ABC Soaps In Depth tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2010-09-24:/7 2013-05-16T21:13:25Z Movable Type Pro 4.25 How Was Scott Involved In Rick's Death? tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30968 2013-05-16T21:11:32Z 2013-05-16T21:13:25Z Thursday's episode of GENERAL HOSPITAL found Laura having to deal with some pretty strenuous objections about her upcoming wedding to Scott... and for once, it wasn't Luke raising a ruckus! Instead, her mom, Lesley, was the one objecting because... Chris Eades LauraRick.jpg

Thursday's episode of GENERAL HOSPITAL found Laura having to deal with some pretty strenuous objections about her upcoming wedding to Scott... and for once, it wasn't Luke raising a ruckus! Instead, her mom, Lesley, was the one objecting because of the circumstances surrounding the death of her late ex-hubby, Rick Webber. Need a refresher on the history being discussed? Glad to help!

Laura's troubles began as she was planning her 2002 wedding to Luke. One gigantic black hole in time was centered around the garage attic of the Jones house, where she spent her youth with her parents, Rick and Lesley. Bad dreams that she realized were actually memories had both her and Luke determined to unravel the secret from her past that only her subconscious mind was aware of.

As memories slowly returned, she knew that whatever happened in that attic, Scotty also knew. He, however, wasn't going to tell her. When she finally had full recollection of the woman's face from her memories, Laura had Liz sketch it. Lesley remembered that woman as a nurse at GH named Theresa. Flooded with flashbacks, Laura came to believe that her stepfather, Rick, was involved in the woman's murder.

The night of Luke and Laura's wedding, the bride returned to the attic and was soon joined by her father. She accused him of murdering Theresa in that very room, but he denied it. Trying to calm her, he approached her with a syringe. Believing that Rick was indeed a murderer now out to silence his own daughter, Laura picked up a heavy candlestick and struck him in the head, killing him.

Stumbling upon Luke, a catatonic Laura and a dead Rick, Scotty finally told Luke about the events in that attic all those years earlier: A teenaged Laura had walked in on Rick and a romantically obsessed Theresa in a heated discussion about him refusing to leave Lesley. Freaked out, Laura grabbed a camera and hit Theresa over the head, killing her. Laura's fragile state concerned Rick, who sedated her. He then called Scotty, who helped him bury Theresa's body in the Jones' backyard to protect Laura from being charged with murder.]]> Why AMC and OLTL Are Cutting Back! tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30962 2013-05-16T18:51:08Z 2013-05-16T18:59:24Z

Fans were shocked to learn that starting Monday, May 20, ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE, which had been airing via Hulu.com four days a week, would now be airing twice a week. (AMC will air Monday and... Chris Eades ErikaSlezakJeffKwatinetz.jpg

Fans were shocked to learn that starting Monday, May 20, ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE, which had been airing via Hulu.com four days a week, would now be airing twice a week. (AMC will air Monday and Wednesday, with OLTL filling the Tuesday and Thursday slot.) We went to Prospect Park head honcho Jeff Kwatinetz for details on what led to the surprising move.

Soaps In Depth: What does this mean for the future?

Jeff Kwatinetz: It's good. We've been getting millions of views. We're off to a great start. The data is pretty clear. People aren't watching like they watched it before. We should have expected this. We thought it'd be a lot...I don't know why, but our initial instinct was that people were going to watch them like they watched them on ABC. But the truth is they're watching them more like they watch shows on-line, and people are just falling behind. They think that there are too many episodes, and they don't like missing shows or getting behind. [Another factor has been the fast paced-nature of the episodes themselves.] We don't want to slow them down so people feel like it is okay to miss a show. People are telling us - and you have your own experiences - that if they miss one of our shows they feel like they have to go back, they can't just pick up.

In Depth: How does switching to two days a week impact the pacing of shows that are already taped? If you had a Tuesday show that's now a Wednesday show -- and you're not getting another one till next Monday -- how does that affect the viewers? What about cliffhangers and holiday shows, themes that were going on?

Kwatinetz: That's a really good question. Luckily, our stories weren't dependent on things like holidays or times of year. But that's part of why, once we saw that people were watching the shows more like they do other on-line shows, we realized we needed to do something quicker and [not] end up with the kind of issues you're talking about.

In Depth: Once you've gotten a chance to see how this new schedule does, might you consider going back to a four-episode week down the line?

