February 23-27, 2009

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I don't think it makes a difference, we'll get mob violence regardless of the ratings and most of the vets are barely shown as is, so they obviously don't care.

The year to year drop off in the 18-49 demos for all the soaps is pathetic, as this is the only thing that matters to the networks. But oh well, no one ever claimed daytime was thriving.

But next week I would be very surprised if soaps didn't benefit from some of the heavy snow storms on the East Coast, especially the ABC soaps.

[SteveFrame]

I don't have much hope for daytime as far as ratings go. There have been some glimmers this year that I don't remember seeing last year. In particular Y&R going back to a 4.0 again and Days & AMC both at times being up from last year.

I do have more hope for daytime in the sense that whereas last year the shows just seemed to keep going down in quality over and over. And they didn't seem to be trying. But Pratt restored my faith in AMC. Bell & Rauch restored my faith in Y&R. Carlivati recovered from the God awful summer of OLTL and restored my faith. GL has been trying again in the last few months. So I have more hope for daytime in that sense than this time last year.

Right now as far as those things go I don't see daytime doing any worse than primetime. So many of the shows in primetime that I have thoroughly enjoyed have gotten into such collossal messes or grasping at stunts to the point that I actually enjoy my daytime shows more than them again. Brothers & Sisters had the God awful stunt on Sunday night - advertising a death that really wasn't a death. Nip/Tuck is in God awful shape. Law & Order:SVU advertises these big fantastic episodes for this season that don't even live up to the promos when you watch them and that used to never happen.

There is only 1 TV show that even comes on right now that just jumps out to me and says I have to watch every week. And that is the Biggest Loser and I have never been a fan of that show at all.

TV as a whole right now just seems to be in a God awful mess. And right now I don't see daytime as any worse as far as some stuff goes.

[DRW50]

I know what you mean, SteveFrame. I watch more and more British shows, soaps and dramas. I don't mean that to say British shows are better, it's just that I'm so sick of the networks and most of the channels like FX that I don't give their shows the time now, and I don't want to pay out to get HBO or Showtime, I'll just check those shows out on DVD when they're available through Netflix or at a video store. I also watch a few reality shows, and procedurals; most of them seem to hold up better than the serials (I gave up on SVU about 5 years ago, so there are exceptions).

I keep going back to soaps because I believe in the past they have been the best entertainment anywhere, and the soap genre, seeing people grow and change 5 days a week for years, decades even, is so vital. It's such a breeding ground for talent and a hub for stories most primetime series wouldn't dare to touch. That's what soaps used to be, and what they should be again if they want to survive.

I might be imagining this, but when the ratings fell a few years ago, didn't some of the GH producers or Frons even go to the press and try to claim the ratings dip was because of a move away from the mob?

[CSF]

Too much mob = a decrease in the numbers but they don't seem to realize that. Frons and all of GH's writers and producers need to talk to someone regarding their delusions and infatuations about the mob. It's really not healthy.

[RalphOrtiz]

Girls 12-17 Viewers

DAYS 37,000 (-17,000/-6,000)

ATWT 23,000 (same/+4,000)

B&B 8,000 (-14,000/-10,000)

GL 8,000 (-4,000/-39,000)

Y&R 28,000 (-8,000/+5,000)

AMC 24,000 (-2,000/+9,000)

GH 46,000 (+6,000/+5,000)

OLTL 35,000 (-7,000/+13,000)

Thanks for posting all of the ratings, but the above for girls 12-17 is not in order.

[Angela]

1.(1) Y&R: Monday: 3.9/5,407,000 (-113,000)

2.(2) B&B: Monday: 2.5/3,571,000 (-382,000)

3.(3) DAYS: Monday: 2.3/3,214,000 (+162,000)

4.(6) AMC: Monday: 2.2/2,961,000 (+479,000)

5.(5) GH: Monday: 2.1/2,885,000 (+265,000)

6.(7) OLTL: Monday: 2.1/2,837,000 (+569,000)

7.(4) ATWT: Monday: 1.9/2,605,000 (-204,000)

8.(8) GL: Monday: 1.7/2,235,000 (+100,000)

1.(1) Y&R: Tuesday: 3.8/5,224,000 (-183,000)

2.(2) B&B: Tuesday: 2.5/3,300,000 (-271,000)

3.(3) DAYS: Tuesday: 2.2/2,816,000 (-398,000)

4.(6) OLTL: Tuesday: 2.0/2,670,000 (-167,000)

5.(5) GH: Tuesday: 2.0/2,647,000 (-238,000)

6.(4) AMC: Tuesday: 2.0/2,644,000 (-317,000)

7.(7) ATWT: Tuesday: 1.9/2,420,000 (-185,000)

8.(8) GL: Tuesday: 1.5/2,010,000 (-225,000)

1.(1) Y&R: Wednesday: 3.9/5,441,000 (+217,000)

2.(2) B&B: Wednesday: 2.4/3,226,000 (-74,000)

3.(3) DAYS: Wednesday: 2.1/2,964,000 (+148,000)

