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.
Daytime viewers are loyal, educated, diverse, multiple generational in their viewing. As you can see from all the ABC chatter, they will never watch the crappy reality shows that have replaced their soaps. Never. They will head to GH or to other networks in search of day time drama. Its the escapism, the drama, the theater that they love.
ABC has spurred a revolution–their viewers leaving by the millions!!!!!
I believe the Revolution will get cancelled by February, if not by next week. The Chew should follow next, since they didn’t meet expectations to beat AMC’s ratings from last year at this date. Both shows are slipping and could prove a victory that ABC should listen to their fans. No more reality shows. We want drama! If it’s to save GH, we would be happy if it’s save, since both reality show replacements won’t last to season 2. Both would be gone by summer. And Katie Couric’s show could be the next victim from soap savers to not watch… Read more »
Kristen Howe » I doubt that. The networks don’t usually pull daytime shows quickly like they do the primetime ones.
PS – I vowed not to watch any new ABC programming (day or nighttime) after the last day of AMC and I’ve stuck to it so far!! I hate to miss THE RIVER!! It looks like it will be really good, but I made a vow and I’m sticking to it. May every new project ABC produces be doomed to failure. Let’s see just how long the guy who decided to cancel AMC and OLTL enjoys his new promotion! I predict that he shouldn’t get too comfortable!
Becky I’m with you on the river. I would have loved it I think . BUT I made a vow and that vow is to boycott all ABC programs except GH.
Though I like and have no animosity towards any of the people working on THE CHEW or THE REVOLUTION or Katie Couric, I’M TIRED OF REALITY!!! We get news 24 hours a day now. Reality shows of one type or another 24 hours a day now!! If I want cooking tips, I can watch the Food Network or Cooking Channel. Practically every channel has at least one program relating to health and fitness. And while watching the “REAL” HOUSEWIVES of WHEREVER or the Kardasians is mildly interesting, the GREAT part about soaps is that we can tell ourselves that the… Read more »
ABC needs to move quickly and make a bold move and get One Life To Live Back into production immediately…they could pretend this was a bad dream. If I were in charge I would apologize for the stupidity of hurting loyal viewers and not realizing the importance these soap operas had. I would then be the hero and not bring back just OLTL, but I would start a talk show with soap stars and let them help people and talk about life issues. I would even start a new soap opera. But they better hurry, because they will never watch… Read more »
EVERYONE SHOULD AVOID THE REVOLUTION IN PROTEST OF KILLING OFF OLTL.
IF THEY TANK, THEN GH IS ASSURED A LONGER LIFE.
GET BEHIND THIS PEOPLE, WE NEED TO SAVE THE GENRE.
Don’t watch either one. Chew boring, if I want to watch a cooking show I LOVE the Cooking channels. The Revolution never even seemed interesting. I really don’t care about other peoples problems. And I can’t stand Ty Pentingtons voice. Don’t watch either. Started watching the soaps on cbs and nbc! LOL. And I just watch my DVR stuff, far my interesting.
The revolution is awful. The chew is not much better. Who wants to watch another bunch of “experts” . Way too many of these shows. Katie Couric is a has been. No one is interested in another recycled person. If general hospital goes, ABC doesn’t have a clue what the viewers want. They better start listening.
How many dang talk shows do we need?
They were complete morons to think people want to watch shows like this. The Chew belongs on the Food channel. I hate the way they cut into our OLTL time. AS IF that was going to make us suddenly start watching it. Screw them. Not only am I not watching those shows, CBS has a new view in me.
I can’t believe that ABC took a wonderful entertaining show like One Life To Live off the air to put this awful talk show on! I hope that the rating continue to stay poor and it is canceled very soon. I have watched it 2 times now and will not torture myself again, it needs to be canceled!
Ok-was home sick recently and tried to watch “The Chew” and also saw some of “The Revolution”. Wow, how different to see a show about weight/fashion/food/self-change,etc. same stuff you can see at night; what a waste of time and would rather watch the escapism of the soaps; even though they were far fetched it was entertaining which is what we want. I will not watch another reality show-we have enough, too much! Change your own weight/house/mental state on your own time!
I think General Hospital is great and hope it continues and I am certain that is what most viewers think, many not represented by the outdated Nielsen company. The Revolution, The Chew, Katie are all trashy shows with trashy people and I pray all of the time that they all wind up unemployed and unemployable. Rotten people to the car the people behind these “programs” They have broken tv, they should be ashamed. I thin Katie is going to fail as miserably here, moreso even than her horrid time at CBS. Why give the woman that ruined Today her own… Read more »
I love The Chew. I am still trying to decide what I think about the Revolution. I think it takes more than 3 of this type of show to decide if something is going to be something that I would watch on a regular basis.
I will not be watching the chew or the revolution…..bring back the soaps!!! People want to be entertained… The chew and revolution are not entertaining! People need a diversion or escape from their day to day lives.. The revolution and chew are BORING!!!!!! lISTEN TO THE PEOPLE!!!