I think the TIME article got it half right. I think it's just that people are less likely these days to sit through the endless pile of garbage that is on daytime when there are so many other better options. If I decide to call in sick from work and hang out at home, I'm not watching the soaps I used to love. I'm either watching a TV series on DVD or Hulu. When that doesn't do it for me I'm on the net posting on ONTD. There are so many awesome choices now that weren't there 5 or 10 years ago.

VCRs were out there ten years ago. People still had the Internet five and ten years ago, albeit not as many as do today. Even before then, people had books, they had telephones, they had cable. I still hear sick people say the same stuff now ("I'm bored") that they did 5 and 10 years ago.

If the soaps were actually good, and better promoted, then more people would watch them. It doesn't matter if there are more options if there's something entertaining to be seen.

Les is in an especially bad mood these days.

He is!!! And your entire post explains why ATWT is being cancelled. I would say that at this moment I would expect there is a taskforce somewhere trying to get CBS out of this "old model" they are in. Even their corporate business model of relying on 65% of ad revenue needs to be slowly restructured. It may take a while for sure but they have to do it.

He maybe sweating bullets and he should be, but he's got some very smart people working for him. Sometimes a swift kick in the pants and some stiff competition is sometimes what's needed to get people to stop being so complacent. Frankly, we might as well toss out the word "sentimentality" out of this and how many years a soap has been on, it doesn't work anymore. Those days are over, sad but true...it's now the way it is.

ATWT was always my favorite soap. The 80's theme music still gives me chills to this day. I love watching eppys and the closing credits on youtube.

I know what you mean about that theme. It's just a treat to listen to, such an experience. It's what I think of when I think of soap themes. I never cared for the one they put in after that, I thought the music was too depressing.

If the soaps were actually good, and better promoted, then more people would watch them. It doesn't matter if there are more options if there's something entertaining to be seen.

It actually is this simple. I think CBS wants to try newer things and current soap writers can't give them what they want to make a difference to the network and their shareholders, not antagonize longtime viewers and pull in newer viewers to the genre. From the looks of what's going on, none of these parts of the equation is working.

I mean I have cable, choice of well over 350 channels to choose from. If I am not traveling and am home to watch live at 12:30pm ET my first choice was always The Y&R. I don't even care if they are showing Lord of the Rings and I can sneak a peek, I am watching The Y&R...that's my hour. Now I turn on the telly and in 15 minutes I can probably tell I am switching to CNN or a movie channel. I mean my usual anticipation of what's coming up next on the show has evaporated.

I know what you mean about that theme. It's just a treat to listen to, such an experience. It's what I think of when I think of soap themes. I never cared for the one they put in after that, I thought the music was too depressing.

Oh and I forgot Dan Region. He was a staple to ATWT for many years. I still miss his voice to this day.

I can't believe we are going to get another game show....it will have low ratings just like LMAD...oh but it will be cheaper to produce thats all that is needed....rolls eyes...LMAD looks so cheap. If I wanted to see game shows I'd change my channel to the Game Show Network.

I wonder how many actors are going to stay till the end and how many are going to jump ship and go to a different show before this goes off the air

I can't believe we are going to get another game show....it will have low ratings just like LMAD...oh but it will be cheaper to produce thats all that is needed....rolls eyes...LMAD looks so cheap. If I wanted to see game shows I'd change my channel to the Game Show Network.

I grew up with game shows, and I still watch some of GSN. It's just that the game shows which come on now are usually so bad. Of course you could say the same about soaps, but I just wish, if they were bringing more game shows in, they could make more of an effort on them.

I grew up with game shows, and I still watch some of GSN. It's just that the game shows which come on now are usually so bad. Of course you could say the same about soaps, but I just wish, if they were bringing more game shows in, they could make more of an effort on them.

The pictures from the set of the Pyramid pilot look damn smashing if I may say so.

The pictures from the set of the Pyramid pilot look damn smashing if I may say so.

Sorry but I won't be watching Pyramid. I never liked the show and another version..really?? pleaseeeeeeeee

It actually is this simple. I think CBS wants to try newer things and current soap writers can't give them what they want to make a difference to the network and their shareholders, not antagonize longtime viewers and pull in newer viewers to the genre. From the looks of what's going on, none of these parts of the equation is working.

I mean I have cable, choice of well over 350 channels to choose from. If I am not traveling and am home to watch live at 12:30pm ET my first choice was always The Y&R. I don't even care if they are showing Lord of the Rings and I can sneak a peek, I am watching The Y&R...that's my hour. Now I turn on the telly and in 15 minutes I can probably tell I am switching to CNN or a movie channel. I mean my usual anticipation of what's coming up next on the show has evaporated.

CBS isn't interested in trying "newer things." "Let's Make a Deal" is hardly a "newer thing." Replacing ATWT with Nancy Grace or another mind-numbing talk show is hardly a "newer thing." What CBS and all the nets are interested in is "the cheapest thing." We'll see over time if one of their "new" game shows last 54 years or 72 years and pulls in the advertising loyalty that soaps have all these years. I don't buy it.

Hmm...the man is an !@#$%^&*]. ATWT is a goner yet his wife's a s s h a t of a show...Big Brother which sucks big time in the ratings is still on the f u c k i n g air!!

