All My Children/One Life To Live online (cast info, discussion, etc) — Page 10

I obviously am always going to give AMC the benefit of the doubt--but this is the first "week" (if two episodes can mean a week) where I feel like the reboot has come into its own. I'm relieved the hard to watch Cassandra stories are over, and sorta like the twist with Jesse being under Yuri's control (if, after all the lies Jesse has told Angie this doesn't do something to their marriage, I'll be disappointed, though they obviously would be the end game.)

And the older cast seems to be better integrated (even the doctor-with-zero-bedside-manner new character who is obviously going to get involved with Dixie. Far better written anyway than the current Gen Hospital rebooted John character who has to be the most obnoxious doctor of all time--all pouts and pony tail and instant cancer diagnoses.)

I started watching regularly just as Dimitri and his gothic storyline was starting (Natalie is held in a well by her sister disguised as her! He finds her! He has a Rebecca-esque housekeeper! She's keeping his comatose wife, her daughter in the attic! etc etc.) I know Michael Nader had a lot of issues with drugs, and I admit his yellow teeth stand out to me, but it feels a lot like the vintage show to me with him back on it--and I love him and Brooke working at the TV station--even Celia is more interesting with obviously some connection to him. As well as Billy Clyde finally able to go into his desire to emulate Palmer.

With the Susan announcement, I'm pretty excited. This union business better be remedied.

The first 40 episodes of 'All My Children' and 'One Life to Live' will air on OWN for a 10 week engagement beginning July 15.


'All My Children' & 'One Life to Live' to Premiere on OWN July 15 for 10 Week Run

I need to uncloud my head, Eric. First - aren't the soaps on hiatus from hulu right now, only showing "more AMC?"

Second - when OWN says the first 40 episodes, does that include what they have shown on hulu so far?

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I was surprised, and thrilled to see Kendall on this week's episodes.

At first I thought One Life had a leg up on AMC in terms of reboots--but One Life's stories have been dragging for me, despite great character work, whereas recently AMC seems to be going full power ahead--I admit making Brooke more relevant and adding Dimitri helped immensely.

Jennifer Peperman, One Life's Exec Producer seems to realize that in her explanation for the change in headwriters.

Ginger Smith, AMC's exec producer did a web interview last night which completely won me over (after having AMC be produced by JHC, a woman who had zero love for the show or vision, for a decade, it's brilliant to see the new exec producer gets it completely.) She spoke about the changes they are making to the show, Lucci and other missing cast members and incorporating them, and working so closely with Agnes Nixon.

The interview is partially transcribed here (it has no major spoilers) and there is a link to hear it all (the interviewer is very annoying so skip ahead ten minutes--also at the end most of the call in questions are from confused fans who want to see overplayed fan favorites like Ryan--just a warning.) It sounds like the shows are in very good shape, especially with the OWN channel pick up.

http://michaelfairmansoaps.com/news/all-my-childrens-ep-ginger-smith-on-new-head-writers-five-year-story-time-jump-michael-e-knight/2013/07/12/

The teeth are AWFUL--I feel bad even saying it. In his most recent batch of episodes I've noticed them less, so maybe he has had them partially dealt with (in the long interview, Ginger Smith talks about how hard it was to even track him down, so I think he's kept as much out of the spotlight as possible after all the drug issues.) I admit though, I became an AMC fan, and a soap fan, just when Wildwind on AMC was happening, and he had saved Natalie from the well (and then that whole Bronte story with his wife in the attic, etc) so even hearing his voice again on screen is kinda amazing for me.

In the interview I linked, Ginger the EP says they had to seek him out, so that very much could be true. From a different interview I know he's been far away from anything money or showbiz for a while and they found him in a small city in North Carolina. I don't know if you've watched this week's episodes yet, but his teeth seemed far less distracting to me.

I actually expected him to look far worse--so I think I'm coming from it in a different direction. When he was on CNN a few years back talking about his addictions he was all jerky and, frankly, seemed like a crackhead you might see on the street, which was very depressing. He said one good thing about returning to the show was it was in CT close to where he lives with his current spouse and how he thought working in the big city would cause too many problems for him--so I hope it works out for him. I also hope--and trust--we will get scenes with him and Bianca, they always had such a good relationship when he was with Erica, but he Dimitri left the show shortly before she came out.

In more Prospect Park nonsense, we now are having "season finales" due to episodes running out--OLTL's will be in two weeks, and AMC's at the start of Sep (they had more episodes in the can due to the union issues.) But AMC starts filming next week, and Hulu has announced both shows as their highest ranking original series (with AMC slightly in the lead) so I actually have faith we'll continue to see them for a while.

OLTL, which has consistently had good character work and scenes but, for me, has been lacking in plot momentum really ranked it up with the "tattoo" story reveal this week (though, my favorite scene still goes to last week with drunk Clint yelling outside Shelter "I just want to dance!").

However, I thought this past two weeks of AMC have been terrific, and rivalled anything the show has done in the past decade. Between the handling of the abortion (an issue soaps used to deal with but for at least the past decade, as declining ratings have made daytime execs more conservative, has been a taboo topic with the word even almost always replaced with "termination") and how they presented all sides of the issue, and then this week with the rev up to the Gala, the show has been going gangbusters.

I can't wait until MIranda and AJ get together, if that's ever going to happen. I think he's adorable!

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Oh dear! That gorgeous girl who plays Celia was just on the X Factor in a girl group of five girls, none of which could carry a tune, and were rushed off the stage.

WTF was she thinking?

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