All My Children
8 Years To The Day Of All My Children & One Life to Live Being Canceled; Still Considered By Many Worst Move For Daytime

107
YES, this definitely was the worst move ever made for daytime TV. I still hold out hope for OLTL to come back but realistically know it won’t. On Friday’s GH when Nora Buchanan guest starred and made all the references to life continuing on in Llanview, I was thrilled and smiled all day! Thank you, Frank Valentini!!
Me too! Give me a inch and I will take a mile. Would love more updates on the families.
Very dump move!!
Bring back OLTL- GH will finally be free of Howarth and Easton and the completely worthless Franco and Finn
Still pray every day that ABC right this terrible wrong, definitely the biggest mistake they ever made!
Don’t think prayers get answered for revival of tv shows…
It was a huge mistake by ABC to cancel these beloved soaps. Millions of fans are still boycotting ABC and clamoring for these dramas to be returned to daytime. Refer to the Facebook page, “Save AMC & OLTL” for more info.
Why they got rid of two shows that people had watched for decades was beyond stupid.
BUT The View is the worst show on TV and it’s still on. Get rid of it. Just a binch of hateful, irritating, old hags who think we care about their opinions.
Hated The Chew. Never watched The Revolution.
If ABC cares about their loyal audience they’d bring back the two soaps and immediately cancel The View
If the View would get rid of that harpy Joy Behar it would be a tolerable show.
I don’t watch The View, but at least Joy is there based on her own merits… as opposed to the two airheads who only occupy those chairs because their daddies were famous Republicans.
You means “RINOS,” Satan….Republicans in name only! Neither of those “airheads” represents the GOP point of view…they are just shameless self-promoters looking to extend their 15 minutes of second-hand fame, especially the particularly mouthy blonde one!
joy is the best part part of the view
Curious – what are your sources for “Millions of fans are still boycotting ABC”. I find that as believable as the Million Moms Movement that has far from a million members
Refer to the Facebook page, “Save AMC & OLTL” for more info.
The man responsible for cancelling both AMC and OLTL is Brian Frons.
Yup. Honestly one of the worst decisions was him being the head of ABC Daytime.
Please bring back amc and oltl
If can’t revive both shows then,yes,cast members from both shows should do a soap that combines the elements of the original shows. Besides,I’ve always wanted to see Susan Lucci and Erika Slezak share scenes together.
That unfortunately would never happen, they couldn’t afford to pay that many top stars.
It’s the biggest screwup ABC daytime ever made. I was shocked. My husband was really ticked because he loved AMC. When he worked evening shift I would have it on and he got hooked. We were watching our local news when I heard it announced. Total BS.
I loved AMC and OLTL and I would be so happy if they resumed production of them. I haven’t watched the ABC network since.
I miss this show so much
I miss all my Children so much and one life to live !!! It really stinks they took th off the air
I thought I was going to DIE.
I would love to see the shows brought back on. I still miss watching them. I do not watch all that talk crap that is on now and never will. ABC made a big mistake and they should correct it.There is too many talk shows on tv. With soaps you have a reason to tune in tomorrow but with talk shows there is really no reason. Please bring them back before it is too late.
They need to right a wrong.
I say bring back oltl and amc,,,obviously, the shows that replaced it couldnt survive,,,,it was a bad descision on abc’s part.
It’s always a disappointment when a soap opera is cancelled. Admittedly, I was not and still am not a One Life to Live fan, so their cancellation did not upset me. However, canceling both soaps in a one-sweep kick was horrendously insulting. The online reboots of both soaps, while horrible handled in terms of production, were well written and acted. It was nice seeing American soaps handled in new light, and it’s sad that TOLN could not produce second seasons of each. As for ABC reviving them, I ultimately say “NO” to that, because time has moved on, and it… Read more »
If it was possible to return our shows I don’t think it would be as hard as you think. Yes people have passed or moved on but that is why recast happen. It would take adjusting to new actors, writers and producers but it would be worth it.
At this point, in 2019, I don’t see the point or reward for doing that. Yes, recasting would likely happen, however, recasting a vast majority of the casts — which I am fairly certain they’d have to do — would just look messy. Had this been an option in 2014, I would’ve been more receptive to it, but I don’t see it happening.
What I think would be best would be bring on a few characters from each soap, either recurring or permanently, to General Hospital and call it a day.
@Scott….As a longtime GH fan, I have to admit the notion of “bringing a few characters from each soap” to my show is a grating one! Why is Port Charles the designated dumping ground for all those former soapsters from other fictional locales?? This practice has decimated the GH I once knew and loved! It’s gotten beyond absurd that those of us who have loyalty to our own set of legacy players be expected to welcome an almost constant flow of interlopers to Port Charles!!! Why are we the only ones who are subjected to their usurpation of the daily… Read more »
Shay, I say it as a fan of General Hospital fan. The issue is this: ABC owned all three soaps, which is what allowed them to crossover between soaps. CBS and NBC are more difficult, because while the networks did air them, the characters are owned by different companies, not the network like ABC does.
