ARE SOAPS MAKING A COMEBACK?

[ICTJOCK]

So the daily soap operas have gradually been fading into history as a few more are cancelled from time to time.     I think there are only 4 left on the daytime 3  (ABC,  NBC and CBS).     I read an article that the genre may return.     I admit,  I'm a "Young and the Restless"  fan.

[BuffaloKyle]

I doubt it. Soaps were originally made for housewives to watch while at home during the day. People are not home during the day anymore. The number of talk shows is dwindling as well. Daytime tv is a pretty barren wasteland now.

[samhexum]

14 minutes ago, BuffaloKyle said:

The number of talk shows is dwindling as well.

True.  Poor @JoeMendoza is still in mourning about THE REAL.

[CuriousByNature]

2 hours ago, ICTJOCK said:

So the daily soap operas have gradually been fading into history as a few more are cancelled from time to time.     I think there are only 4 left on the daytime 3  (ABC,  NBC and CBS).     I read an article that the genre may return.     I admit,  I'm a "Young and the Restless"  fan.

Y&R is a great show.  i have often felt it was more like an evening drama/soap that happened to be broadcast during the day.  And Chelsea is super cute.

Edited August 10, 2023 by CuriousByNature

[ICTJOCK]

I'm  a relatively new viewer.   I like the Jack & DIane pairing.   I like Susan Walters and Peter Bergman.... but there are a number of others.    I initially hated Phyllis, but the actress who plays her is just perfect.

[+ poolboy48220]

I want to see Sunrise Bay 

[TonyDown]

Soap operas are way more expensive to produce than talk shows.  Y & R still pulls in enough viewers.

Remember As the World Turns?   Luke and Noah were the first gay romance on a soap.  Was a huge deal.

Van Hansis went on to appear in Eastsiders.  Loved him in that.

 

A lot of favorite daytime drama actors have appeared on Hallmark channel movies.

IMO there are too many talk shows.  Soap operas employed a lot of actors and writers.  I would be happy to see a resurgence of the genre.

 

Parry Shen played a gay lab tech on General Hospital.  💓

 

Edited August 11, 2023 by TonyDown

[CuriousByNature]

19 hours ago, ICTJOCK said:

I'm  a relatively new viewer.   I like the Jack & DIane pairing.   I like Susan Walters and Peter Bergman.... but there are a number of others.    I initially hated Phyllis, but the actress who plays her is just perfect.

Michelle Stafford, who plays Phyllis, is one of the most talented on the show.  When she first appeared years ago it was a breath of fresh air, and then she disappeared for a while before coming back.  I think the show is much stronger with her in it.

[ICTJOCK]

1 hour ago, TonyDown said:

Soap operas are way more expensive to produce than talk shows.  Y & R still pulls in enough viewers.

Remember As the World Turns?   Luke and Noah were the first gay romance on a soap.  Was a huge deal.

Van Hansis went on to appear in Eastsiders.  Loved him in that.

 

A lot of favorite daytime drama actors have appeared on Hallmark channel movies.

IMO there are too many talk shows.  Soap operas employed a lot of actors and writers.  I would be happy to see a resurgence of the genre.

 

Parry Shen played a gay lab tech on General Hospital.  💓

 

I do remember lAs the World Turns”.  I watched during college and graduate studies.  What a nice way to take my mind off school requirements!

[Ali Gator]

I don't think soaps will be making any kind of resurgence any time soon. Too expensive to produce, and too little audience share. 

My local stations are still showing reruns of "Judge Judy", "The People's Court" and "Jerry Springer" - from years ago.  Granted, TPC was just canceled and the last episode of the long-running series aired the end of July, but my local stations are not going to replace it - they have 22 seasons of reruns to air in the 3 pm spot. 

Same with Judge Judy - she left syndication two years ago, to stream her new series on Prime in 2021 (she has aired two seasons so far).  My local stations are still showing reruns of her show - going as far back as 2013 - and she's still a ratings hit in our local market. Jerry Springer not only went off the air a few years ago, but died this past March. Yet he lives on in reruns every day at 1 pm in my market - and is  still a ratings winner. 

[handiacefailure]

I don't think they will.   In fact with the movie Tootsie, Dorothy was a soap opera star and when it was made into a musical they made her a star of a musical since soap operas arer a has been.

 

[top_guy_atl]

On 8/10/2023 at 4:40 PM, ICTJOCK said:

I like Susan Walters and Peter Bergman

Susan Walters will always be "Mulva" to me (a Seinfeld reference, google "mulva" and you'll see her picture).

[ICTJOCK]

I heard she was on that program

[top_guy_atl]

On 8/11/2023 at 8:06 PM, Ali Gator said:

I don't think soaps will be making any kind of resurgence any time soon. Too expensive to produce, and too little audience share. 

 

Other than live sporting events, all of linear television (a.k.a. traditional broadcast television) is in decline across the board.  Daytime is no exception.  Days of Our Lives is no longer broadcast, it's been relegated to streaming on Peacock.... for now.  No one watches TV like they used to.  Few people are willing to tune in at a specific time to watch a show including the irritating commercials that pay for it.