Somerset Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

I think that theatrical type of acting can be an asset to soaps - and it suited some ladies of that era, like Louise Shaffer.

Was it only ever Robin Strasser who showed up on Somerset?

What did you think of Robert? Did you prefer him on Somerset or AW?

What did you think of the Jingles the Clown story?

will81 has been posting some Laub synopses from 1973...maybe he has some Somerset.

[toml1962]

I liked Nick Coster a lot - he was a fine actor and had a good career.

Frankly I thought the Jingles story was a bit silly. Creepy at times but in the end too fancifal for me.

Take a look at the cast list I posted. It includes the crossover cast as well.

Would love to see the Laub stuff from other years. And from other shows. Finding story info prior to the end of 1972 is always a challenge, altough that said I have TONS for Somerset from end of 1972 onwards. Prior to that it is a bit brief and disjointed except for the Jasper storyline. Amazing how much people choose to leave out of these things. Too bad soap digest could not have come along a lot sooner. If one has a lot of time, you can go to the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center and use the microfilms of the tv guide. For years they had sentences to desribe each daily soap.

[DRW50]

FrenchFan has posted some summaries from the early 70's as well. I can't tell you where they are at the moment.

I have some Daytime TV summaries, although those started in early 1975, so you may have them.

[Paul Raven]

Some of French Fans summaries

Dec 72

Andrea, learning her illness was fatal, shut everyone out of her life, especially David whom she refused to burden with her condition. Her stepbrother Carter encouraged this action and tried to promote himself as Andrea’s eyes as he had secret debts to an eastern underworld syndicate and Andrea was about to inherit a huge fortune. Aware that Andrea’s condition improved in the hospital, Stan rehospitalized her in the hope she might be suffering a physical reaction to something in her surroundings. Carter’s chance remark that she might be being poisoned led Stan to call in a toxicologist who found that Andrea was being poisoned with a form of arsenic. Carter implied that the logical suspect is Andrea’s brother and heir, Dana. Upon learning that her illness may be reversible, Andrea reconcilied with David. Keeping the arsenic discovery a secret from all but David, Ben, Emily and Stan allowed Andrea to return home with Emily keeping an eagle’s eye on everything she eats.

Rex was found seriously injured in an appartment accident in the Delaney Brands warehouse after learning about plant manager Virgil Parris’ police records. Laura was convinced that Virgil tried to murder her husband but she had no proof. She was also sure that Leo was implicated and this belief caused great tension as Ginger and Tony were staying with Laura during Rex’s hospitalization. Stan finally told them Rex was paralyzed from the waist down. Lahoma was also convinced that Parris was to blame byt Sam would not fire Parris or use his record against him. The strain of Delaney Brands problems was seriously hurting the Lucas’ marriage. Parris visited Laura and threatened her if she continued to implicate him in Rex’s “accident”. Parris bragged to Leo how he killed Harry Johnson and tried to kill Rex. Leo was afraid too much violence was being used, the syndicate they both worked for wanted the takeover of Delaney Brands to be smooth and unobtrusive. Needing more influence over Sam, Parris terrorized Sam’s secretary into leaving town and Leo lined up Crystal Ames, also a syndicate regular, to replace her.

Jan 73

Crystal Ames’ secretarial credentials were as impeccable as her looks and Sam hired her over Lahoma’s objections. Leo was pleased as he planned for Crystal to diminish Lahoma’s influence over Sam. Sam and Lahoma fought constantly over Delaney Brands, his working late, Virgil Parris, Rex’s accident and Crystal. Lahoma was very much afraid her marriage was in serious trouble. Sam told her she was unreasonable and jealous and all would be fine with them if she would learn to trust him.

Virgil ordered Carter to have Emily Mason sell her Delaney Brands stock immediately or the syndicate would call in his debts. Zoe noticed Carter’s fear of Virgil. Rex was home from the hospital, paralyzed and in a wheel chair but planned to return to work soon. Leo warned Virgil the syndicate wanted Rex in charge of production. Laura still blamed Virgil and Ginger’s father Leo for Rex’s accident making Ginger’s life miserable until she and Tony can finally move into their own apartment. Leo told Tony several plant employees quit suddenly and Virgil replaced them from out of town. Meanwhile, Phil at the Hayloft told Sam he’d heard Delaney Brands were in money trouble since all these local men had to be laid off. Puzzled, Sam denied trouble.

Julian and Zoe fought constrantly, she taunted him and he virtually ignored her and moved into a separate bedroom. Julian secretly visited Andrea’s room and told her he married Zoe only for her family and her world, that he loved her (Andrea). She stopped him and told him never to mention this again. Dana wrote a book “Jingles the Clown” for Andrea. She was thrilled with it and took it herself to her stepfather Philip’s publishing house where she accidentally found Philip on his office couch in the arms of his secretary. Andrea ran out and later told Philip she wouldn’t say anything to her mother Emily for her sake, not for his. She told him she understood more about his grequent business trips with his faithful secretary, Millie. Philip would publish Dana’s book.

