ABC to cancel "All My Children" and "One Life to Live"

[datjacob]

I just showed my mom the link that you posted and she was destroyed. She recently retired and was set on living out her days watching erica kane and now she's depressed.

 

[HunterM]

And the Kardashians are still on the airwave

 

[Sgt Pepper]

And the Kardashians are still on the airwave

Well however you feel about the Kardashians, their show brings in the ratings. It's about ratings, not quality. Daytime dramas have seen massive ratings erosion ever since the mid 90's and it's only gotten worse in the past decade.

Plus I'd argue that the current state of All My Children was no better or classier than the Kardashian show.

 

[roadtripboy]

The main reason is not ratings.

The Kardashians is cheap to produce. Soaps are expensive.

The Kardashians is non-union. Soaps are union crewed.

 

[IowaGuy]

I'm sure ABC will fill in with some mindless crap - another reality show. I won't be watching.

 

[HunterM]

Yes it will be replaced by a new talk show...hosted by Paris Hilton

 

[guyfromNY]

They say that the soaps never recovered from the OJ trial. They were pre-empted for weeks on end and many long time viewers just never went back. To be completely honest though, I never forgave them after the cruel way that they just fired Kyle and Fish. There was no reason that they couldn't stay on the show.

 

[EvilTwinTwo]

I watched "All My Children" when I was in middle school. Never watched another soap opera again after that. What was I thinking, lol.

 

[ronboy]

Soap operas being cancelled has existed throughout television history.

For every popular soap, there were several other less than popular shows that hit the dust...Just in the last 40 years alone (which is the timeframe I pick which the majority of Jubbers woiuld be familiar with, many of the popular shows that have come and gone include ...

Dark Shadows ABC 1966-1971 (and still living on in DVDs)
The Secret Storm CBS 1951-1974
Love is a Many Splendored Thing CBS 1967-1973
Another World NBC 1964-1999
Ryan's Hope ABC 1975- 1989
Loving ABC 1983-1995
Santa Barbara NBC 1984-1993
The Edge of Night CBS 1956-1975 and ABC 1975-1984
Search for Tomorrow CBS 1951-1982 and NBC 1982-1986
As The World Turns CBS 1956-2010
The Guiding Light NBC Radio (1937-1948 ) CBS Radio (1948-1956) CBS TV (1952-2009)

And for each of those, in the same timeframe there were others that didn't last as long.....
Where the Heart is CBS 1969-1973 (notable for James Mitchell of AMC)
A World Apart ABC 1970-1971 (notable for Susan Sarandon as its star)
The Best of Everything ABC early 1970s
Bright Promise NBC 1969-1972 (notable for Dana Andrews anbd Tony Geary)
Return To Peyton Place NBC early 1970's
Somerset NBC 1970-1976 (Spin-off of Another World)
How To Survive a Marriage/Lovers and Friends NBC 1970s
Capitol CBS 1982-1987
The City ABC 1995-1997 (spin off of Loving)
Sunset Beach NBC 1997-1999

But it always hurts a little more when it's a beloved show...

I feel the pain of AMC and OLTL fans, because I was there for the past two years with GL and ATWT.

I guess we just have to cherish and watch what's left.....

"The Young and the Restless"
"Days of Our Lives"
"The Bold and the Beautiful"
and "General Hospital" (which, since the cancellation of ATWT, has been the longest running soap)


RIP AMC and OLTL.....people will miss Erica Kane, Dorian, Vicki, and the Buchanans.....

 

[Davelandia]

I'm actually really shocked, and sad to have read this. I grew up on both of these shows - and I've watched both faithfully. No matter what kind of crazy shit was going on in my life, I could watch these two shows and my life seemed tame in comparison. One Life - I remember when the whole Billy Douglas storyline was at the meltdown point and I was running back to NY from Florida - I actually bought a portable TV and pulled off the road in the car to watch the episode that day cause I couldn't miss it (gawd - how young Ryan Phillippe was then).

Both of these shows brought relevant topics and storylines into the social consciousness that primetime wouldn't touch. ABC is fooling itself if they think their viewers are really interested in what they are planning to replace it with.

These two shows were a reason for watching ABC - the rest of their programming is dime a dozen.

Shame. I certainly don't have a reason to watch ABC once these shows are over. I sure hope another network picks them up, but realize its unlikely.

