Article on ABC Daytime crossovers

[soapfan770]

Now I don't watch ABC soaps, never have been able to get into them and never will, but since I know that most of SON watch ABC soaps, I figure I'd post this old article which talked about crossovers on ABC soaps(especially OLTL) and also contains a blurb about Jill Farren Phelps and actress Sarah Brown:

[EricMontreal22]

Soap crossovers fascinate me, so I loved reading this. I admit, I like them on the ABC soaps within reason--particularly the three Agnes Nixon soaps where they seemed fairly natural. I've mentioned before that one such gimmick hooked me--as someone who only watched AMC as a kid, when I heard about the weeklong cross over with Loving for the Carter Jones storyline (in 1992 I think?) I made the switch and became hooked. I wish I could see the storyline now, but at the time I found it really well done. But the characters truly crossed between each show (Dinah Lee and Hannah were on AMC for some weeks before).

I agree with this that lots of these crossovers were dumb--why have Anna from GH come to AMC (even if I really liked the character) when GH fans who don't watch AMC wouldn't ever know about it, similar with having Patrick's brother on PC when he was never on OLTL first to let fans know he was making the move (I wish Marty would mention Cole has an uncle who turne dinto a vampire or whatever). I loved having Angie on Loving (I felt she fit The CIty better) but to not have her stop off for a week or so first on AMC to let fans know she was back seemed to completely miss the point...

[DRW50]

A lot of the crossovers from the late 90s/early 00s were wastes of time. I still have no idea why Skye was on OLTL, other than JFP wanting to give her friend a job.

"Super Soap", yeesh. I keep thinking about that vainglorious "Year of the Soap" promo...

[bbmm]

I wish AMC/OLTL did one more crossover before AMC moved to LA.

[SFK]

Belzer's Munch went on to appear on HBO's The Wire as well, so that makes six.

[quartermainefan]

I love crossovers and think most people have enjoyed them since Frankenstein met The Wolfman in 1943. Crossovers are fun, they have no other merit except they are fun. Skye's crossover wasn't really a great one because it wasn't like all these characters were meeting up, she and Rae just traveled around shows. The Bianca crossover I enjoyed a lot, especially Asa wanting to smack JR. What is the downside to crossovers, they will lose ratings? At this point can anything stop that? I would love to see Erica come to Port Charles and have Sonny fall for her and Jason assigned to escort her around town. It would be funny.

I would love to see Victor Kiriakis meet Sonny Corinthos and be thoroughly unimpressed.

[EricMontreal22]

And remember cross overs and spin offs are as old as soaps--there were several spin off radio soaps (there were a couple but the most famous of course is Irna Phillips moving her very popular Rose Kransky from Guiding Light into her own radio soap, Right to Happiness which premiered in 1939 and actually became a more popular soap opera all in all till it ended in 1960--even though Irna only wrote it for five years. I've heard some episodes and it's one of the more compelling radio soaps, always wondered why it was never tried for a tv adaptation). Funny as there's never truly been a successful daytime soap spin off (though I suppose Somerset and PC come close). Bright Horizon was another hit soap spin off--spun from Big Sister.

As for crossovers--that's Irna again, her infamous mid 40s time when she joined three of her shows (followed by a non connected optimistic religious serial from the Hummert Mill) as the General Mills Hour (so in a way the first 45 min soap)-- Today's Children, Guiding Light and Woman in White aired back to back with Ned P from Guiding Light serving as narrator for all three, and characters from each interacting with one another. It was a huge success at the time. So yeah--for the most part I find them fun (especially when the soaps are complimentary--even the P&G crossovers with the Bell soaps have been a bit strange to me, but not within each)