AMC and OLTL Canceled!

[CCCapwell]

I'm amazed at the range of views about the fan response. Some are upset there wasn't any of this when the P&G soaps got cancelled, and others are saying nothing should be done. The notion that the fringe "nuts" will make soap fans look bad is outrageous, the networks, advertisers and even Oprah knows better not to lump a few "nuts" into a larger group (that only happens on internet message boards).

Will any of this save AMC and OLTL, probably not, although it does prove that the soap opera genre is not dead, a dying genre would not have this level of vast audiences pissed off. It shows that viewers are passionate and love the daytime drama, it SHOULD be a wake-up call to CBS, NBC, and even ABC that unlike what that idiot Frons says, there is a huge potential audience for soaps. We constantly write lists of what soaps have done wrong, and many are accurate, and many of the reasons are why soap ratings are not higher and if the existing soaps simply took action they could easily increase their audiences. There are still smart and savvy execs in Hollywood, if with all of this outrage we can get just a few to start asking some simple questions then I see hope for the genre. 1) why are the ratings so low IF there is this HUGE outcry? and the # 1 answer to that is the failed Nielsen ratings which do a horrible job in accurately measure daytime soap audiences. I welcome the outrage as it shows there is life in the soap genre's audiences, who are still passionate about their stories. Like I said, this won't necessarily save our AMC and OLTL, although if anyone important in Hollywood is paying attention it does show one shouldn't write off the soap genre just yet, a dying genre simply does not have the vast outrage that exist with the AMC and OLTL cancellations, its a sign of life for the genre. So thats why I welcome all of it.

[Kylie]

+100

[All My Shadows]

Breaking out of retirement for a quick second.

Okay, you need fall off that high horse and read my post again to see that I specifically said "Not for cancelling the shows." I know you're just *loving* this opportunity to be condescending and so trendily blasé, but please, stop acting as if Brian Frons, of all people, is an innocent bystander in this who has no absolutely no hand at all in ruining these shows for nine years. Please. Don't even.

You may think it's cool and sophisticated to hug ol' Frons, but please, don't jump stupid with those of us who choose not to give a pass to the man who's spent close to a decade carelessly running ABC Daytime into the ground. I don't think Frons is the devil. I don't know him personally; I can't speak for that. I know that he's rarely passed up the opportunity to publicly spew bullsh!t ("She's not beautiful. She's overweight" / "Our lesbians are cuter."), and if I want to judge him based on that, I'm going to. I guess that means I'm crazy.

I know I'm not supposed to actually care about these characters and actors that I usually enjoy watching, but you have to forgive me for thinking it's totally f!cked up that someone let Kriezman and Swajeski go ahead with a story that couldn't possibly be sufficiently wrapped up in three or four months. I mean...yes, I know I'm supposed to understand that it is extremely imperative that that food program gets on the air in September, and that anything that stands in its way must be knocked out to make room for its arrival, to hell with giving these characters and this show a proper finale. I know that's what I'm supposed to think, but I just...can't, I guess. And so that must mean I'm crazy.

I know I'm not supposed to care that sh!tty head writer after sh!tty head writer was allowed to screw up my favorite show under Frons's watch. I know I'm supposed to understand how hard it was for Frons to find a good writer, because heaven knows he loves and understands AMC just as much as well do, so of course he only wanted what was best for it and was just stuck with the likes of McT, B&E, Pratt, and S&K. I mean that's why he's always felt the need to have so much control over the show's stories, right? I mean...I know I'm supposed to feel that way, but I can't, and I don't know why. Must be because I'm absolutely bonkers.

Please.

Let's not act like Brian Frons is just a po' victim o' circumstance.

[marceline]

But see, I don't think the outrage really is all that "huge" or "vast." It looks that way from here inside the bubble of the online soap community but it really isn't all that big an outcry. It's loud and crazy but not all that huge.

[Ann_SS]

And it goes on...

[Llantano Incorporated]

Well I am a little bonkers because the idea that AMC and OLTL are cancelled hits me every so often in a way that reminds me of the same feeling that you get when someone you love has died. Sometimes it hits you like you are just learning it for the first time. Part of mourning I guess. And I am definitely bonkers that this actually can make me tear up like a little schoolgirl.

[DRW50]

I don't think it's this monumental outcry but the very clumsy damage control from ABC tells me it's pretty heavy - otherwise they would just ignore it.

I do think people will get over this after some initial anger. That's why I can't say that it's this outrageousness going too far, not yet at least. I've seen much worse with other fandoms, and with soaps over the years.

[All My Shadows]

Yep. It sure does.

[DeeeDee]

Despite their ratings the Bell Soaps are happily using the ABC Daytime Plan For Soap Cancellation & NBC's lone soap is basically done in the next year or two.

[Marco Dane]

Instead of Susan Lucci how about Erika Slesak come to Wisteria Lane for a visit

[marceline]

The strength and/or size of the outcry and the incompetence of ABC are two separate things. And the incompetence of the PR is just the natural extension of the mismanagement that destroyed these shows to begin with. They haven't turned stupid from the pressure. They've always been this stupid.

That said, I don't have a problem with people gunning for ABC. Revenge is a dish best served cold and all that and I do think that when this is over Frons will lose his job. I think they make him the fall guy for this and put another bureaucrat in his place. And when he's gone I'll be popping champagne corks with everyone else.

But the Oprah thing is crazy. Not just crazy: weapons-grade, "don't make me sedate your ass" crazy. She told TV Guide she wasn't interested and people kept pushing. She makes this very reasonable video and people grab their pitchforks. It's ridiculous. Especially when most of the people on OWN's FB page are thanking her for NOT bringing soaps to her network.

[All My Shadows]

But...but...but you must be crazy!

[DRW50]

I guess for me the key was Barbara Walters going on The View to play a violin for Frons. She looked very weak doing that (IMO) and I don't think she would have put herself in that position unless ABC felt it was very necessary. Then you have the rumors of Frons being fired, which also seem like some type of damage control (even if he isn't actually fired, they may want people to assume he was by reading the report in the Post).

I agree that it's not fair to attack Oprah. I think it's asinine to suggest boycotting her. I just see that as lashing out and I think a lot of people who got too upset will probably regret it within a few days.

[Khan]

Tell that to the man wearing a t-shirt w/ images of Dr. King, Obama and Jesse and Angie on it.

[ReddFoxx]

Passions proved that trying to revive a soap in a medium where it will get less ratings is an exercise in futility. The networks reach almost everyone and the ratings are low with the base viewers. With a lot of base viewers cut off, ratings would be even lower. The over-obsessed folks just do not grasp that reality.