Real World turned into an STD factory long ago and any issues it covers are done for shock value and exploitation, and are full of vile stereotypes about minorities. It's descendants amount to shows that get attention mainly because of people behaving like morons or beating the crap out of each other and getting arrested.

Reality shows of today care about conflict and reinforcing stereotypes, not much else.

That's true, but think of Pedro, and when was that, 20 years ago? Pedro was a person and yet he could have been a character on OLTL. And how ridiculous is it that 15 years or more after Pedro, the soaps still are so frightened of the subject matter.

The NY Daily news had one good point about soaps as they wrote an article basically saying it was time for them to go

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2011/04/15/2011-04-15_soaps_past_shelf_life.html#ixzz1Jd1Zaft8

I would say "No kidding" but "no kishing" seems more appropriate.

I can agree with this, but I don't think that it justifies the death of soaps. Soaps and reality shows are very, very similar in ways that I think most people don't want to admit or might not see, but they are also very, very different, and there are things a reality show can give me as a viewer that a soap never could, and vice versa. I love some reality shows, but I don't view them as replacements for soaps as much as I view them as replacements for some of what soaps used to be.

That's true, but think of Pedro, and when was that, 20 years ago? Pedro was a person and yet he could have been a character on OLTL. And how ridiculous is it that 15 years or more after Pedro, the soaps still are so frightened of the subject matter.

Both soaps and reality shows were much more progressive back then. None of that would be on a reality show now. The last time I could stomach The Real World, their stories about gays involved gay men who were self-loathing and wanted to be with women, gay men who were painted as racists, and gay men who spent all their time getting into hissy fights with women.

Edited April 15, 201114 yr by CarlD2

That's true, but think of Pedro, and when was that, 20 years ago? Pedro was a person and yet he could have been a character on OLTL. And how ridiculous is it that 15 years or more after Pedro, the soaps still are so frightened of the subject matter.

Exactly, and it's not just reality shows. There was excitement when ATWT announced the new direction for Luke in 2006, but at that time, it had been three years since Degrassi: The Next Generation introduced Marco, eight years since Dawson's Creek introduced Jack, twelve years since My So-Called Life introduced Rickie, and twenty-five years since Dynasty introduced Steven.

On one hand, there's excitement when a soap tackles a controversial topic because a soap has the opportunity to tell the story as slowly and as realistically and as authentically (word that I hate now that I've heard it come from Frons's mouth) as is possible while still being compelling, hitting every single beat and shining a light on factors that a primetime show or reality show might not have time to examine. But soaps stopped doing things like that years ago, and nobody at the networks were ever willing to find someone who was up to the challenge of doing things like that.

On the other hand, primetime and reality shows are still often very far from the mark themselves.

When Frons repeatedly said 'authentic,' what he clearly meant was that these people, the actors and crew and show personnel were all fake and old hat.

I couldn't believe he spent so much of that statement - to the cast and crew of these soaps - going on and on about how 'authentic' and 'now' the new programming was. Thanks, message received.

Also, I never thought I'd say this but he really should've kept the beard.

It's hard to say if more cutting edge subject matter would've helped the soaps during the past 10 years because the majority of people who are *interested* in watching a daily daytime drama still have that old-school Leave It To Beaver/Praise Jesus mentality. There's a reason Y&R is the most conservative soap and also the No. 1 soap. A homosexual storyline in Genoa City would be an ABOMINATION

Both soaps and reality shows were much more progressive back then. None of that would be on a reality show now. The last time I could stomach The Real World, their stories about gays involved gay men who were self-loathing and wanted to be with women, gay men who were painted as racists, and gay men who spent all their time getting into hissy fights with women.

RW can be just as frustrating as any soap because it still has moments of greatness shining through the nonsense. Last year, the Washington DC season touched on some very interesting gay issues.

If the programming is indeed 'new' Fronsy you old mothershutyourmouth. Then, why do we have the Food Network, Fitness Channel, etc?

If people really wanted to watch that s!it during the day. Than they would. But, we don't. So, whatcha gonna do about it when the ratings slip? Just put up a black screen for 2 hours every day? Wait! That would probably more intriguing than this crap in a can.

Edited April 15, 201114 yr by weareclouds

When Frons repeatedly said 'authentic,' what he clearly meant was that these people, the actors and crew and show personnel were all fake and old hat.

For real. That Clinton Kelly person? With the cowboy hat and the grass in his mouth and that shirt? He grew up on Long f!cking Island. Get out my house with that nonsense.

It's hard to say if more cutting edge subject matter would've helped the soaps during the past 10 years because the majority of people who are *interested* in watching a daily daytime drama still have that old-school Leave It To Beaver/Praise Jesus mentality. There's a reason Y&R is the most conservative soap and also the No. 1 soap. A homosexual storyline in Genoa City would be an ABOMINATION

I say to hell with that. They chase the younger demographics, but then they're scared of "offending" the old people. Agnes Nixon didn't care about all that when she wrote, in 1968 -- the climax of the civil rights movement-- a story about a black woman passing for white. She didn't care about that when she wrote, in 1970 -- in the midst of the Vietnam War -- a story about war protest and the draft. She didn't care about that when she wrote, in 1972 -- on the eve of Roe v. Wade -- a story about an abortion. She didn't care, and neither should anyone now because the reward outweighs the risk.

It's hard to say if more cutting edge subject matter would've helped the soaps during the past 10 years because the majority of people who are *interested* in watching a daily daytime drama still have that old-school Leave It To Beaver/Praise Jesus mentality. There's a reason Y&R is the most conservative soap and also the No. 1 soap. A homosexual storyline in Genoa City would be an ABOMINATION

I don't believe that most of the people who watch soaps need to have retrograde views. I think that is what the networks assume, because the networks always assume the worst of viewers.

Y&R was a much more diverse and progressive soap than a lot of other stuff on daytime, until the last few years. Many other soaps became more and more openly hostile towards women and minorities, and their ratings plummeted. Look at what happened to OLTL once they fired most of their blacks and gays and scapegoated the actors who played the gay characters.

I wonder what the affiliates will do when these shows flop so hard and I have no doubt they will. If I want to watch a cooking show I watch Food Network, it rocks. If I want a fitness show I watch my on demand channels on my cable.

People going to DVR this crap?

Edited April 15, 201114 yr by dragonflies

I wonder what the affiliates will do when these shows flop so hard and I have no doubt they will. If I want to watch a cooking show I watch Food Network, it rocks. If I want a fitness show I watch my on demand channels on my cable.

People going to DVR this crap?

They're gonna have Super [that food program] Weekend. You eat a bunch of sh!t that Mario fries up for you then go run laps with Kimberley Locke to burn the calories. The hausfraus'll love it.

They're gonna have Super [that food program] Weekend. You eat a bunch of sh!t that Mario fries up for you then go run laps with Kimberley Locke to burn the calories. The hausfraus'll love it.

Super Chew Weekend...hot.

They're gonna have Super [that food program] Weekend. You eat a bunch of sh!t that Mario fries up for you then go run laps with Kimberley Locke to burn the calories. The hausfraus'll love it.

:lol:

I realize we've all belabored this point by now but The Chew? Really? The hosts are going to have say that in sentences like it's a noun everyday? "Welcome to The Chew! Here at The Chew! Take time to...enjoy...The Chew!" That goes down like a 12-inch dick.