Connect with us

General Hospital

29

80's Soap Opera Drama in Development From John Stamos and Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron!

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com

80’s soap opera is making a comeback on cable TV with none other than former GH star John Stamos (Ex-Blackie Parrish).

Deadline is reporting that Stamos has partnered with producer Craig Zadan and Neil Meron for a cable drama series chronicling the fame and excess of daytime soaps in the 1980s.

The untitled drama, now in early stages of development, will be inspired by the experiences of Stamos, whose acting career was launched in 1982 when, at the age of 18, he landed the role of Blackie Parrish on the ABC daytime drama General Hospital.

Described as “Boogie Nights in the soap world,” the drama will explore the colorful and often dark world of soaps as it follows the journey of a young man thrust into soap stardom, during a decade defined by Reaganomics, greed, excess, indulgence and materialism. As a newly minted teen idol, he will struggle to balance his family life, working at his fathers restaurant and maintain his humble upbringing while navigating the temptations of sex, drugs and fame.

Stamos will executive produce alongside Zadan and Meron through the duo’s Storyline Entertainment. This is the latest collaboration for Stamos, Zadan & Maron who previously teamed to produce the Emmy-nominated miniseries Beach Boys: An American Family and the TV movie, Martin and Lewis.

Zadan and Meron are prepping their next NBC musical, Hairspray Live! and are working with Aaron Sorkin for NBC’s first live drama, a 2017 broadcast of A Few Good Men.

The news of this 80’s soap opera themed concept is not the first of its kind.  GH’s Kimberly McCullough has also been hard at work at her “Hey Day” project which is about a young actress trying to make it in the soaps during this decadent decade.

What do you think of the 80’s soap build around the life and times of  a young man influenced by Stamos’ early soap career?  Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Leave a comment | 29 Comments

29 Comments
oldest
newest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

it sounds like must see tv to me, this is a great idea, and if its on cable then it can be more racy, a behind the scene of a soap, w/ a hot young new comer, drugs, excess, fame, if done right it could be juic;y.!

love it , good writing, acting and creativeness is better then these stupid reality shows.

Really? This is basically the idea Kimberly McCullough had years ago. Come on now…

What would be truly wonderful is if they could get some actual soap stars to be in this soap. What are Kim Zimmer or Erika Slezak or Susan Lucci doing??? How about Robert Newman or Matthew Ashford??? Hey a soap fan can dream can’t he???

Zimmer and Newman are doing off broadway now. Lucci just finished Devious Maids (she would be PERFECT.) Ashford is on The Bay now on Amazon but actors these days can pull double duty.

I love John…and I love this news. What I don’t love is his Julius Caesar hair cut/do. All he needs is a circlet of laurel leaves.

Too funny, CeeCee!!!! Speaking of coiffures, what did you think of Scotty and Julian’s dueling examples of bad hair days on Thursday’s GH episode? As they stood side-by-side in the jailhouse, it was all I could do to stifle my laughter at these overgrown boys with the juvenile-looking top thatches!

HaHa, Shay. I think Scotty’s hair ‘swings’ that way naturally. On him, it looks cute in a boyish -kind-of -way…it suits him.
Julian’s? So not natural !!

Cee, John is so handsome he could have a mohawk and the chicks would still be dialing his digits!

SMH…I don’t get it..I truly don’t.

This show sounds almost identical to the show that Kimberly McCullough has been promoting. Coincidence? Hmm.

I was thinking the exact same thing as you.

Where was he when GH needed some support for their 50th anniversary show.

Suddenly Blackie Parrish is important to him. I did not know who John Stamos was before he was Blackie Parrish.

I will support Kimberly 100% but not Stamos, I will not be watching.

Um, remember a movie called Soapdish? Same concept.

No one will be watching. Because no one cares about daytime soap operas any more.

Yup, Stamos ripped off McCullough.

Yelp!!!! A total rip-off. Why did his project get approval and not Kimberly MCcullough?

It would be great if the series was broadcast in daytime instead of prime time. Late afternoon would be preferable.

just shows the inequality in the entertainment business when JS can hook up with producers and get a concept similar to what KMc has been working on without a struggle while Kimberly has to first make a pilot and then sell it on her own with no backing

I’d like to check this out. Soaps were so great in the 80’s and early 90’s, this sounds fun.

