Love her. That is why Deidre is one of my favorites.

I think she’s right that there will always be a place for soaps-just hope TPTB know that too. There are lots of primetime shows I have watched for a season or two, then stopped watching, but I have been watching soaps for decades. So I have definitely stuck with them. I do think being on everyday helps, because when a season ends I may not pick it up again or even week to week for some shows.

She is 100% right on with her comments, that’s for sure. ABC-TV made the biggest blunder in television History by canceling both AMC and OLTL.
Personally, I’m not crazy about the on-line inceptions, but it’s better than nothing. AMC on-line feels more like a spinoff than a continuation, but I keep watching and am trying to hope for improvements.
Diedre Hall is also correct that asking people to pay to watch on-line is different from the days of coming home after school and your show was on in the Living Room. The whole ambience has changed, and part of the “charm” of a daily soap was that it was on daily at the same time, making it a daily serial. You followed faithfully and didn’t have to worry about missing an episode because another “character” would probably fill you in on another day. It’s just not the same anymore, and of course, times have changed, and our viewing habits have become modified as well.
That being said, I am happy to see OLTL and AMC have extended life on the Internet, and I am hoping to see some writing improvements.

Many people prefer on the go ”smaller” screens, iPads and phones..
Most all TV are now also internet TV’s and that brings all on the internet, including the soaps, on the big tv screen..
Also, internet devices as Roko bring the soaps to your tv, as do Play Stations etc..
For the people who do not know how to put the internet soaps on their tv, they need to inform themselves.. Watching internet soaps on a TV is just a click away.
The ones that can’t, the worlds media moves on into the internet 21st century and some will be left behind; life is not always fair..

So- Deidre Hall , needs to update her life and inform herself that even though soaps are on the internet , the future, they are available on tv, and still many prefer to watch on their iPads and PC’s ..

This is absolutely true. I didn’t watch AMC or OLTL, but I was just watching the SOD Awards from 1999 last night, on footage I had transfered from VHS to DVD… and it made me sad to see that there used to be so many soaps and now there are only these few left. And to see that those soaps aren’t the same either, because they’ve all caved to hiring cheaper actors who don’t feel right, instead of giving us the soap we all loved and had to watch.

I watch DAYS and GH, and while GH is certainly trotting out its vets… DAYS is unrecognizable with John & Marlena on, in character and together or at least the rooting couple, without Bo and Hope, Jack and Jennifer… It just makes me sad, because like she said… it is about family to us as viewers. Deidre’s always understood that, I think. It’s why she was the one who started the fan events. She got that we think of them as a part of our lives, and that in giving something back, whether that is an event or respect from TPTB, you have our support.

I love her & agree with her. While I am glad to be able to see the soaps online nothing can ever replace having them on my big beautiful flatscreen tv in my den or being able to watch tv in bed!

I’m happy about the cancellations. Because now we have more cutting edge serials online. Though, OLTL could be better than it is right now. But I love the state that both series are in and feel safer knowing Prospect is in control!

She is SO very right! My theory is that as a little boy he felt deprived of his momma’s attention because of soaps, so as soon as he had the power he took revenge. lol I’m sorta joking, but he for certain had no knowledge of the power of soaps. Ratings go up and down. To come in and take two daytime shows that had made it through everything that was thrown at them, and each lasted 40 something years; was ludicrous. He could have taken them to 30 minute shows for awhile if he wanted an hour slot to try out even MORE talk/news/gossip shows. We live in reality everyday. Soaps are our way of escaping our reality, and feeling connected to those characters. General Hospital has lasted 50 years. If he touches that one after the huge mess he made with OLTL, and AMC, someone needs to take his power away!

She’s awesome! I agree with her statements about ABC’s blunder, but disagree about her assessment about going online. I prefer the mobility of watching my shows online or on my phone. I even watch GH and Days online. (And many men have been watching these shows as well…even though most probably won’t admit it)

It is True, as proved by the resurgence of oltl and amc,they are our connection, and bf didnt know what he was doing when he canceled them.

She’s right. Older viewers will not watch in big numbers on computers, mainly because they don’t own computers. I watch my mom’s favorite. I would never give it up, especially for shows that feature foods I would never eat.

