Brian Frons, president, Daytime, Disney ABC-Television Group, today announced three new series for SOAPnet, including the reality series GREG BEHRENDT'S WAKE-UP CALL, the scripted drama BEING ERICA and the docusoap SOUTHERN BELLES (working title). The series will premiere on SOAPnet in 2009. "SOAPnet remains committed to growing the soap genre and is increasing its original program offerings next year with new series that contain ‘soapy’ elements and complement the serialized drama found in our daytime and primetime offerings," said Frons. "In speaking to our viewers, we have learned that they are on a path of self discovery and each of our new series taps into that journey."
Produced by Avalon Television, GREG BEHRENDT'S WAKE-UP CALL is a reality series of six one-hour episodes in which Greg Behrendt, acclaimed consultant for SEX AND THE CITY and co-author of "He’s Just Not That into You" (now a major motion picture set to hit theaters on February 6, 2009), will address one couple’s major issues each week and use his practical and funny relationship expertise to give them the tools to fix theirs. The reality series will air on Thursdays at 11:00 p.m., beginning January 8.
GREG BEHRENDT'S WAKE-UP CALL will also kick off SOAPnet’s "Sugar-Free Valentines," a six-week programming event beginning on January 8 that is dedicated to the fun and romance surrounding Valentine’s Day without the sweet, gooey center. Behrendt will also host a series of interstitials throughout the event, providing his no-nonsense approach to relationships.
BEING ERICA follows the life of 32-year-old Erica Strange, a highly educated, underachieving single woman who struggles to understand why her life is heading nowhere and why she has not found her right path "yet." She’s made years of bad decisions and has a list of regrets several pages long as a result. Enter Dr. Tom, a mysterious man who is part therapist and part rogue. In each episode he enables Erica to go back in time and re-live an event from her past that caused regret. This time she makes different choices and, in return, gains a new perspective that helps her with her present day life. The show stars newcomer Erin Karpluk (Erica), Michael Riley (Dr. Tom) and Tyron Leitso (Ethan). The one-hour series, created by Emmy-Award winning writer Jana Sinyor, is executive-produced by Sinyor, Aaron Martin, Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier, and is produced by Temple Street Productions in association with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. The series has been picked up for 13 episodes and will premiere in Spring 2009.
SOUTHERN BELLES (working title) follows the lives of five single, modern Southern women in their 20s and 30s and gives an intimate look at the professional and romantic lives of this circle of friends. Currently shooting in Louisville, Kentucky, the series has been picked up for ten one-hour episodes. The series is produced by Endemol USA (EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION, DEAL OR NO DEAL, BIG BROTHER) in association with ABC Media Productions (formerly Buena Vista Productions). David Goldberg is president and CEO of Endemol USA. Joe Livecchi serves as executive producer.
I have been trying to defend Soapnet. Heck, even now I do...(a) the provide the sole re-broadcast option for soap right now, (b) they do more promotion than the broadcast nets.
ReplyDeleteI have understood the programming shifts to younger, less soapy, and (cheaper) reality fare. It's all about attracting 18-39 year old female eyeballs, at the lowest cost possible.
But it becomes increasingly difficult to justify the existence of this network that allocates EVERY non-primetime hour basically to this off-topic junk.
At this point, I think ABCD would fare better if they'd push their daytime soaps to their internet platform (like CBS), and rebrand Soapnet.
Alternatively, if the October numbers they were crowing are TRUE, it makes NO SENSE why they wouldn't try to extend the MOST SUCCESSFUL part of their lineup (soaps) to other dayparts.
Somebody at ABCD has given up. Somebody at ABCD simply DOES NOT LIKE soaps. It shows.
There are a MILLION reality show concepts they could have come up, similar to this dreck they are proposing, that would have had SOME soap tie in.
Wouldn't it be cheaper to bring back "Another World"?
ReplyDeleteMy dream would be Soapnet airs a new version of Another World based on the old scripts from the 70s. Everyone says that time on the show was its best and one of the best in daytime. But the footage for the most part is gone forever. So take those old Harding Lemay scripts, update them, and reshoot in 2009. Great stories are timeless.
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