Your anger is misplaced at me, Shay, so please don’t continue to put it my way.
Cancelling the soaps, was the worse thing, that abc, and Brian Frons, ever did. I use to enjoy, abc, day and night, and now, I only watch one hour of General Hospital. I have been boycotting abc, day and night, ever since they cancelled our soap operas, and will continue to boycott abc, until they put the soaps back on.
I agree it was a very bad mistake for taking amc and oltl off the air
This was the biggest mistake that abc made and loyal fans of amc and oltl will never forget as they were like family
My daughter and I absolutely adored All My Children.” We referred to the show as “The Children“. It was something we could share and talk about with each other. We enjoyed reading about it, watching it, hearing about the actors lives and following each and every storyline. The actors seemed to become part of our family. We continue to miss the show but the first five years were agony without “The Children.” We would definitely support a comeback!!!!!
I wold call One life to live just One life. Everyone knew what I meant. They also knew not to interrupt me during that time. Thank God for dvr.
Learning of the cancellations was one of the worst days of my life. For me, it was like a death in my closest family. That may sound silly to some people; but, I watched One Life to Live from day one and All My Children intermittently for years. There is no excuse for the action taken by the alphabet network/mouse company. There were numerous alternatives to cancellation. The powers that be need to rectify this horrible action. Either bring back AMC and OLTL as half hour programs each. Or combine them into one hour long show. Either way, I hope… Read more »
I would not want anything to do with PP. Their production was horrible. Canada is inexpensive that is why most Hallmark shows are filmed there. I believe there is a connection between ABC and Hallmark channel. Many actors that are in soaps also work on Hallmark shows.
Totally agree
Of course it was and still is the absolute worse decision in soap history. But , you know, the media has kept a tease of returning OLTL & AMC to their fans. Well, we are still here and still hanging onto the hope for their return. So to the power people what’s happening? You know the fans want this!!!!!!!!
It was a shocking, destructive, insensitive move. Time has passed, bring them back to ABC at 30 minutes a piece, for starters. #RebootAllMyChildren #RebootOneLifetoLive
So many bad things happened in my life. Just hearing the opening music lifted my spirits. I would love to have the two soaps revived. When they returned online I watched and cried at the same time. The online show was horrendously produced but I watched because that was all we had. I still America broken hearted over the loss of our beloved soaps. These shows lasted some fourth plus years. Their replacements didn’t make it four years. Pretty bad decision ABC!
I balled and balled when I heard they were cancelled and again on the finales, was horrible. I wish they would bring them back. It wouldn’t be the same since some wouldn’t be available since they moved on or passed away, but do what they can would be awesome or combine the two as one soap even. In the meantime I’d love if they brought back more past characters from both to general hospital from time to time.
I am in hopes of All My Children and One Life to Live returning to ABC. I miss the shows. I watch the other shows but it’s not the same. My days are completely messed up without my shows.
I was and still am mad about it. I refused to ever watch an episode of “The Chew”.
It was so dumb to take them off the air. There is nothing worth watching in the time slots except for other soapies that I now watch as an alternative. But still I miss the others. It’s awesome tho that some of the characters still live on in the other soapies. Love that!!
Brian Frons, a man with an odd personal loathing of soaps, made the biggest mistake in daytime television history. He is no longer with ABC, a network that continues to struggle in both daytime and prime time ratings. Of course the new ABC executives should bring these iconic shows back–for their own preservation. I’ve consistently suggested that Atlanta, a major city of 6 million people, in a state with 30% tax rebates, and only a 2-hour plane trip away from NYC, is the answer to production costs. Both stars of AMC and OLTL, Susan Lucci and Erika Slezak respectively, have… Read more »
As to the first question regarding consolidating daytime and making the “remaining shows stronger,” there was absolutely no positive benefit to daytime or any remaining soap! Many great soaps have been thus cancelled over decades, primarily because of waning ratings. But the spin given when OLTL and AMC were cancelled was particularly ludicrous and insulting, not only to viewers of these landmark soaps, but also to the daytime TV community as a whole. I think that many of us are disgusted by what passes for daytime entertainment these days. Political allegiances aside, I find much of the so-called “talk” shows… Read more »
James…as usual, very, very well said!!!!! Thank You.
Have a good one, Brother.
Thanks a million, Jay! Best to you and your loved ones, Friend!
