kalbir

CBS had the best promos BITD, especially Summer promos 1985-1987. Feel the Heat, The Heat of Heat, Addicted to Love.

There's a Julia scene from 1983 where she mentions being married to Victor for 10 years. Julia and Victor divorced in 1981 so that puts their marriage in 1971 and I would think Julia went from high school graduation to marriage, so birth year 1953. When we first learned about Cora in spring 1984, Victor mentioned it was Christmas night 35 years earlier that Cora took him to the orphanage and Victor was 7 years old at the time. Victor at 7 years old in 1948, birth year 1941 (that's also EB's birth year). Casey was introduced in 1978 as a new resident doctor. I would guess she was 26 then, so birth year 1952. Nikki was introduced as a high school student in 1978, I would guess she was 17 then so birth year 1961. The Vietnam rewrite contradicted established history. Dina abandoned the family in 1971 when Jack was 16. The Vietnam rewrite had Jack serving until 1972 when he was 20 years old. I guess origin story could say that Jack was devastated over his mother leaving the family, leading to his enlisting in the military. When we met Dru in 1990, I believe she was about 19 or 20 years old, so yes on a visit to Genoa City in the early 1970s Lillie Belle could have confided to her sister Mamie that she got pregnant from a marital rape.

Possible tank job 1983/84: Midseason CBS moves One Day at a Time twice, from Sunday 8:30 pm to Wednesday 8 pm (head-to-head w/ The Fall Guy) then Monday 9 pm. One Day at a Time falls out of the Top 30 and is cancelled.

Neither can I. Maureen Garrett being a redhead set her apart from the sea of blondes that permeated CBS Daytime in the late 1980s and early 1990s. CBS didn't step up their promo game until Summer 1985 Feel the Heat, which to me will forever be the GOAT of soap promos.

@Joseph Thank you for posting the episode. @DRW50 Thank you for the tag. Loved seeing a pre-Y&R Meg Bennett. 1970s episodes of P&G shows are rare AFAIK so whenever one surfaces its a treat.

Agree. The abrupt ending to the war crimes storyline derailed all the momentum that had been built during the course of the series.

Looks like a tank job but it could be a move to fill space. 1988/89: Midseason CBS moves The Equalizer from Wednesday 10 pm to dead zone Thursday 9 pm, replacing new drama Paradise which moved to Saturday 8 pm. The Equalizer run ends at four seasons. Yes, The Equalizer wasn't a hit and didn't show growth during its run but CBS was in the midst of its third place primetime mess era so it really wasn't in a position to have any tank jobs.

RIP Bob Newhart and thank you for all the years you entertained us.

Season 1 felt like wealthy Waltons in modern day California wine country and it was a good start that built the foundation. CBS should have realized that Earl Hamner was not David Jacobs or Aaron Spelling or Bill Bell. Family drama was more Earl Hamner style, not soap opera. I thought seasons 2 and 3 were Falcon Crest peak even though it became Dallas with grapes/James Bond hybrid and that lasted through season 4. Season 5 became Dallas with grapes/Miami Vice hybrid because if you can't beat the new hotness might as well join it.

I parallel Pamela Sue Martin departure from Dynasty to Shannen Doherty departure from 90210. After their respective departures the cast dynamics were off on both shows and both shows were never the same, despite Dynasty lasting 5 more seasons and even having a season at #1 and 90210 lasting 6 more seasons. Fun fact, their departures are separated by 10 years 16 days (Dynasty season 4 finale May 9, 1984 and 90210 season 4 finale May 25, 1994).

The Equalizer original series was not a big hit yet it became a movie franchise and got a reboot series. The Equalizer reboot season 5 starts this fall, so the reboot will have a longer run than the original.

2024/25 Season Premieres Dramas Matlock - Series premiere Sunday September 22, 8 pm. May be delayed due to NFL coverage. Will be rebroadcast Thursday October 10, 9 pm. NCIS - Season 22 premiere Monday October 14, 8 pm NCIS: Origins - Series premiere Monday October 14, 9 pm FBI - Season 7 premiere Tuesday October 15, 8 pm FBI: International - Season 4 premiere Tuesday October 15, 9 pm FBI: Most Wanted - Season 6 premiere Tuesday October 15, 10 pm Elsbeth - Season 2 premiere Thursday October 17, 10 pm S.W.A.T. - Season 8 premiere Friday October 18, 8 pm Fire Country - Season 3 premiere Friday October 18, 9 pm Blue Bloods - Part 2 of Season 14 premiere Friday October 18, 10 pm. First of the final eight episodes. Tracker - Season 2 premiere Sunday October 27, 8:30 pm. May be delayed due to NFL coverage. The Equalizer - Season 5 premiere Sunday October 27, 9:30 pm. May be delayed due to NFL coverage. Comedies Georgie & Mandie's First Marriage - Series premiere Thursday October 17, 8 pm Ghosts - Season 4 premiere Thursday October 17, 8:30 pm The Neighborhood - Season 7 premiere Monday October 21, 8 pm Poppa's House - Series premiere Monday October 21, 8:30 pm

