I can't wait to hear it too, and I hope he reveals some more than what we already know...or at least think we know...that originally ABC wanted to keep AMC, hoping the move to LA and the new writers would revive it, and was gunning for OLTL only, but then when AMC's ratings dropped 25% in the past year, there was no choice but to cancel that as well. And that Sweeney wanted to axe GH as well, but that that show was given what was probably a brief reprieve, until Sept. 2012. I think that about covers it LOL. I really hope he does dish. I mean, what are Frons and JFP going to do, pull a MAB and bar him from talking with anyone associated with GH?

Edited April 17, 201114 yr by LoyaltoAMC

According to Walt Willy, Anges is BACK with LB penning the ending of the show.

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Edited April 17, 201114 yr by Kyle

According to Walt Willy, Anges is BACK with LB penning the ending of the show.

Agnes is always back every time someone mentions her. She may consult for the finale, but I doubt at 83 she's slaving herself in front of a computer screen and having the numerous meetings associated with that position.

Edited April 17, 201114 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Agnes is always back every time someone mentions her. She may consult for the finale, but I doubt at 83 she's slaving herself in front of a computer screen and having the numerous meetings associated with that position.

I know but I am glad though, because though there isn't much time left I have to say I am glad we have the best AMC writers on hand.

^ Wow, Chicago really loves Walt! Great interview! So sad.

There's a lot of things to blame for the end of soap operas. My list in no particular order...

- 10 to 15 year decline in quality of programming for various reasons (12-17, 18-34 & 18-49 focus, executive interference, copying elements that were successful for other programs even if it didn't fit, etc)

- The surge of cable & cable news, beginning with OJ Simpson

- The surge of the internet and it's own entertainment value. Young adults and kids don't watch soaps or television for escape and entertainment anymore, they get that from the various venues on the internet.

- The surge of reality television; real people doing soap opera type stuff

- The surge of women in the work place

- Failure of soap and network executives to adapt soap operas to the changing world

- Other ways to watch the soaps whenever you want that are not really counted including on the internet (youtube, ABC, CBS, NBC) and on cable (Soapnet).

I will add 3 things:

The rise of both Univision and Telemundo as major ratings players. Hispanics now make up a large chunk of 18-49 viewership and have so far been more drawn to the telenovelas. This is probably the most overlooked issue at play.

Soaps never went 'modern' or 'cool' and therefore mised the boat on picking up key demos. Look at the Cheeze Wiz opening themes, as one example. I'm not saying OLTL should have run out and bought the rights to a Cold Play or Pink song but Daytime should have followed prime time in keeping with the times. Soaps became cliche, a refuge for the supposedly simple-minded and elderly. Soaps also became to campy and self-hating--this being aside from Y&R. Y&R has major problems but the soap still takes itself seriously.

The 'culture wars' haven't helped much because social friction made it impossible to do anything risky. This has lead to way to many baby switches and faked DNA tests. These days, a soap abortion would tank ratings. I'm even (slightly) worried about Days gay summer story but think, out of any soap, that Days can pull the story off well.

Telenovelas air in primetime, don't they?

Anyway, I've always considered Anthology Series' as a sister-genre to soaps. I would love it if they made some type of comeback. And I think modern audiences could stomach them a lot better than traditional daytime soaps at this point.

Telenovelas air in primetime, don't they?

Anyway, I've always considered Anthology Series' as a sister-genre to soaps. I would love it if they made some type of comeback. And I think modern audiences could stomach them a lot better than traditional daytime soaps at this point.

Univision and Telemundo air their telenovelas in both daytime and primetime. Really, it seems like the bulk of their weekday schedules is telenovelas. Some news/comedy/reality stuff in the morning, late afternoon and early evening, and late night, but other than that it's telenovelas.

http://twitter.com/robinstrasser

Robin strasser is now on twitter, let the mayhem begin.

(If already posted, I apologize)

Edited April 17, 201114 yr by Marley

Univision and Telemundo air their telenovelas in both daytime and primetime. Really, it seems like the bulk of their weekday schedules is telenovelas. Some news/comedy/reality stuff in the morning, late afternoon and early evening, and late night, but other than that it's telenovelas.

Wow, I guess it may be a cultural thing, but I don't think I could stand a main network that was 85% telenovelas.

I respect them, but the telenovelas often seem like very bad acted farce to me. Then again, I'm not fluent in Spanish or follow or any translation, so I'm definitely not the target audience for them.

I noticed this "Failure of soap and network executives to adapt soap operas to the changing world"

and wonder how people think they should have adapted and changed? What key things are there that were missing?

And the UK soaps air in the evenings, right? I wonder why that was never tried here. Have two to three half hour soaps a night and air the game shows / sitcoms in the morning and afternoon when they're going to be watched regardless. I think having same day soaps at night (NOT on SoapNet) could have possibly helped.

I think the end of the soaps will signal a refocus on the genre eventually.

And what's funny is how most primetime shows that are successful don't rely on tweens and pretty people to carry them. I mean, hello, Desperate Housewives! Even crime procedurals rely on seasoned actors to carry them. I think the networks fail to realize that the overall soap audience wants to have a variety of age ranges and types of characters. Where are the truly flawed characters? I also think soaps refusing to rely on their past to cultivate the future has been a big reason they are failing. And when they do, it's just a stunt to cast teenagers in silly plots. Most were never any real attempt at weaving them into the canvas. There are of course exceptions.

I'm kinda rambling ...

Ooooh my Goddddd. Robin, don't shame us. Make us proud, girl, make us proud. But just don't shame us. PLEASE don't shame us.

And the UK soaps air in the evenings, right? I wonder why that was never tried here. Have two to three half hour soaps a night and air the game shows / sitcoms in the morning and afternoon when they're going to be watched regardless. I think having same day soaps at night (NOT on SoapNet) could have possibly helped.

Typically, you'll find them airing any time between 6:30PM-9:00PM.

A lot of the time they're expected to carry the primetime lineup on either BBC One or ITV1. EastEnders for example is the BBC's cornerstone show and the show that anchors their primetime lineup.

That model probably wouldn't work with the network structure the US has.

Edited April 17, 201114 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I noticed this "Failure of soap and network executives to adapt soap operas to the changing world"

and wonder how people think they should have adapted and changed? What key things are there that were missing?

And the UK soaps air in the evenings, right? I wonder why that was never tried here. Have two to three half hour soaps a night and air the game shows / sitcoms in the morning and afternoon when they're going to be watched regardless. I think having same day soaps at night (NOT on SoapNet) could have possibly helped.

what network would devote precious primetime airtime to a soap? I think its farily obvious why that hasnt been done

Wow, I guess it may be a cultural thing, but I don't think I could stand a main network that was 85% telenovelas.

Exactly. Our cultures are entirely different. It seems they value fantasy and escapism. And we value "reality" and salaciousness.