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Soaps on Late Night?


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Okay, I had my networks wrong. Apparently, from 1973-1976, ABC ran an 11:30 pm series called "ABC Wide World of Entertainment". And different nights would have different themes (Comedy, Drama, Mystery).

Interestingly, the series was "soapy", because the films for it were shot on video. Dark Shadows' Dan Curtis was one of the auteurs. It seems that these films may actually be "lost" or erased".

But if the series lasted for 3 years, it would seem to suggest that there was SOME appetite for late night drama. Heck, don't y'all remember the "Late Late Show" movies?

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Hell no. LOL. I remember one of our previous posters, Josh, used to live in the Tulsa market and he and other CBS soap fans begged and pleaded for years for that lousy CBS affiliate(that sandwiched an hour of news between Y&R and ATWT) to air B&B. I even remember him saying the programming director told a viewer, via e-mail, "Why would we want to air a soap in late-night?"

Are you from Oklahoma City or something?

I'd agree with that, but there's no way a first run soap would work in late-night unless it had a cushy slot. For example. if ABC chose to cancel Nightline and/or Jimmy Kimmel to replace one of them with a soap. There's no way a first run soap could work at 2 or 3AM.

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Which is not going to happen. I don't think soaps should leave daytime, but it would be fine to rebroadcast 'em. Thing is, I think that's what Soapnet is for...so at this point, it is not viable to do that.

New soaps? Too expensive. Kimmell and his ilk are cheaper.

Khan? I have no idea, but I'm feelin' Stillwater.

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Oh man.

They actually have some clips on Youtube! Now packaged as the "Curtis Signature Collection", you can see these are on soapy video, and they were produced especially for latenight.

Campy, campy horror classics. I was young enough that they actually scared me.

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Well, stop, because you're feeling up the wrong leg. Or something.

I am, in fact, from Oklahoma City. Born and bred. Unfortunately.

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This daypart is referred to as "early fringe" or simply "fringe." And logically, this is the perfect slot for soaps because as times have changed and we have seen more women enter the work force, the hour or two before primetime is when women actually have the time to sit down and watch their soaps.

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