I agree, there is something comforting about watching a show that’s been around for 50 yrs., we watched it with our Grandmas, we watched it with our moms, we discussed it with our friends at school, like they were real people! And some of the actors are still on the show, and we know their histories, we were young when they were young. We’ve grown up together. I love the character development you get with a soap, like no other genre. Can’t have long, drawn-out conversations in a movie, you’ve got 2 hrs. to tell the story! Soaps have all the time in the world to build up characters and make you care. I love soap actors more than any other “stars” because they are just more accessible to their fans and I feel like I “know” them. As for on-line, I don’t mind watching a soap that way, I just wish I could fast-forward through some things, LOL

ABC made the mistake of hiring Brian Frons and then he was let go, soap fans need to realize that mistakes happen and they learn from it, ABC is not the bad guy, they thought they hired someone with intelligence and they were wrong!!! Many companies hire people who are not competent and then just let them go after.

deidre hall i love you so much. what a nice lady and terrific actress. deidre is straight to the point. i agree with her comments. brian frons is an idiot. cancelling both shows was a huge mistake. i hope abc chokes on it. abc will never admit there mistake in cancelling both soaps. thank you prospect park for bringing all my children and one life to live back. like stefano dimera says bravo. lol.

abc made the right decision, by cancelling one life to live and amc. i want to see more reality shows and game shows on abc. gh will be cancelled early next year. i know that, for a fact. gh is not a good soap anymore. poor writing and awful storylines. time for gh to go. deidre hall needs to mind her own business. she works for nbc. who the hell cares about deidre. she is a diva and wants attention. go away deidre. we dont want your opinions at all deidre. i only watch cbs soaps. dont watch days anymore. deidre your days are numbered on days of our lives. i hope you get fired again. when you got fired a few years ago. days was much better. now it sucks again with you.

Love what she said! However, you can watch these shows on your computer free of charge on Hulu. I happened to purchase Hulu Plus so I can watch it on my TV.

ABC may have problems going forward. If there are a lot of women out there like me, I don’t plan on watching any new ABC shows daytime or nighttime. I say new because I want to keep support the shows I already watched. Castle being one of them with Nathan Fillion (ex-Joey-OLTL). The others are also soap like shows. Grey’s, Scandal. General Hospital is a given! No DWTS, or comedy shows. When these are canceled, then no more ABC for me.

What? I hold a grudge! 😀

I hope that ABC is regretting the decision, and that CBS and NBC are taking notes!

I FULLY AGREE WITH DEIDRE HALL. SOAPS ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE, THEY ARE HERE TO STAY. I’VE BEEN WATCHING THEM FOR OVER 45 YEARS.

She’s just as delusional and naive as many soap fans. The truth is that daytime soaps are business properties, not nostalgic photo albums. Yes, it’s very sad to see any soap that’s been on for 40-50 years or more be cancelled and I feel deeply for longtime viewers of those shows. But if a show is no longer earning (or capable of earning) enough ad revenue for its network and/or production company to offset the high production costs involved (a major factor, like it or not) these shows are going to be in jeopardy of getting the axe. That’s just the way it is. You’re wrong Deidre, it IS and WILL ALWAYS BE about budgets. I wouldn’t feel too comfortable about GH’s future right now.

I’m not defending Brian Frons, who obviously had major input into that decision in 2011. But to be fair, he was not the highest level executive at ABC/Disney who made the final call to cancel both AMC and OLTL. Frons did not have THAT much power. He had to get it through Anne Sweeney, Bob Iger, and others I believe. Frons was simply the face of the cancellation decision and soap fans needed some villain to release their wrath on. (btw, I’m not related to Mr. Frons nor do I have any connection to ABC, ESPN, or any other Disney network/property. I’m writing this as a totally impartial observer of all of this.) Also, did Frons have anything to do with CBS/P&G pulling the plug on GL and ATWT? How come there’s no criticism of those entities? (No relation there either.)

