Word: stoddard
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...Shirlie Stoddard Pacific Grove, Calif...
Such subtleties are far removed from the oversimplifications that characterize Roots 1. "The first series was a different kind of storytelling," says ABC Vice President Brandon Stoddard, who developed both series at ABC. "The design then was good guys vs. bad guys, and there were no white good guys. In Roots 11 we're concerned with the hangover of slavery, the scars. There's less hitting the audience over the head. It's no longer 'Wow, look what we did to those people!' Now the show is about connecting with the emotional problems of Alex...
...first the design of Roots: The Next Generations was not nearly so clear as it is now. Right after the airing of Roots 1, Stoddard, Margulies and Executive Producer David Wolper were reluctant to make a sequel. Little by little, however, they started exploring the possibilities: Haley began dictating family recollections into a tape recorder to expand the 40-page modern section of his book. Once Haley had spilled 1,000 pages of memories, Television Writer Ernest Kinoy (The Defenders, Playhouse 90) got to work on a "bible" for the show. Kinoy turned in a 350-page outline...
...Drama School's newly appointed dean, Lloyd Richards). A conscious and highly successful effort was made to upgrade the level of acting, black and white. "The first time we were going to give you every reason to watch he show by loading the cast with TV stars," says Stoddard. "This time we put a greater emphasis on performance." Once the actors arrived on the set, they worked hard and fast. Harewood, 28, an actor of enormous range who ages 50 years in the lengthy role of Alex's father, had to get by on three hours' sleep...
...time. When this 14-hour production airs over seven nights in early February, upwards of 100 million viewers may tune in to see if it is a worthy successor to the original Roots. ABC expects a huge audience but a tough one. Explains Network Senior Vice President Brandon Stoddard: "The real apprehension is not whether we're going to get a 66 share in the Nielsens again. Based on the original run and this fall's rerun, we know there is still a great deal of interest in the story. The real question for us is: Have...