Crossover Crisis
period. Very little is going to make any viewer loyal to one soap tune into another one. On top of that, many fans resent the obvious forcing of another soap's characters and storylines into their soap. I think reaction might have actually been worse if the two-hour "event" had incorporated both shows' canvases interacting with each other. I know many people who anticipated that simply did not feel compelled to watch. They didn't want to see a show where Erica and Todd's worlds collided and I can't say I blame them. Many shudder to think of the possible scenes to come where Babe saunters into Llanview and spends a week trying to get her child back or if Paul is prosecuted and fans have to watch both hours and see Erica, Kevin, Viki, and Adam in the gallery. Sure, I'm curious to see it, but I get why many fans wouldn't.
But then ABC bragged these were self-sustaining stories, then I ask, what was the point? You could have had the baby switch on AMC without OLTL by just giving Babe a husband that didn't live in Llanview. You could have had Todd help Kelly get a baby and leave Paul out of it. Better yet, since I think David Tom fits on AMC's canvas better than OLTL's, you could have had him still play Babe's hubby, just not have him be Paul. The stories would hold up on their own about as well as they are now, that wouldn't change. The only possible difference is perhaps less viewers would be boycotting.
If it is risky (and unnecessary) business to have a character or two move from one soap town to another, then combining two soaps could be industry suicide. This whole craze needs to be stamped out and quick, before merging two soaps means soaps start being cancelled two at a time.
Latest Articles