Post by Liz on Jan 24, 2007 9:59:06 GMT -5
Courtesy of Angela at NB
WHY AMC KILLED DIXIE
This week AMC kills off the beloved character of Dixie, played on and off since 1988 by Cady McClain.
The sure-to-be-controversial decision was made in part to ratchet up the dramatic impact of the show's ongoing serial killer plot. "By the killer getting to somone so pivotal and with so much history, it heightens the stakes for the entire story," says Executive Producer Julie Hanan Carruthers. "It shows that [potential victims] are not just going to be [potrayed by] somebody whose contract is up at the opportune time or is moving to L.A. for the pilot season."
Not that the show's bottom line didn't factor in. "I would totally be denying it if I said we aren't doing some of this story to make a smaller cast," Carruthers admits. "Obviously, we have to do that; we could have just done it. In this case, we had all the elements converging to say, 'Anthing can happen, not only what you expect - and by the way, all the other people you care about are taken into a whole other arena because of this event.' It gives us great momentum moving forward for those left behind."
Is Carruthers afraid fans will raise their fists in anger? "You know what? I'm sure they will because this is a beloved character. But do I have any trepidation that it might be the wrong decision? Absolutely not," she says. "From a story point of view and a business standpoint, I absolutely think it's the right thing for the show - the right decision at the right time with the right character."
"The trepidation is only on a personal level because you don't like to be the one responsible for people no longer being part of this place when they've been here so long," she continues. "I happen to be very fond of Cady and have a great relationship with her and think she's a spectacular actress. But to me, Cady's always going to be a part of ALL MY CHILDREN - and the character of Dixie lasts as long as the show is on the air."
The exec promises that Dixie's send-off will honor her history with Tad and her quest for their missing daughter. "She's in a very good place with everyone and there are lovely surprises with baby Kate," Carruthers says. "The tune-in has amazing payoff, and then we have to look forward to Tad ultimately finding out who Kathy [really] is. The future is filled with a whole other level of not only grief, but life."
CASTING ABOUT
Word is that an AMC actress whose contract expires this spring has changed her mind about not re-signing. And contrary to rumors that pegged Jacob Young as unlikely to renew his deal with the show, the actor has extended his stay in Pine Valley..
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Father Clarence gives Kathy/Kate a soothing message on Jan. 30. Cady McClain last airs on Jan. 30.
VCR ALERT
Zach remembers more about the day his mother died on Monday, February 5. "He was only 5, so there are big blanks in his memory," notes Head Writer Megan McTavish. "The effort he puts into trying to remember [what happened] before any other women are killed puts a great emotional strain on Zach." On Tuesday, February 6, JR and Babe end up farther apart than ever.
IT'S ONLY MY OPINION By Carolyn Hinsey
This week, ALL MY CHILDREN kills Dixie, and with it any semblance of the old soap many of us grew up loving. Yes, some of our old faves are still there - Erica, Adam, Jack, Tad - but it is quite clear that TPTB want a new broom to sweep very clean in Pine Valley.
Perhaps this strategy will work, and AMC will attract all kinds of new, young eyeballs to the screen. But I don't think so, and here's why: AMC isn't really a soap opera anymore. the stories they told last year and the year before have nothing to do with the stories they are telling now.
Take Jonathan Lavery. Two years ago, he was revealed to be a serial killer who killed his own brother (Braden), beat two of his girlfriends, and then murdered long-time Pine Valley hero Edmund Grey in the barn at Wildwind. A brief brain tumor later, Jonathan is living at Wildwind at the invitation of Edmund's sister-in-law Julia (was there a scene in which he expressed hesitation at moving into the home of the man he murdered? I must have missed it) and running all over town crying about how his sister's killer must be punished. People console Jonathan on his loss and worry about his grief, and no one mentions that he is also a serial killer. His past does not inform his present in any way, the way real soap operas do.
Perhaps that is by design. But here's my fear: AMC has severely underestimated the popularity of Cady McClain as Dixie, and the simple appeal of a pretty girl whose throughline has always bee that she 1) loves her children and 2) has carried a torch for one man her whole life: Tad. Dixie was a classic soap opera heroine, beloved by AMC fans young and old. The fact that she did not get her daughter back before being do ignobly murdered with poisoned pancakes meant for someone else (!) just rubs further salt in the wound for those poor, pateint fans who've been waiting for scene they had been promised for years. I worry that there will be a price to pay for that because on soaps, there has to be payoff. When did AMC stop playing by the rules? [Angela: Years ago, years ago!]
SYNOPSIS
...Tad expresses his concern for Dixie's safety, fearful of losing her again...The exes share a tender kiss...Winifred serves banana pancakes topped with the poisoned peanut butter to Babe - but it's Dixie who consumes them. Dixie collapses.