I hope it works out for John. I would tune in. I hope it catches on and he sticks it to Valentini for not including Blackie on the 50th anniversary program!.

Hi, my Timmmy.
Why was John called Blackie? Was there a story behind that name? I must look him up. I don’t like doing it, though.
Was he ‘attached’ to a core family? I just know him as “Uncle Jesse”….. Love that show; even as an adult.
Later, Timmmy.

I understand that they call him Blackie because of his jet black hair.

@Sly.
Hey, Sly,
Thank you. Smiles!!

Dealing with the hurt and of Laura missing, Leslie and Rick Webber adopted Blackie Parrish. I dont ever know that anyone questioned why he was called Blackie? You think the Webbers would have asked when he was adopted what his real name is? I dont know. Its like Valerie Spenser. She is half black but not ONE character has asked her why she has color? DUMB!

I forget what program I was watching, but John Stamos himself said that he was invited for the 50th, but scheduling conflicts prevented him from going back to GH. He said he wanted to do it.

Thats cool to hear. One gold star for Mr. Valentini.

I’d much rather see current soaps return to 80’s style storytelling.

If I remember correctly, Stamos’s previous series ‘Grandfathered’ (FOX) was cancelled after just one season. Y-e-p.

Sexism in tv world. Kimberly and John had both same ideas. Kimberly had it first and gets shot down. A male John has same idea and gets a pilot .

General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Brook Lynn and Chase Have Their Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties

On General Hospital, Brook Lynn (Amanda Setton) and Chase (Josh Swickard) both were treated to Bachelorette and Bachelor parties to shake off any of those pre-wedding jitters. At The Savoy, the ladies have a touching and fun time with Brook Lynn.

The bride-to-be gives a speech to thank everyone for coming, while Lois lets everyone know to try the signature cocktail the “Brooklynn Chaser”, which gets everybody eventually and mostly, drunk.

When Tracy (Jane Elliot) questions Lois (Rena Sofer) as to why there is no music for the party, Lois realizes she forgot, and somehow, who does she call to the rescue? Spinelli (Bradford Anderson)! Saving the day, he winds up playing some tunes and later gets on the dance floor to ‘shake it off’ with the gals.

Photo: ABC

Lois makes a speech as the mother of the bride, and shares how proud she is of the woman Brook Lynn has become. Wedding games begin, including one of “hot potato” with a wedding bouquet.

When it’s time for the “Silly Poses” section of the party, Spinelli has now morphed from DJ to staff photographer taking memorable photos of the ladies to remember the evening by.

Photo: ABC

The best part of the event, was when Brook Lynn tries to get her grandmother Tracy out on the dance floor, which, at first, she refuses. After several of the guests bust a move, a tipsy Tracy joins the dance party after Joss mentions that if her grandmother Bobbie was here, she would dance. Tracy says “she agrees” and begins to cut a rug on the floor, much to the delight of the other women.

Photo: ABC

In the final moments, a tipsy Joss and Kristina (Kate Mansi) have a confrontation about Sonny, and Joss lets Kristina in more on Sonny’s behavior, which looks to have clued in Kristina a bit more as to how something is way off about her dad.

Photo: ABC

Across town at the Hatchett Bar, Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) and the men with the exception of Anna (Finola Hughes) and Jordan (Tanisha Harper), all attend Chase’s Bachelor Party where throwing hatchets into a dart board for supremacy is the order of the day. Drew (Cameron Mathison) and Ned (Wally Kurth) get into some words over ELQ, while Dante makes a toast to his police partner, Chase.

Photo: ABC

Suddenly Dex (Evan Hofer) shows up. Chase thanks Dex for coming, but Dex gets some dirty looks from other cops on the force. Dante gives Chase his present, which is a signed baseball by the Boston Red Sox.

Ned (Wally Kurth) makes a speech that although no one is good enough for his daughter, Brook Lynn, Chase has come closer than anyone has, so welcome to the family. Running in at the end is Blaze (Jacqueline Grace Lopez), who just left Brook Lynn’s party, and she toasts her singing partner, Chase, and to the great man that he is.

Photo: ABC

What did you think of Brook Lynn and Chase’s pre-wedding celebrations? What was your favorite moment? Comment below.

