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 watched all 3 ABC soaps – now down to just GH – and most of the evening shows that I watched (notice the past tense?) were on ABC. Now I watch 3 shows on ABC. GH, Revenge, and Once upon a time. I watch around 70 hours of TV (while cooking, cleaning, computing) and I watch 7 hours of ABC (5 of them are GH). Quite a drop, ABC, ARE YOU LISTENING? ABC needs to stop doing shows they want us to see and give us the shows WE want to see… WE are your paycheck… if WE aren’t… Read more »
I hate the new shows! They insult my intelligence! As an aging, disabled baby boomer I looked forward to my soaps. Now there is little or nothing to choose from in the afternoon. I refuse to start watching General Hospital because I’m sure it too will be cancelled. I hope ABC executives enjoy their new shows, especially since they will be the only ones watching.
Bring back OLTL and AMC! Soaps are so
Much more entertaining. Never a dull moment. I refuse to watch The Chew and the Revolution! I hope they tank and our soaps can come back!!!! I think General Hospital will stay. We don’t need another talk show. The reason I watched ABC was they didn’t have all the talk shows like every other network. Now ABC is like all the other networks. If they bring another talk show I guess I’ll stop watching tv.
I am too a baby boomer, watched these soaps with my grandparents and got hooked at a young age. I am now retired and was waiting to enjoy them at my leisure!!! Surprise.. someone else decides the ratings are too low.. well.. guess what, you won’t have me at all. If you remove General Hospital from your lineup, forget me watching any ABC daytime. You made a serious mistake thinking a “Revolution” show would be anything viewers would want to watch in the daytime!!! We see enough redo’s in the evening.. Daytime viewers are fickle… we love what we love.… Read more »
I think General Hospital will stay until 2013…….I like the Chew. Take Revolution off, too many talk shows.
I DO NOT WANT another talk show!!! I will not watch it no matter what time slot they put it in. I hope General Hospital sticks around as they are the only good thing ABC has on during daytime hours. I’m sick to death of food shows, talk and reality shows!!! Give us our soaps!!! Even if only 30 mins. instead of an hour. That’s better than nothing!! ABC I hope your new shows ratings tank and continue to drop till you lose your network all-together!! I’ve watch OLTL since day 1 and will NEVER watch anything that replaces it!!!
I believe we have way to many change me shows on as it is yes we all have things we need to work on but if they take GH off I will be very upset I want my other shows back on and certainly don’t want to lose another 1 just for another talk show give us a break!!! We want our shows back on and enough of the talk shows please!!!!!
I AM SO GLAD THE REVOLUTITION DID BAD . NOW MAYBE THEY WILL REALIZE WHAT MORONS THEY WERE AND NOT CANCEL GH . ALSO BRING BACK OUR BELOVED OLTL.
Oh please! NOT Katie Couric AGAIN! Didn’t ABC LEARN why she had to leave CBS!? LOW RATINGS! AND AGAIN, NOT ANOTHER STUPID TALK SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ABC really does NOT listen to their viewers AT ALL! Trust me, I am NO Katie Couric fan & will NOT be tuning in! ugh!
ditto no Katiie Couric ugh !!! ABC will be dead if they take GH off!! Bring OLTL back !!
BRING BACK BOTH OLTL & AMC… I will never watch anything aired in those time slots..
As a baby boomer…I watched both from the 1st day on air…as did many other young mom’s then..We are the fastest growing age group…retiring soon…I think ABC made a huge mistake..
I think they will tank. If they would incorporate All My Children and One Life to Live into General Hospital it’s ratings might sky rocket.
Bring back One Life to Live , keep General Hospital on, and you just might save the Network !!!! Soap Opera Fans are very loyal !!!!
Yes, I agree!!!! Please bring back “AMC-OLTL” & please, please keep General Hospital on!!!
Bring back OLTL! If you take away gH ratings really will drop. If writers can bring back the dead on soaps they can surly resurrect OLTL!!! Obviously viewers did not want the change or the ratings would be there.
Bring back OLTL!! Face it a mistake was made…..just bring it back. Ratings will really dropped if GH goes away. On soaps writers can bring back the dead so there would be no problem to resurrect OLTL!!!
We will not be trained to watch the talk shows. Sorry! I hope that the poor ratings can save GH, although OLTL was a better show, but ABC goes only by how much it costs for a show I am afraid that GH will not be saved. Can’t believe that ratings do not count for more.