a transitional team after Klein but before Broderick. I'm not sure if it was the same one as early 1997 though. I know Hal Corley came on when Broderick did... he and Addie Walsh were always her Associate HWs, but I'm not sure if maybe he came in a little before her or not.

And I really disagree that Passanante's "insipid writing" is taking its toll. All of CBS daytime is down, and I blame that more on Y&R being bad than anything else.

[Toups]

I have conflicting timelines for Lorraine Broderick.

I have from March 1998 - August 1999 and January 1998 - June 1999.

Anyone remember exactly when her material began and ended (on screen)?

[Kevin225]

Lorraine Broderick was let go in late June 1999. I remember that ATWT was on summer vacation and Chris Goutman, the genius that he is , added an extra week to the cast and crew's summer vacation in early July for Leah Laiman to rewrite some storylines, Lucinda's return. Lorraine's last airdate was August 11, 1999. Liz Hubbard's first airdate back on August 12, 1999 was Leah Laiman's first date of air material. I hope this helps.

Kevin

[P.J.]

I agree that ATWT's slide is affected by the declining strength of the CBS lineup. But, JPiss is hacking her way through the heart of the show with her lackadaisical commitment to character development. One needs only to look at the contrived Jack/Katie pairing, that has totally ignored both character's established histories on the show and with each other, to see that.

Oddly, I'm more worried about B&B's downturn than Y&R's. Y&R has a bigger margin for error in their stories. If the Kevin plot isn't working, they have other stories to fall back on. B&B has one, maybe two plots going, and if one tanks, they're screwed. Right now, BOTH stories (Nick/Brooke/Taylor and Rick/Phoebe) are tanking, and Bell is too arrogant to see it.

[kelly1142]

That's b/c Passanante plays favorites.

If you're not Gwen/Katie/Meg...you're outta luck.

[stenbeck212]

Then again, General Hospital is wiping the floor with all the other shows in key demographics, even as the last soap in ABC's daily lineup. It doesn't suffer from a trickle down effect of ratings issues. For that alone, I can't blame Y&R for the problems ATWT has an hour later. Passanante is on her own with that.

[Soapsuds]

Even One Life To Live has higher numbers than its lead in All My Children. If Jean Passanante was delivery the goods...Y&R's numbers wouldnt matter. The ratings are low because she stinks as HW of ATWT.

[Toups]

Oh wow, you have exact dates! That's awesome. Thank you so much. If you have any more exact dates, let me know.