New All My Children Head Writers Speak!
In January, David Kreizman and Donna Swajeski were named new co-head writers of All My Children. The pair - who were co-head writers on Guiding Light (earning them a 2007 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Writing) - recently sat down with us to give us their thoughts on Pine Valley, and what stories we can expect to see in the comings months.
SOAPnet.com: How is it going so far?
David Kreizman: "So far it's going great. We've really been thrown into the mix. We've had lots of meetings with everyone in every department and luckily we've had relationships with some other people on the team, so there is a comfort level."
Donna Swajeski: "How can you not be happy taking over a show like this? It has such a great history, and we love that. We were fans before we were writers."
David: "We've spent a good amount of time with Agnes [Nixon] and that's been really helpful and exciting."
Why did you want to write for this show?
Donna: "We were fans of the show, and we do love to work together. This came up and it was the perfect blend for us because we love tradition. We love family and all that warm stuff, and yet, we are contemporary writers, so it's kind of good to have that blend of the old and the new. That's what we love about this show. It has a good blend. It has great roots and tradition, and yet it can be funny and hip."
David: "And I've never worked at ABC before, and that's something that I've always wanted to do. I had great experiences with Proctor & Gamble and CBS, but there is just something different in that ABC owns its own shows and can promote them in a different way."
Donna: "And I started here at ABC years ago, so it's like coming home."
Donna, Didn't you work for All My Children?
Donna: "I worked at ABC as an executive just right out of college. The first shows I [worked on] were actually All My Children and Loving. I mean, can you imagine being thrown in with the master storyteller, Agnes Nixon? I got to learn a lot from her, and many things that she told me would happen in life came true. I always remember her words. She was a great person to begin my career with."
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Comments (131)
Were these the writers writing for GL when it got cancelled??
Because it they are AMC is doomed, there is absolutely nothing they are planning I want to see.. All they are doing is re-hashing the same old stuff.. Erica and jack, erica and greenlee, David against the world, annie crazy as ever..jake and amanda are boring, and what about Kendall? will she be lumped in with ryan and greenlee bashing her every chance they get?? what about Zach??what happens to him..
This show sucks and nothing these writers are planning is going to help it..
erica and greenlee as enemies, how original, only NOT!!!
I want AMC to keep the Zach character, just hire someone else to replace him. Please do not kill his character off, if he has to leave for awhile, just write him back in after a horrible accident and give him plastic surgery on his face. But do keep the Zendalls.
I think the show is more interesting now than it was 2 years ago, it lost steam, I had been watching since I was 14 and I stopped when they cast the black character whom Jackson adopted because his mom was a crackhead and his dad was in prison, it made me so mad that they still keep that sterotypical mess going. Glad they brought back Angie and Jessie as strong black Characters and glad they did not make their son Frankie a junkie but a bonified doctor. Oh yeah, I do however hate the way the towns people speak to the chief of police, they give him no respect, hate it, hate it, hate it, but loving the bringing back of old characters, wish they'd bring back Phil Brent or his half brother Jeff so they can fight Jackson over Erica. And Nina and Daisy to fight the Chandlers like the good ole days, remember the Chandlers and the Cortlandts, Nina could run the company and fight JR, or maybe Bobbie could be head of the company and fight JR like Palmer and Adam did. Wow I think I could write a good storyline, hey how about a job, I need one!
Why oh why do the writers have to constantly write a characters return with all kinds of venom and controversy. I am sick to death of the David Hayward Greenlee storyline. Writers continually write David as evil, getting away with everything he has ever done. He has yet to pay for any of his crimes. He drugged Adam and caused Stuart's death did he pay absolutely NOT! He kept Greenlee's being alive a secret and did all kinds of illegal things around her being alive and has yet to pay, he tried to blackmail Angie for his old job back, her hubby is chief of police, did he get arrested NO, I'm so over them both. Have them ride off into the sunset before I quit watching after 40 yrs of viewing...yes from day 1 and these last maybe 5 yrs have been the hardest to watch.
Why isn't Kendall and Zack included in the revamping of the soap? I feel Kendall should return and if Thurston can't return, they should find someone close in appearance to fill Zacks wonderful shoes. I also, don't feel that they shouldn't make Damon such a troubled kid at the age of 19, that's a little too old to be getting into so much trouble. He should know better at that age. Thats more for a beginning puberty teenager possibly not quite knowing where he fits in, using marijuana instead of popping pills, experiencing some teenage depression. I feel they are blowing his character issues out of proportion. That can get a little sickening. I also feel that Greenlees character should stop being so ignorant. She needs to get over it and move forward. Her and Ryan are GREAT together.It's clear that Ryan thought she was DEAD! What was he suppose to sit in a dark room and weep for years? He is a man and needs to be strong, not a weeping wimp. I don't feel they should tamper a whole lot with Angie & Jesse. Give Scott some back bone. Bring Peedi Cortlandt back.. I think Colby should have given him a shot. Now that's would be a good story line if you want to strength the kids. Damon and Peedi battle for Colby's heart.
call me crazy, but a little original writing redefining love can be used I absolutely love Adam and Annie relationship having no trust , cant do with and cant do without...Tom and Jerry type of relationship...God, u can go some good places with that. Also Iam loving David and Greenlee. No sex just an Asexual committement that noone understands but them....David and Greenlee against the world. And please bring Dixie back..Whatever it takes...but again not for Tad but for her kids who will dispise her for here leaving. but everyone will find that shes different on drugs and hardened by her experience. Not ready to love Tad but attracted to David and after an unsuccessful attempt to to break greenlee and david. She moves on to only use Tad to get JRs respect because she acutually needs something physically from JR she gets Palmers money ... Palmer always knew when he was alive what was going on with Dixie..Now thats some good All My Children....hope someone reads this
Thought maybe the change to CA would offer something new. So far, AMC hasn't offered anything that interesting....a few teases, here & there but that was it. Greenlee is just awful....her being w/David is even worse. Annie is still ridiculous & offers nothing to the show. Damon is doing nothing. Tad, as always, has potential but they seem to stifle him. Krystal adds nothing. The kids are all different & look like they don't belong to anyone....they look evil, at times. They dragged the living daylights out of the whole JR & Marissa thing.....thank goodness JR pulled through! Was exciting to see Brooke return but now they are just "floating" her along.....Erica & Jack are hopeless.....Erica is more annoying than ever! Ryan is..well....just there...& why? Thank heavens for the Hubbards! They are the light of the show! Would like to see Randi be treated better. Natalia is just an immature, petty pest! Maybe she & Greenlee are related!? Both are awful! Liza is getting more & more pathetic! Adam just cannot make a decision, these days. Is this part of his leaving plan? And the dresses/outfits---what is with the stupid ribbon or whatever on the back of the dresses--Greenlee, Brooke...just UGLY!!! Please have better writing & outfits. And SOON!!!! It's all just so sad!
I am glad that Jackson is back. I want him with Erica so that she can leave Ryan alone. Ryan and Greenelee belongs together.
I'm not feeling the Damon story either and DO NOT want to see another "Tad the Cad". Why is it necessary for him to be like Tad because they're related?
Reviving the Cortlandt family would be wonderful. Bring Nina and Cliff back. Let's see her take over Cortlandt Enterprises and see how she handles the Chandlers.
Why didn't the writers mention anything about Kendall and Zac?