As much as I miss AMC and OLTL, I can’t ever see them ever coming back…at least on ABC. It is much too costly to produce soap operas these days, and the networks bow down to the almighty $dollar$, so it ain’t gonna happen1 If there was some way to have a Daytime Soaps web service, it’s possible they could bring back some of the soaps, and possibly move the four remaining network soaps to that service. I don’t know how or if a streaming service would work for soaps. I’d rather have a new episode of each show air… Read more »
Streaming worked for TOLN; the downside of that was TOLN did not produce both soaps properly, which is what led to their ultimate cancellation and returning to ABC’s rights.
Honestly, Fox should’ve taken on Guiding Light, As the World Turns and All My Children to create themselves as a leading network in television; I may not agree with Fox, in terms of political climate, but it would’ve put them into a new category by building a solid daytime programming foundation.
Miss these show and all the people on them. I sure wish you would bring them back. I watched them everyday.
ABC created the glory days of soaps with its Love in the Afternoon brand and I cannot understand how it unceremoniously messed its own bed. The loss of four soaps (AMC, OLTL, and CBS’s ATWT, GL) in a few short years was disastrous. Daytime used to really matter, the daytime dramas, network game shows, ABC’s Afterschool Specials! Now it seems we have an endless sameness of courtroom train wrecks, rotating talk show hosts who never seem to click, watered down morning show leftovers… If television with all this cable, streaming, and such is enjoying some sort of golden age, why… Read more »
Personally, I think it was a major mistake for yanking One Life To Live and All My Children! We see other shows coming back and doing this idiotic “Reboot” ( which seems to be the new thing, but when a show like Roseanne came back, it was not a reboot, that was just diving back in and telling more stories )…..I believe that ABC could totally fix this and bring back the soaps, which would not only be a pleasing thng for fans, but it can show the other networks that it CAN be done and that soap fans CAN… Read more »
The end of Guiding Light was the worst move for me!
The CBS cancellations hurt me the most of all; bawled my eyes out to both cancellations. However, I blame Proctor & Gamble more than I blame CBS.
It’s interesting; As the World Turns had been probably my greatest soap love, or maybe tied with Another World, but by the time it was cancelled, I almost considered it a mercy killing. That’s not to say I didn’t think it could have been revived–I never lost faith in its potential, especially with that stellar group of long-time cast members that were still there to the very last day–but it had become so clear that P&G was never, ever going to allow it to return to its potential again (or else hadn’t the foggiest notion of how to make that… Read more »
For me, the P&G soaps fell victim to being in New York, and the fact that the production company simply wanted out of soaps for a significant amount of time. Had more attention been given, I’m sure they could have found an executive producer to take over for Chris Goutman — who I don’t believe was all that bad of an executive producer, he just fell victim of the times, too — that could have done something powerful to keep the soap running. However, I don’t think anyone behind-the-scenes and on-set could have done anything to keep it running. The… Read more »
Stupidest move ever. I was in my home when i heard the news and went into shock. I thought there had to me some kind of rumor but found out quickly this wasn’t a joke. I loved the shows but I love all the soaps on the air since they have been my life for so many years. I don’t think reviving them would do any good because of the years that have gone by but I hope ABC learned it’s lesson. They left a very bad taste in the viewers they had for the network. I think the best… Read more »
Yes. I loved both shows and still miss them. They need to either bring both back,or make it into one soap and bring everyone back that they can.
abc daytime has never recovered
i was never an ABC soap watcher, so for me the worst move was the cancellation of Another World– it was the first of the longest running soaps in the modern times to be cancelled. I remember Lindo Dano saying at the time something like, ‘if they can cancel Another World they can cancel anything’ and she was right. From what I read and heard from fans of these shows, was it wasn’t just the fact ABC cancelled the shows, it was the manner and the attitude in which they did it. It was like they were trying to kill… Read more »
I agree with you, Mary SF, and I’d go back a tiny bit further than that to pick the “worst day in soap history”: for me, it was the day NBC announced that it was going to cancel either Another World or Sunset Beach, it hadn’t decided which, and by doing so pitted viewers of one against viewers of the other. (I’m pretty sure in retrospect NBC had actually decided both of them were probably going to go, and the announcement was a stunt to see if they could goose the ratings of either or both shows, which made what… Read more »
Soapnet could have been a major player for soap operas, both primetime and daytime, had ABC not been involved. Harsh to say, yes, but the network should’ve been either a joint three-way venture between ABC-CBS-NBC, or it should have been independently funded. Wish the network could return online, a-la Britbox for British soaps, and we could stream those old-school soap operas once again.
Terrible decision! I hate them for doing it . The only other one I watched is General Hospital and it’s still the only one I watch.
I still miss OLTL and all of its’ actors. It was a terrible loss to daytime.
I think canceling these shows was definitely the worst decision. I have been a fan of GH for 42 yrs, as I was also a fan of OLTL and AMC. ABC and Disney, please give us back our soaps.
