Coming Soon on All My Children: Erica Kane Goes Cougar!

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Cougar Town is coming to ABC.

There's also a reality show specifically called The Cougar.

So how could All My Children resist the opportunity to place one of television's most popular, older, attractive characters into a relationship with a younger man?

Later this month, Erica Kane will fall into the arms of a much younger man: her daughter's ex-husband and ex-fiance's stepson. Indeed, Ryan Lavery will kiss Erica on the cheek on June 22 and the sparks will fly from there.

Erica Kane Photo
Ryan Lavery Photo

When asked if this relationship was a reflection of of the culture's current obsession with experienced women dating men very much their junior, All My Children executive producer Julie Hanan Carruthers said:

"Certainly the fact that it is a hot topic right now makes it all that more delicious for us. It doesn't mean that that is how we're going to tell the story."

Carruthers said Susan Lucci, who is 62 years old and plays Kane; and the 39-year-old Cameron Mathison, who plays Ryan; have great comic chemistry. The writers were looking for a way to feature them together in some capacity for awhile now.

It's complicated, of course: Ryan was once married to Kendall, the girl Kane gave birth to after being raped at age 14.

"Think about this," Lucci said. "I slept with his father. He slept with my daughter. There has to be, at a certain point, (thoughts of) what does he know about me? What does he think he knows about me? As an actor, there's so much material to plumb into."

That's for certain.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.

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All My Children Quotes

Greenlee Smythe Lavery: Just - I tried to remember when we weren't stressed to the max. Our honeymoon may have been the best time ever. I was just hoping that maybe tonight we could feel like that for just a few hours, let you remember how much I love you, how happy I am that I'm your wife, just like that night.
Ryan Lavery: Come here.
Greenlee Smythe Lavery: What? What are you...
Ryan Lavery: I remember everything. I remember it was going to be the first time that we made love as husband and wife. And I remember thinking to myself that my bullet wound was easy compared to waiting to make love to you. I wanted you so bad. I want you now. I want you right now.

Ryan: Do you feel that?
Gillian: Your heartbeat.
Ryan: OUR heartbeat.