Tuesday, January 3, 2012

NEWS ROUNDUP: What Prospect Park Can Learn From Netflix. Walt Willey Interview, Joan Collins To DOWNTON ABBEY? Wayne Brady On B&B.

How to Do Original TV Online Properly (Hint: Study Netflix)
Prospect Park’s proposed online soap network would have been a massive financial risk because it would have been starting from scratch in all the ways that counted. The soaps have a sizable audience on television, but it’s completely unknown how many of them would have crossed over to viewing online.

What Netflix did right—whether intentionally or by accident, and I actually suspect it’s somewhere between the two—is hook into projects that don’t rely on the internet to survive.

Best-selling author Carly Phillips upset over soap cancellations
"No matter how many happy endings they give me, it won't be the same as keeping the soaps on. I'm so angry and hurt over it all. I haven't a clue what I'll watch on TV in the afternoons, but I won't put ABC on during those hours. Another thing about me – I'm loyal to a fault."

Joan Collins to join DOWNTON ABBEY?
Collins is apparently to make a cameo appearance in the next season of the hit show. Producers of the period drama are reportedly keen to sign up Collins for a role in the third series. Filming is set to begin in the spring and the former DYNASTY star will play a cousin of Dame Maggie Smith's character, Violet Crawley.

PBS’ DOWNTON ABBEY elevates primetime soap to a high artform worthy of viewers’ time
"There are moments in both romances where DOWNTON shows its soap opera DNA, and even though it elevates soap to high art, certain rules are still followed. Like the one that says no romance ever travels in a straight line."

UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS Hunk Neil Jackson: "The women in DOWNTON ABBEY don't compare to the women in UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS"
"Ours are stunning. We've got Laura Haddock, Keeley Hawes, Claire Foy... beautiful women. Laura, who plays Harry's love interest Beryl Ballard, is particularly beautiful."

PBS Takes On the Premium Channels
Emboldened by the success of DOWNTON ABBEY, PBS now faces the challenge of translating the buzz and enthusiasm for the show into donations to local stations and public financing.

Wayne Brady & LET'S MAKE A DEAL will appear on THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
In the January 18 episode, Pam (Alley Mills) and Nick (Jack Wagner) will appear on LET'S MAKE A DEAL.

Justin Tanner's AVE 43: L.A. Playwright's Scandalously Funny Soap Opera Parody Web Series
It can be somewhat dizzying watching Tanner work. In addition to writing, producing, directing, shooting and editing AVE 43, the wiry, 40-something force of nature also enjoys a 20-plus-year career as L.A.'s most consistently successful playwright.

New hope in South Africa TV soap
M-Net’s relatively new soapie, THE WILD, is shot entirely on location on a remote farm just outside Johannesburg.

VIDEO: ALL MY CHILDREN's Walt Willey stops by by NBC26 TODAY
"People miss it. I really don't think it's yet over. I still think somebody is going to wise up and see that terrific demographic of brand loyalty."

Watch the video below:

1 comment:

  1. I love love love Downton Abbey watched last season, must see tv this Sunday...can't wait!

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