Kwatinetz: Of course! We always said that we're going to adjust to the audience. This give us more time to work with you guys about marketing the show and making the show its own event. The last thing we wanted to do is slow down the pacing because everyone loves the shows themselves. I have not been involved with TV that has gotten such great reviews. We don't want to screw around with the content. We just wanted to make sure that people can keep up.]]> AMC & OLTL Schedules Cut! tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30959 2013-05-16T17:43:10Z 2013-05-16T18:01:20Z

The OnLine Network has made a huge announcement regarding ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE: Starting Monday, May 20, they are scaling back on the scheduling model and two new episodes of each show will be made available... Michelle Parkerton amcoltlnewlogos.jpg

The OnLine Network has made a huge announcement regarding ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE: Starting Monday, May 20, they are scaling back on the scheduling model and two new episodes of each show will be made available each week. New AMC shows will post on Mondays and Wednesdays, and OLTL will now run on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The behind-the-scenes series, MORE, will stream as a single show on Fridays.

In a statement released to subscribers of TOLN's newsletters, Rich Frank and Jeff Kwatinetz explain, "This allows us to introduce a new episode of quality television every Monday through Friday and gives the audience a chance to catch up as we continue to build awareness and excitement around these new shows. Because Hulu agrees with our findings, for the meantime they will keep all of our episodes on Hulu.com for free to give viewers the opportunity to find us and catch up."

The decision was made after collecting viewing data which showed that the shows were primarily being watched by "binge viewing" on-demand and that while the soaps once had a shared ABC audience, the majority of viewers are only watching one of the rebooted shows, not both. The execs also state that "our viewers seem to primarily start with the first episode then continue forward... yet starting from the beginning with the amount of episodes we are releasing is asking too much for viewers who need to catch up."

Frank and Kwatinetz promise that this new schedule will not impact the production of AMC and OLTL. "We will be filming new episodes through mid-June, continue editing throughout July and until we go back into production in August. It's a frenetic schedule but all of us are up for the challenge and excited to continue to deliver great shows.

"As a new venture we felt obligated to address the needs of our viewers head on and to make adjustments that we think will work for our viewers. And as always, we thank you for your continued support and encouragement."

The full statement can be read here.]]> OLTL Alum Cast In Cable Dramedy! tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30942 2013-05-15T19:51:53Z 2013-05-15T19:57:48Z

ONE LIFE TO LIVE alum Jonathan Groff (ex-Henry) is headed back to television! The actor, who also starred in GLEE, will headline an untitled HBO dramedy about a trio of gay friends living in San Francisco. The eight-episode series will... Michelle Parkerton Groff.jpg

ONE LIFE TO LIVE alum Jonathan Groff (ex-Henry) is headed back to television! The actor, who also starred in GLEE, will headline an untitled HBO dramedy about a trio of gay friends living in San Francisco. The eight-episode series will also star GUIDING LIGHT alum Murray Bartlett (Cyrus) and SMASH's Frankie J. Alvarez. Production is scheduled to begin this fall in Frisco, with the series hitting the air next year. ]]> Wagner Dating His B&B Wife! tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30937 2013-05-15T18:15:39Z 2013-05-15T18:23:25Z

They tweet each other quite regularly, and she has been by his side at events. But GENERAL HOSPITAL's Jack Wagner (ex-Frisco) and his former THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL wife Ashley Jones (ex-Bridget) have never commented on their rumored... Michelle Parkerton JackAshley.jpg

They tweet each other quite regularly, and she has been by his side at events. But GENERAL HOSPITAL's Jack Wagner (ex-Frisco) and his former THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL wife Ashley Jones (ex-Bridget) have never commented on their rumored relationship... until now! The two actors have confirmed to Soaps In Depth that they are a couple! "We've been dating probably about a year, maybe more," Wagner shares. "We worked together for years but never dated [at B&B]."

We'll have more on the couple's real-life romance in an upcoming issue of Soaps In Depth!]]> Exclusive GH Casting: Meet Felix's Little Sister! tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30933 2013-05-15T17:08:43Z 2013-05-15T17:31:22Z

The triangle between GENERAL HOSPITAL's Rafe, Molly and T.J. is about to get a good shake-up! Soaps In Depth can exclusively report that 666 PARK AVENUE star Samantha Logan has been tapped to play Taylor DuBois, Felix's younger sister, who... Michelle Parkerton SamanthaLogan.jpg

The triangle between GENERAL HOSPITAL's Rafe, Molly and T.J. is about to get a good shake-up! Soaps In Depth can exclusively report that 666 PARK AVENUE star Samantha Logan has been tapped to play Taylor DuBois, Felix's younger sister, who will be added to the high school storyline. "Not everything can be a triangle, so there will be another girl thrown into the mix," reveals headwriter Ron Carlivati.

