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23 July 22nd, 2011 NEW DETAILS emerging on AMC’s move to the web! Will the show be seasonal?

JR and Caleb

Courtesy/ABC

There have been reports surfacing on the internet today, and one of interest here from ABC Soaps In Depth which is now reporting that as All My Children prepares to wrap production next month, it seems like Prospect Park, the production company who purchased the rights to air the show online, along with OLTL, is not quite ready to pick up where the show leaves off.

All My Children will end its 40-year-run on network television on September 23rd, and it had been rumored that Prospect Park would launch its web version on the 26th.

SID is stating from their sources that Prospect Park still hasn’t reached out to the AMC actors to negotiate new contracts. However, AMC executive producer Julie Hanan Carruthers and headwriter Lorraine Broderick have both lined up deals to continue on with the soap when it moves to the Prospect Park production model of the series.

In addition, if you recall in the ABC press release which stated from Prospect Park that they would continue to broadcast AMC and OLTL in the same format and same length, it made no mention of how often the shows would air. There are now reports from insiders that AMC may become a seasonal series — not a daily one — which would allow the cast to do other projects.

We will continue to bring you the latest on this developing story in the days and weeks to come. Now, we want to know from you… how would you feel if the saga of Pine Valley is seasonal, not on every day, and runs similar like a series like Venice does on the web?

Tags: abc soaps in depth, All My Children, julie hanan carruthers, Lorraine Broderick, Prospect Park

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Jim says:

July 22, 2011 at 1:34 pm

The idea of making soaps seasonal just like the other TV shows is a good idea to keep the costs down and to make actors feel like they’re not tied down to playing a part forever. There are so many Soap Actors who might resent the year round commitment but feel they have no choice but to do it because it’s a steady gig.

That being said, the writing has to be good enough for people to watch each season and void of the filler dreck like Echo being immobilized by silly string.

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Beth replied July 22nd, 2011 at 4:23 pm
Ditto, I agree completely with Jim

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Lynda replied July 24th, 2011 at 8:52 am
Oh how true! Echo being immobilized by silly string is the silliest thing I have ever seen on OLTL! I’m bedridden with a spinal injury and even I could have broken free from silly string! lol
Skyla says:

July 22, 2011 at 2:50 pm

Hmm… I’m not so sure how I’d like a seasonal show. That’s part of what separates soaps is that they are weekday shows that continue to flow fluidly like life, which is why you become so invested in the storylines and the character’s lives. To take away that important aspect and make it just like any other seasonal show with 20-22 episodes a year and long breaks IMO would be detrimental to both AMC & OLTL, given the fact that although the move to internet is fantastic with no cable based right to PP there will already be some viewership loss, and taking long breaks will only end up losing more viewers as well. Afterall that’s when soaps began to have the decent in viewer ratings when The OJ trial took off the soaps for so long and the ratings never quite recovered. I do hope PP will reconsider, I’m all for moving into the future and grateful for the their dedication to AMC and OLT as well as their viewers but broadcasting in “the same format and same length” should mean just that, and the format on both shows, all soaps, is five days a week a new show.

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Mary Ellen Shelton replied July 25th, 2011 at 2:43 pm
I definitely would not care for a seasonal show. I only hope there are not changes made, such as changing the storyline to where you don’t even recognize that it is the same show. Also, if they begin to lose the people who created the “character”, that also, would be devasting to ratings, which in turn could close the show permanently. The “Erika Kane” character could never have a replacement for Susan Lucci and, IF that happened, the show would go down the tubes for sure. If it stays JUST the way it is on TV, it will be okay with all of the same characters/actors/actresses, otherwise, I can see it as a “flop”.