4.(5) GH: Wednesday: 2.0/2,753,000 (+106,00)

5.(4) OLTL: Wednesday: 1.9/2,518,000 (-152,000)

6.(6) AMC: Wednesday: 1.9/2,475,000 (-169,000)

7.(7) ATWT: Wednesday: 2.0/2,459,000 (+39,000)

8.(8) GL: Wednesday: 1.5/1,953,000 (-57,000)

1.(1) Y&R: Thursday: 3.9/5,221,000 (-220,000)

2.(2) B&B: Thursday: 2.5/3,440,000 (+214,000)

3.(3) DAYS: Thursday: 2.2/2,883,000 (-81,000)

4.(6) AMC: Thursday: 2.1/2,734,000 (+259,000)

5.(5) OLTL: Thursday: 2.0/2,705,000 (+187,000)

6.(7) ATWT: Thursday: 2.0/2,690,000 (+231,000)

7.(4) GH: Thursday: 2.0/2,675,000 (-78,000)

8.(8) GL: Thursday: 1.6/2,256,000 (+303,000)

1.(1) Y&R: Friday: 3.7/5,108,000 (-113,000)

2.(2) B&B: Friday: 2.5/3,295,000 (-145,000)

3.(3) DAYS: Friday: 2.0/2,649,000 (-234,000)

4.(6) ATWT: Friday: 1.9/2,483,000 (-207,000)

5.(7) GH: Friday: 1.9/2,475,000 (-200,000)

6.(4) AMC: Friday: 1.8/2,357,000 (-377,000)

7.(5) OLTL: Friday: 1.7/2,238,000 (-467,000)

8.(8) GL: Friday: 1.5/1,931,000 (-325,000)

[tgilbrea69]

How many more millions will it take for some change? Isn't Goutman the guy that ran Passions into the grave? By far the worst Exec Producer in the biz, and when he touches the writing, it is even worse.

[tgilbrea69]

Y&R has been great lately! Good, old fashion soap writing.

Could you imagine a plot line like the kidnapping of Catherine on ATWT????? She has been kidnapped and had memory loss for months now - a slowly unfolding plot which is coming to a climax.

If that plot had been on ATWT (lets say Lucinda lost her memory), it would have been introduced on Monday, and she would already have her memory back and at home by Wednesday :-)

[marceline]

So out of curiosity, does anybody have any theories as to why Fridays are usually the lowest rated day for the soaps? The Friday cliffhanger used to be a staple but now that would be a waste of time. I would think Friday's would have higher ratings due to people home with the "Friday Flu." Perhaps there are more people home but fewer watching TV as they get ready for the long weekend.

Like I said, I'm just curious. Do you think there's an explanation?

[SteveFrame]

Goutman was not on Passions.

He went from AW to ATWT.

And before you say he ran AW into the grave. He may have been the one there but AW would have died no matter who was there. NBC and P&G both wanted it gone - it had no chance of survival at that point - just like Sunset Beach didn't.

Goutman was good for ATWT at first but his time has run it's course. It is time for a change. The sad thing is the way they recycle producers these days and the money that ATWT has to spend and is willing to spend - there is not much hope of getting anyone with much experience. Or we would just get a recycled clunk from one of the other shows possibly even Josh Griffith and looking at what he did to Y&R with and after Latham things would be far worse.

[tgilbrea69]

Thanks for that - I mixed up Passions and AW! That would change my comment a bit. I remember all the crazy things on Passions and I saw a correlation with some of the awful unrealistic stories on ATWT (people seeing vision, ghosts, etc.). I drew a conclusion that there was a connection.

I agree with your comment above - it would be nice if there could be an infusion of talent.

[skiman12082004]

The P&G soaps are really struggling. I am loving B&B again. I am hopeful things will get even better with Don Diamont coming to the show. Maybe that will give the show an extra bump in the ratings.

[Jess]

I agree no soap is doing anything ground breaking right now. Y&R is better than most and OLTL is horrible. Y&R did invest too much in the Kathryn held hostage story. I do like Kathryn and Murphy however. For me, there is much on the show that is watchable. I guess different taste for different folks. There is no defense for how poor OLTL is, so any argument that OLTL is one of "the best things going right now" makes no sense to me So I would have to say "ohhhh OLTL is so stellar now. In my opinion your beloved OLTL sucks.

As far as Michael Easton, I have never been a fan of the John McBain character. I feel he was over exposed and a nothing character, much like the ton of newbies created and brought on by Saint Ron. I feel sorry for Poor OLTL viewers period. It is a gigantic BORE of a show. It's easy to blame a character, but characters are created by writers.

[JackPeyton]

I honestly almost never watch friday of most my soaps.

its friday, work is almost done for the week, the weekend is starting... just no time.

[Cyberologist]

I thought I read he's playing Storm

I Like DD so whomever

I'm tuning in to see him

I want to see how he will be on another show

I had issues with Brad but I always liked him and

the actor so I'm tuning in for this...