WHY AMC KILLED DIXIE
This week AMC kills off the beloved character of Dixie, played on and off since 1988 by Cady McClain.
The sure-to-be-controversial decision was made in part to ratchet up the dramatic impact of the show's ongoing serial killer plot. "By the killer getting to somone so pivotal and with so much history, it heightens the stakes for the entire story," says Executive Producer Julie Hanan Carruthers. "It shows that [potential victims] are not just going to be [potrayed by] somebody whose contract is up at the opportune time or is moving to L.A. for the pilot season."
Not that the show's bottom line didn't factor in. "I would totally be denying it if I said we aren't doing some of this story to make a smaller cast," Carruthers admits. "Obviously, we have to do that; we could have just done it. In this case, we had all the elements converging to say, 'Anthing can happen, not only what you expect - and by the way, all the other people you care about are taken into a whole other arena because of this event.' It gives us great momentum moving forward for those left behind."
Is Carruthers afraid fans will raise their fists in anger? "You know what? I'm sure they will because this is a beloved character. But do I have any trepidation that it might be the wrong decision? Absolutely not," she says. "From a story point of view and a business standpoint, I absolutely think it's the right thing for the show - the right decision at the right time with the right character."
"The trepidation is only on a personal level because you don't like to be the one responsible for people no longer being part of this place when they've been here so long," she continues. "I happen to be very fond of Cady and have a great relationship with her and think she's a spectacular actress. But to me, Cady's always going to be a part of ALL MY CHILDREN - and the character of Dixie lasts as long as the show is on the air."
The exec promises that Dixie's send-off will honor her history with Tad and her quest for their missing daughter. "She's in a very good place with everyone and there are lovely surprises with baby Kate," Carruthers says. "The tune-in has amazing payoff, and then we have to look forward to Tad ultimately finding out who Kathy [really] is. The future is filled with a whole other level of not only grief, but life."
CASTING ABOUT
Word is that an AMC actress whose contract expires this spring has changed her mind about not re-signing. And contrary to rumors that pegged Jacob Young as unlikely to renew his deal with the show, the actor has extended his stay in Pine Valley..
COMINGS AND GOINGS
Father Clarence gives Kathy/Kate a soothing message on Jan. 30. Cady McClain last airs on Jan. 30.
VCR ALERT
Zach remembers more about the day his mother died on Monday, February 5. "He was only 5, so there are big blanks in his memory," notes Head Writer Megan McTavish. "The effort he puts into trying to remember [what happened] before any other women are killed puts a great emotional strain on Zach." On Tuesday, February 6, JR and Babe end up farther apart than ever.
IT'S ONLY MY OPINION By Carolyn Hinsey
This week, ALL MY CHILDREN kills Dixie, and with it any semblance of the old soap many of us grew up loving. Yes, some of our old faves are still there - Erica, Adam, Jack, Tad - but it is quite clear that TPTB want a new broom to sweep very clean in Pine Valley.
Perhaps this strategy will work, and AMC will attract all kinds of new, young eyeballs to the screen. But I don't think so, and here's why: AMC isn't really a soap opera anymore. the stories they told last year and the year before have nothing to do with the stories they are telling now.
Take Jonathan Lavery. Two years ago, he was revealed to be a serial killer who killed his own brother (Braden), beat two of his girlfriends, and then murdered long-time Pine Valley hero Edmund Grey in the barn at Wildwind. A brief brain tumor later, Jonathan is living at Wildwind at the invitation of Edmund's sister-in-law Julia (was there a scene in which he expressed hesitation at moving into the home of the man he murdered? I must have missed it) and running all over town crying about how his sister's killer must be punished. People console Jonathan on his loss and worry about his grief, and no one mentions that he is also a serial killer. His past does not inform his present in any way, the way real soap operas do.
Perhaps that is by design. But here's my fear: AMC has severely underestimated the popularity of Cady McClain as Dixie, and the simple appeal of a pretty girl whose throughline has always bee that she 1) loves her children and 2) has carried a torch for one man her whole life: Tad. Dixie was a classic soap opera heroine, beloved by AMC fans young and old. The fact that she did not get her daughter back before being do ignobly murdered with poisoned pancakes meant for someone else (!) just rubs further salt in the wound for those poor, pateint fans who've been waiting for scene they had been promised for years. I worry that there will be a price to pay for that because on soaps, there has to be payoff. When did AMC stop playing by the rules? [Angela: Years ago, years ago!]
SYNOPSIS
...Tad expresses his concern for Dixie's safety, fearful of losing her again...The exes share a tender kiss...Winifred serves banana pancakes topped with the poisoned peanut butter to Babe - but it's Dixie who consumes them. Dixie collapses.