This week, ABC unveiled their new daytime makeover TV series, The Revolution. As soap fans know all too well, it replaced One Life to Live (OLTL), the venerable daytime drama that was cancelled in 2011 and went off the air last Friday.
Based on what we’ve seen, it looks like The Revolution is going to be a ratings disappointment right out of the gate. While it’s too late to save OLTL, this show’s failure may be enough to buy General Hospital some more time.
ABC has signed Katie Couric to host her own daytime syndicated talk series beginning in the fall of 2012. Since there are only so many hours of daytime, it’s been widely speculated that Couric’s new show will take over General Hospital’s slot, at least on ABC-owned stations.
If The Revolution and The Chew tank and end up being cancelled however, there will be enough space on the schedule for both General Hospital and Katie Couric. If fans follow the four OLTL characters to General Hospital, that soap’s viewership could increase enough to justify keeping it.
ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee recently said, “I am a fan of General Hospital, but we have not made a decision on its future and don’t really have a time frame for it either.”
The network execs probably haven’t made up their minds yet about the fate of any of the daytime shows. Those decisions will likely be made in the next several months and, as in any business, it’ll all come down to profits versus expenses.
What do you think? Realistically, do you think General Hospital will survive into the 2012-13 season? What about primetime? Do you think The Revolution or The Chew will see a second season?
Image courtesy ABC.
I will not watch The Chew or The Revolution. I’m tired of these kind of shows, If I want to watch reality TV I will put it on ( i have cable,so there is alot of them on there) I want my daytime dramas on the air, not this garbage ABC/Disney is putting on. I watch CBS soaps now and I will continue to do so, No ABC/Disney on my TV sets except for GH at 3:00. Now the Revolution time at the end of the show feeds into GH time, just like The Chew did with OLTL time, ABC… Read more »
ABC make a big mistake. I just wish they would bring back AMC and One Life to Live.
Now I watch Days on NBC and that is really a good soap!! I will not watch anything on ABC day or night.
Television producers and show creators need to get a clue!!! Look at the line up we’ll have in September of ABC Daytime. *Live w/Kelly, The Nate Berkus Show, The View, News, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, The Chew, The Revolution, Katie Couric and the Ellen DeGeneres Show and then the News again*…what is so entertaining about any of that? Do tell! The viewers are sick and tired of reality TV. Give us something with substance, give us a story, GIVE US OUR SOAPS BACK!!! It isn’t too late for OLTL! And, I do not believe Paul Lee, they are… Read more »
This is why I will not watch ABC at all, after September, if this schedule remains as it is…I only tune into ABC for one show now…and that is General Hospital.
I believe that ABC made a mistake with putting on 2 talk shows and canceling OLTL and All My Children. It would be wonderful if they made the smart decision and did not cancel General Hospital. What is a shame is that they did not realize their blunder before OLTL was taken off the air, the soap opera with the highest ratings and growing in fan base each week. I do not believe that 4 cross-over characters will mend the void for fans of OLTL, and does nothing for the fans of AMC. What this article may not realize is… Read more »
i wish the chew and the revolution the speedy death they both deserve. I’m not a fan of General Hospital but will watch the scenes John McBain and the Mannings are in and fast forward through the rest. Hopefully they will bring in more OLTL and some AMC characters and then i would keep watching GH and i think with the combined cast and audience it could survive. ABC really needs to can the talk shows and bring back AMC and OLTL!!!!!!!! or at least give the rights to their creator Agnes Nixon so she can restart them elsewhere.
All indications point to the Revolution being an utter failure. Any show that opts to dictate what women need to do, to be better, clearly is unaware of the woman’s movement. There is more to life than how one looks. I saw one comment that appeared to state women should wear high-healed shoes. I found this to be not very well thought out. High-heels are know to cause back problems as well as foot problems. This sends a message that women need to be in pain and jeopardize their future health, to fit the “ideal woman” they are trying to… Read more »
Well they should bring OLTL back it was the best of the 3 soaps on ABC but if GH can be saved that fine too.. Lets just learn from our mistakes ABC no one wants a snooze fest in the afternoon.. we want the edge of our seat drama that we had for 43 years.. This was a real dumb move on your part.. Maybe you should redeem yourself now and do something nice for the fans who stood by you for years..You were always number 1 with us until you pulled the rug from under us and left us… Read more »
I disagree with the author. It’s not too late for OLTL, or AMC for that matter. There is a rapidly growing movement to save the genre that is making great strides. We will find a home for all three, OLTL, AMC and GH. ABC/Disney has made it clear they want out of the soap business. Let someone have the rights who will produce, nuture and air them. I am a proud SWAN, I Stand With Agnes Nixon!:) Please join us!!!:) https://www.facebook.com/events/282750331782353/
Keep up the good work Michele!
I love LOVE this show! Very inspiring and informational! I sure hope they keep it around!!!!
You must work for ABC/Disney…just saying. Have a nice day.
There is only 1 hour per day my TV is tuned to the mouse network, and that is to watch GH. They lost me as a viewer for all other provramming when AMC & OLTL were cancelled. There is nothing on the replacement shows that will ever get me to watch. Brian Frons has paid with his job for this travesty; I hope the other executives listen to the virewers and return OLTL and A MC.
It would be wonderful if the new talk show took over the Revolution’s time slot and ABC brought AMC and OLTL back. Why did they ever cancel two long running soaps that were proven ratings winners for two talk shows that no one wants to watch?
I will not watch ABC anymore since they don’t listen to the people. One Life To live and All My Children were good shows that should not have been cancelled.
I loved OLTL! And like GH, do not like the show that replaced the soaps. ABC I’m sick of shows like The Chew, The Revolution.
The Chew is a nice idea once a week, but an hour long cooking show five times a week is much too much. Who thought it could sustain a network audience over time? I managed to watch about 15 minutes of The Revolution, and by then I was feeling so bad for women who thought this was good and for ABC for thinking that women should be subjected to this. The show made me glad to be a man, and I turned the channel.
The revolution is going to sink the ratings speak for itself,no one is going to watch a boring make over show.we want drama and romance that’s what one life to live was all about.it was entertaining and fun.abc should find a way to renew oltl and put it back on the air.as far as putting 4 or 5 oltl stars on gh wouldn’t be enough.what about people who aren’t familiar with gh and it’s storyline,it just would be the same.oltl fans are used to this soap.we will not be happy with abc’s stupid compromise.bring back oltl and cancel the revolution… Read more »