SoapOpera-related stories
Posted Nov 8th 2009 10:30AM by John Scott Lewinski
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Reality-Free, British TV
Think of the most popular American daytime soap. Then, multiply that by a factor of 10. That's the ongoing craze known as the BBC's immortal
EastEnders. Premiering in 1985, the working-class melodrama remains one of the U.K.'s highest-rated series.
Now,
EastEnders is set to kick off its own web spinoff series next year. According to a Beeb press release, the online BBC Vision Multiplatform commissioned
EastEnders: E20 to go live in January, 2010.
In addition to taking advantage of TV's online evolution, the web series will help to celebrated the
EastEnders 25th anniversary.
Now, the question is if anyone in Hollywood can catch on to moves like these and adapt more successful U.S. shows into big name web series. Shows like
24 tried brief web dalliances, but nothing this ambitious has yet to take flight from American networks.
Continue reading BBC's legendary EastEnders soap goes online
Posted Oct 13th 2009 7:26AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, Awards, Emmys, Reality-Free
Before
Dallas and
Dynasty and
Falcon Crest and
Knots Landings captured the imaginations of American viewers, there was a British soap import that was even more compelling.
From 1971-75, PBS aired the British upper crust soap Upstairs Downstairs. And now
Upstairs Downstairs is going to be remade. It'll be filmed and shown in England first before coming to America in 2011.
What made
Upstairs Downstairs classic television – it won Emmys, BAFTAs and Golden Globes – was the way it depicted of the British class system. Upstairs you had the rich, privileged Bellamy family. Downstairs there were the servants who worked for them. The lives of all these characters intertwined in a well-written, brilliantly acted drama series.
Continue reading They're remaking Upstairs Downstairs
Posted Oct 1st 2009 2:43PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, Celebrities, Casting, Reality-Free
In the biggest casting shocker since Elizabeth Taylor appeared on
General Hospital as Helena Cassadine, movie star
James Franco is joining General Hospital for a couple of months as a mystery man who comes to Port Charles. Although not confirmed by the show, it's likely that Franco will be playing Vlad Cassadine, another member of that evil family that vexes the citizens of Port Chuck. His first airdate is November 20.
Why would Franco, who's busy with movies and has appeared in
Spider-Man,
The Pineapple Express,
Milk and other hits, take a role on a daytime soap? There's no word from the actor yet, but it could be that they threw a lot of money at him. There's also the possibility that he's a soap opera fan and thought it would be a lark. Ummm, I'm thinking it's more likely the former.
Continue reading Movie star James Franco checking into General Hospital...for two months
Posted Sep 23rd 2009 10:02PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, Reality-Free, Glee
(S01E04) Lies, lies and damn lies. There are plenty of them on
Glee in between the musical numbers, but in a truly fine episode like this one, at least one major truth emerges and that's what you take away from the show. Still, it's that darn song I'm humming and one more reason
Glee keeps me coming back.
By the way, before we go on, how great is it that
Glee has been renewed for a full season? Way to go, Fox! Yes, maybe it was a given that this show would be given a chance, but there are no sure things, and I think the network deserves a thumbs up when they take a chance. Anyway, more on tonight's show and all the plot developments after the jump.
Continue reading Glee: Preggers
Posted Apr 1st 2009 3:27PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Daytime, Cancellations, Reality-Free
The die was cast today.
CBS canceled Guiding Light, the longest running TV program still on the air. The soap opera will cease broadcasting on Friday, September 18, 2009.
As I wrote the other day, the prospects looked grim for
Guiding Light, and apparently my idea of letting the show continue until it reached its 75th anniversary (three years from now) was only popular with fans. I heard from many the past couple of days. They, like me, are sorry to see
Guiding Light come to an end.
Continue reading It's official: Guiding Light is canceled
Posted Dec 6th 2008 1:37PM by Danny Gallagher
Filed under: Industry, Daytime, Reality-Free
You would think that with higher unemployment and more people spending more time at home during business hours that networks would be throwing money at their daytime TV divisions. (insert ominous organ music that implies trouble is ahead here)
You would be wrong. Networks are starting to scale back on their daytime soaps including some stars' salaries, according to
USA Today.