It was the worst move in the history of daytime television. Brian Frons made the actors relocate to LA from NYC and then a year later, cancelled the show. “AMC” had one of the best casts. I loved the JR/Babe/Jamie storyline, as well as Crystal/Adam, Erica/Jack, Erica/Opal, Bianca, David, Greenlee and any scene with Julia Barr. I wish both shows would come back, even as 30 minute soaps, the way many started out.
I would LOVE to see some excellent Daytime Drama vs
The View
The Talk
The Real
Ellen
Family Feud
And I was so delighted to see @NoraBuchanan on GH this week
#BringThemBack!
I was fortunate enough to watch AMC 39 of its 41 years. When it was cancelled, I was lost. If ABC doesn’t bring AMC back, could they at least release year by year dvd sets? I would buy them, and I’m sure others would also.
I would like to see OLTL and all my children back on ear that was a stupid move
Yes I watched those soap’s growing up and watched them with my mom when I got home from school
AMC AND OLTL are gone, forever. They can come back if they did return it would be the biggest disappointment in your lifetime. The cast/actors, the people that made those soaps your family are no longer. If, they came back people would not recognize their soaps.. A great many of the core are no longer viable. I assume some of the older actors/the favourites, have health problems, have died, have become older and tsimplr retired and the extremes of travel, hours, the long hours demanded of soap acting would no longer be of interest for the older. The younger have… Read more »
ABC made a huge mistake in cancelling both shows. Case in point, both shows that replaced them have been canceled and the shows currently in their place are getting abysmal ratings. Brian Frons is a grade A evil moron who just wanted to kill soap operas and go for cheap entertainment even though soaps can be low cost and earn a profit. My hope is that the powers that be regret their decision and bring back our shows.
Please ABC, just bring both shows BACK !!!
Bring the soaps back. Looked forward to that relaxing 1 hour show during the day.
OLTL had the bigger target on its back, being the last NY based production and least buzz worthy of the ABC 3. However, as Michael alludes above, they were the highest rated ABC soap — producing a quality product. AMC had lost its creative direction with poor writing and casting decisions that caused the show to nose dived in the ratings. Business wise, there was no logical way Frons, who was determined to cancel OLTL, could permit the lowest rated one to continue. Frons actually toyed with cancelling GH, too. But the Revolution bombed in the ratings and GH survived.… Read more »
See, I found that the production values of both TOLN-produced soaps were quite nice. Yes, it could’ve been a bit richer, but it did well with what Prospect Park had to work with. Had they given themselves a bit more time and preparation, it could’ve been truly beautiful. However, the mere fact that doors opened the wrong direction was off-putting, but the work put into producing them was great. They had edge and style that network television failed to provide both soaps in their final years. Shame they are no longer available for streaming/purchase, because I did enjoy them.
My mom, sis and I were all devastated when we heard about AMC being cancelled. We would tape it on the VCR and discuss it, sometimes in a 3-way phone conversation. I still watch Young and Restless, but AMC was one of a kind with their fast-moving action packed stories and love stories, like Kendall and Zac, Nina and Cliff, Jesse and Angie, Jenny and Gregg, and Erica and all her men. The villains also made the show so watchable, like Billy Clyde Tuggle. Nothing like it since! It was truly an escape from real life.
My husband and I occasionally reminisce about AMC characters and storylines. When AMC had character-driven storylines it was the best show on TV, period. Prospect Park’s AMC reboot on Hulu brought back the magic with beloved actors and storylines. Unfortunately I thunk AMC was once again a little ahead of its time asking viewers to watch the show on Hulu (now such a common everyday experience).
All My Children
Chrishell Stause Wins ‘MTV Movie & TV Award UNSCRIPTED’ For Best Reality Star
All My Children
Chrishell Stause and Singer G Flip Confirm Relationship
All My Children
Susan Lucci Shares on the Loss of Her Husband Helmut Huber: ‘The Love of My Life’ Followed by Outpouring of Support From Co-Stars & Colleagues
-
Breaking NewsJune 24, 2022
Lamon Archey and Sal Stowers Exit Days of our Lives
-
General HospitalJune 20, 2022
General Hospital 15,000th Episode Milestone Promo
-
NewsJune 25, 2022
Peter Bergman Signs 5-Year Deal with The Young and the Restless
-
General HospitalJune 21, 2022
GH’s Finola Hughes, Marcus Coloma & Josh Swickard Talk On 15,000th Episode Milestone
-
Breaking NewsJune 25, 2022
49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Winners Circle (Photos)
-
Breaking NewsJune 25, 2022
49th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards: General Hospital, B&B’s John McCook and Y&R’s Mishael Morgan Take Top Honors
-
Breaking NewsJune 21, 2022
Michael Bolton to Perform New Song & During In Memoriam Segment at 49th Annual Daytime Emmys
-
Days Of Our LivesJune 25, 2022
49th Annual Daytime Emmys Red Carpet Arrivals (Photos)