PP: AMC & OLTL to air twice weekly

[EricMontreal22]

That would be an utterly different situation. TNT wouldn't lose huge investment dollars if they did that--including more than probably their brand new company. They also wouldn't tell their crew and everyone else that they were going back into production in August (granted this could still be cut--though I presonally think it will). TNT would also simply stop all filming, they wouldn't a week after the announcement commit to 5 more weeks of expensive filming. Etc. etc. etc....

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I don't know what the production process is in detail, but from a writing prospective, I do recall Bill Bell once saying that when it all netted out, there was actually very little difference (in terms of manual work and workload) between writing an hour-long show vs a half hour show. Yes more goes into the hour-long format, but it wasn't excessively more, or at least what I got from it.

I don't know what toll it takes on production side of things though, as we're not versed into the economics of it all.

[Sapounopera]

Aren't they supposed to be daily soaps? 5 episodes every week? We can all deal with half-hour episodes (I think it's much better this way) plus a "more" episode. When the production company makes such a radical change after three weeks, I really can't help feeling that something is wrong. Daily soaps have been produced since the 50s; is this really so hard?

I really feel that something changed for the PP people. They just decided to show 50 minutes of each show on a weekly basis. After three weeks. I guess we will all have to wait and see What if Days announced that they would show 2 half-hour episodes every Monday and Friday? What would we all say?

[EricMontreal22]

It is true that making an hour soap is 3/4 of the price of making two *seperate* 30 min soaps--which is why somany soaps were expanded to an hour at theexpense of canceling some 30 min show.

But when it's the same show, 2 30 minuteepisodes would, I am99% cost the same as one hour one--especially with the PP model where they film scenes out of order and more than one episode a day. It may take slightly less time to write because script writers would pad their episodes, but otherwsie, I don't think so.

We would say that DAYS is having trouble making deadlines and financing, so they are hoping to let the show have a longer life than it could by trying a new format. (or at least that's what I'd say...)

[Sapounopera]

I am sure TNT could come up with a lovely letter in order to explain why they had to present a new episode every six weeks.

This company decided to produce TWO daily dramas and they realised that they really can't after three weeks so it's 50 minutes every week? Are they serious? Shouldn't they respect the format the genre and the brand a little bit more?

[EricMontreal22]

I would hope their letter would be much much better! My point was they have far far far far less to lose if they lose Dallas, than PP have if they drop their shows completely.

Trying to make the shows work is more respect than I expect from my tv studios--and I think they are doing that, even if I disagree with many of the ways they;'ve done it. *shrug*

[Sapounopera]

All over the world -including here in Greece- when a network wants to cancel a daily soap in a "nice" way, they start cutting off days. When it's twice a week it's no longer the same thing. Then the stories get a little bit more boring, TPTB start focusing on characters nobody cares about and when the shows get dropped almost nobody cares. This is the vibe I get from the PP news. I could always be wrong. I am a huge Agnes Nixon fan, I love her work and I want the shows to be around mostly for her

[EricMontreal22]

The thing is, this isn't a network. It's a start up company who have a ton of money to LOSE if they give up on these shows now.

With a network, they GAIN or at least save money when they cancel a soap. THIS is the big difference--otherwise, I do see your point. But it's just not comparable because that's such a major qualifier. Those are facts--not opinion.

[Sapounopera]

I never said that they will dump the shows now. I just get the feeling that they are no longer as devoted to the project. I expect a season with even less episodes than we hear now.

[dragonflies]

Yep in primetime here they cut episodes for the season and put the show on a day when they know people won't watch. Cutting episodes in half(per week) is defintely not good.

[JackPeyton]

Actually, this is what is typically done when a network wants to keep a show but it isnt doing well/bring in the revenue needed. Or in some cases moving it to a night when "people wont watch" has more to do with what another network has on or trying to secure some viewers on that night. They cant just abandon a timeslot and the odds of a brand new show working somewhere where others wont is slim.

[rhinohide]

<3

[Cheap21]

how often does that work? What examples are there of a network chopping a show's episodes in half mid season in hopes of saving it (and that being successful)?

[JackPeyton]

I didnt say chopping it in half mid way through a season, but reducing the episode order for next season. Its not really in hopes of saving it as much as it is of bringing it back for a final season as opposed to no season. Gossip Girl, Nikita, Private Practice, One Tree Hill, Fringe. Then there are shows like True Blood and Psych now getting fewer episodes to see how that goes, but that is cable. Of course there are the 13 week first season shows that become hits - Greys, Scandal - or even dont become hits but are renewed, like Happy Endings.

Then there is the supposed moving a show to a death night slot to kill it. Fridays is usually used. Blue Bloods, Nikita, Supernatural, Grimm, Last Man Standing, Fringe are just a few shows that have proved this wrong. People complained ABC was trying to kill Greys when they moved it to thursday at 9, i forget what was on at the time at cbs but it was huge, and that wasnt the case at all - it was about putting their strongest on so a weaker show doesnt get killed there (and they are doing it again this season with SHIELD vs NCIS).

When a network wants to kill a show they usually just cancel it.

[rhinohide]

I just think the criticism of PP arises out of such a sense of entitlement. Soap fans are notorious for taking ownership of their shows, but they take none of the risks. If you don't like the shows or can't get into the format or platform, or whatever, then don't watch. But the outrage and claims of betrayal and broken promises is just plain silly. PP resurrected two dead soaps because the fans left behind by ABC's boneheaded move made them think it was a viable business proposition. ABC felt they were no longer viable. Both made business decisions. No one wants these shows to succeed more than Jeff and Rich. They are doing what they think needs to be done to help the shows succeed. Maybe they're right. Maybe not. Either way, they are all in. They've made a huge investment. And taken the risk. It's their decision. Right or wrong. This isn't Disney the multinational conglomerate. This is a couple of well connected guys who took a chance and revived something I loved that I thought was lost forever.