And Sylph why are you still posting here?? You didnt even watch the damn show!

!@#$%^&*] or not, he's right. The days of the soap are over and I agree that Big Brother sucks but that has nothing to do with soaps. As for Sylph not watching the show, well let's be honest nobody was. That's why it got canceled isn't it? I get that you're angry but how about a little perspective?

Damon from We Love Soaps made a great point on their talk show. He mentioned that ATWT has had the pleasure of stability in terms of an Executive Producer for 10 years and I believe Jean Passanante has been around in some capacity since 2001. There is really no excuse for how bad the show got and I do think both take some blame, moreso Goutman. He did those awful interviews saying "Why would anyone wanna watch this show five days a week?" He implemented the short term storylines and removed the cliffhangers so you didn't have to "tune in tomorrow." Passanante's big idiotic move was eliminating sweeps, which was just silly. If people are conditioned to expect big story climaxes during sweeps and you give them nothing they'll be bored and ratings will drop or remain flat when your advertisers are looking at you.

I do think Passanante was on a roll for a while after Hogan left. The show wasn't perfect, but overall I found it entertaining and she had her successes. Of course I do think the show has been great since this summer. Better than it is now with Kriezman. It just seems like she and Goutman, like so many other soap heads, got lazy. They clearly don't value their job or see a future so they aren't trying. Imagine if ATWT never fell out of the publics good graces. A few years ago everyone was talking about ATWT. I truly believe they are responsible for the show ending now and not in say five years. It seems like when Scott Bryce and Martha Byrne were fired it marked a major change in Oakdale. It was the beginning of the end. The final nail int he coffin.

I hope the people at Y&R and B&B look at what has happened and get it together. Quality needs to be there so your fans are happy, watch the show and support them! At this rate Y&R might not make it past it's two year renewal. I expect B&B will be under 3 million viewers next year so it's almost done. Y&R will be around 3 million viewers when it's contract is us so it's done too. Of course things could change. Y&R is still capable of getting 6 million viewers, if only for big events, if they play their cards right.

Damon from We Love Soaps made a great point on their talk show. He mentioned that ATWT has had the pleasure of stability in terms of an Executive Producer for 10 years and I believe Jean Passanante has been around in some capacity since 2001. There is really no excuse for how bad the show got and I do think both take some blame, moreso Goutman. He did those awful interviews saying "Why would anyone wanna watch this show five days a week?" He implemented the short term storylines and removed the cliffhangers so you didn't have to "tune in tomorrow." Passanante's big idiotic move was eliminating sweeps, which was just silly. If people are conditioned to expect big story climaxes during sweeps and you give them nothing they'll be bored and ratings will drop or remain flat when your advertisers are looking at you.

I do think Passanante was on a roll for a while after Hogan left. The show wasn't perfect, but overall I found it entertaining and she had her successes. Of course I do think the show has been great since this summer. Better than it is now with Kriezman. It just seems like she and Goutman, like so many other soap heads, got lazy. They clearly don't value their job or see a future so they aren't trying. Imagine if ATWT never fell out of the publics good graces. A few years ago everyone was talking about ATWT. I truly believe they are responsible for the show ending now and not in say five years. It seems like when Scott Bryce and Martha Byrne were fired it marked a major change in Oakdale. It was the beginning of the end. The final nail int he coffin.

I hope the people at Y&R and B&B look at what has happened and get it together. Quality needs to be there so your fans are happy, watch the show and support them! At this rate Y&R might not make it past it's two year renewal. I expect B&B will be under 3 million viewers next year so it's almost done. Y&R will be around 3 million viewers when it's contract is us so it's done too. Of course things could change. Y&R is still capable of getting 6 million viewers, if only for big events, if they play their cards right.

A great post!! As for Y&R and B&B...eh......B&B hasnt been on that long for me to be attached to it. Y&R...meh...havent watched it and probably wont return once ATWT final show is aired.

As each CBS soap gets cancelled the less viewers there will be to watch Y&R and B&B. But hey that's what CBS wants. More power to them...before you know it...CBS will be talk shows and game shows which is cheaper....but prime time for CBS will suffer...thus leading CBS to show David Letterman during NCIS timeslot....nightime will look cheaper and cheaper!

Edited December 10, 200916 yr by Ruxton Hills

I sort of feel like B&B outlived its use about five or ten years ago. I know people say that about various soaps but with B&B I did feel something in that show die around the time they decided to just give up on anything original and bring Taylor back from the dead yet again.

Y&R, no one at that show seems to care a bit about the future, or even the present. It's all recycle and weird mental issues.

I sort of feel like B&B outlived its use about five or ten years ago. I know people say that about various soaps but with B&B I did feel something in that show die around the time they decided to just give up on anything original and bring Taylor back from the dead yet again.

Y&R, no one at that show seems to care a bit about the future, or even the present. It's all recycle and weird mental issues.

I know this is about ATWT cancellation..sorry PJ....but B&B I enjoyed better when it first came on the air. I havent loved B&B in years. I can see the show hitting below 2.0 when ATWT is off the air. I'll put my money on it!