A native of Boston, the singer/actress/dancer played teen clairvoyant Nona on the ABC supernatural series. The high schooler has also appeared on GOSSIP GIRL, LAW & ORDER: SVU and made her feature film debut in the Adrien Brody/Marcia Gay Harden drama Detachment. Look for Logan to debut on Tuesday, June 4!]]> Ingo's Last Dance tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30929 2013-05-15T14:29:01Z 2013-05-15T15:03:22Z

Ingo Rademacher (ex-Jax, GENERAL HOSPITAL) had a good run on DANCING WITH THE STARS, but last night, he and professional partner Kym Johnson were eliminated in the semi-final round. "I [actually] feel great," Rademacher responded after the show. "It would... Chris Eades IngoDancingResults.jpg

Ingo Rademacher (ex-Jax, GENERAL HOSPITAL) had a good run on DANCING WITH THE STARS, but last night, he and professional partner Kym Johnson were eliminated in the semi-final round.

"I [actually] feel great," Rademacher responded after the show. "It would have been amazing to dance in the finals. If we'd gone through I would have switched into a whole other gear because we really would have had to show some dances that would have proved we deserved to be there. I think we would have pulled a rabbit out of a hat. In a way, I'm a little disappointed we didn't get to do that, but I'm more relieved. I'm eighty percent relieved because my knees are really hurting me. I need to sit down!"

But the actor prides himself on getting as far as he did, and learning so much. "Every time I'd come back on Wednesday and Kym would show me a routine, I'd go 'There's no way I can do that,'" Rademacher said. "And I'd do that. And I'd do it on Monday. Even on the last week, I thought on the Charleston, there's no way I can get those steps down. And you surprise yourself and you do it and it's amazing. If you dedicate enough time to something then you will learn how to do it."

So while he won't be taking home a mirror ball trophy like GH castmate Kelly Monaco (Sam), congratulations to Rademacher for getting this far!]]> Meet Scotty In Person! tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30920 2013-05-14T20:11:23Z 2013-05-14T20:14:28Z

During the GENERAL HOSPITAL Fan Club Weekend, Kin Shriner (Scotty) will be having a special event on Sunday, July 28, from 4:00-6:00 pm at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City, CA. Shriner is promising special guests, autographs, a Q&A and... Chris Eades KinShrinerGal.jpg

During the GENERAL HOSPITAL Fan Club Weekend, Kin Shriner (Scotty) will be having a special event on Sunday, July 28, from 4:00-6:00 pm at the Sportsmen's Lodge in Studio City, CA. Shriner is promising special guests, autographs, a Q&A and lots of laughs!

Tickets are only $60, and can be ordered by sending a money order only along with one self-addressed stamped envelope with your information to Jim Warren, P.0. Box 3555, Hollywood, CA 90078]]> Will Rademacher Make The Finals? tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30915 2013-05-14T16:44:22Z 2013-05-14T16:53:35Z

Last night on DANCING WITH THE STARS, GENERAL HOSPITAL's Ingo Rademacher (ex-Jax) and professional partner Kym Johnson scored three nines from the judges for their Charleston! "It was the most entertaining dance that we've done all season," Rademacher told us... Chris Eades IngoDancing0513.jpg

Last night on DANCING WITH THE STARS, GENERAL HOSPITAL's Ingo Rademacher (ex-Jax) and professional partner Kym Johnson scored three nines from the judges for their Charleston! "It was the most entertaining dance that we've done all season," Rademacher told us after the show. "The footwork was a little off; we did it better in dress. It was definitely a fun dance."

However, the actor wasn't nearly as pleased with their first dance, the samba. "I think if we'd had a really nice ballroom number," he mused. "A dance with cool lines. Big, beautiful lines. I feel like more of a dancer when I'm doing that kind of dance. The samba was definitely difficult for me."

But even if Rademacher doesn't make it into the finals, he's still content with his performance on the show. And he's got a bunch of paddleboard races in Hawaii coming up to keep him busy! Not to mention if GH asks him to return again. "If they call, I'm always ready to come back," he said. "It just won't be during race season. It'd have to be after July."