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benbryant-soappipe says:

July 22, 2011 at 3:27 pm

I can live with it dropping to 3 or 4x a week, but I think a lot of the soaps value and the loyalty it engenders from its passionate fanbase is the fact that it’s a regular presence in someone’s home. We forgive a lot in terms of acting, storyline, and quality because we get the intimate world in return. Seasonal may be necessary, but I recommend two 4-5 month series with no more than six week breaks in-between. Even if the writing is A-game and the acting is incredible and the stories tighter with less filler and more oomph, people will find somethign else to do with their day and not come back. They do for nighttime shows because the whole nation–mainstream press, promotional advertising, and friends and neighbors come and go with the show–this will not be true on a Web series with roots as a daytime soap. Another idea may be to alternate AMC and One Life episodes with one dropping every other day and some sort of promotional programming (behind the scenes, interviews, spoilers and recaps) on Fridays, but they need to tread carefully here. If you give people a reason to leave during this transitionary period, they will.

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Barbara Mathiews says:

July 22, 2011 at 4:00 pm

I for one would not be happy if only on part of the year..want them on everyday like they have for 40 plus years….and want them on a network like soapnet so everyone can see them..not just the fans that have internet….Only about 5% of people have access to the internet…Older People in nursing homes and some parts of the country can’t even get high speed internet….so the soaps will be gone again..because not that many people will be able to see them.

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Vikki Stahl replied July 23rd, 2011 at 6:26 pm
I think it is much more than 5% have the internet, at least 70%, my mom is 75 years old and has internet and uses a computer.

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lenafreed says:

July 22, 2011 at 5:06 pm

I would rather have 15 minutes a day 5 days a week 52 weeks a year – like the soaps were back in the 1950s. The everyday format is one of the things that makes the soaps so special for me. They are always there – growing up seeing the same soap characters everyday made me feel like I knew them and could rely on them and as a latch key kid that was really important in my life. I will watch even if they become seasonal but they will lose some of their magic if that happens. It’s the form I love even more than the content.

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Kim Goodwin says:

July 22, 2011 at 5:32 pm

I think that people could become used to not watching them and they wouldn’t be as successful . I would be upset to see them go seasonal. People can handle cancellations of seasonal shows. We couldn’t handle the cancellations because they are part of our daily life of escaping. I think they should be on daily. Why would the cast want to stay in LA just for seasonal. I hope that the rumor is not true. Agnes statement did state they would remain the same as they are now, same length and no changes.

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amber wright says:

July 22, 2011 at 5:56 pm

i dont like it one bit i want to be able to watch my soap every day i also think that there needs to be a soap opera station so that evryone can watch them

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bronze says:

July 22, 2011 at 5:56 pm

not liking the seasonal mess. if they can’t do everyday, maybe twice a week…..

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Brian says:

July 22, 2011 at 8:54 pm

I would suggest filming the shows in their current hour long format, then cutting them in half and running them as 1/2 hour shows over the course of the year. It would be a win-win. Fans would have their shows year round and the actors would work for 6 months, then have 6 months to pursue other interests before returning to work for 6 more months.

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C A Stephens says:

July 22, 2011 at 9:02 pm

I hope that viewers like myself who have watched both these shows since the beginning, will be able to still be able to access them. Whoever is going to produce and present these need to remember that not everybody has access to a computer (they are older you know) and if it is something we will have to pay for, you may be limited those of us who have been loyal supporters a chance to continue enjoying our soaps!

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AMCdaily says:

July 22, 2011 at 10:01 pm

To sum it up: This would suck royally! Soap fans need at least several days a week fix not per season only!

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Mona Prager says:

July 23, 2011 at 1:30 am

I don’t like the idea of AMC becoming seasonal and hope it does not come to fruition. I’m used to watching it everyday and I don’t think other dedicated faithful fans like myself will like the idea either. That would not be the same format that was promisied by Prospect Park. It’s very important for us fans to have trust in this company. I feel personally betrayed by ABC! They are money hungry greedy mongers. If it weren’t for Brian Frons, we wouldn’t be in this awful predictament now!

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Jewell says:

July 23, 2011 at 10:58 am

They haven’t contacted actors because they are on summer break.
Prospect needs to get ready if they want to keep the actors, do they expect them to wait around? They have bills to pay just like the rest of us. I wouldn’t want to watch it once a week, but I have always said let them have the summer off and Christmas break like the prime time shows.

