kalbir

The A-Team, Miami Vice, and L.A. Law I'd say were NBC's biggest hit dramas of the 1980s. The A-Team peaked 1983/84 at 4th. Miami Vice peaked 1985/86 at 9th. L.A. Law peaked 1987/88 at 12th. Hill St. Blues and St. Elsewhere I'd say were NBC's most critically acclaimed dramas of the 1980s. Hill St. Blues peaked 1982/83 at 21st. St. Elsewhere never got a Top 30 finish in its 6 season run. St. Elsewhere scheduling history 1982/83: Tuesday 10 pm. CBS Tuesday movie, ABC Hart to Hart. 1983/84 and 1984/85: Wednesday 10 pm. CBS Wednesday movie, ABC Hotel. 1985/86 and 1986/87: Wednesday 10 pm. CBS The Equalizer, ABC Hotel. 1987/88: Wednesday 10 pm. CBS The Equalizer, ABC Dynasty. Perhaps the lack of Top 30 finishes could be explained by being head-to-head with the Aaron Spelling hit factory.

The P&G shows were not in in a good place creatively June 1994: As the World Turns Douglas Marland material had run out, GL Nancy Curlee left the writing team three months earlier, Another World had been limping along for 15 years. We saw in the 1990s Ratings thread that by the end of 1995 the P&G shows were the bottom tier, thus I feel they were effectively over in the aftermath of OJ.

GL avoided cancel territory in the 1980s because Capitol showed no growth and B&B wasn't a hit right away. GL became CBS's lowest-rated daytime soap in 1989 but didn't enter cancel territory until 1995. We know GL was not in a good place creatively by June 1994 (the start of OJ) and I'd say GL was effectively over in the aftermath of OJ.

Maybe the data from that site could be found on archive.org I forgot about The Dukes of Hazzard 1982/83 ratings drop because of the cast switch. Even with the returns the ratings didn't rebound. Also Hotel, which was The Love Boat on land but a little soapier. Even though we disproved this, I still maintain that Hotel was a time slot hit and I don't believe that 1983/84 Hotel was a better show than Knots Landing. 1989/90 was probably the worst primetime season of the 1980s. As for CBS, it was the nadir of their third place primetime mess era yet that same season CBS was killing it in daytime with all four soaps hitting their stride plus the game show block. The launch of TGIF, which became a 1990s staple. Pre-TGIF ABC Friday sitcoms I remember watching were Webster, Mr. Belvedere, Perfect Strangers.

1991 was another big cast change year. Departures: Grant Aleksander, Beth Chamberlin, Kassie DePaiva (then Wesley), Robert Newman, Michael O'Leary Arrivals: Melissa Hayden, Melina Kanakaredes, Nia Long, Jeff Phillips, Jocelyn Seagrave Return: Vincent Irizarry

1995 had 10 contract cast departures, which was probably the biggest cast turnover. 1995 cast changes. Departures: Jean Carol, Barbara Crampton, Hilary Edson, Scott Hoxby, Melina Kanakaredes, Rachel Miner, Kelly Neal, Monti Sharp, Eugene Troobnick, Marcy Walker Arrivals: Frank Beaty, Rebecca Budig, Amy Cox, Russell Curry, Kevin Mambo, Wendy Moniz, Jennifer Roszell Returns: Lisa Brown, Michael O'Leary, Kim Zimmer

@soapfan770 CBS Friday 8 pm from 1985/86 to 1989/90. 1985/86: The Twilight Zone, Charlie & Co (8-8:30 pm). 1986/87: Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Together We Stand (8-8:30 pm), specials 1987/88 and 1988/89: Beauty and the Beast 1989/90: Snoops, Max Monroe: Loose Cannon, The Bradys, specials, Small Talk (8-8:30 pm) Nothing really worked except for Beauty and the Beast.

Starts with the Emmy speech, then the clips.

40 years ago tonight (February 8, 1985) CBS broadcast The Dukes of Hazzard series finale. For the rest of the season CBS filled Friday 8 pm with specials, movies, and a 6 episode series Detective in the House. Friday 8 pm became a CBS dead zone for the remainder of the decade.

For me it began with the summer 1992 departures of Kimberley Simms, Sherry Stringfield, Beverlee McKinsey within a few weeks of each other. While September-December 1992 wasn't bad, the departures left a void in the canvas. Then came Maureen death in January 1993 and that felt like the beginning of the end. That 14 or so months from aftermath of Maureen death until Nancy Curlee left the writing team was a chore to get through, mainly because of too much Buzz. The only bright spot in that era was Michael Zaslow finally getting his long-awaited for Lead Actor Emmy.

Nooo, do not put that out there in the universe

1984-1987 Victor/Ashley worked because Bill Bell saw that EB and ED acting styles matched. I didn't feel they had off the charts heat generating romantic chemistry though. To me Victor/Ashley were done with their goodbye at the Winter Ball in December 1987. I don't know what made Bill Bell revisit Victor/Ashley with Brenda Epperson in the role as I found there was no connection between EB and BE so their marriage/divorce storyline didn't work for me.

@DRW50 Thanks for the reply. I barely got through the 14 or so months from the aftermath of Maureen death until Nancy Curlee left the writing team, so I don't think I could get through the final 15 years.

Were there any bright spots in the final 15 years? Some have said Annie psycho turn late 1996-early 1998 was, considering it lead to Cynthia Watros pulling off the biggest upset in Daytime Emmy history.

Thank you for the link. The interview was good.

Dark Shadows ended nearly 55 years ago yet it is probably the only daytime soap opera that will live on forever thanks to cable, DVD, streaming.

Aaron Spelling shows are very much products of their time and they haven't aged well.

I only caught the tail end of Michelle Forbes GL run, but did anyone BITD think she would have the post GL career that she did? She's been working steadily for the better part of the last 35 years, and in some pretty big hits too.

Aaron Spelling hit factory best showings during the 1980s. 1980/81: 5. The Love Boat, 17. Fantasy Island, 23. Hart to Hart 1981/82: 14. The Love Boat, 15. Hart to Hart, 19. Dynasty, 28. T.J. Hooker (first season), 30. Fantasy Island 1982/83: 5. Dynasty, 9. The Love Boat, 17. Hart to Hart 1983/84: 3. Dynasty, 9. Hotel (first season), 17. The Love Boat 1984/85: 1. Dynasty, 12. Hotel 1985/86: 7. Dynasty, 22. Hotel 1986/87: 24. Dynasty

Was Kyle a replacement for Josh? If I have the timeline right, Robert Newman departed 1984 and returned 1986, and Larkin Malloy arrived 1984 and departed 1987.

Well it was the 1980s. So many in Hollywood were indulging back then.

For an NBA nepo baby, Marcus Jordan is such a waste of space. https://sports.yahoo.com/marcus-jordan-michael-jordans-son-arrested-on-dui-cocaine-possession-charges-140327283.html Perhaps Larsa dodged a bullet here.

100% this. Plenty of examples in these threads https://boards.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/65429-1980s-trends/ https://boards.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/65814-1990s-trends/

EB 45th anniversary February 8, so I wonder if Monday February 10 will be a special anniversary episode.

@Soapsuds 1984/85 was the best and most pivotal television season of the 1980s. Pre-Super Bowl was Dallas vs. Dynasty, post-Super Bowl The Cosby Show blew up and Murder, She Wrote would shock the world.