I didn't see a thread for Capitol so I decided to start one.

CBS premiered Capitol as a prime time special on Friday March 26, 1982, and the daytime premiere was three days later in the timeslot previously occupied by CBS's then-longest running daytime drama Search for Tomorrow.

Capitol was best described as Dallas meets the Reagan administration, with its Washington DC political backdrop combined with the glitz and glamour that characterized CBS's biggest primetime drama.

Despite being middle of the pack ratings-wise during it's run, Capitol ended a little less than 5 years later on Friday March 20, 1987, and three days later CBS premiered Bill Bell's 2nd show The Bold and the Beautiful.

I feel Capitol went on the air so CBS could draw a younger audience to compete with ABC (who pretty much owned daytime in the early 1980s with the action/adventure plots on General Hospital and the young love plots on All My Children). I also feel Capitol was used as a placeholder as CBS was probably waiting for Y&R (which became CBS's highest-rated daytime drama in the 1982/1983 season) to be established among the top 3 daytime dramas (which it was from the 1983/1984 season onward) before they were ready to give Bill Bell a 2nd show.

 

Someone created this channel months ago, but they've only put up one (partial) episode so far. Not sure if it was already around or not.

 

On 9/16/2024 at 7:42 PM, SoapDope said:

 

The episode is from October 8, 1986. It's nice to see Dallas and Knots promos.

Grant's chest was perfection.

On 10/22/2024 at 11:38 PM, DRW50 said:

Someone created this channel months ago, but they've only put up one (partial) episode so far. Not sure if it was already around or not.

 

Grant and Jess Walton scenes!! 

 

I reuploaded the episodes that were taken down last year. If anyone knows the exact dates please let me know.

 

Based on the voiceover promo under the fourth episode's credits (the QEII episode) and the commerical teasing the June 19, 1984, edition of the Enquirer, and assuming the last one didn't jump ahead, these are from Friday, June 8-Thursday, June 14, 1984.

Interesting that CBS Daytime had another big wedding two weeks after the last one (Steve & Betsy, ATWT). At least there was more than a month between Victor & Nikki, Y&R, and Steve & Betsy.

Edited January 11Jan 11 by Franko

Thanks so much @Franko

I found an old video no longer on Youtube and put it back up. It has several Capitol episodes. The video was titled Capitol and As the World Turns November 1986, but the ATWT episode is not from that time period, so if you know the dates for the Capitol episodes, I would appreciate any help.

 

0:00 to 6:38 is Wednesday, April 23, 1986. That night, CBS reran The Seduction of Gina, the movie teased during the first set of Capitol end credits.

6:39 to 31:10 is Wednesday, Nov. 26, 1986, per the promo for the next day's coverage of the All-American Thanksgiving Parade.

31:10 to 33:50 is a possible rerun of the Dec. 3, 1986, episode of Oprah with Burt Reynolds, with a cameo from a commerical for The Hanoi Hilton, released March 27, 1987. --- And now I'm just showing off.

33:50 to close is Tuesday, Jan. 20, 1987, per the promo for that night's broadcast of The Man With Two Brains.

Edited March 17Mar 17 by Franko

15 minutes ago, Franko said:

0:00 to 6:38 is Wednesday, April 23, 1986. That night, CBS reran The Seduction of Gina, the movie teased during the first set of Capitol end credits.

6:39 to 31:10 is Wednesday, Nov. 26, 1986, per the promo for the next day's coverage of the All-American Thanksgiving Parade.

31:10 to 33:50 is a possible rerun of the Dec. 3, 1986, episode of Oprah with Burt Reynolds, with a cameo from a commerical for The Hanoi Hilton, released March 27, 1987. --- And now I'm just showing off.

33:50 to close is Tuesday, Jan. 20, 1987, per the promo for that night's broadcast of The Man With Two Brains.

Thanks for your help. I never do know how these work and you always do. So the ATWT was already available after all.

If you want me to credit you in the video just let me know.

Edited March 17Mar 17 by DRW50

9 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Thanks for your help. I never do know how these work and you always do. So the ATWT was already available after all.

If you want me to credit you in the video just let me know.

Sure, why not? Please write "Dates verified by fossefan."

11 minutes ago, Franko said:

Sure, why not? Please write "Dates verified by fossefan."

Just did.

Did anyone read Mike Poirer's article on Marlena Delacroix's site about Capitol's history? The most interesting nugget was that James Lipton wasn't planning on staying much longer had the show continued and Samuel Ratcliffe and Peggy Sloane were set to take over as headwriters. 

 

https://marlenadelacroix.com/2025/02/looking-back-on-a-capitol-idea-that-did-not-survive/

I had no idea Jon Cypher was supposed to portray Sen. Mark Denning.  I wonder why they replaced him.  Did he leave to take another gig, or did it just not work out?

@dc11786 Thanks for the link to a fascinating article.