ABC: ‘All My Children’: Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos Developing Primetime Version

[~bl~]

They should have waited to announce the possibility of more AMC to when they were casting. A pilot script is not news though perhaps they wanted to show viability by this idea going viral and that failed.

[Michael]

But every single pilot script that the big networks order gets published in the trades. Especially when they're based on known properties. It's as much news for the public as it is news for the industry.

I'm not even trying to defend... ABC or Kelly Ripa or anyone, but it's the way things tend to work.

[Vee]

Still looking for that pilot script, BTW.

[Khan]

I can't recall the last time ABC had a show that was "must-see" for me.  I mean, "black-ish" is excellent, but it isn't something I wait with anticipation to see each week.

They probably liked the script, but worried whether the show would appeal to anyone outside of the general, soap-viewing audience.

If ABC is serious about bringing back AMC, then they need to stream new episodes on Hulu (or some other streaming service) and leave it at that.

Edited January 13, 2022 by Khan

[Vee]

I think it just probably wasn't good enough. And I wasn't enthused about the premise, which I suspected would be reductive and as crass and ADHD as most modern primetime network-based soaps today. I may be wrong, who knows. I'd still like to see the script.

For me, I still think the future of these brands (if they have one) is on streaming. But we'll see if that ever happens, now or later.

[Khan]

That was my feeling as well.  As described, it just didn't sound like AMC to me.  I'd much rather see them take the "Dark Shadows" route and go back to the very beginning, with the Tara/Phil/Chuck story.

[Jonathan]

I'm hopeful. Andrew Stearn had other studio offers but chose ABC because of the opportunity to reboot All My Children. Whether the opportunity will lead to something tangible, remains to be seen. But he seems passionate to make this happen. And only a diehard, respectful fan of the show's history would go out of his way to enlist the help of Agnes's son. He didn't have to do that, but he did. 

[Errol]

 

Soap news gets clicks. Mainstream press is getting wise to it which is why the publicists are sending major news stories to them instead of the publications that have supported them for years. While the mainstream press may report the news, the readers of the content don't stick with them...they stick with SON (this place, not that other one), Daytime Confidential, SOD, etc. Same audience. Different outlets.

Lastly, online entertainment sites have always existed for the clicks as their first priority. Even the supposed serious news outlets have become clickbait. It's all about the dollars, which I totally get.

As for the reboot, let's not forget that COVID put a damper on development during the 2020-2021 television season. Many shows put in development around that time are only now getting looked at as possible opportunities for 2022-2023 since many of the shows looked at for fall 2020 got sidetracked to 2021-2022 (if that) as a result of not being able to shoot a pilot during the early part of the pandemic.

[te.]

I don't think it's impossible that ABC is actively looking for a female-appealing prime time soap as such - I mean, Promised Land seemed like such an odd outlier to order when they actually had hyped pilots like Triage, National Parks and Epic. I wouldn't completely rule out them taking their time to look at the Pine Valley script with the co-vid chaos of the last two years.

[DemetriKane]

Watching Scream 5 proves to me a darker AMC/Pine Valley could work. Tbh, I wanted the show to be more darker ( Not Megan Rape and dead babies though) and serious it’s last decade while they reinvented themselves. 

Edited January 14, 2022 by DemetriKane

[Khan]

I dunno, I just feel like a "darker" AMC would be antithetical to Agnes Nixon's original vision for her creation.  She always envisioned her shows having a pronounced sense of humor.

[DemetriKane]

I believe the show could still have its sense of humor. Its many different types of comedy so that would be no problem imo. I just think the show overall would have benefited from a more serious tone sometimes. I think maybe upping the gothic/hitchcockian feel to the show probably is the best way to flip the tone naturally. At times(for me), the show could be too light hearted that it lacks the “tune in tomorrow” nature most soaps need to survive imo. 

Edited January 14, 2022 by DemetriKane

[John]

IF this show happens, it should air on HULU

[janea4old]

And Agnes Nixon's stories had heart.  I don't mind a serious tone and some intensity, but I don't want dark. I want heart.  Heart is the heart of soaps.

[Khan]

Same.