All My Children News & Gossip
News for the week of 25-Aug-2008
Fall previews under new head writer Charles Pratt Jr. (formerly with GH) promise a redirection of characters and couples under an umbrella plot push. Several highlights include the return of Vincent Irizarry’s David Hayward, the demise of another character already on the canvas, the refocus on Adam and Erica as the heart and soul of the show, and the build-ups of several musical chair couples. Adam and Erica are thrown together by circumstance – Adam likes toying with Jackson and Carmen to get Erica’s goat, and then Kendall gets wind of something nefarious in the air, getting her mom to toy with Adam’s affections. Eventually Erica and Jack will rematch, but in the meantime, they’re having fun with Adam and Carmen respectively. Jake will have two distinctly different women on his hands, the sexy, carefree Amanda, and the intense, mysterious Taylor, with possibly one more unforeseen character added for good measure. Jesse wasn’t a monk during the 20 years he was pronounced dead at the hospital. He may even have fallen in love with a woman other than Angie. Kathy continues to be a thorn in Tad and Krystal’s side, with Adam definitely a factor. Shades of Heroes come into play when a lightning bolt transforms nerdish Pete into a superhuman that attracts Colby’s attention. Babe’s influence in JR’s world keeps him upright, and on the straight and narrow. Zach and Kendall encounter some conflicts, Josh being one, but will remain together in the end. Greenlee and Aidan, Greenlee and Ryan, Annie and Ryan…who will win? Aidan isn’t about to give up Greenlee to Ryan without a fight. Frankie might just have to return to the Iraq war to serve his country, and this just might stop his affair with Randi cold.
ABC TV and TV Guidejoined forces to put out the August 25th issue of the 55-year-old magazine. ABC sponsors the entire issue—a first—which features 21 of its ad pages, as well as a promotional programming DVD for the fall season. The ads will promote programming for daytime, nighttime, late night, news, the website and assorted other parts of the network, under the theme of ABC Start Here for entertainment and news of the highest quality.
Casting’s on the lookout for a real-life Iraq soldier named Brot, preferably with a real-life injury suffered from the war, to be on the show as an Iraq war veteran who’s badly hurt. As the story goes, Army Lt. Taylor (Beth Ehlers) was involved with Brot before he perished in combat—or so she thinks. Brot survived, but has chosen to let Taylor think he did perish, for fear of becoming a burden to her since he feels so damaged. AMC’s people have consulted with USA Cares and military experts to continue telling the story involving Taylor, Jake and Frankie as authentically and respectfully as possible.
With the arrival of every new head writer, cast members tend to be on pins and needles with anticipation and more than a little anxiety for their characters’ future. It’s the same with veteran actress Susan Lucci (Erica). So, hearing about head writer Charles Pratt’s devotion to featuring her (and David Canary’s Adam) as AMC’s foundation was more than a little reassuring. Lucci has been absolutely devoted to the stories that passed her way recently, from Erica being pinched for insider trading to learning the hard-luck stories of her fellow female inmates. “I lovethat they allowed that growth in her. There was much more humanity in her – not just directed at herself, but she could see that she’s in a privileged position and that that’s not quite right. And to try to share that with people who just by virtue of their birth should have the same ability to stand up for themselves…. It was a treasure to see that in my scripts.” She even had great things to say about Erica and Jack breaking up and divorcing. It was “handled with such intelligence and respect for the characters’ relationship. And it’s a very realistic slice of life – so many children brought to this combined family, everybody with their own needs. It was circumstances that tore them apart. They tried to get it back together, I think people could see that.” Despite the profuse praise of her recently wrapped storylines, Lucci was relieved to be out of the same orange prison jumpsuit and back in the designer fashions for which her character is renowned. And, she eagerly looked forward to whatever the new head writer had in store for her. –Soap Opera Digest, “Citizen Kane” by Mara Levinsky, August 26, 2008
Both Walt Willey (Jackson) and Elizabeth Rodriguez (Carmen) are disinclined—as fans of Jack with Erica, and of Erica’s Susan Lucci—to ride roughshod in a fairly new, scripted pairing. Willey said he even revised some scenes involving his and Rodriguez’s characters while they’re at ConFusion nightclub, from a date date to a business date that turns into possibly something more if they let it—while making sure Jack let Carmen know as much from the get-go. The veteran actor also strenuously requested TPTB ease into this new-found relationship, and take care to honor the one between Jack and Erica, a very popular one indeed. Rodriguez concurred with Willey, feeling badly for coming between his and Lucci’s characters. “I was genuinely up there, like, squirming. Carmen has anxiety and mixed feelings about Jack because she completely loves Erica…. She’s not that person [who goes after a friend’s fella].” In the end, it is Willey’s fondest wish and hope that Jack and Erica will find their way back. –Soap Opera Digest, August 26, 2008
Rodriguez’s and Lucci’s characters became fast friends while on the run as prison fugitives not too long ago. Naturally, the actresses also forged a deep friendship based on mutual respect and love. Rodriguez, fairly new to daytime, is constantly amazed by Lucci’s professionalism, class and uncanny ability to know her material at a glance. “I mean, my mimicking Susan, which I’ve done for her, is her looking down at the page and in about half a minute, she has four pages down. And I am just blown away.” –Soap Opera Digest, “Citizen Kane” sidebar by Mara Levinsky, August 26, 2008
Bobbie Eakes (Krystal; ex-Macy, B&B) has no problem traveling on a plane. She rather enjoys it. But a lot of that could be because she has no problem falling asleep on a plane for an entire flight. She’s one of those enviable passengers who are out like a light before the plane even taxis off the runway.
Sometimes, Eakes feels a twinge of envy hearing about couples who experience that wham-pow! of love at first sight. But in the long run, for her and husband David, it’s the slow burn that counts. They saw each other for the longest time before marrying. It was when she observed him around his relatives that she knew he was a keeper.
Casting’s on the search for Lew Roth, a network executive able to restore Erica her New Beginningstalk show. It’s a bit part.
Gossip for the week of 25-Aug-2008
Is Susan Lucci (Erica) the next star to appear and participate in Dancing With The Stars? Looks very likely. Also very likely on the DWTW roster: beach volleyball goddess and Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor, Kim Kardashian, Brooke Burke, and Toni Braxton. All that booty action in one room? It’s time to start tuning in, yo.
Head writer Charles Pratt teased that for the fall, a character will die. Could it be Josh? Randi?
Or… Could it be Myrtle, prompting Skye (Robin Christopher) to make a brief visit?
Randi and Carmen exuded quite the lesbian vibe over a meal at B.J.’s.
All My Children News & Gossip, Copyright © 2008 Carol Banks Weber. Published by SoapZone.com / Jeff Jungblut. No part of this page may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed on this page are those of the author and may not be representative of SoapZone.com or its advertisers. Don't steal scoops.
