November 1-5, 2010

[DRW50]

I can understand why GL went, although I miss it, but I still sometimes think that they could have saved ATWT.

Of course The Talk does give them more of a profit -- although the decision not to issue a press release this last week does make me wonder what the ratings are like now.

[Kryptonite]

That's always true about the financial benefit part. I see soaps only being on ABC and NBC five years from now. CBS is the only one I'm worried about because their likely cutting their soaps.

Only thing about game shows are their demos are just so old skewing that's why you barely see any during daytime unless its in syndication. GSN is becoming that place for game shows right now.

[Kryptonite]

I think under better conditions that include not being supported by P&G these two soaps would still be around today. Had ATWT or GL or both been on ABC or NBC and not owned by P&G they wouldn't even have to find a new home. I believe the first test to see if a soap can find a new home will be when B&B gets canned because I really feel like B&B will find a home because Bell will find a way to keep it on the airwaves in the US since it does so well overseas.

I got a real good feeling The Talk did horribly last week or at least way down from the previous week. If The Talk continues to tread downhill then the affiliates will have their say and the beginning of the end will happen for The Talk.

[LeClerc]

I just hate what has happened to my beloved AMC. For me its demise began in 1998 but accelerated greatly when Frons, who has flat out said he could never get into AMC, came in. He has never understood this show and shoved Felicia Minei Behr, who (for the most part) did get it, out the door.

I imagine that when ABC's deal with the Andrita studios is up the plug will be pulled.

I believe Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati are passionate about OLTL and, although I don't agree with most of what they do, I believe Jill Farren Phelps and Bob Guza are passionate about GH. But for David Kreizman, Donna Swajeski and Julie Hanan Carruthers AMC is just a job. I wish Frons would put someone who actually cares about this show in charge and leave them alone, but that's not going to happen and, really, it's likely far too late now anyways.

[DRW50]

I'm curious if any soap has been saved because of overseas support. Santa Barbara was huge overseas, as was Sunset Beach. Did that extend their lives? I guess it might have with the former?

There's always the question of whether CBS wanted the shows to go or whether P&G did, who is more to blame, if they could have been saved. You hear reports both ways, and then, although that is meaningless, someone who posts at Digital Spy (a British TV forum) said they work for CBS and that it was P&G who wanted the soaps gone.

I thought it was telling that when P&G did a websoap for one of their products last year, they hired Cameron Mathison

I still think CBS might just end up running repeats all day.

[DRW50]

Based on FMB's run at ATWT and some of her not so good PR skills I wonder if it was Disney taking over and not getting on with her. I do think that she got AMC's aesthetic. It's not fair to put too much blame on Francesca James as she likely inherited some of FMB's stories but I think she really told some very cliched and very ugly storylines which took AMC down a dark path. In a lot of ways I feel like AMC stayed there for years, along with being increasingly shallow and losing more of its soul and identity.

Aside from Agnes Nixon, who has a limited role, I do wonder if anyone knows anymore what made AMC special.

[marceline]

I hadn't thought about it that way but you're absolutely right. OLTL and GH are helmed by people who believe in or at least have some investment in them, regardless of the fact that those people are beneficiaries of the Peter Principle to the nth power. Everyone in charge at AMC is only there because the local Borders didn't need anymore wannabe writers working the customer service counter.

[bellcurve]

They would HAVE to bring the Hot Seat back. This El Cheapo version of Millionaire sucks ass.

[quartermainefan]

AMC began its slide early 90s and lingered at an acceptable level all through Kendell and Richard Fields. Then it need to be retired. Everything that made AMC AMC is gone, and whats left is this show full of stock soap characters who can be found on literally any soap.

[Saving ATWT]

No, they have both been removed from the 'speaking' character profiles. The feature where you click on the actor and they talk about themselves

[Saving ATWT]

I never really watched AMC so, please, tell me what made the show so unique? Does this relate to the loss of certain favorite characters or has the entire mood and tone of the program changed? I know GH has gone through many incarnations, been totally revamped numerous times. OLTL has changed quite a bit, too. It seems, for better or worse, that CBS shows seem to be more tied to their respective histories.

Personally, I think the GH revamps have been mostly wise and think ATWT and GL should have made similiar moves--they were hollow shells at the end, anyway. Maybe this sort of move might bring AMC back to life.

This week's ratings were pretty bad for CBS. Y&R has begun to slip and shows no sign of improvement. I do wonder if ending ATWT might have had a small effect for people who really did tune in for the entire soap block. I used to watch Y&R and B&B just as a way to kill time before ATWT came on. Now, it doesn't really matter if I miss a show. The writers are clearly out of ideas and MAB doesn't seem to care.

[DRW50]

A class system, wacky comic characters, a sense of camp yet also heart and warmth, starcrossed young romances.

[Southofnowhere]

All that matter is 18-49. AMC is dead last in 18-49 and has a target on it's back.

[EricMontreal22]

JHC really really REALLY needs to go. She's been the common denominator in way too many lame AMC eras now... I do think they're lucky to still have Broderick there to keep them in check--and I am enjoying the show more than not. Nice to see the ratings anyway (cue the replies going on about demos...)

[marceline]

There's 72K of difference between OLTL and AMC in 18-49. That's simply not that much.