Why are soap operas STILL on the air?

[AndyB2008]

And IIRC, that ABC daily serial is pushing 60 years on.

In fact it's the longest running daytime soap on US TV.

Coronation Street is the world's longest running soap on TV, but the longest running soap in any format is The Archers.

 

[AndyB2008]

GH is also made by ABC in house, whereas the others are produced by outside companies.

Sony Pictures Television (successor to Columbia Pictures Television) produces Y&R and Days with Corday Productions\Bell Dramatic Serial Company, and the Bells's own company makes B&B, with international distribution handled by their BBL company (which was previously handled by New World International).

 

[Biggie]

Soaps are something that I've watched, and I MEAN watched and enjoyed for years. Eastenders for 20 years, Neighbours for 20 years, Brookside for 10 years. and so on...

They are limited by budgets, and have to take into consideration the content and subject matter as they are broadcast in pre-watershed prime time slots. The production rate is a big ask of all involved on and off screen.

They are contrived beyond all logic on the regular, which I find of great comic value. I'm currently committed to Corrie since '07, because flicking around the channels I noticed Carla (Alison King) a woman of independent means not being pushed around by any man. Until Peter pitched up. Emmerdale since 2011, all because I noticed Belle talking to no body.

What soaps do well are the slow to boil storyline:
Roy's curiosity leading to Nina, Nina blissfully unaware that the grey man with an odd way about him was exactly the person she needed.
Belle's mental health problems becoming too big to hide
Yasmeen abusive relationship going unnoticed.
Ashleigh's dementia and how it would in time affect his loved one.
Harold Bishop explaining to a confused young boy that his brother's death is important, because the first big loss will leave you better prepared for the next
Beth Jordache' kissing her girlfriend openly. First lesbian pre=watershed kiss on British TV.. Brookside did that.
Hayley's suicide. I didn't like what she was planning, at all. It made sense when I went to say "have a peaceful journey" to the stranger that became my friend on a Tuesday evening, the cancer was to aggressive and my friend stop fighting Wednesday morning. First big loss it was important

Then there is the ridicules soap magic:
Jade's super unhinged plot to get custardy of Hope
Phil Mitchell banging the rocks like a fiend, becoming a monster crackhead, and by magic, clean no relapse.
Abi the massive skag rat put down the spoon and foil for good, no relapse but still uses alcohol. A drug!
Resurrecting Dirty Den
Harvey breaking out of prison to murder Leanne
Kev and Tyrone best mates after our Kev knocked up Tyrone's wife on the sly.
Will telling Kim about the bent rozzer resting in his second shallow grave. Dawn using the the bent rozzer's shooter to send him to the afterlife

Soaps are good at what they do, that's why they are still on a prime time slot, and they have earned the slot.

 

[bmasters9]

GH is also made by ABC in house

And, IIRC, all four of those that are still on are made in California.

 

[AndyB2008]

And, IIRC, all four of those that are still on are made in California.

Yep, all tape in Los Angeles.

Only B&B is really set in Los Angeles, while the others take place in fictional cities. GH is supposed to be set in NY state, while Days and Y&R are supposed to be set in the American Midwest.

 

[bmasters9]

Yep, all tape in Los Angeles.

Only B&B is really set in Los Angeles, while the others take place in fictional cities. GH is supposed to be set in NY state, while Days and Y&R are supposed to be set in the American Midwest.

And also, when I was a boy, several of ABC's serials were made in NYC (ABC had, and I believe, still has, two Television Centers; one in Hollywood, and the other in NYC [that latter one was where, IIRC, Ryan's Hope, All My Children and One Life to Live were done; in fact, attached is a taping credit from the bottom of a 1988 RH broadcast indicating the NYC taping location]).

 

[tommie]

The truth about being the #1 streaming show for NBC is that Days has 5 episodes per week, while primetime shows offer only one episode per week. Days seems more successful than it actually is in streaming. An indication of my guess is that Beyond Salem is not renewed. If it were such a hit, a second season would have been ordered two months after streaming release.

Considering they're now going to air "Days of our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas" on Peacock I'd say "Beyond Salem" was probably a success for them.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1460647849851604995

 

[Monzo]

I think US soaps are no longer on young people's radar at all. It's not a decision against it, but rather that teens don't even think about daytime soaps as part of their individual streaming schedule.

I've read soap press for years and they often interview young actors who play teens in soaps. These actors used to say: "My mother watches soaps" about ten or twenty years ago. This changed in recent years: "My grandmother watches soaps and is so excited that I've joined." The other day Y&R's Jacob Aaron Gaines said: "The only person in my family who watched a soap was my great-grandmother". So if even grandmothers don't watch soaps anymore, it looks bad.

 

[kcmimichar]

This isn't the 80's or the 90's anymore. Sadly, I think soap operas are dying. With the internet and thousands of channels to choose from, people aren't watching the shows. You can also tell that production values have changed. Various actors have also said they don't rehearse like they did.

 

[Daniel Avery]

As for actual rehearsals of the scripts and dialogue, I can't imagine they do much beyond actors "running lines" among themselves prior to reporting to the set. They still have to do blocking rehearsals, where the lighting and camera moves have to be planned by stage managers, directors, etc. to know how the scene will "look" technically. I have this uneasy feeling that a lot of the scenes we see nowadays are first take (and ONLY take) with no real rehearsal. But in their defense, the writers write short, choppy scenes that are likely easier to memorize and less demanding, acting-wise.

 

[cijimccashin]

I haven’t read through the whole thread yet, just like to add that there’s a bit Soap Opera in almost every type of show today! So why not keep the real soaps on the air? Just cut down on some episodes could help help them with costs.

 

[cijimccashin]

The truth about being the #1 streaming show for NBC is that Days has 5 episodes per week, while primetime shows offer only one episode per week. Days seems more successful than it actually is in streaming. An indication of my guess is that Beyond Salem is not renewed. If it were such a hit, a second season would have been ordered two months after streaming release.

I think all soaps are safe right now, because networks got bigger problems, both in daytime and in primetime.

At ABC primetime shows The Wonder Years, Home Economics, A Million Little Things and Queens have fewer viewers than General Hospital.

At CBS The Young and the Restless has as many viewers as CSI, Seal Team and B Positive. The Bold and the Beautiful (always weaker than lead-in Y&R) is on par with Tough As Nails and better than 48 Hours.

Days has more viewers on NBC than Home Sweet Home which is in great danger of being cancelled.

This is true but ABC has been doing this new thing. Tallying up all the rating numbers from streaming and digital outlets the first 35 days. All of these shows you mentioned more than triple in ratings. I’m sure they will be using those numbers at the upfronts. The wonder years premiere episode jumped to 8 million and Queens close to 6 million. It would be cool to see what GH is pulling in, because they’re always in the top 20 trending shows on hulu.

I think US soaps are no longer on young people's radar at all. It's not a decision against it, but rather that teens don't even think about daytime soaps as part of their individual streaming schedule.

I've read soap press for years and they often interview young actors who play teens in soaps. These actors used to say: "My mother watches soaps" about ten or twenty years ago. This changed in recent years: "My grandmother watches soaps and is so excited that I've joined." The other day Y&R's Jacob Aaron Gaines said: "The only person in my family who watched a soap was my great-grandmother". So if even grandmothers don't watch soaps anymore, it looks bad.

This! This! This! Soap operas survival was always in the hands of fans, by being passed down like family airlumes.

I believe all the shows need to go the telenovela route; and returned for complete story arcs. If a new soap premiered today on a streaming service, it will do great!