@Soapsuds Love Whitney. Her voice was made for slow jams but she did give us 1980s uptempo pop perfection w/ these classics.

I did not know about the writer turnover near the end of Search for Tomorrow CBS run. I agree that demographics must have played a part too in the end of Search for Tomorrow CBS run. Capitol served another purpose of being younger and more glamorous.

I pointed this out in the 1980s ratings thread, but I'm interested in the thoughts of those who watched the tail end (June 1981 to March 1982) of Search for Tomorrow CBS run. From what I understand of the Search for Tomorrow/CBS/P&G situation, P&G was not happy that CBS moved Search for Tomorrow from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm even though the ratings I believe remained stable after the time slot change. CBS had enough of P&G complaining so they cancelled Search for Tomorrow in March 1982 but P&G found a new home for Search for Tomorrow on NBC at 12:30 pm. That move was an epic failure as Search for Tomorrow lost half its audience with the move to NBC since it was head-to-head w/ the first half of Y&R. Considering Capitol showed no growth, is it possible that CBS may have regretted cancelling Search for Tomorrow? IMO Capitol was a placeholder/time filler until Bill Bell had a second show ready. I also think CBS wanted to replace Search for Tomorrow in 1982 with a second Bill Bell show but with Y&R still being in their post-expansion slump during the first half of 1982, Bill Bell had to fix Y&R before he could even think about getting a second show ready. Even if CBS kept Search for Tomorrow I think it would have ended once Bill Bell had a second show ready.

RIP Shannen Doherty. What sad news to see so early in the day. My 1990s teen heart is broken I'm team Brenda for life. 90210 wasn't the same after Brenda departed for London, the 30th anniversary of was in May. It's a little surreal that both Shannen Doherty and Luke Perry are no longer with us. I know Shannen's career spanned numerous roles but to me she will forever be Brenda Walsh.

June 8, 1981 to October 5, 1984 Ryan's Hope time slot rival was Y&R. These were the weeks Ryan's Hope won the time slot June 22-26, 29-July 3, 6-10, 1981 August 3-7, 10-14, 1981 August 31-September 4, 7-11, 1981 September 28-October 2, 5-9, 1981 October 19-23, 26-30, 1981 November 2-6, 1981 February 15-19, 1982 April 5-9, 1982 May 17-21, 1982 May 31-June 4, 1982 Ryan's Hope and Y&R tied the week of June 7-11, 1982, and that was it for Ryan's Hope being competitive vs. Y&R. Remainder of 1982 Ryan's Hope falls and Y&R rebounds from their post-expansion slump. 1983 Y&R blew up and we know the rest.

The 1970s ratings thread proves it wasn't a myth. It was proven earlier in this thread that GL won the time slot over GH May 28-June 1, 4-8, 11-15, 1984. Y&R was #1 those three weeks. Growing up in the 1980s, the soap viewership hierarchy I knew was supercouple Days for the middle schoolers and high schoolers, ABC big three for the moms, CBS for the grandmas. In the 1990s it shifted a bit when All My Children and General Hospital gained a new group of 1990s teens viewers.

🤣 I still have no idea where NBC soaps were most popular.

I never thought of Gary as any type of prize. He was a weak mama's boy that couldn't live up to his father's expectations. Abby was all about the come up. I didn't feel there was any love between Abby and Gary. The Val/Gary/Abby triangle worked not because of the triangle itself (why would grown women fight over a weak mama's boy), but because of the character arcs. Val moved on with her life after losing her first love, Gary manned up, and Abby got the come up she was all about.

@JoeCool The ABC soaps got their highest ratings in the Northeast and on the West Coast, whereas the CBS soaps got their highest ratings in the South and Midwest, Chicago being the exception in the Midwest. ABC soaps dominated the major media markets New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and I would also think they dominated Boston, Philadelphia; Washington, DC; San Francisco, Seattle.

