OLTL Would Be Wise to Pick Up A Few ATWT Characters

[Carolyn1980]

Back in 1999, when AW was canceled, ABC attempted to purchase some characters from Procter and Gamble to use for OLTL. When CBS balked at the potential deal, since it aired the other two P&G shows at the time, the deal fell through. (Instead, ABC brought on some AW actors as different characters).

Well.....with CBS now ditching BOTH P&G shows, NOW is the time for ABC to try again. I'm not talking about a "takeover" of Llanview by Oakdale citizens, but just a few (maybe 5 at most) seemlessly introduced to OLTL gradually over a few months. They could even advertise it as "ATWT lives on in Llanview."

Surely many ATWT viewers would tune in to see their favorite characters live on....after all, it wouldn't be the actors in new roles, it would be the actual characters viewers have grown to love.

I really think this would be a smart thing for ABC and OLTL to do, and there is a precedent for it, since they tried to do it before. I hope they're smart enough to capitalize on ATWT's cancellation and do this.

[Sylph]

Wouldn't that be a lawyer nightmare?

[Carolyn1980]

Not really. As I said, ABC tried to do this before, but CBS didn't want P&G to do it (since it might help ABC, and CBS was P&G's client at that point). But now, P&G is essentially out of the soap opera business, and CBS has no leverage to prevent P&G from making a deal to license the characters to ABC.

So it would be a good deal for both P&G and ABC. Easy, easy contract.

[Sylph]

It is still a terrifying thought, in equal measure spelling disaster and possible success.

How much does a character cost these days?

[Carolyn1980]

They wouldn't pay by character...they'd pay for all ATWT characters, and then use the ones they wanted. (When they wanted Linda Dano's character for OLTL, they were going to pay for all the AW characters).

Like I said, in the business, this is an easy deal to make. Right now, P&G isn't going to make any more money off these characters, since the shows are done, forever. So making money off a deal with ABC is "extra money" at this point.

You're right, it could be a disaster or a success, depending on how it's done. But if done right, it would be a success, in my mind. Heck, it could turn out some of the characters were related to characters on OLTL, like Lord or Cramer cousins or something, and we've just never met them. It could be done in a way that OLTL viewers just thought these were new characters being introduced.

[Sylph]

You rightly point that for P&G this might be a good deal.

But for ABC? They would then have to pour more money into OLTL, wouldn't they? To pay for all characters + actors who would be playing them? Then there is the risk of canvas inflation and I don't know how would ATWT people feel about Ron Carlivati writing for their favourites.

[Carolyn1980]

It wouldn't be a huge amount of money....in fact, it could even just be part of an advertising deal, like having OLTL characters with P&G products sitting around their houses, lol.

As for the actors, well, that would be up to ABC what they're willing to pay...and the actors, now umemployed, what they're willing to accept. But certainly some "unsuccessful" OLTL characters could be dumped and replaced by ATWT characters that can serve the same purpose in OLTL stories.

I think it's definitely worth trying....it's maybe the only sure way OLTL can get some new viewers. (Heck, they could even bring Martha Byrne back as Lily if it would be a popular thing to do....though I'm personally not a fan of hers).

[LoyaltoAMC]

Nah, would never happen. A move like that would toy with OLTL's identity. Plus, any viewers who'd tune into OLTL to watch their ATWT faves would probably be the over-50 crowd, and ABC has no use for viewers in this age range. Let ATWT die with some dignity. This is the first I've heard of the Linda Dano/Felicia Gallant thing. If that's true, it was probably just a move on ABC's part to get Linda Dano and to keep her as Felicia because Dano was SO identified with the role. Linda at that point was a personality and the line between where Linda Dano ended and Felicia Gallant began was pretty blurry.

[MoTheGreat]

Why should any actors from ATWT go to a ship that is sinking too? Are they waiting to drown? They better off just trying for Primetime, Movies that made for Tv, & movies.

[Sylph]

Depends on how much an actor is desperate.

BTW, Carolyn, do you see OLTL being the next soap to be cancelled? When? Any ratings threshold it needs to reach for that?

[Carolyn1980]

I think there is a good chance OLTL is next....especially since ABC has put off upgrading the show to HD until at least 2011 (if it's still on the air), and now has put off even moving OLTL to the old AMC studios where The View is filmed. *IF* OLTL actually makes the move to the old AMC studios, THEN I believe OLTL will last at least for two years following the move (otherwise, such a move would be pointless).

In other words, we'll know pretty soon how much of a future OLTL has. (If OLTL makes the move, I expect B&B and DAYS to both go before OLTL, sometime within the next two years).

ETA: There is no ratings threshold at this point. The shows are still profitable....and since ABC owns the shows, they can keep slashing the budgets to make more money as needed. The question for ABC is if they can come up with a show that is more profitable for them, like CBS has done with Let's Make a Deal. But if they move OLTL, then they're committed to the show for the next two years.

[Bright Eyes]

I, personally, don't like this idea. OLTL doesn't need ATWT characters to make the show interesting. Plus, any character that was brought over to ATWT from AW was soon killed off LOL I don't need to go through the transition of getting use to the characters on MY show all for nothing.

And to add, I too think OLTL is next in line on the chopping block.

[Cheap21]

I dont want any ATWT characters over here. Let CBS keep them but please keep them far away from OLTL

[Vee]

Um, ATWT's characters are not going to bring OLTL ratings. OLTL couldn't possibly write them any worse than they've been written for the last six or so years. No thanks to that albatross.

[DRW50]

You know very well that bringing in Allison would give a boost of at least a half a million.

The funny part is Liz Hubbard guested on ATWT as some rich society lady a year or two before she joined ATWT.

But I think OLTL already has three or four women in that age range, and even though she's much more restrained these days, Liz would probably take big chunks out of the few sets they have left.