Make sure to tune in tonight at 9:00 pm EST on ABC to see if your votes were enough to push Rademacher and Johnson into the finals!]]> Soap Stars Hit Primetime tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30913 2013-05-14T16:11:21Z 2013-05-14T16:22:13Z

The networks recently revealed their upcoming primetime plans, and there are quite a few daytime alums who will be gracing our TV screens in these new series! Natalie Hall (ex-Colby, ALL MY CHILDREN) will be featured in STAR-CROSSED, a new... Chris Eades SettonGellar.jpg

The networks recently revealed their upcoming primetime plans, and there are quite a few daytime alums who will be gracing our TV screens in these new series!

Natalie Hall (ex-Colby, ALL MY CHILDREN) will be featured in STAR-CROSSED, a new CW drama set in a world where an alien race have landed on Earth and been forced to live in an internment camp. But things get interesting when an alien boy and eight others of his kind are integrated in a suburban high school, and a romance develops between him and a human girl.

AMC's Sarah Michelle Gellar (ex-Kendall) and ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Amanda Setton (ex-Kimberly) will be appearing in CRAZY ONES, a new CBS comedy set in the world of advertising and starring Robin Williams.

Wendy Moniz (ex-Mayor Finn, OLTL; Dinah, GUIDING LIGHT) is in the cast of BETRAYAL, a sudsy-sounding drama that also stars James Cromwell and Henry Thomas.

And two of AS THE WORLD TURNS' former Lucys have new primetime gigs: Spencer Grammer will be in NBC's crime-drama IRONSIDE, based on the '60s series, and Peyton List will be starring in The CW's THE TOMORROW PEOPLE, a sci-fi adventure based on a UK series from the '70s about teenagers with powerful psychic powers.]]> Fumero Takes The Stage! tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30906 2013-05-13T21:05:33Z 2013-05-13T21:09:20Z

David Fumero (ex-Cristian, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) is making his stage debut, and if you're in the Los Angeles area, you can catch his show! Urban Theater Movement is presenting Urban Legends, a series of one-act plays, and Fumero is... Chris Eades DavidFumero.jpg

David Fumero (ex-Cristian, ONE LIFE TO LIVE) is making his stage debut, and if you're in the Los Angeles area, you can catch his show! Urban Theater Movement is presenting Urban Legends, a series of one-act plays, and Fumero is starring in "And Then It Rained," which will be running Thursday, May 16, through Sunday, May 19, and then again from Thursday, May 23, through Sunday, May 26. Showtimes are at 8:00 pm Thursday through Saturday and 7:00 pm on Sundays. Tickets are only $20. For more information, visit the Urban Theater Movement Web site by clicking here!]]> Dimitri Returns! tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30890 2013-05-13T13:57:55Z 2013-05-13T14:15:59Z

It's been over a decade since Dimitri Marick was in Pine Valley, but Michael Nader will be bringing his alter ego back to ALL MY CHILDREN on Monday, June 3! What brings him back to town after all these years?... Chris Eades DimitriAMC.jpg

It's been over a decade since Dimitri Marick was in Pine Valley, but Michael Nader will be bringing his alter ego back to ALL MY CHILDREN on Monday, June 3! What brings him back to town after all these years? Turns out Brooke has offered Dimitri a job as the head of Chandler Media, a new division of Chandler Enterprises.

"I got a call from executive producer Ginger Smith who said Prospect Park is relaunching 'All My Children' online," Nader says. "She said 'we'd love for you to come back.' And I said, 'you want me, you got me.' Being back, is like being home."

But how will the residents of Pine Valley react to his return? You'll have to tune in and find out!]]> The "Clash Of The Condiments" Begins! tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30888 2013-05-11T02:55:32Z 2013-05-13T14:05:32Z

If the pen is mightier than the sword, where does "relish" rank? In Quartermaine-land, it's way up there! Tracy and A.J.'s battle for the condiment crown kicks off on Monday's GENERAL HOSPITAL, when the duo goes head-to-head in a... Rosemary Rossi GHChew.jpg

If the pen is mightier than the sword, where does "relish" rank? In Quartermaine-land, it's way up there!

