Image Credit: Kwaku Alston/CBSAs the World Turns taped its 13,858th and final episode at its Brooklyn, N.Y. studios today, ending its storied run on CBS. Ever since the network announced last December that it would shutter the show, ATWT has attempted to reward its small but loyal fan base with a stream of familiar faces from the show’s 54-year run, including the return of Julianne Moore (who got her start on the show by playing half-sisters Frannie and Sabrina Hughes in the ’80s), Larry Bryggman (John Dixon), Jennifer Landon (Gwen Munson), Jesse Soffer (Will Munson), Cady McClain (Rosanna Cabot), and Mary Beth Evans (Sierra Drake).
Since daytime soaps tape several weeks in advance, the final episode of ATWT will air in September. TeleNext Media, the company that has produced the sudser, released this statement today to EW: “Last December, when CBS informed us that they were canceling As The World Turns, we immediately launched a far-reaching search to find a new outlet for the show,” said Brian T. Cahill, senior VP and managing director of TeleNext Media Inc. “We have aggressively pursued network and cable outlets as well as syndication options, and have explored many innovative formats and relationships that we hoped would ultimately enable the future success of As The World Turns. Regrettably, we have not found an outlet or platform that will carry the show forward. This is an extremely disappointing outcome to what was a tireless and exhaustive pursuit.
“While we are sad to see As The World Turns come to an end, we remain proud of the achievements the show has made over the last 54 years and are extremely grateful to the loyal fans who invited us into their homes every day. There is still much in store for the show’s well-loved characters throughout the summer, and although the show will go off the air in September, the remaining stories will honor the remarkable history of As The World Turns.”
With 2.51 million viewers, ATWT remains the least watched soap in daytime. The network will likely replace it with a game show, but no decision has been made.
I feel sad for the viewers of this show…the end of an era. Don’t know what I’ll do when OLTL is cancelled. The characters are like family.
OLTL has turned to crap. It’s a shell of its former self.
ICAM Jen. Cancelling OLTL at this point would be a mercy killing.
Jen, word has it that YOU’VE turned to crap and should be cancelled also. Do us a favor, already!
JIN – Why you find it necessary to be disrespectful to other posters just because you disagree with them is beyond my comprehension.
Shame on you!
I think this stinks…I grew up watching this when I was little with my grandma and it is the only daytime show I watch! I really can’t believe it! If they want to cut anything they need to cut B&B. There little 30 min run is all about the same crap…Oh why do you have to take the good one away?
I agree, I too grew up watching ATWT with my grandma, and it truly sucks it has been canceled. All we need is another damn game show.
I agree totally. B&B doesn’t/didn’t have anything on ATWT. I dont know what I’m going to watch now at lunchtime.
I so agree…how many of Brokes daughters can she sleep with…enought already….Cancel B&B and keep ATWT on. I have watched this show since I was olde enough to watch with my mom and now have it on when I am ironing wiht my little girl napping…stinks…we lost GL and now this I certainly hope that Y&R is not next! I will boycot CBS if that happens.
I agree with you, that is why I’m sad my grandma watched too, I feel like thats a part of her that is gone from me ,I can’t believe that nobady watches this soap, I WATCH IT AND LOVED IT!! I will miss the show, and now there are no other shows that Grandma and I watched, Serch for Tommorrow, Guiding Light and now ATWT, it’s depressing.
I agree fully take the b & b off, brooke has done slept with everyone and has kids to all of them….ect A very sad day for me. It has been my favorite for years. Dont know what I can watch to replace it.. No of the others come close!!!
They’ll probably replace it with some stupid reality crap. What a shame!
So many of our great prime-time TV and movie actors have come out of soaps. It’s really sad to see this venue for talent eroding. I watched ATWT all through my teen years and came back to it for Luke & Noah. I will miss Oakdale.
So does this mean that this slowly the end of soaps? Its seems like everyone is wrapping it up…
To be fair, CBS is the only network canceling soaps (Guiding Light and As the World Turns). Most likely, because they had the most soaps of any network and needed to weed out the poor performing ones as they are costly. I doubt Y&R or Bold and the Beautiul will be going anywhere.
While I can defnitely see this genre slowly coming to an end, I don’t think it will happen any time soon. Soaps still have a very loyal fanbase.
Sorry to burst your bubble but OLTL is next to go. If Tori Spelling’s new talk show tests well it’s adios for Llanview.
NBC got rid of a slew of shows in the last decade. Days of our Lives is the only one left and they cut the big names to save on costs.
