All My Children
On-Air On-Soaps names Best Soap Moments of 2011!
Courtesy/ABC
As we head towards New Year’s, On-Air On-Soaps looks back at this most tumultuous year in soaps with our annual year-end wrap-up celebrating the Best Moments of 2011. We honor those stand out moments and performances that were at the head of the pack.
This year-end review is presented to you with our top 25 photo gallery countdown which pays tribute to the moments and performances that made us cheer, weep, or perhaps, throw things at the TV, and in our opinion, showed soap opera at its best.
Now while we all agree to disagree, or in many cases disagree, from our vantage point in a pretty emotional year in front of the camera and behind the scenes, this is where our critical eye took us.
We hope you enjoy, and of course, welcome your thoughts on the Best Moments of 2011!
NOTE: To view the final eleven moments in the photo gallery, make sure to click on the “Next Group” button to the right of + symbol, or you can sit back and relax and just watch the slideshow presentation of our Best Soap Moments of the past year.
Best Moments of 2011 Photo Gallery Countdown
[slidepress gallery=’best-moments-of-2011′]
Courtesy: ABC, CBS and NBC.
All My Children
‘All My Children’ Movie Writers for Lifetime Revealed: Ron Carlivati, Jamey Giddens and Leo Richardson
This week began and as reported with a spotlight article on Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos and how their production entity, Milojo, has been teeing up the All My Children reboot with Lifetime.
The L.A. Times featured the married couple, co-hosts of Live with Kelly and Mark, and former All My Children cast members (where they met and fell in love) about their plans to bring two All My Children movies to Lifetime and how they are working with the Agnes Nixon estate to make it come to fruition,
On Wednesday, it was revealed by Daytime Confidential, that All My Children reboot producer, Andrew Stearn handpicked none other than Ron Carlivati (ex-head writer, One Life to Live, General Hospital and Days of our Lives) and Jamey Giddens (who is the new co-head writer of The Young and the Restless, following his tenures on the writing teams of Beyond the Gates and Days of Our Lives), as the two scribes who will bring the first of two of Kelly and Mark’s All My Children movies to the page.
Photo: IMDb
RON CARLIVATI AND JAMEY GIDDENS CONFIRM THEIR BOARDING THE ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIE PROJECT
The second installment is said to be written by primetime writer Leo Richardson whose credits include: Star, Katy Keene and more recently the Penn Badgley (ex-Phillip Chancellor IV, The Young and the Restless) starring series, You.
Richardson also wrote for three years on the U.K.’s long-running soap, EastEnders. All My Children revival fans will recall Richardson’s name was attached as the writer for the first incarnation of the All My Children movies, entitled, Pine Valley.
Ron Carlivati took to X and confirmed he is indeed boarding the All My Children movie project. Carlivati shared, “So excited to share this news! Thanks to Andrew Stearn, Kelly Ripa, Mark Consuelos, Albert Bianchini and the Agnes Nixon estate for entrusting Jamey Giddens and me with the first of two planned All My Children movies for Lifetime! Stay tuned!”
Photo: Jeremy Smith/imageSPACE
Jamey Giddens confirmed DC’s announcement by taking to his account on X and expressing, “I’ve been booked and busy in 2026. Thanks to Andrew Stearn, the Agnes Nixon estate, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos for entrusting Ron Carlivati, and me with the first of two planned All My Children movies for Lifetime!”
Some fans seemed to question how Giddens could be writing for the first All My Children movie at Lifetime, when he is the new co-head writer at The Young and the Restless with Dan O’Connor. Jamey answered that head on via X and explained, “We turned in our All My Children script months ago. My sole focus as of this past Monday, is Genoa City, Wisconsin! #YR”
ERICA KANE, MARIA SANTOS AND HAYLEY AND MATEO SANTOS TO APPEAR IN THE ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIE REVIVAL?