Tracy and A.J.'s battle for the condiment crown kicks off on Monday's GENERAL HOSPITAL, when the duo goes head-to-head in a Pickle-Whoever taste-off on THE CHEW. Although it looked as if Elizabeth used her "power of pretty" to get Nikolas to back off A.J., she was no match for Tracy's ability to reach into the Great Beyond and make contact with Edward! Yes, divine intervention had Tracy begging her dearly departed daddy for forgiveness for not saving ELQ and, just like "that," the guards Nik hired to keep TQ in check dropped like flies! Look out CHEW crew. Tracy is on her way, and she's ready to rumble!

T.J. can't catch a break. He asked Molly to be his prom date in the most romantic way EVAH, but then he got dumped. Yeah, he deserved it. He shouldn't have lured Rafe to Kelly's pretending to be Molly and then punch him in the face. Bad move. But the guy's in love and he knows Rafe is moving in on his girl. What's he supposed to do, ignore it? As if. He's 15! Can he make amends with Molly before the big day?

Morgan sure grew up nice. He is, however, easy to dupe. Fifty grand worth of "dupe," in fact! And he wants NO help getting out of this mess. He told his big bro, Michael, "I got this, Mikey. Same way I've handled my whole life since mom outsourced parenting to Sherman-Johnston Military Academy." Yup. That pretty much sums up what went wrong and when it went there. The shocking thing is that Carly turned to Sam for help. Sam! Isn't that the seventh sign of the Apocalypse?

This week, the relish revolt takes an odd turn, Morgan has "a plan" (that can't be good) and three familiar faces return as different characters. Guess who?! Don't forget: 2:00 ET and 1:00 PST/CT on ABC. Be there!]]> Lucci Helps Launch Daytime Television Exhibit tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30863 2013-05-09T20:16:35Z 2013-05-09T20:26:18Z

Back in March we told you about a collaboration between NATAS and the Smithsonian Institute to bring some of the most iconic daytime television memorabilia to the national museum, and today the first donations were presented! Today's ceremony officially... Michelle Parkerton Lucci.jpg

Back in March we told you about a collaboration between NATAS and the Smithsonian Institute to bring some of the most iconic daytime television memorabilia to the national museum, and today the first donations were presented!

Today's ceremony officially launched a three-year collecting initiative between the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and the National Museum of American History, aiming to help the museum expand its capacity to tell the story of daytime television and the Daytime Emmy Awards. At the ceremony, the Smithsonian accepted artifacts that reflect the contributions of daytime television programming, including a 1984 JEOPARDY! script from Alex Trebek, objects from the children's series BARNEY, and the gown that Susan Lucci (ex-Erica, ALL MY CHILDREN) wore on the cover of People magazine celebrating her legendary Daytime Emmy win. "They've asked me for [an AMC] script as well," the iconic daytime actress tells Soaps In Depth. "Plus, People is doing a big blow-up of the cover."

The daytime television collection (which will include children's programming, talk shows, game shows and cooking shows) will be part of a larger entertainment exhibit scheduled to open in 2015. "Right now, the area that the museum is going to devote to this exibit on American culture at large is under reconstruction," curator Dwight Blocker Bowers tells In Depth. "We have a very small soap opera collection, and this is an opportunity for us to add to it."

For more on this collaboration, check out an upcoming issue of Soaps In Depth.]]> Cast Your Vote #21 tag:abc.soapsindepth.com,2013://7.30862 2013-05-09T20:14:24Z 2013-05-09T20:17:28Z

Once again, it's time to express your opinions for our Readers' Poll. In the comments section for this article, please respond to the question, and feel free to explain your answer, but remember that any comments here may be considered... Chris Eades CarlySam.jpg

Once again, it's time to express your opinions for our Readers' Poll. In the comments section for this article, please respond to the question, and feel free to explain your answer, but remember that any comments here may be considered for publication in the magazine. Any extra comments you have that have nothing to do with this week's poll question should be directed to the Message Boards section of our Web site!

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Do you like Sam and Carly better as friends or enemies?

Please note that the cut-off date for your votes to be counted will be Thursday, May 16. And please, only one vote per person!

To vote on your favorite actor, actress and couple currently appearing on an ABC, CBS or NBC soap, please mail your choices to:

ABC Readers' Poll
c/o Soaps In Depth
270 Sylvan Ave.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632

Multiple mail-in votes during the same voting period will not be counted, so don't waste our time, your time, or the postage!

VOTES FOR ACTORS, ACTRESSES AND COUPLES CAST IN THE COMMENTS TO THIS ARTICLE WILL NOT BE COUNTED.]]>