kalbir

We saw Y&R from November 2, 1981 during the classics. Nikki first visit to the Newman ranch.

ABC had successful daytime and primetime runs overlapping in the early 1980s but the paths diverged by the middle of the decade. ABC was killing it in daytime in the early 1980s thanks to General Hospital massive rise in the late 1970s but started losing its dominance in the middle of the decade, and General Hospital was knocked out of #1 by the end of the decade. ABC primetime was doing well in the early 1980s, became a mess in the middle of the decade, and would rebound by the end of the decade.

General Hospital became a pop culture phenomenon because of Luke/Laura and starting the whole action/adventure and supercouple crazes. Susan Lucci transcended soaps and became known in pop culture. Even people who never watched All My Children or soaps at all know who Susan Lucci is. It's quite fitting that she is the only Daytime Emmy acting winner whose win got a People cover story.

Y&R Victor sees Nikki climbing the pole, which leads to the My Fair Lady storyline and the rest is history.

Search for Tomorrow also seems forgotten despite a 30 year run on CBS.

It was the combination of Roger's return and Robert Calhoun becoming EP that ushered in the early 1990s golden era. The best period was June 1989-July 1991 Robert Calhoun/Pamela Long/Nancy Curlee. July 1991-August 1992 JFP/Nancy Curlee is still good but it's coasting off the groundwork laid during the Robert Calhoun years. September-December 1992 is not bad, but the big cast departures of the summer (Kimberley Simms, Sherry Stringfield, Beverlee McKinsey) left a noticeable void in the canvas. Of course January 1993 Maureen's death changes the show forever. The whole period from the aftermath of Maureen's death until Nancy Curlee leaves the writing team in March 1994 was a chore to get through. At least Michael Zaslow got his long-awaited for Lead Actor Daytime Emmy during that period.

Of the EP's GL had in it's final 25 years, Paul Rauch had the longest run (6 years).

If March 1997 saw one hour B&B and a new 30 minute Bell show, how would the schedule have been arranged? Remember 1997 was the height of Reilly's Days so CBS would not want the new Bell show head-to-head w/ Reilly's Days. I'm thinking for Eastern time 11 am The Price is Right Noon Local programming 12:30 pm Y&R 1:30 pm B&B 2:30 pm new Bell show 3 pm As the World Turns Then for Central, Mountain, and Pacific time 10 am The Price is Right 11 am Y&R Noon Local programming 12:30 pm B&B 1:30 pm new Bell show 2 pm As the World Turns

It's summer. Kids are off school. Numbers are going to be inflated.

ED's acting style doesn't lend itself to Ashley being a heroine/romantic lead female. That's why Bill Bell struggled to write a viable love interest for Ashley. Recall the pairings with Brian, Eric, Marc all tanked, and I found the pairing with Steven didn't really work. Bill Bell saw that EB was a match for ED's acting style, that's why Victor/Ashley worked during ED's original run. With Ashley/Brad, Bill Bell knew that 1985-1988 Don Diamont was no match acting-wise for ED so he didn't put Ashley/Brad in each other's orbit romantically until Brenda Epperson was in the role. I didn't like that Ashley and Traci became romantic rivals especially since Bill Bell introduced the Abbott daughters as having a good relationship and initially kept them in separate orbits as far as their romances and romantic rivals go.

1980-1982 was Y&R's surviving period. 1980 and 1981 just seem like a mess overall and 1982 was the big cast change. 1983 was putting the finishing touches on the transition and 1984 was when Y&R really became Y&R as we know it today. In the ratings we saw Y&R become CBS's highest-rated soap by 1983 and #1 overall by 1989. Y&R's rise to #1 was a combination of owning its time slot, having strong lead ins with The Price is Right and local news, and maintaining its audience during and after the 1988 Writer's Strike.

