Can English Language Telenovelas for Kids Work in the U.S.?

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Telenovelas are soap opera like TV shows with a finite ending after a set number of episodes. They are common in Spanish speaking parts of the world, and the major kids networks in those regions have had at least one in recent years. However, I will only focus on the two big live-action kids networks for the U.S. right now, Nickelodeon and Disney Channel.

Among these telenovelas is Grachi, which was recently made into a U.S. adaptation for Nickelodeon called Every Witch Way. Some sets were reused for Every Witch Way to cut production costs, according to the Miami Herald. Ratings for the 20 episodes in January did well last month, and unless something unforeseen happens, it will probably be renewed at next month's Nickelodeon upfront.

Another big telenovela internationally is called Violetta, made as a co-production between Disney Channel Latin America and Disney Channel Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). Unlike Grachi and Every Witch Way's focus on magic, Violetta is music themed like Austin & Ally. It is very popular in Latin America and Europe, with the cast now completing a concert tour of Europe and returning soon to film a third season of the popular show. However, while the stars of Violetta are widely known by viewers of the international Disney Channels, they are unheard of in the U.S., Disney's home turf.

Violetta is filmed in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I could see Disney Channel U.S. order an adaptation of Violetta, a spin-off show for English speakers, or something utilizing the recently announced Netflix deal. However, doing the exact same thing as Grachi to recycle sets would prove more problematic, as you would have an English speaking cast in a Spanish speaking country. An English dub does exist of the show, however the Disney Channel U.S. branch has decided against airing it so far. I believe it is due to both the poor reception of the English dub's overall quality overseas, and the fact every live-action show aired on the U.S. Disney Channel is made for an English speaking audience. It would definitely stand out airing as a dub. If Disney Channel U.S. is going to do something with the IP, I'm expecting an announcement at their upfront presentation. With Every Witch Way likely to be renewed, I get the feeling Disney will announce something to counter it with.

That leads me to ask you this question: Can this format work in the U.S. and other English speaking parts of the world? With CN leaving the 8:00 p.m. hour in about a month's time, a huge opportunity now exists for these kind of shows to flourish in the 8:00 p.m. time slot, particularly on weeknights, so I can easily see both Nickelodeon and Disney capitalizing on it in the near future. Should they be based on existing telenovelas, or should it be wholly original shows with new ideas? From a Kidscreen tweet, at least one production company, Dolphin Entertainment, is willing to produce a telenovela for kids in the U.S. if a network wants one. In addition to Nick and Disney, I definitely could see the Hub ordering a telenovela for its channel if it fits there, especially with Margaret Loesch at the helm of that network.