AMC: Daytime Confidential confirming production moving to LA

[Ann_SS]

Yep. These people have families, alimony and child support support payments and mortgages. They cannot afford to be unemployed.

[Shiner]

I just hope the move can help the ABC soaps survive.

[LeClerc]

Out of Pratt, Lisa de Cazotte and Carruthers, I hope Carruthers keeps the EP job. Lisa de Cazotte is just as weak, if not weaker, than Carruthers. LDC sat by from day one of Passions as JER exploited Princess Diana's death and continued to let JER do whatever disgusting things he wanted until the very end. And Pratt as EP? Good god.

[bellcurve]

Reilly had the final say with storylines, so that cannot be blamed on her. The ultrabright lighting and bad final casting decisions CAN be blamed on her.

At least she snapped up the uber-talented George Beckett to design and recycle his old SB & BEACH sets for Passions. I can't believe those still held up and were still cool to use after all these years(Cruz/Eden and Annie's Houses were used in the Hot LA Passions house). Hopefully, Frons, deCazotte, and Carruthers will get a brain and nab Beckett to do AMC's set design. If anyone can do pretty sets that will last and look modern for years, it's him.

But his style is not "East Coast Pennsylvania." It's very "California/West Coast."

[Jonathan]

It does sound like ABC is invested in the show's future because they could easily cut their losses and just cancel the show altogether. But I'm just concerned that the move will be jarring to the viewers.

[Carolyn1980]

Two big plusses for AMC actors relocating to LA:

1) More spacious digs (homes) for far less money than NY.

2) Better access to other acting opportunities (and easier to make networking connections for those endeavors).

Also...the weather's better, they can drive to work, etc.

(although personally, I'd still take Manhattan....not an LA girl at all, here).

[LeClerc]

I agree about Beckett but can AMC even afford to create new sets though? I just assumed they would haul their current sets to LA and keep them up.

As for de Cazotte, that's the thing. She is used to being an EP whose sole function is to produce the material that is handed to her by the writer and not to question that material in the slightest. At least Carruthers fought Pratt hard on killing Stuart (according to Pratt himself). She lost the battle, but I respect her for trying. LDC would have just sat there eating her bon bons.

[Carolyn1980]

The more I think about this, the more I think this move saved either OLTL or AMC from cancellation. I really believe now, since DC was right about this, that they were also right that Aisha Tyler's talk show was planned for ABC Daytime, to replace either OLTL or AMC.

The question is, which one was on the chopping block? I think it likely went back-and-forth. When AMC was really doing poorly compared to OLTL, I think it was AMC that was picked to be cut (didn't DC say it was almost canceled awhile back?...I didn't believe it then, but I believe it now). Then, when AMC came back and beat or tied OLTL for awhile, I think OLTL was the one on the way out. Recently, when OLTL moved ahead of AMC again, I think that's when they decided to do something drastic to avoid canceling either one. Apparently, this deal came about very quickly (like within the last three weeks).

[LeClerc]

Jamey at DC said in the most recent ABC podcast that he is hearing from his sources at the very top of ABC Daytime (who can clearly be trusted) that despite this move an ABC soap will still be cancelled in 2010.

[Jonathan]

Driving in LA is not a plus!

[Y&RWorldTurner]

According to Daytime Confidential, Julie Hanan Carruthers has re-upped her contract with AMC/ABC.

Walt Willey is apparently off contract.

http://daytimeconfidential.com/2009/08/05/amc-update-julie-hanan-caruthers-re-ups-walt-willey-officially-off-contract

[Jonathan]

That makes no sense. So one of the soaps is just filler programming until Aisha goes on the air?

[Carolyn1980]

LOL. Yeah, having been there, that's true....although it depends on which side of which freeway you're on. I always noticed (having lived there for 5 years before moving back east) that in the morning, one side of every freeway was backed up while the other side was moving quickly....and in the evening, the sides reversed.

[Carolyn1980]

Well, if that's true, it's OLTL.

I can't see them having all these people at AMC relocate to LA only to pull the rug out from under them within a year.

[LeClerc]

Sounds like it.