The future of tv daytime soaps...

[Gina]

I just saw and article that 2 more long-standing soaps have been cancelled:

"ABC cancels 'All My Children' and 'One Life to Live'"

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/04/abc-cancels-all-my-children-and-one-life-to-live.html

Years ago when I was sick for a week or so, for the first time, I got hooked into a daytime soap - General Hospital. I watched for about a year then stopped. Later with a friend, I got hooked into The Young and the Restless for a couple years.

I haven't watched any for years, but I am sort of sad to see two more biting the dust. Before getting hooked, I looked down upon soaps (watching tv in the daytime??? Horrors, no!), but they proved to be fun to do housework to. Some of the story lines were quite riveting. And you can really develop characters when there is no time limit.

But I guess they have fallen victim to costing too much to produce. Reality shows that are replacing them don't require the extensive scripts and expensive actors, etc.

I can't say I'll miss them because I'm not currently watching any, but I did like them being there. It's the passing of an era.

[Tenngal]

I am so sad to see these two shows go. Watching the ABC soaps has been my gulty sin for years.......really enjoy relaxing with these shows after a hard day's work. Just let the stress float away while getting involved in the stories of AMC-OLTL-GH. I'm not into most of the reality shows and do not intend to watch the junk they replace my soaps with. ABC will find that the soap fans are loyal and will spend their viewing time elsewhere.

[Simplemind]

What in the heck is Susan Lucci gonna do now!!

[CathyA]

LOL! I'm glad someone brought this up first, 'cause I wanted to but was afraid I'd be shunned. :~)
All My Children is the only soap I watch. And I spend most of the time watching it, yelling "Oh come on! This is soooooo stupid!!" hahahaha
I've been watching it for about 31 years, and as much as it bugs me and drives me crazy, I'm going to really miss it!! Alot of the actors on the show, have been on there for as long as I've been watching it. I feel like I live in Pine Valley!
Its going to be really really strange. I always watch it when I eat lunch. Yes, its stupid........I just now saw Jake the doctor open up a package of dressings with his mouth and his mouth got on the sterile dressing. :0! (I love finding medical mistakes!).

I wonder when their last show will be? I wonder what these people will do now. It must be a real shock to them. As far as Susan Lucci.........you can have her! She drives me nuts with her narcissism. And I swear, she is the worst kisser in the world. haha

Ok. Now that I've confessed to watching this stupid show..........I'm still going to miss it. guess my house will just get a little cleaner, or something else will get done around here.

[razz]

It may be cost that is driving the decline but I would bet that most people today are spending more time texting and on the computer than watching daytime TV. No audience, no ads, no show.

I was an outcast from my peers for decades because I had no idea of what was going on the soaps. I found them too depressing to watch when I first tried and kept thinking, "You cannot be that stupid" as CathyA posted above.

What will replace them? More movies?

[CathyA]

I read that it will be cooking shows. I just hope it isn't reality junk or more Judge whoever stuff.

[Kestrel]

I watched some of those shows when they first started, and was of course hooked, as a young stay-at-home mom. I loved them! Then I went to work and I never saw them again. I did miss them for awhile, but it faded ... Now retired, I have no desire to watch any of them -- I guess I just don't relate to their problems anymore. Law & Order in its many incarnations is more my speed >8) .

I remember once when, instead of the actual show, a "rehearsal" was broadcast :laff: . Was funny seeing them repeat their lines, stagehands hiding behind walls, etc. Would be interesting to see a recording of that now ...

[Gina]

I think soaps are one of those guilty pleasures that more people watch but never admit to watching. I was embarrassed that I enjoyed the ones I did watch. What was good about them was I could do other things at the same time.

I am glad I am not hooked anymore however. But it was fun when I was.

I am sad for those who do watch these shows and will miss them. CathyA and All my Children... TV is in such a sorry state these days. A program that costs less to make will make more money even though it has fewer viewers. With a few exceptions, most of what is on is junk - and I'm not someone who boasts that I dont have a tv set - I grew up watching it, and love tv. It's on now. ;) It's just getting harder to find good entertainment.

[Mrs-M]

Soaps (IMO) are vile, polluting, and corrupt, so I'm thrilled to see them go. (Rubbing hands together in anticipation of seeing more spin counterclockwise down the porcelain potty)! Cheating, double-crossing, lying, deceit, game-playing..., definitely not positive conditioning for our younger or older generation.

P.S. My comments reflect my own personal opinion of soaps and are not at all meant to take a poke at anyone here who favours them.

[Simplemind]

Cheating, double-crossing, lying, deceit, game playing........................ Not too many programs out there that don't have some form of that :0)

[Gina]

Those are universal themes in life, as well as art and reflect the human condition. While soap operas do explore many of these subjects, they are usually morality plays - most of the people who do bad things are usually obviously 'evil' characters who in the end usually pay the price of their bad actions. If 'good' people do something 'bad', because of the time for character development, they'll eventually feel guilt, make restitution, go crazy, pay in some way, or at least are lectured by other characters. Bad actions in soaps do not go unpunished.

These sorts actions exist but are not condoned in most soaps, and in actuality, the soaps I've watched are rather conservative with respect to what happens. They can't afford to be too 'out there' morally since they depend on attracting the widest possible audience which includes some very conservative viewers. Soaps do exist to make money so ratings and not offending too many viewers does count.

[catherine]

I got hooked on All My Children when my son was born in 1978.. then it expanded to One Life to Live, which was immediately after, then the one that preceded it--can't remember the name??.

I loved them--they were my guilty pleasures, too! So, I was sad to see AMC cancelled because I have such strong memories of some of the story lines. Also, if you ever remember the exterior shots of the Cortland (sp?) manor, that estate is actually called the Waveny Estate--it's in New Canaan, CT, and that's where I had my wedding reception. So it was always fun to see it on the show--not sure if they still use that shot tho!

[JaneV2.0]

My grandfather was a busy attorney. He used to schedule clients carefully to avoid missing As the World Turns. In his spare time, he prospected for gold and hustled unwary visitors at the local pool hall.

[CathyA]

Ah yes......Cortlandt manor. No, they haven't used that in a very long time.
Catherine......how cool that you had your wedding reception there! Did you see Palmer and Daisy and/or Opal?? haha
It just hit me yesterday.......they moved All My Children from New York City to LA not very long ago. Some of the actors didn't want to move, and had to quit. But most of them moved their families out to LA. That's really too bad for them. Although maybe they'll be in a better location to get another job now. I often wonder why an actor chooses a soap. some of them are really good. I think alot of them are so happy with a steady 9-5 job that they decide that a soap isn't so bad.