ABC has been doing the most axe-chopping to their daytime lineup. Long running favorites like
General Hospital and
One Life to Live have been ordered to make some serious cutbacks and
All My Children stars Susan Lucci, Michael E. Knight and Ray MacDonnell are seeing paychecks with George Costanza-like shrinkage.
Continue reading Could the networks drop the soaps?
Posted Nov 21st 2008 3:07PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Daytime, Celebrities, Reality-Free
Just a couple of weeks ago, all was fine and dandy in
Days of Our Lives-world. Or so it seemed. The big fan shindig at Universal in Hollywood seemed to signal that the status quo was holding that the lone NBC soap still in production would be able to use the 18-month renewal granted by NBC to climb in the ratings and return to past glory. Now comes the shocking news that NBC
has fired Days of Our Lives' two biggest stars, Deidre Hall (Marlena) and Drake Hogestyn (John)
. By the way, Deidre and Drake were at the fanfest. You think they knew the pink slips were on the way? Um, no.
This is all about money, folks, and instead of seeking other ways to trim costs, Executive Producer Ken Corday and company have used a hatchet and chopped off the top salaries. Don't be shocked to hear that more is coming. That could be Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso -- Bo and Hope -- the other iconic romantic couple on the show, right after Marlena and John.
Continue reading Days of Our Lives shake-up: It's all about money
Posted Aug 26th 2008 11:03AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, Daytime, Reality-Free
Everyone thinks they can write. No, really. If you talk to anyone who likes TV and movies, invariably you'll hear that they have a great story. Well, some do and some don't. In the soap business, just about every kind of story has been told.
A show like
Passions, which has recently come to an end, told wild tales about witches and sorcery and dwarfs and demons.
General Hospital has been firmly set in plots about mobsters in the manner of
The Godfather, with Sonny Corinthos a latter day Michael Corleone.
As the World Turns, currently in its 52nd year, is rooted in traditional love stories and family conflicts, although you have to give them props for
Luke and Noah, a frontline gay romance which is definitely a 21st century development.
Continue reading TV Squad Soap Report: Have I got a story for you...
Posted Aug 12th 2008 3:00PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Daytime, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free
There was no surprise when
SoapNet announced that it would be broadcasting another season of the late night spinoff of
General Hospital Night Shift. The premiere season was a ratings blockbuster for the cable channel, a big hit with fans and well-received by the critics.
What was surprising was news that a new head writer, Sri Rao, would be taking over from Bob Guza, Jr., and that two major players from
GH's history -- Tristan Rogers and Antonio Sabato, Jr. -- would be starring in this go-round.
I enjoyed
Night Shift, year one, so I was inclined to check it out. I'm thrilled to report that after three episodes, I'm loving
Night Shift 2008! Here's five reasons why:
Continue reading TV Squad Soap Report: Why I'm loving SOAPNet's Night Shift
Posted May 8th 2008 11:06AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, Daytime, Obituaries, Reality-Free
There are many, many good actors and actresses in daytime. Some shine brighter than others simply because they are so supremely talented that they raise the level of the drama they are creating. There are two women I'm writing about now. They are both daytime actresses of the highest order. One celebrated her birthday yesterday, May 7th. She's
One Life to Live's inimitable Dorian Cramer, actress Robin Strasser. The other, I'm sad to report, passed away last weekend. The incomparable
Beverlee McKinsey was famous for two characters: Iris Carrington on
Another World and Alexandra Spaulding on
Guiding Light. Ms. McKinsey, who'd retired from daytime -- and acting overall -- in 1992 (except for a brief cameo on
General Hospital) died on Friday evening from kidney failure after undergoing a transplant.
I remember vividly watching
Another World when Beverlee McKinsey was front and center. She was a dynamic actress, a real scene stealer. She commanded your attention as the spoiled, grown daughter of millionaire scion MacKenzie Cory, Iris, on
Another World. Her voice saying, "Daddy," is embedded in my memory.