 

[MisterMajestic]

A Sad day in the World of Soap.....Last week Talk Show Host Wendy Williams asked Susan Lucci if it was true that "AMC" was getting "the boot" and Susan claimed it was just a rumor.....Wendy's "Rumor sources" did their homework...


....."AMC" moved the show to a cheaper setting, Cut Salaries and they're still calling it quits....So its obvious the 3 Newtorks will hold on to their Highest rated Soaps until they lose ground.....

 

[Bored]

I just hope V gets renewed. I'm going to be really upset if it gets canceled because the shows I end up liking keep getting canceled.

 

[willsboy84]

I just showed my mom the link that you posted and she was destroyed. She recently retired and was set on living out her days watching erica kane and now she's depressed.

Maaan...my moms is in the same spot, and I'm actually dreadiing telling her. What pisses me off is that I think there still is more than decent fan-base for the shows, but the networks are all about that $$$...not that I can exactly blame them, but it sux. Actuallly haven't watch AMC in years anyway, but OLTL's my shit!!!

 

[jaysizzles]

I'm pretty disappointed that OLTL will be canceled. It's my guilty pleasure during mid afternoon while working (I wonder if any clients have noticed I don't answer the phone between 2 & 3? ) It's better than many evening programs. GH doesn't do it for me. I guess come Jan 2012 I'll be more productive in the afternoon...

 

[Joshua_me]

Also, the key word to remember here is, "youth".

Demographics have shown that the average soap opera viewer is 57 years old.

Soap operas exist, as they always have, to sell products. The show itself is secondary. And, according to the "brain trusts" at the networks, once you pass the age of 49 you really don't matter anymore - simply because you don't have that many years of buying power left.

(This is of course nonsense, since many people in their 50's and above have lots more disposable income than their younger counterparts. But, don't trouble them with the facts.)

It's people in their teens, 20's and 30's that the networks covet, and you can see that in their programing. Everyone must be 20-something, skinny and good looking.

Even though they weren't daytime soaps, great shows like "All in the Family" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" would have never made it to the air today, since their casts were made up primarily of middle aged, "normal" looking people.

Sad when you think about it.

 

[Ninja108]

Rumors are swirling that General Hospital could also be on the chopping block soon.

 

[MisterMajestic]

So I guess this year will be "The Prime-Time-Daytime Emmy's Soap-category" Swan-song? There's no way Dick Clark Productions will keep the "soap acting Nominations" in the yearly awards ceremony with ONLY 4-soaps on the air...

Who would've thunk REALITY-TV would DOMINATE Prime-time & Daytime? What a sad way for TV to turn to TRASH because it's CHEAPER to produce...

 

[maxpowr9]

They say that the soaps never recovered from the OJ trial. They were pre-empted for weeks on end and many long time viewers just never went back.

I disagree personally. Most people will actually blame the second women's rights movement in the 60s for the decline in soap viewership. As more and more women (key demographic of soaps) entered the workforce, there are less women to watch TV around lunch hours (typical soap time) since they are working. It took a generation for the full effect to happen, which would conveniently happen around the early 90s, the same time as OJ. You would be hard pressed to find a woman in her 20s or even her 30s not working now. Reckon with the advent of cable 2.0, my mom can work now and come home and watch her Young and Restless at 7pm on soapnet. Oh that Victor.

Joshua_Me's points resonate with what I'm trying to say also.

Yes, reality TV is much cheaper to produce also, but most of it is still garbage.

 

[Ninja108]

Like Max said, with more and more women in the workforce,the main target audience for soap operas is gone.
As for reality tv, one of the main reasons I don't watch TV as much anymore..and I'm better off for it

 

[MisterMajestic]

2011 DayTime Emmy's announced last week....



"All My Children's" Debbie Morgan received her 3rd and Final Daytime Emmy Nomination for Leading Actress for her role as "Dr. Angie Hubard"...

Debbie won a "Best Supporting Emmy" years ago, but she has yet to snag "Best Actress"....Soap-Critics say Debbie submitted an Awesome "Performance Reel" and her biggest competition for the-win is "Y & R's" Michele Stafford, another Amazing Actress and Best Actress Emmy winner...

Unfortunately AMC's Queen Susan Lucci did not get a Nomination. I don't think that was a Surprise...

AMC did get a Emmy Nod for Best Soap...