In the planned stories, Susan Lucci’s Erica Kane and Eva LaRue’s Maria Santos will be two characters whose lives we will get to see for the first time since the series was canceled by ABC back in 2011 after 41 years on the air. As well, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos confirmed they will make brief appearances on-screen; one could assume as Hayley and Mateo Santos.
“It’d be wonderful to give the fans something that they’ve been yearning for so many years,” shared Mark Consuelos to the LA Times. “All My Children gave me my family. I met my wife there. It gave me my start in the business. It gave us so much. It would be a dream to be able to give back.”
So, what do you think of Ron Carlivati and Jamey Giddens getting nod to write the All My Children movie #1 script and Leo Richardson #2? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
All My Children
‘All My Children’ Revival Updates: Lifetime EVP Speaks on Why Proposed Movies are Great Fit, Mark Consuelos Wants To ‘Give Back’ to Fans
The All My Children revival via movies at Lifetime is still in the works from former series stars and marrieds, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, through their production company, Milojo.
The co-hosts of Live with Kelly and Mark were featured this week in a Los Angeles Times article which detailed their efforts to bring some of the citizens of Pine Valley back to your screens.
As previously reported, and reaffirmed by the L.A. Times, the All My Children movies will be set in the present day and focus on what beloved characters such as Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) and Maria Santos Gray (Eva LaRue) are doing now. In addition, Kelly Ripa confirmed that she and Mark Consuelos will also appear on screen briefly most likely appearing in their signature soap roles as Hayley and Mateo Santos.
Photo: ABC
ALL MY CHILDREN MOVIES BRING NOSTALGIA THAT CAN BE MADE TO FEEL NEW AGAIN
Elaine Frontain Bryant, executive vice president and head of programming for A&E, Lifetime, and Lifetime Movie Network said of the All My Children reboot, “Lifetime is always interested in shows that kind of tap into a powerful nostalgia that can be made fresh for today’s audience. There’s a whole generation of women that have missed these stories and these characters.”
As for working with Kelly and Mark on the Lifetime movie versions of the soap, “They’re exactly the kind of partners you want at a brand,” expressed Bryant. “They’re trusted voices because every day they’re talking to their audience, which, a lot of times, is our audience. They bring a real credibility and have an authentic point of view. You meet Kelly and Mark and kind of what you see is what you get, and I think they bring that same authenticity to their development standards.”
Albert Bianchini, executive producer for Milojo, says he knows All My Children is so wildly popular with the fans of daytime. That was punctuated when seeing it in person, and how the energy was off the charts back in January of 2025 when Kelly participated along with Susan Lucci, former head writer, Lorraine Broderick and casting director, Judy Blye Wilson in a conversation with Andy Cohen at the 92nd Street Y in New York City.
© Steven Bergman/AFF-USA.COM Credit: AFF/Alamy Live News
“I’ve never seen a crowd like that in my life. People were lined up around the block, recalled the Bianchini. “Everyone wanted to know, ‘When is (All My Children) coming back? We want more.’ We got to see that in real life and Kelly got to feel it in real life, and it made so much sense. I just know that the minute it gets out in the world, people will want more and more and more. There’s just a love there.”
Kelly Ripa added that they are, “working closely with Bob and Sarah Nixon, who are also serving as producers.” She recalled, “She (Agnes Nixon) was so far ahead of her time. She covered topics that weren’t being covered. It was extraordinary the audiences that the show drew, and she served them real stories that were affecting Americans across the country but weren’t necessarily being represented anywhere.”
“It’d be wonderful to give the fans something that they’ve been yearning for so many years,” shared Mark Consuelos. “All My Children gave me my family. I met my wife there. It gave me my start in the business. It gave us so much. It would be a dream to be able to give back.”
THE CANCELLATION AND STOPS AND STARTS OF ALL MY CHILDREN REBOOTS
All My Children aired on ABC from 1970 to 2011. It got a second chance at life when Prospect Park resurrected the show and brought it to The OnLine Network and Hulu for one season in 2013.
