As the World Turns
News

We've already provided a few As the World Turns spoilers for this week, but head writer Jean Passanante recently opened up to Soap Opera Digest about what fans can look forward to all month long.

"Watch for actions and their consequences: the dramatic lengths to which some women will go to hold onto the men they love. Surprising alliances. Returns and new arrivals," said Jean Passanante.

Lily/Holden: "Big stuff.... stay tuned. It will be a real Snyder Thanksgiving with some additions, subtractions, and definitely some fireworks. And of course the Hubbard squash."

Dusty/Emily/Chris: "After a couple of years of Sturm und Drang, Emily is happy to be in what she hopes is a more easygoing relationship."

Aaron/Alison/Will/Gwen/Cole/Sofie: "I'll just say that Aaron continues to try to help Sofie and to be on her side. Gwen and Will have their ups and downs but Will is determined to give Gwen what she wants. Stay tuned for an unholy alliance between Barbara and Iris."

Here are a handful of As the World Turns spoilers for the week...

• Katie (Terri Colombino) starts digging and comes close to discovering Carly's secret.

• Meg makes one last attempt to keep Paul away from Rosanna.

• Iris and Barbara begin a dangerous relationship.

• Emily and Alison try to put the past behind them.

• Luke (Van Hansis, pictured) gives Noah a hard time.

Tune in today, As the World Turns fans, in order to say goodbye to a longtime actress on the show.

It's the last episode for Alexandra Chando, as she makes her final appearance as Maddie Coleman, who's leaving for Wesleyan University.

The star, who joined the show in 2005, was let go for storyline reasons.

During a recent fan event in Boston sponsored by CosmoGIRL, a pair of As the World Turns actors showed their affected for Heidi Montag, star of the MTV reality series The Hills.

Then again, there's a very good chance Van Hansis and Michael Graziadei are just mocking the heck out of the spoiled cover girl. We certainly hope that's the case.

Take a look:

Here's a look at As the World Turns spoilers for the next few episodes...

• Meg questions the paternity of her unborn child.

• Lily gives Holden the wrong idea.

• Emily and Dusty have a fiery reunion.

• A heartbroken Katie (Terri Colobino) makes a decision about her marraige to Jack.

• Gwen and Will receive devastating news.

CBS is readying plans to cut costs and modernize the production process of two of the longest-running shows on television, Guiding Light and As the World Turns.

The low-rated classics are on the bubble for renewal in July and CBS is taking dramatic steps to try to keep the series on the air.

Plans include ditching their traditional soap opera production sets - which use three cameras shooting simultaneously into an expansive series of three-wall sets - in favor of using smaller crews shooting with nimble digital cameras inside enclosed four-wall sets.

Guiding Light is considering using multiple crews to shoot scenes simultaneously, reducing the number of production hours. All exterior scenes will be shot on location, on permanent sets built in a small town outside New York City.

For viewers, the effect is supposed to add realism to the staging, as rooms will not lack a fourth wall and shooting can be done in a more cinematic style. The outside location shots will give the shows a more natural sense of setting.

Overall, the goal is for CBS is finda way to reduce the shows’ cost.

Daytime dramas typically run more than $1 million a week and shoot nearly year-round, compared with syndicated daytime fare such as court shows (about $10 million a year) or talk shows (about $20 million for 26 to 33 weeks a year).

CBS met with Guiding Light and As the World Turns producers two weeks ago and gave them a mandate to “evolve” their production process.

“We all agree now is the time to really challenge the form,” says Barbara Bloom, senior VP of daytime for CBS. “We know what the audience loves about this form. But are we still doing that in a way that’s relevant to our audience, in a way that’s the best business and production model?

I have partners rising to the challenge in terms of evaluating that. How can we do it different, better, faster and more impactfully.”

As the World Turns fans don't need to worry about Van Hansis ditching the show any time soon.

But the young actor will be taking on a role in the off-Broadway production of Die Mommie Die! later this month. He spoke to Soap Opera Weekly about the gig...

Soap Opera Weekly: What's your role in Die Mommie Die! like?
Van Hansis: Lance is a guy who may have fetal alcohol syndrome. He's not the brightest person in the universe and has rage and OCD and is kind of a big slut. The genre is very different, but it's like a soap opera. There's this family that's trying to kill each other; they're this rich family in L.A. who have all these dark secrets.

It's a raunchy comedy that takes place in 1968, so it's Old Hollywood versus the '60s revolution. It's fun. I honestly have no idea how to explain it. It's very out there and it's very campy.

Weekly: In other words, you're playing the polar opposite of Luke?
Hansis: Lance, my character, is a big hedonist; all he likes to do is have fun. Luke is always torturing himself about something.

Weekly: Luke's getting stronger, though, right?
Hansis: Yeah, I love playing Luke being strong, getting stronger. Luke's growing some b----, and it's about damn time, you know?

Weekly: Do you have to switch gears when you go from the show to the play?
Hansis: A little bit. It's a different vocabulary. We were blocking some scene and I was like, "Who will cue me on?" and they were like, "Nobody, you just have to listen." I'm so used to having somebody tell me when to enter a scene.

Weekly: People certainly want to see more of Luke and Noah.
Hansis: Honestly, I'm not going to say I'm surprised, because I'm not. If you tell a good story, good feedback will happen. The writing is really incredible. There's always these questions about whether the audience is ready for this [relationship] and yeah, I think they are. There's a big faction of people who have been waiting for this for years and years, and the story hasn't been told.

Now that it's finally being told people are tuning in. I get so much fan mail from people who are like, “I started watching As the World Turns because of Luke and Noah.”

A controversial figure is joining As the World Turns.

As Kenneth Franklin - who took over the role of Dallas Griffin in February 200 - leaves the show, Wole Parks takes his place.

Parks is the third actor to take on the role. He beings November 14 and has previously appeared on a "Law & Order" episode titled "Bling," as well as the MTV show, "Undressed."

But he's better known for pleading not guilty to a fatal hit and run accident from 2006.

Parks was charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident and third-degree aggravated, unlicensed operation, officials said.

The 2006 collision killed 25-year-old Hannah Engle, a nonprofit management and Judaic studies student at New York University.

Parks had a previous drunk-driving conviction and a suspended license, said prosecutor Jonathan Eisenberg. An officer on the scene claimed he smelled alcohol on the driver’s breath and that Parks had an open can that smelled of alcohol in the car.

The actor was “in shock” when he fled the crash, defense lawyer Marcia Seckler said at the Manhattan Criminal Court hearing. He later turned himself in at a police precinct.

Courtesy of the show's official website, here are a few As the World Turns spoilers for the week...

• Carly and Jack return to Montana; things quickly become passionate.

• Meg declares her love for Paul and awaits his response.

• Lily (Martha Byrne, pictured) and Holden make a drastic decision about their marriage.

• Luke (Van Hansis) and Noah take a significant step.

• Brad and Katie (Terri Colombino) search for Snickers. Yes, you read that correctly.

In this scene from As the World Turns, Noah (Jake Silbermann) is overwhelmed by the actions of his maniac. His concern for a wounded Luke (Van Hansis) appears to be overshadowed by the shock he suffers after seeing an act of pure evil.

Catch up with this As the World Turns episode, along with all others, by following our link right now.