But here's the best bit, they're replacing it with two new talk shows. Yes, yet more talk shows. Because the world really needs more of those. Even the creator of one of the shows is upset about it, as he doesn't want to be responsible for the thousands of people his show is putting out of work, not to mention the damage his show's going to have on the already-lifeless New York television scene.
Even worse is how All My Children and One Life To Live's staff found out about the move. The staff discovered via pre-recorded (and edited) video message about their "great new, authentic" programming, even having Frons LAUGH during the interview.
What is the "great, new, authentic programming they speak of?
One is a cooking show called "The Chew", and the other is a weight-loss show called "The Revolution". Seriously?
CBC posted about it, and I sent in a sort of eulogy for these dear, maligned friends.
Read the article here.
And my response below:
These shows were at one time groundbreaking. They told stories about modern society in a way prime time wouldn't dare touch with a 20ft pole. One Life To Live was able to tell honest stories about race relations in the late 60s with a touch no one at the time would even think about. All My Children tackled abortion, homosexuality, HIV/AIDS and the Vietnam War at a time when prime-time would have still blushed to refer to these topics euphemistically.
What has been done to these shows in the last 15 years has been nothing short of slow poisoning. Over-the-top, terrible plot-based stories that make no sense about young characters disconnected from their rich family histories. Almost all characters of colour having been wiped off both shows, and most embarrassingly of all, the swift, callous firing of One Life To Live's groundbreaking gay couple last year. I blame the network's micromanagement, the writers and producers' desperation to keep up with Days of our Lives and Passions' outlandish, over-the-top camp, and the constant misogyny I see onscreen (particularly on the ABC soaps). At some point, someone up there forgot that women (who are the target demographic for these shows) don't want to be patronized, and belittled. That's when I tuned out.
EastEnders and Coronation Street are in absolutely no trouble at all in the ratings and it's because they haven't forgotten how to write character-based stories about generations of families and their conflicts, as well as making sure that there are strong female characters to appeal to the women watching at home.
Honestly, I see these shows being canceled as a great shame, as they have been a constant on our screens for many generations. But it's definitely a mercy killing after years of rotten writing and insulting viewers.
PS: Love the fact some dim bulb disliked my comment, yet mysteriously no rebuttal. As if you have anything to possibly counter with. The number of "oh well, doesn't affect me" comments are hilarious as well. It begs the obvious question: WHY ARE YOU POSTING IN AN ARTICLE YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THEN?!?!"
But I digress. Onto other things...