Continue Reading

General Hospital

Cameron Mathison Previews New Game Show ‘Beat The Bridge’ (Promo)

As previously reported, Cameron Mathison (Drew, General Hospital) will be seen doing double duty this summer when he premieres in June as the host of Game Show Network’s Beat The Bridge.

Now, while Cameron will be the host with the most, that doesn’t mean he will stop playing GH’s Drew.  In fact, Mathison taped the game show in 2023, so it will now air for the first time in 2024.

Taking to his Instagram this week, Cameron shared his enthusiasm and some new hosting snaps, sharing, “Our newest game show host reporting for duty😎 Head over to the Game Show Network YouTube channel for your first look at the show and don’t miss Beat The Bridge premiering this June! I can’t wait for you guys to see this!”

Photo: GSN

In Beat The Bridge, an enormous interactive bridge dares players to cross by stepping on the right answers to challenging trivia questions. As they play, each steps forward and puts money in their team’s bank, with bonus money for each successful crossing. Here’s the catch: the team gets to keep the money only if it can “beat the bridge” by returning one of its players back across before time expires.

Photo: ABC

Meanwhile, on GH, Drew and Nina (Cynthia Watros) recently had hate-sex. Do you think its a one-time deal? Where will Drew’s story take him next under new head writers, Patrick Mulcahey and Elizabeth Korte? Stay tuned.

Now below, check out the first promo for Beat The Bridge from the Game Show Network with you host, Cameron Mathison.  Then, let us know, will you be checking out the game this summer? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cameron Mathison (@cameronmathison)

Continue Reading

General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Nina Confronts Ava for Sabotaging Her Relationship With Sonny and Signs the Divorce Papers

Looks like Nina (Cynthia Watros) and Ava (Maura West) are back to be each other’s sworn enemy number one. By the end of the Monday, April 22nd episode of General Hospital, the women know where they stand with each other after Nina goes in on Ava accusing her of wanting Sonny (Maurice Benard) all to herself, while her marriage has been on the rocks.

In story, at Nina’s office, Ava shows up to see Nina and says she is sorry about what happened with Sonny and that he reacted the way he did, acknowledging that is was over the top, even for Sonny. Ava says she’ll smooth things over, but Nina says she now understands how manipulative and transparent Ava really is.

Given their horrible history, Nina goes in on Ava and how she should never have trusted her. Nina wants to know how long has Ava had this agenda dating all the way back to telling Nina to turn Carly (Laura Wright) and Drew (Cameron Mathison) into the SEC. Ava says she never told her do to that, but Nina wants to know how long Ava has been playing her for a fool.

Courtesy/ABC

Ava says she moved in with Sonny to keep Avery safe and she wants to be on good terms with Avery’s father, Sonny. Nina thinks she likes being in Sonny’s inner circle. Ava tells Nina if she goes to him about her advising Nina to call the SEC on Carly and Drew, it won’t work.  Sonny still considers Nina a traitor and he will think she’s lying because she’s so desperate to win him back. Ava says if Nina would stop blaming everyone else that maybe Sonny would respect her.  Nina says “like he does you?” Ava says Sonny not only respects her, but he also counts on her.

From there, Ava launches into why she and Sonny understand each other, after all, Sonny is a powerful, turbulent, and sometimes violent man. She goes so far to say if Nina wanted someone to just sit by the fire with and play with their grandchildren, she’s got the wrong guy.  Ava then talks about Mike from Nixon Falls (Sonny with amnesia) and how Sonny hid the darkest parts of himself from Nina back then, whereas with Ava they are the same similar creatures, so he doesn’t have to hide anything.

Courtesy/ABC

Nina wants to know just what Ava wants with Sonny? What is her end game? Ava responds that they understand each other, in ways she can’t with Sonny. Nina tells Ava she can go ahead and have it all and signs Sonny’s divorce papers. Ava walks out with the documents, while Nina in tears at her desk, takes off her wedding rings and has her assistant come in so she can messenger the rings back to Sonny’s address.

The episode and these scenes featured great performances by Cynthia Watros and Maura West. You can check some of the scenes below.

Now, let us know, what is Ava’s next move? Is she going to become Mrs. Sonny Corinthos? Do you like Ava and Nina as enemies? Comment below.

Continue Reading

Video Du Jour

Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

Recent Comments

Power Performance

Eileen Davidson as Ashley

The Young and the Restless

Airdate: 4-12-2024

Popular