Continue reading TV Squad Soap Report: Two of daytime's all-time best
Posted May 4th 2008 9:21AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Daytime, Casting, Reality-Free
Is that Carlo Hesser I spy? It looks a lot like Hawk from
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century? Actually, it's both, and his name Thom Christopher. The veteran character actor, who most recently was Colonel Dax on
Guiding Light, is coming back to the soap that he's best known for,
One Life to Live. In 1992, he won a Daytime Emmy for this role.
Soap Opera Digest reports that Thom's will resume the role of Carlo Hesser, evil-doer extraordinare, on June 27.
Christopher's comeback comes on the heels of the major announcement, that is the
return of Andrea Evans as Tina Lord Roberts after a nearly two decade absence. And
One Life isn't done with the splashy returns. Susan Haskell, another former Emmy-winner (for her role as Marty Saybrooke), is also finding her way to Llanview. Never mind that her character plunged off a cliff in a van last year (when Christina Chambers played the part). You'll see, she was thrown from the vehicle and survived somehow. Trust me. Like sci-fi, soap opera deaths are not as final as you think.
Continue reading Another fave returns to One Life to Live
Posted Apr 18th 2008 9:21AM by Erin Martell
Filed under: Daytime, Celebrities, Casting, Reality-Free
I always imagined that being a Hilton is like living in a soap opera--wealth, scandal, and the occasional arrest. Apparently real life isn't dramatic enough for one member of the Hilton clan. Paris' mother, Kathy Hilton, will appear on The Young and the Restless as herself. The episode, which will air on May 13, was filmed on Wednesday.
Hilton's fictional self will ruffle some feathers in her Y&R cameo by taking over a magazine photo shoot. I'm not sure where that falls on a soap opera's bad behavior scale, but I'm sure that such workplace antics will at least earn Kathy a few dirty looks. The Hiltons have had plenty of TV exposure over the last month. Paris just did a cameo on a recent episode of My Name is Earl. Barron Hilton, Paris' brother, became a gossip show regular following his DUI arrest.
Continue reading Kathy Hilton to guest star on The Young and the Restless
Posted Apr 3rd 2008 1:01PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, Daytime, Reality-Free
On February 29, 2008,
a new era began for Guiding Light. Daytime television's longest running serial drama -- 71 years old this year -- burst out of the confines of a New York studio to begin shooting on location and on the fly in makeshift, portable sets and real places. The idea on paper was not only exciting, it seemed revolutionary. If they succeeded,
Guiding Light could truly be a "guiding light" to the rest of the soap industry.
Continue reading TV Squad Soap Report: The new Guiding Light is not working
Posted Apr 1st 2008 10:20AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Industry, Daytime, Cancellations
Usually when you talk about death on soap operas, you have to know that like science fiction, death doesn't mean the end of the story. After all, many characters have come back from the dead thanks to mistaken identity, bizarre abductions, switched coffins, et. al. But when I tell you now that the NBC soap opera
Passions is dead, I really mean it. Really.
There is no chance that Passions is coming back to NBC. The soap was yanked from the daytime lineup last year, but in a deal with DirecTV,
Passions has remained in production. The satellite provider has been showing episodes of the bizarrely-plotted show for months. However, in a recent development, DirecTV has decided to pull the plug. Universal Media Studios, which produces the one-hours, has been trying to find a new place on the dial for
Passions without any luck.
Continue reading Passions is dead...for real this time
Posted Feb 17th 2008 10:24AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Daytime, Ratings, Emmys
CBS's daytime drama
Guiding Light celebrated its 71st year on the air on January 25. First, on radio, then and now on television, this grand old soap opera has never stopped telling its stories, making broadcast history. Production goes on, but starting February 29, 2008, viewers will be seeing
Guiding Light in a brand new light. Led by innovative Executive Producer Ellen Wheeler,
Guiding Light it busting out of the studio to starting filming in a more realistic,
cinema verite style. "Soap operas have been shot, by and large, the same way since the 1950's, the same way
I Love Lucy was shot - with pedestal cameras, in just a few interior sets," said Ms. Wheeler
recently. According to her, the "[it's] old-fashioned, and it isn't working anymore."
Continue reading Guiding Light is getting a new look
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