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Brenda Hayes says:

July 23, 2011 at 10:59 am

I am beginning that after the intial joy of the soaps going online, that it may not be as great as we thought it would be. They keep coming out with teasers that don’t sound good, and the actors/actresses haven’t even been contacted. What do you all think?

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Reddi says:

July 23, 2011 at 9:05 pm

Prospect Park has the headwriter to make this work. I think moving to a seasonal show is a good idea. The family interactions, interesting characters, and character driven stories, are the reasons people watch soaps, not the daily/year round airing.

Seasonal episodes also means the possibility of DVD sales (or whatever replaces that, such as deals with places like Netflix).

I’d prefer two to three days a week, as I’m not sure the kind of character development and character driven storytelling soaps are known for will be possible on a weekly show, especially if it’s seasonal. Still.. same town, same core families, and the strongest and best mix of characters, coupled with a great writer…and I’ll sure check it out, be it weekly or daily or a few times a week.

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Carrie Thompson says:

July 24, 2011 at 3:31 pm

EVERYDAY PLEASE NOT SEASONAL

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J Bernard Jones says:

July 25, 2011 at 2:54 pm

So, I assume that everyone who wants AMC/OLTL to continue to air daily, though streamed, is willing to pay a modest subscription fee to make that happen?

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david says:

July 25, 2011 at 7:59 pm

What’s so great about soaps is they are not seasonal. I hope that doesn’t change.

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Tad says:

July 27, 2011 at 10:37 am

I would hope it would be everyday so people can get their soap fix. Still strong storylines and intriguing characters keep the fans interested.

I hope they set up AMC for the web series while giving some kind of closure for thetv show. I envision it focussing around a wedding for Jack and Erica. It can be a big fundraiser for the children in Africa. Erica wants to do some good and that is a passion of her’s after her trip. This allows all sorts of characters from the past to attend for the AMC finale. There can even be a contest, Erica declares this is her true love and her final marriage and people across America (may be too late for this) send in their designs/dresses. Deceased characters whose actors are alive or multi actors playing a role ie Sarah Michelle Geller and Dorothy Lyman can come back as maids, servants, guests or interesting “characters”. Dr. Joe Martin can come back and read tha All My Children poem and Erica can give a speech and close the album. David has to deal with two vengeful “erica’s”. Erica gets off the stabbing charges because Robo cop Jesse didn’t get finger prints but sent her to Oak Haven right away. Erica escapes with her crazy “friends”. Jane comes back. They both confront David and get him back – taunting and seducing him before making him suffer ie. plucking out his chest hairs. Then Jesse can’t figure out who is the one who stabbed David; David can’t prove it either or he will have known that there were “two Erica’s”. And since Erica escaped from Oak Haven who is to say it wasn’t Jane who was in Oak Haven. Reasonable doubt; Liza can’t prove which Erica did it and they have a right to keep their mouths shut.

Everyone attends the wedding because it is a fundraiser even Erica’s enemies could attend. Zach and KEndal, Ryan and Greenlee, Brooke and Adam, Hailey and Mateo,, Joe and Ruth, Tad and Dixie, Bianca and Marissa, all realize their love for each other. Liza gets drunk and sleeps with David who is arrested in their moment of lust, Bobby is found from the Marin Attic, JR is drunk and passes out while talking to himself about how crazy Pine Valley is, Opal has a vision about heaven for all the characters of AMC, Angie regains her sight and is pregnant again with Jesse’s baby, caleb and crystal hook up . Add a catfight when Greenlee and Kendall show up in the same dress and we have a wedding.

However, AMC has three finales but which one is real. 1. Janet, Jane and Annie blow up everyone 2. Some of those rebels from the Jeremy days come back and perform a DYNASTY Moldavian Massacre shooting everyone 3. Jack and Erica climb a ladder into the heavens and fly away after they say their I do’s As the lights fade out, Erica says “I am Erica Kane”.

Just a thought…

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