Recently, the series made a return through the estate of Agnes Nixon and is streaming internationally on BEONDTV and through their partnership with PlutoTV Canada with episodes starting in 1995. Fans hope original episodes will some day soon be available in the U.S. as well, but that could prove more difficult since ABC owns the rights to the episodes stateside.
Now 13 years later, while there is no word yet on a definitive production start date to the two movies at Lifetime, all the people involved seemed determined to make it come to life.
So, what do you think of the executive vice-president of Lifetime and LMN being enthusiastic about Kelly and Mark’s All My Children movie revivals? Are you wanting to see this come to fruition? Kelly and Mark seem to have made this a very high priority. Do you hope that by 2027 we might be able to get this to the finish the line and into production? Weigh-in via the comment section.
Starting on May 1, All My Children fans in Canada will be able to see classic episodes of the beloved former ABC soap opera when they stream on Pluto TV Canada.
Pluto TV picked-up the All My Children Channel that the Nixon family has created in partnership with BEONDTV +. The show which aired for 41 years on ABC and ended on the network in 2011, had so many memorable storylines and characters; the least of which is the enduring run of Erica Kane played by soap icon, Susan Lucci.
As previously reported, starting with episodes from the year 1995, which was the 25th anniversary of the soap. Pluto TV Canada viewers will be able to catch 8 episodes on repeat per day. With the success of the venture, the Nixons are hopeful that they will bring viewers many more years of the show to come.
Photo: ABC
Sarah Nixon, producer, shared with Michael Fairman TV exclusively, “We are thrilled that Pluto TV has launched All My Children in Canada! Let’s hope the engagement from our incredibly loyal fans across the border will encourage ABC to bring it to the U.S.! We share what Aggie (Agnes Nixon) always felt, that it is the enthusiasm and love from the fans that has kept this legacy beloved and relevant – to this day!”
In addition, 0ne week ago, during Susan Lucci’s visit to Los Angeles promoting her book La Lucci, she was joined by her former Pine Valley castmates, Rebecca Budig (ex-Greenlee, AMC, now Taylor, B&B) and Eva LaRue (ex-Maria, AMC) and the trio posed for a pic. At that time, LaRue shared via Instagram, “NEW All My Children channel streaming classic episodes 24/7 now on Pluto TV Canada! Fingers crossed to watch soon on Pluto US.”
That was also confirmed this week by TV Watercooler’s Jeevan Brar who took to X and expressed, “The All My Children channel begins streaming this Friday, May 1 on Pluto TV Canada.
So, Canadian viewers, excited about Pluto TV’s All My Children channel? United States fans, hopeful from Sarah’s message that perhaps soon, we can see the beloved soap once again as well? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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There are some interesting choices here from OLTL. I definitely agree with David Canary and Florencia Lozano, but some of the rest? Best? Sure?
Oh my Gosh I love this page I’m gonna miss OLTL Michael can u believe it that the show OLTLl ends 2 days after our Birthdays . I hope for my Birthday Blair and Todd Manning end up together with their kids it will be my ultimate birthday wish come true Hope one day I can meet Roger howarth and Kassie and tell him I love him and her on the show
Michael, I enjoyed your picks for best moments. There are no better stars than Jonathan Jackson and Erica Slezak. You have done another review of the best of the soaps this year. I go along with your selection. But, at the same time while watching the photos, I am very sad that we may not see many of these actors again. Very sad….
thnx Michael, always great to see Crystal Chappell on the BEST list…this time for Days and Venice, doesn’t get much better! 2012 will most def be another year of more soap triumphs and tragedies…still holding out to see Crystal back on my Daytime screen, primetime would work as well… Happy New Year! ☮♡☺xo♥♀♀✩ツ♫
The return of Zach Slater should be on this lilst.
