
Courtesy/ABC
While ABC Daytime is all but destroyed from its former self, with the influx of The Chew, and The Revolution, and the status of General Hospital now consistently on the chopping block, the primetime division of ABC apparently sees a resurgence in bringing back soapy drama to the nighttime! Quite the paradox!
According to Deadline.com, ABC has greenlighted two new series pilots that will be at its core … a soap opera. First, Americana, a soap set around a legendary fashion designer and his family and business. Can you say, The Bold and the Beautiful, people with a twist? It was written by Michael Seitzman (North Country) who will executive produce with Mark Gordon and Mark Gordon Co.’s Nicholas Pepper.
The second is called Nashville from Oscar-winning writer Callie Khouri (Thelma & Louise) and TV producer/documentary filmmaker RJ Cutler which is said to be a family soap set against the backdrop of the Nashville music scene that follows one star at her peak and one on the rise. The two will executive produce with Nashville-based Gaylord Entertainment, which is being represented by SVP of Media and Entertainment Steve Buchanan. This marks Khouri’s return to ABC where she wrote, directed and executive produced the 2006 pilot Hollis & Rae.
The ABC network is expected to greenlight more drama pilots on Monday. So what do you think about ABC primetime trying to bring more soaps to its lineup, while ABC Daytime keeps aborting them? Do you like the themes in Americana and Nashville? Who would you cast in the lead roles? Let us know!