Say It Isn't So

ABC has pulled the plug on its long-running soaps 'All My Children' and 'One Life to Live.' According to the network, the final episode of 'All My Children' will air this September, with 'One Life to Live''s finale in January 2012. ABC will replace the soaps with two new shows, 'The Chew' and 'The Revolution."
'All My Children' and 'One Life to Live' are iconic pieces of television that have made an indelible mark on our culture's history," Brian Frons, president of daytime at Disney ABC / Television Group, said in a statement. "Each of the shows has touched millions and millions of viewers and informed the social consciousness. It has been a privilege to work with the extraordinary teams who brought the residents of Pine Valley and Llanview to life each day, and we thank the cast, crew, producers and most especially the fans for their commitment to the shows through their history."
AOL TV first reported the 'All My Children' cancellation rumors in March. In the last month 'AMC' has delivered record lows in Nielsen ratings. In March, Deadline reported the soap came in last in the key demographic of women 18–49. It was seen by 463,000 viewers in that demo, down 34 percent compared to last year. The series also came in last in total viewers, grabbing 2.32 million. 'One Life to Live' had 2.36 million during the week of March 7.
Susan Lucci, who has starred on 'AMC' since it debuted in 1970, recently embarked on an ambitious press tour to promote her memoir, downplaying cancellation rumors. She told our sister site PopEater that the rumors were not coming from ABC. "I just have been very enthusiastically told how much they love my storyline that I just begun working on, and I just was given my schedule into next year," she said. Following the cancellation, Lucci released this statement to E! Online: "It's been a fantastic journey. I've loved playing Erica Kane and working with [series creator] Agnes Nixon and all the incredible people involved with 'All My Children.' I'm looking forward to all kinds of new and exciting opportunities."
ABC is following the lead of CBS replacing long-running soaps with lifestyle shows. CBS replaced 'As the World Turns' with 'The Talk' this season, and 'Guiding Light,' previously the longest-running drama in TV history, with 'Let's Make a Deal' in 2009.' General Hospital' will not be affected by ABC's daytime changes. 'GH' will be one of four soaps left on the air, along with CBS's 'The Young and the Restless' and 'The Bold and the Beautiful,' and NBC's 'Days of Our Lives.' "We are taking this bold step to expand our business because viewers are looking for different types of programming these days," Fons said. "While we are excited about our new shows and the shift in our business, I can't help but recognize how bittersweet the change is."
Since its debut 41 years ago, 'All My Children' has launched such stars as Sarah Michelle Gellar and Amanda Seyfried. Recent Oscar-winner Melissa Leo also had a brief stint on the soap. 'AMC' has most famously been home to Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of the most familiar faces in TV history. Lucci is the only original cast member still on the series. Viewers will also remember Kelly Ripa as Hayley long before she became the co-host of 'Live! With Regis and Kelly.''
One Life to Live' debuted as a half-hour show in 1968 before transforming into a full-fledged hour-long soap 10 years later. The show broadcast its 10,000th episode in 2007. Erica Slezak, who plays Viki Lord Banks on the series, is the longest-running cast member, having begun in 1971. Tommy Lee Jones, Dixie Carter, Judith Light, Marcia Cross and Ryan Phillippe are a few of the many famous faces who got their start on the series. Both shows were created by Agnes Nixon and take place in fictional towns modeled after Philadelphia suburbs. "More than 40 years ago, Agnes Nixon created both the worlds of 'All My Children' and 'One Life to Live,' worlds that the rest of us have been privileged to live in," Frons said. "Her shows led the way forward, breaking a lot of rules along the way to defy expectations about what soaps can do and the issues they can cover. I am honored to have worked with her." As for the new shows, Fons said, "[Audiences] are telling us there is room for informative, authentic and fun shows that are relatable, offer a wide variety of opinions and focus on 'real life' takeaways. A perfect example of this is 'The View,' and that factored into our decision. 'The Chew' and 'The Revolution' are in the same vein and will be great additions to the lineup, with 'The View' serving as an ideal foundation from which to launch these programs. They will also provide enormous opportunity for the creation of ancillary businesses and growth."
I just don't know what to say tonight. After September, there will be no more Erica Kane.