Guiding Light entered cancel territory around 1995 or 1996. 1996 it looked like Bradley was preparing B&B to expand to one hour in time for the 10th anniversary in March 1997 but as we all know that didn't happen. Also notice B&B had a bit of a cast purge not long after the 10th anniversary. Bill Bell Jr. and Maria Arena Bell had a soap bible Coming of Age that they attempted to sell to NBC in 1992 or 1993. I wonder if CBS would have used that for a new 30 minute soap in March 1997.

CBS new schedule is paying off for Y&R and Search for Tomorrow.

@Soapsuds Justin Bieber was so little and cute then. I like this remix of Somebody to Love What do you think of this DeBarge song? This song was sampled in a 1990s Hip Hop classic and a 1990s R&B classic.

My favorite CBS Daytime era was 1989-1992. All four soaps were hitting their stride plus the game show block. The Price is Right and Family Feud were my favorites of the game show block in those years. I liked Card Sharks, Now You See It was all right, but I wasn't really down for budget mode Wheel of Fortune (when the wheel has $50 and $75 spaces, yeah that's budget mode). I'd say CBS Daytime was really shaken up in the early 1980s with ABC's huge rise. That's why so many changes to the line up and the shows themselves. Another shakeup was in the mid-1990s with Reilly's Days huge rise and the aftermath of OJ. Y&R went off track for a few years. B&B hit a lull then rebounded a bit, but eventually starting tanking. As the World Turns and Guiding Light were already in trouble before OJ but never really recovered after OJ. I think the best eras for each of the soaps were Y&R: 1983-1998 but really thrived 1984 through first half of 1986, 1990 through first half of 1994, second half of 1997 to end of 1998. B&B: Bill Bell years but really thrived 1989 to 1993. As the World Turns: Douglas Marland years 1985-1993 but really thrived 1986 and 1987. Guiding Light: Robert Calhoun/Pamela Long/Nancy Curlee era 1989-1991.

May 13, 1981 special report must have been attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II. The next ratings will have the new CBS schedule.

Agree. RIP Sharon Farrell.

So which new family addition/expansion did more long-term damage, Lewis or Cooper? The Lewis family was introduced in the Allen Potter/Douglas Marland era and they were clearly influenced by Dallas but it was in the Gail Kobe/Pamela Long era that they were expanded and elevated to a main family. The Cooper family was introduced in the Joe Willmore/Pamela Long era but expanded in the Robert Calhoun/Nancy Curlee era and elevated to a main family in the JFP/Nancy Curlee era. Both families remained until the end but I find whenever there is any discussion about GL losing its way during the final 25 years its almost always pinpointed back to storylines involving one of these two families.

@JoeCool Thank you for the additional info.

This is the first I've read that ABC was in the running for Y&R. I've read before that NBC passed on Y&R but Bill Bell disproved that by saying he always intended for Y&R to go to CBS.

Y&R expanded to one hour on February 4, 1980. The February 4, 1980 to June 5, 1981 schedule was Search for Tomorrow 12:30 pm ET, Y&R 1 pm ET, As the World Turns 2 pm ET, Guiding Light 3 pm ET. The June 8, 1981 schedule change was Y&R 12:30 pm ET, As the World Turns 1:30 pm ET, Search for Tomorrow 2:30 pm ET, Guiding Light 3 pm ET. Y&R would be head-to-head w/ Ryan's Hope, The Doctors, first half of All My Children, first half of Days. As the World Turns would be head-to-head w/ second half of All My Children, second half of Days, first half of One Life to Live, first half of Another World. Search for Tomorrow would be head-to-head w/ second half of One Life to Live and second half of Another World. Guiding Light remained head-to-head w/ General Hospital and Texas.

@Liberty City Queen Stephanie and her bitch slaps are everything. It's a shame that the classics did not give us a week of the best of Queen Stephanie.

We're getting close to the CBS schedule change June 8, 1981.

1979 Y&R had so much momentum heading into 1980 but the expansion derailed it. 1977 will be interesting to see the lead up to GL expansion in November that year.

Let's hope Josh Griffith doesn't bungle the execution.