AMC and OLTL Canceled!

[Jonathan]

I agree. From a viewer perspective, it's fulfilling to hear her say that.

[marceline]

I think it's ironic that when so many people are obsessed with making sure the right couple rides off into sunset, the woman who created these shows thinks that the proper ending for the genre's pre-eminent character is that she finally becomes comfortable in her own skin. IMO, it highlights how far the shows strayed from her vision and how divorced they are (no pun intended) from the concept of what quality women-centered storytelling really is.

[Adam]

I love even Agnes is making fun of "The Chew" and how ridiculous the name is. I love that woman! I can't wait to see how she wraps up Erica. Its nice to know we all were on the right track in regards to the perfect ending for the character and her arc.

[Khan]

Of course, I like this statement and want to agree w/ it. Having said that, though, why does it stick in my craw that an "outsider" from the UK said it? (Bloody Brits, lol.)

That's b/c primetime audiences are by-and-large less forgiving than daytime. We know every show has peaks and valleys and that one bad plot twist does not necessarily mean the sky is falling. (I'd also argue that had it not been for the sections of the audience who were accustomed to the pitfalls of serialized drama, shows like DALLAS, DYNASTY and others of its ilk that made serious storytelling missteps would have been off the air long before they actually were.) As far as the non-daytime-watching portions of the audience is concerned, however, all one show has to do is have a dead man step out of a shower, and that show has officially jumped the shark for all time.

I believe the audience has the time, interest and patience to watch anything that's consistent, regardless of how often it's on the schedule.

That's only part of the story, though. Yes, "Cheers" was ranked dead-last its first year on the air. Another NBC series, "St. Elsewhere," also suffered anemic ratings its first season, too. These two shows, however, along with "Hill Street Blues," all had one thing on their side: not many were watching (at first), but those who were watching made more money on average than those who didn't. Thus, NBC could charge advertisers higher ad rates - and advertisers, in turn, went along with that, b/c they knew they were capturing more upscale consumers.

Besides, during the early '80's, at least, NBC's daytime lineup was pretty damn pathetic. "Wheel of Fortune" was still doing great, I think, but ANOTHER WORLD, DAYS, THE DOCTORS and "Hollywood Squares" were all in the doldrums; TEXAS (and later, SANTA BARBARA) was an underachiever at best; and SEARCH FOR TOMORROW's move from CBS would prove to be the end for that particular show. Grant Tinker and Brandon Tartikoff rebuilt NBC's fortunes during this period, but more so on the backs of its upscale dramas and sitcoms that appealed to households w/ higher disposable income than on its daytime lineup. (When they talk about how daytime kept primetime afloat throughout the '80's, really, I tend to think they are talking specifically about ABC, whose primetime division was embarrassing until Brandon Stoddard took over sometime during the mid-'80's.) That's why I think NBC eventually developed a negative attitude in general toward its daypart, and specifically its soaps.

[Vizion]

I think this is the mentality of a good majority of soap fans now, especially, ABC soap fans - but Disney wanted it this way. They always wanted their soaps to be seen as the "cool, hip soaps" for the 90210-loving crowd that argued Dylan/Brenda vs. Dylan/Kelly.

[Cat]

I can only "AMEN" and +1 your statement. But I had to because it is SO right.

I can only hope that the writers of The Good Wife (a show I especially like) take the sentiment/mantra expressed in your post to heart and never lose sight of that over-riding goal for Alicia Florrick, Kalinda, etc.

[LoyaltoAMC]

Spot on. Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Khan]

Since when were "Maury" and "Jerry Springer" on cable?

Several years ago, I floated the idea (can't remember on which board, though) of merging daytime and primetime divisions at each network. Still keep the respective news and sports divisions, of course, but make all other programs, both daytime and primetime, essentially answer to the same individuals. On the surface, it would seem like a disaster. But, on the other hand, given how much more progressive primetime has become (thanks, in no small part, to daytimers like Agnes Nixon), I feel soaps would have been forced to become more mature, more controversial in its storytelling, and more attune to the ever-evolving viewing landscape.

[DaytimeFan]

Very gratifying. I'm almost glad now that AMC has been cancelled because Agnes will be able to construct the conclusion to Erica's arc. It is RIGHT that Agnes be the one to transition Erica off screen, she is her creation. There is a sense of relief in all of it. Erica will get the ending she deserves and all thanks to Agnes.

[Eyespy]

I just want Zendall to end up together. I really don't super-care about any of the other storylines.

[Cat]

This is not a dumb idea. I know you said upthread that to save the soaps, TIIC should have moved them to timeslots when people actually ::WATCH:: television, which is something I have been banging on about for donkeys years. Every other country in the world has their soaps on between 6-8pm (except Brazil where telenovelas are practically a 24-hour thing).

The fact is, Primetime (especially cable) offered viewers more challenging and sophisticated drama throughout the late 90s and going into the last decade. Daytime should have risen to the challenge in terms of its soap writing. Instead the writing got progressively dumber (no one is going to convince me that the writing for GH today is somehow deeper, darker, funnier, more meaningful and truthful than Santa Barbara was in its heyday). Let's not forget that among Daytime soaps' biggest timeslot rivals are syndicated reruns of Law & Order and Sex and the City.

[Kylie]

I'ma duck and cover, but I hope AN ends the show with Erica single. Not necessarily alone, or looking for a man...just content with her live and the people around her. I don't want her final end to be a man, I want it to be about her. Her. Her daughters. Her grandchildren. The life she's built.

I'm happy AN is going to give Erica her conclusion; at least I know it'll be something in character.

[Khan]

Exactly. You say you can't watch soaps b/c you're busy during the day (as you should be)? Well, alright, when are you not busy? 6pm? 8? 12 midnight? No, no, babies, you stay there, we'll come to you.

Justin Deas said it best when Michael Logan interviewed him for GL's final episode: here it is, 2011 (well, actually, it was 2009, lol), and we're worried about letting two grown women kiss on-screen. So what if people are grossed out? I'm grossed out to see half-naked, hairless men every damn day on OLTL -- and I'm gay! You either get over it, or you don't.

[trish672]

Even the CW has daytime whipped.

[DaytimeFan]

I'm not ducking and covering and I totally agree with you. I want Erica's conclusion to be about her, not a relationship.