OLTL was the best show on this year and will be in 2012 (albeit briefly). Don’t tell that to the Emmys, which typically fails to recognize shows for their consistency throughout the year but rather based on selected episodes (and yes, OLTL often misfires on just what among its embarrassment of riches to pick in thar regard).
Fascinating but not surprising in the least how Y&R and B&B are conspicuously MIA in the mix.
How OLTL can get passed over for a WGA nom is beyond me. Even more mind boggling is the insipidly written Y&R’s nod. OLTL’s is the best ensemble writing team of this century – and not just in daytime. But as I think Colleen Zenk said this year, who needs fool’s gold when you already have the real thing in a loyal fan base.
I couldn’t agree with you more. ONE LIFE is the soap that SHOULD be showered with Emmy gold… but I’m not holding my breath for their last eligible year. There’s a CBS-loving conspiracy out there. I even WATCHED “Bold & Beautiful” for a time this year when AMC was gone… I don’t get its appeal.
No CBS……………………
Michael – with all due to respect I think that Alison Sweeney should have been mentioned in your comment regarding the grief sex scenes delivered by James Scott. That was a team effort, and both actors deserve merit for such stellar performances.
I totally agree with you.
Days was bad this year except with the Johnny missing story and the ultimate twist and ‘tour de force’ with the Ej/Sami grieving sex scenes and finally the Will coming out story (well if these writers continue with it, otherwise their stories are awfully boring). But yeah Ali Sweeney who is always overlooked was great and powerful in these scenes, it was a team work with James Scott and her scenes before with all her family when she freaked and waited for news of his missing boy were also great and riveting.
Despite all the backlash abuse she can be subjected this gal is a great actress and finally she deserves an emmy nom, like James Scott deserves it (well he already was nominated TWICE in scenes sharing with her these last years). These actors bring out the best in each others acting wise, it is for Sweeney to be notice.
Otherwise your choices are quite good Michael, OLTL was the best soap this last year, for sure and the team up Howarth/St John was brilliant.
Unfortunately I have to agree with you Days had a really bad year, and it was the nov sweeps that really were the highlight of the year in my honest opinion. Ali did such an amazing job on those scenes, and the way she portrayed Sami when Johnny went missing, it was the first time in over a year I actually cried for Sami!! She really moved me, and her scenes with James well what can I say it still leaves me speechless they were just phenomenal. Both actors are worthy of an emmy nom in my opinion.
JJ always kills a scene….amazing.
The reason why you don’t see CBS on the list, is because it was not a good year for them… The only thing that I can think of as a Best is Niki’s return to Genoa City. I’m not a big CBS soap fan, but I will admit, I was happy to see her return…and her battle with alcohol is a blast to watch.
Nicki drunk….. again! She’s y & r… camp classic… her mascara smudged and running down her face… bemoaning again victor this victor that… just take a drink without hesitation… drink for everyone…
Very telling that nothing from Y&R made this list. That show really is slumming these days.
Well, this list is pretty unbelievable in their complete omission of CBS; only the two highest rated, most loved and watched shows in daytime in the U.S. and abroad. Y&R also took home the most recent Emmy for Writing in a Drama Series! No offense to anyone, but the omission was glaring and a real WTF moment.
I quite agree, Michael Muhney is quite awesome and charismatic in his Adam role and right now MTS as a Nikki drunk is golden..and yep stories are quite outrageous but finally make good tv, hey ratings went up these last weeks..
Again, I completely agree! Especially the top 2 picks… thanks for showcasing the ABC shows. Also, you hit the nail on the head with your analysis of the Daytime Emmys – Laura’s win WAS the only reason to watch. One question, what the heck is “Venice”? That didn’t make sense.
Shane’s suicide attempt on the roof from OLTL should have been much higher. I cried all day after seeing that. Then i watched it again. Farah Fath graduated to the big leagues with that episode. Austin Williams is a real talent. We will see hin in movies soon.