Charles Pratt Jr. has been fired as the head writer of All My Children. This comes at a pivotal moment in the show's history, as they are coming up on their 40th anniversary on the air, and are making a move to Los Angeles from New York, something only The Brighter Day has done in the television soap era.It also comes the week after All My Children delivered the most viewers in seven months (2.75 million for the week of November 9-13). AMC also hit a five month high last week in women 18-49 viewers.
Mr. Pratt's tenure at All My Children has been mired in controversy and public dissatisfaction from fans. Although his initial episodes featuring a tornado ripping through Pine Valley garnered several Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, his subsequent output has appeared plot-focused, sensationalistic, and unbalanced. Reese's sleeping with Zach, Liza's recast, Amanda's baby, Jackson's absence, and Stuart's shooting are just a few of the points of contention that have upset viewers.
At the same time, one could argue Pratt brought a fast-paced immediacy that had been lacking before. He brought imagination and innovation, as evidenced by the aforementioned tornado storyline, the dance marathon, and using Erica Kane to channel Susan Lucci's passion and dedication for helping African children in need.
What do you think? Does Pratt's removal bode well for this struggling show, or is this a strike against it?
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