Eastenders to resume production - will American soaps be far behind?

[JaySherman]

The BBC reports this morning that the UK soap Eastenders will resume production in June. It was stated they would use limited crews and follow government guidelines in order to keep everyone safe. They are also looking into other options for restarting filming of programming.

General Hospital is currently shutdown with new episodes about to run out. I don't know if ABC and Sony are waiting on guidance on how to proceed or if they are working on their own internal plans.

If the BBC is successful in getting new content produced, hopefully it will provide a guide for American soaps.

[MalteseBaby]

WONDERFUL news for Britain!! I really do hope our daytime dramas survive and return soon. They may get a classification that allows them to start work again. I think it might be limited cast and crew just like you've said, We don't care about hair, makeup and wardrobe. Let them perform in their glasses and bathrobes. We just waant them back and safely.

So happy for you and the Eastenders crew and viewers.

[OLTL'69]

But do we want to see love scenes With six feet between the couple? How could Brook go a week without punching a nose

[OLTL'69]

But more seriously it will be interesting because it will be a long time before we are "normal' so we really may have stories that don't have a lot of characters in the scenes and more distance . There won't be any touching or eating (my guess)

[ghfan96]

CA has extended its shutdown through July. Even if production resumes in August, it will be at least still September till new episodes air.

It’s not my favorite option, but (at least for me) it’s better than losing the show completely.

[Quinoa]

Maybe they could do some from home episodes somehow.

[Salter]

I think the older cast will retire. They for sure do not need the money and would be risky to walk into a studio and catch a virus. Actors who portray Monica, Ned, Robert, Anna, Mac, Felicia, Scott, Lucy, Alexis and Laura May opt to wait for a vaccine.

[soapgirl9]

To the poster above me regarding Laura and Felicia being old. Posters would probably think my parents are "old"- as of next week, they'll both be 63. I guess people expect you to have one foot in the grave when you near 60? ??

[GConnDi]

I am currently 67.JW. KW ,GF are younger then me.
TR ,Kin Shriner,Leslie Charleson.Jackie Zeman older then me.
I know the actors probably want to work.

Kristina Malandro was a Junior in College age 21 when she was cast as Felicia Cummings
Felicia was about 21.They mentioned she was a Aztec Studies major.
She had started Graduate Classes at PCU Winter 85
after she decided she wanted to stay in PC
We know her today as Kristina Wagner
Many fans of today GH fans are under 30 I think.
Maxie's generation is my daughters generation.

[AMHardulak]

^^Kathleen Gati (Dr. O.) is 62 years old

[Rosanna]

The BBC reports this morning that the UK soap Eastenders will resume production in June. It was stated they would use limited crews and follow government guidelines in order to keep everyone safe. They are also looking into other options for restarting filming of programming.

General Hospital is currently shutdown with new episodes about to run out. I don't know if ABC and Sony are waiting on guidance on how to proceed or if they are working on their own internal plans.

If the BBC is successful in getting new content produced, hopefully it will provide a guide for American soaps.

Unless someone has knowledge of the future I really don't understand how anyone in good conscience can say for sure that covid19 will be eradicated or under control by any date.

Imo presuming production of any soap during these uncertain times will have a disastrous affect and tantamount to deadly circumstances.

Soaps are very intimate shows so there is no such thing as social distancing. The whole atmosphere is a breeding ground to spread covid19.

People are playing God and putting others in jeopardy by ignoring covid19 and its effects on a global scale.

[soapgirl9]

Not a soap, but even primetime shows are being pushed back. The CW announced today that their Fall 2020 schedule is being pushed to January 2021. The head of The CW even stated that there is no certainty of the future and those dates may be further pushed back. Honestly, a second wave keeps being predicted for the winter. If that happens, it could easily shut down production of TV shows again.

[judeandtommyfan]

Like Britain and Turkish show are also starting shooting there shows too so I am happy about that in July

[Y&ROn&Off]

Yeaaaaaa i don't see it happening for GH or any other soap for that matter.

[Quinoa]

If Saturday Night Live could do from home episodes, I think that soaps can figure out a realistic way to do it too. Maybe we could see the characters working from home, or talking by video to each other. They wouldn’t even have to mention that the pandemic is going on, it would just look like people doing normal things at home.

[OLTL'69]

I do think it is a whole lot easier for the talk shows to work from home than a drama
I wouldn't be surprised if they give some reason if they have to modify

[MalteseBaby]

Let them have any reason they want to, but if they can let our cast work from home, that will be marvelous!!
I support them 100%!!

[Clementine15]

l agree with you!! l would not care at all that much could be lost, might not make 100% sense, and we would have to fill in many blanks and suspend disbelief requiring twisting ourselves into pretzels. The end of this soap, or any other (we have lost so many already!), is too sad to contemplate

[december rose]

Basically we do that now - fill in many blanks and suspend disbelief requiring twisting ourselves into pretzels.

[LovingLiz]

Didn't the kid who plays Cam tweet a couple weeks ago they were being told September to start shooting again?

[soapgirl9]

At the time he said August. I think it will definitely depend on how much longer stay at home orders last in Los Angeles. Right now the order lasta until July, but it could be extended to August.