Thank you for the reply @Khan I take it Knots Landing was your favorite of the 1980s big four primetime soaps.

A look back at 1984/85, the best and most pivotal television season of the 1980s, as we approach its 40th anniversary. #1 CBS (1983/84 #1) Top 10: 2. Dallas (1983/84 #1), 4. 60 Minutes (1983/84 2nd), 7. Simon & Simon (1983/84 5th); 8. Murder, She Wrote (first season); 9. Knots Landing (1983/84 11th), 10. Falcon Crest (1983/84 7th), 10. Crazy Like a Fox (first season) Top 30: 15. Magnum, P.I. (1983/84 6th); 16. Newhart (1983/84 23rd), 17. Kate & Allie (1983/84 8th), 22. Scarecrow & Mrs. King (1983/84 20th), 28. Cagney & Lacey (1983/84 10th); 29. Trapper John, M.D. (1983/84 30th) Top 30 fallout: CBS Tuesday movie (1983/84 25th) Below the Top 30: Airwolf Final season: AfterMASH (1983/84 15th), The Jeffersons (1983/84 19th), Alice (1983/84 25th), The Dukes of Hazzard, Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer New fall show returning in 1985/86: Murder, She Wrote New midseason show returning in 1985/86: Crazy Like a Fox 2nd NBC (1983/84 3rd) Top 10: 3. The Cosby Show (first season), 5. Family Ties (1983/84 below the Top 30), 6. The A-Team (1983/84 4th) Top 30: 12. Cheers (1983/84 below the Top 30); 14. Riptide (1983/84 18th), 18. NBC Monday movie (1983/84 21st), 19. Highway to Heaven (first season), 20. Night Court (1983/84 below the Top 30), 22. TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes (1983/84 14th), 25. Remington Steele (1983/84 below the Top 30), 30. Hill Street Blues (1983/84 below the Top 30) Top 30 fallouts: The Facts of Life (1983/84 24th), Knight Rider (1983/84 25th) Below the Top 30: NBC Sunday movie, Gimme a Break!, Silver Spoons, St. Elsewhere Final season: Diff'rent Strokes (moved to ABC for 1985/86), Double Trouble New fall shows returning in 1985/86: The Cosby Show, Highway to Heaven, Punky Brewster, Miami Vice, Hunter 3rd ABC (1983/84 2nd) Top 10: #1 Dynasty (1983/84 3rd) Top 30: 12. Hotel (1983/84 9th), 21. ABC Sunday movie (1983/84 12th), 22. The Fall Guy (1983/84 16th), 25. Monday Night Football (1983/84 21st), 25. Webster (1983/84 25th) Top 30 fallouts: ABC Monday movie (1983/84 12th), The Love Boat (1983/84 17th), Hardcastle and McCormick (1983/84 25th) Below the Top 30: Benson, Monday Night Baseball, 20/20, Ripley's Believe it or Not!, Life's Most Embarrassing Moments Final season: T.J. Hooker (moved to CBS for 1985/86), Matt Houston; Foul Ups, Bleeps & Blunders New fall shows returning in 1985/86: Who's the Boss?, ABC Thursday movie New midseason shows returning in 1985/86: Moonlighting, Mr. Belvedere 1984/85 is best remembered for being the peak of primetime soaps and for the premieres of some of the most popular shows of the 1980s: The Cosby Show; Murder, She Wrote; Miami Vice, Who's the Boss, Moonlighting. Little did we know at the time the impact the breakout success of The Cosby Show and the surprise success of Murder, She Wrote would have on their respective networks and that impact is still being felt nearly 40 years later.

I see what you did there @BoldRestless . Oh, the shade 🤣

What did you think when Knots Landing got more corporate and glamorous during season 5? I wonder if that was done in response to Dynasty blowing up and being a pop culture phenomenon. We can say that to an extent about all three CBS primetime soaps. Knots Landing added Kevin Dobson and William Devane to the main cast to draw the male audience away from Hill Street Blues and that worked. As we all know, when the CBS primetime soaps went into budget mode it was mostly the long time female cast members that were salary dumped and not the males. Then there's the factor of Les Moonves moving up the ranks at Lorimar (1985 executive in the movie/mini-series division, 1988 Head of Creative Affairs, 1990 President). Between Leonard Katzman, Michael Filerman, and Les Moonves, I don't know who was the worst of the worst at Lorimar.