Jen, NBC did not cancel a “slew” of soaps in the last decade. It cancelled one–Passions. The other soaps it has cancelled in the past were all gone eleven or more years ago.
good grief, ok Another World and Sunset Beach were both canceled in 1999 – the point is NBC’s daytime lineup vanished and other networks seem to be following suite.
Yah, I have watched GL and ATWT for years…remember The Edge of Night? That was a classic too.
It’s so sad for a show to end after 54 years, especially when viewers are used to watching it every day. I grew up watching ATWT and I’ll be really sad when it comes time for the final episode. I doubt anything they replace it with will pull in more viewers.
My sister has 3 kids and we were passing the torch of ATWT on to them … started the ritual with our Gram … VERY SAD and DISAPPONITED in CBS …
it is sad! started watching when i was 12 cant believe they would rather have some cheesy game show than a wonderful show
I refuse to watch the end of this show. I was so disappointed with the way the network handled the production at the end of GL that I am not going to waste my time. They were so dismissive of the long time viewing audience that I won’t give them the time of day.
Started watching ATWT with my grandmother years ago! Always a fan but different story lines and actors would draw me in over the years. So many of the characters became so familiar that if life took me away, even for a couple of years, I could pop back in and soon get caught up — aaww the genre of soap operas!
All the best to the ATWT cast and crew in your future endeavors – - Thanks for all the entertaining hours! I loved every minute!
(P.S. Just had to comment on the current story line of Luke and Reid – - first of all bravo to whoever hired Eric! Outstanding writing for two great actors, Eric and Van! WOW!)
First GL, now ATWT….*sigh, now where will I get my soap fix?
Soaps are so great. You really get to see those characters as members of your family. Nothing is quite like them and now they are vanishing and all to be replaced by crappy game shows. So sad.
Came for Luke and Noah and hope to leave with Luke and Reid. Wonderful decision to bring in Eric Sheffer Stevens in the final months. He’s such a wonderful actor and brings so much to the show. Hope to see them on for more than one day a week this summer!
I second that! Watched ATWT in the ’80s as a kid, returned for Luke and Noah, and really want to see Luke and Reid together in the end. Reid has livened up both Bob and Luke’s storylines so much! Eric is fantastic.
I totally agree! I started watching around the time Van Hansis joined the show and thought he was brilliant. Unfortunately the show wasted him over the years with ridiculous stories until Reid joined the cast. Eric Sheffer Stevens has been a revelation! I only wish ATWT had discovered him years ago… Luke and Reid are so much more interesting than Luke and Noah ever were. The chemistry between the two actors is fantastic and the acting is top notch. It’s tragic that it’s being cut short so soon.
I noticed Guiding Light and As The World Turns ,both had gay couples and i was loving it . I can relate becuz im a lesbian …it just seem weird how they took both off that invovled homosexuality.I hope that had nothing to do with it,but you never know.
If any actor deserves to be the breakout star of ATWT now, it’s Eric Sheffer Stevens. He’s been a fabulous addition to the cast, and his portrayal of Reid Oliver is absolutely outstanding. Love the chemistry between Reid and Luke and have my fingers crossed for them to be together in the end.
I really like Eric too. Who knew that I could enjoy watching two men in love???
Must agree. Love Reid and Luke together. I was really hoping the popularity of that storyline would help to save “ATWT” in one form or another, but it seems the world has finally stopped turning.
So sad to see another soap go. I loved Guiding Light, loved ATWT. How boring daytime is going to be without a variety to choose from. Great memories, Craig, Sierra, Lisa, Frannie, Lily, Holden, Barbara…loved them all!
I started watching ATWT in the mid 60′S and sporatically until I retired in 1994. The highlight of the day was to eat lunch and watch ATWT. The actors and actreses are great. I will miss all of them and now wonder what I will do without them. Life goes on without ATWT. A big shame.
I have watched ATWT for over 50 yrs. When VCR’s came along I have not missed a day of ATWT. I don’t believe they even tried to find a home for ATWT any more than I believe they tried to find a home for GL. I don’t watch the game show that replaced GL and I will not watch whatever they show in place of ATWT. I love Luke & Oliver and hope they end up together.
I’m heartbroken. Soaps are slowly dying (There are just 6 remaining by a thread as it is)and it’s painful to see them fade away. ATWT has been a part of my life since I was a kid. From 1 loyal fan, I want to tell the cast that it’s been a wonderful ride. Best of luck in whatever you do.
I will miss it, its sad when any soap leaves the air, especially after so many years. But if CBS was smart they would move the character of Reid to Genoa City and take Luke with him! These 2 are tooooooo good to lose.
OMG! That is such a good idea. Let’s make it happen.
I remember when I was young watching the show with my mom while she cleaned house and got dinner ready for my dad. My how things have changed.