And Deidre, I’d be very careful saying something authoritative like “We’re never going off the air”, which leaves you with zero wiggle room. Almost every show or genre comes to an end at some point in time, whether it’s next year or 5, 10, 20+ years from now. I sincerely hope those words don’t come back to haunt her.

Real soaps as opposed to continuing dramas were never just about a television show– true daytime dramas were an experience based in connection. Connection between the viewer and the characters on screen. Connection between actors and their fans. Connection between those who gathered together to watch at the same time, whether it was neighbors watching on 12 inch B&W t.v., or young women watching on college dorm lounges sets or snuggled up in your pj’s on the sofa with your pet cat while sick.

When these shows go on line or are offered on cable at any time of day, or whatever new format is out there– to me they are longer soaps in the classic sense. They are just product– to be consumed by the masses usually in isolation, looking at their screen tiny or large– just another television show.

Yes continuing dramas will always exist, but real soaps, true soaps, the soaps DH is talking about, will never be the same because this generation has no idea about connecting to anything but to a IPhone– what passes for connection nowadays is laughable– even now, me writing to a bunch of strangers my thoughts will never replace sharing these same thoughts face to face to my friends.

So, I understand what DH is talking about, but in this day and age, between the screen replacing people in our lives, and suits taking over control of soaps– the golden age of the true daytime drama is coming to an end– the genre of continuing dramas will go on but not the experience of watching a soap, daily, during the day, one show at time. And If you missed it– you missed it– you had to watch everyday if you wanted to see the big twist or a lover’s first kiss. That kind of soap watching is over. The family feeling DH was talking about is slowly being replaced by sensation seeking trend following culture that has the attention span of a fruit fly—-so I am glad I got a chance to experience real soap watching at its best and finest—-

I love Deidre Hall and her character Marlena. Just like on DOOL she is a supporting mom and grand-mom; she is very supportive of the Soap genre.

She really gets it! Days was there when I got home from school, when my boys were babies and I was a stay at home mom, when I was sick, and now when I am retired! In fact, Days has been more reliable than my husband was! I do miss some of the other soaps…. Guiding Light’s Reba & Shane, for instance! Days needs their super couple back! Where’s John? Where’s Bo?

I love Deidre Hall and hope to see her receive her star on the Hollywood Walk
Of Fame next year!!! Does Melody Thomas Scott have a star? I hope she MTS
does’nt roll her eyes at Deidre’s good fortune! People need to learn to be nice
like Deidre. DH is a small part of a great show. Days is great with and without
her, but I will always support her. Some people sound like they support the
soaps according to their favorite network. I support my soap because it is
exciting day after day. Deidre was asked a question and she answered. She
could have rambled on about DOOL, but did’nt. She has class and clearly
supports the soaps in general. She did us all a favor by speaking!!! I will do
you all a favor by saying. Do’nt be a YawneR when you can stay wide awake
for DAYS.

Deidre obviously doesn’t know what she’s talking about. Instead of trying to support the online soaps, she’s dissing them. She’s saying their audience has to pay for the shows online, which is not true. She obviously doesn’t even know they’re being shown on OWN now, on TV not just online. She obviously feels threatened by web soaps, but she needn’t worry — there’s room enough for everybody. Deidre, do your homework before you speak!

She is spot on. Only a lot more polite than I am. Brian Frons is the man who referred to an entire fan base as “soap terrorists” not dedicated or loyal and diehard but “soap terrorists”. He had zero respect for the genre the actors, writers and audience. THANK GOD he’s gone

Love most of what she said. I do hope someone has since informed her of the free option to watch these shows AND that there are a number of ways to watch them on a television versus a computer.

All 3 networks have cancelled soaps as audiences and revenue dwindled. The Chew has been successful and the network gave an hour back to the local affiliates. I say ABC is happy with their decisions. Cannot bring myself to watch online soaps, when something is over it is over. The only thing I miss on All My Children is Tadd Martin and MEK. Deidre Hall is protecting her turf, naturally she does not support online programming as the salaries are so much less.

she obviously knows this business better than a lot of executives!

i have to agrre with Deidre. i have been watching Days since the early 2000’s with my grandma and i have always been a fan of Days and of Deidre and Drake. u go Deidre tell it like it is. 🙂