After Andrea’s collapse at her twenty-first birthday party, she made David promise that he would find a way for them to be alone together so she can love him completely before she dies. He insisted she wouldn’t die but promised to do what she asked. With Andrea’s illness reoccurring, Stan feared poison was not the answer considering Emily’s care in supervising her daughter’s food and drink intake, but David learned that Andrea had been accepting unsupervised medication from Jingles the Clown whom she assumed was her brother, Dana, in disguise. When Andrea was told that Jingles was suspected, she refused to believe it until it was pointed out that anyone could be wearing the Jingles costume. A trap was planned whereby Andrea would signal her mother if Jingles came to her room.

Feb 73

Lahoma, feeling threatened and inadequate by self comparison with Crystal, arranged for Crystal to meet Sam and was gratified when they hit it off well together. Lahoma insitinctively distrusted Crystal without knowing she was brought to Somerset to diminish Lahoma’s influence over Sam. Sam seemed unconcerned by Stan’s report that almost all the new plant employees had bullet and knife wound scars.

Rex, paralyzed since his accident, returned to work at Delaney Brands. He was furious when he realized that Virgil had cut production costs by cutting the quality of the whole canned food line. Leo promised Rex he would correct this. Laura saw the strain and pressured of Rex’s work were exhausting him to the point of collapse. She was further upset by Rex’s frustration at being a husband in name only since he was hurt. Leo visited Laura to ask for better relations between them for the sake of their children Tony and Ginger. Leo comforted Laura when she broke down in tears over Rex’s situation. Meanwhile, Virgil ordered Carter to have Emily sell all her Delaney Brands stock as the syndicate wanted fill control. However, on the basis of Sam’s glowing report on the company, she refused to sell.

The plan to unsmak Jingles worked and it was Andrea’s senile Aunt, Rowena, who had been bringing Andrea her medicine dressed in the clown suit. Rowena insisted she only wanted to help Andrea to get well and, when weed killed was found in the medicine bottle, Rowena was confused and incoherent and was unable to remember that Zoe gave her the costume and the medicine and instructed her to dose Andrea with it. Rowena would be placed in a sanitarium. Zoe hated Andrea as she felt she was the reason Julian no longer loved her or would sleep with her. When confronted by Zoe, Andrea maintained she loved only David. Zoe didn’t belive this as she had overheard Julian’s declarations of love to Andrea with Andrea had politely but firmly rebuffed. Carter confessed to Zoe that he was a failure in the investment business and owed the syndicate a million dollars. His failure to get Emily to sell her sotkc as ordered meant he might be killed by Virgil. Zoe visited Virgil and bought Carter two weeks more for $5,000. She then told Virgin she knew he’s a hired killer, would he consider doing a job for her. He seemed to be willing and she later made another appointment to discuss this. She was horrified to run into Andrea and David in the lobby of Dover House, Virgil’s apartment house.

Learning Phillip was planning to take Millie on another business trip, Andrea implied Millie’s presence was not for business reasons based on the scene she witnessed at Phillip’s office. He angrily denied her implications but lated told Emily Millie might not go. He was hurt that Emily never felt jealousy and considered passion and heated emotion for the young, they were too old.

Edited May 27, 2012 by Paul Raven

[toml1962]

MARCH 1973

• When Paris turns down her request that he kill Andrea, Zoe decides to do the job herself. She invites her sister-in-law and David to a remote hunting lodge, and after sending David into the village for food, loads a rifle. Back in Somerset, Carter meets with Paris, who taunts him about Zoe's offer to engage him as a hired gun. Realizing his sister has taken Andrea to a secluded lodge, Carter races there to stop her. Meanwhile, Zoe admits her guilt in the arsenic poisoning to a horrified Andrea. Completely deranged, Zoe fantasizes how Julian will love her again once Andrea is out of the way. Just as she is about to shoot, Carter arrives. He begs Zoe to put down the gun, arguing that she'll never get away with murder now and promises to help her. Wavering, she accidentally pulls the trigger, shooting Carter in the chest. Andrea attempts to call for help, but Zoe has disconnected the phone. Aware Carter needs immediate medical attention, Zoe instructs Andrea to drive into the village for help, but they soon realize it is too late... Carter is dead. David returns from the village to find Zoe in shock and lamenting the fact she killed her own brother.
  
• Ginger tells her father she is upset by Virgil Paris' pushiness with her. Leo promises to take care of Paris and reveals he intends to promote Tony to plant foreman. Later, Tony rejects the idea on the grounds other employees might misconstrue the gesture as nepotism and result in more plant friction; however, Leo insists. Paris, strangely piqued by Ginger's coldness to him, suggests Leo send Tony away for a three-day seminar.
  
• Certain that attorney Ben Grant is responsible for any suspicions Sam has at Delaney Brands, Leo orders Chrystal to surreptitiously tape record all conversations between Sam and Ben. From one of the tapes, Leo and Paris learn that Ben attended a secret meeting held by Herb Geller, Delaney's sales manager, where Ben learned suppliers are being strong-armed into cutting prices, employees have been threatened, and customers forced to accept inferior quality canned goods. Ben tells Sam that many people think gangsters now own Delaney Brands. Sam refuses to believe the rumors, but promises Ben not to tell anyone of the suspicions.
  
• When Herb Geller is killed in a mysterious hit and run accident, Ben and Sam quarrel as Ben speculates Geller's death wasn't an accident, and Sam feels accused of criminal activity. Sam's doubts and anger lead him to drink too much, which causes a greater strain in his marriage. As Sam and Lahoma continue arguing, Chrystal makes herself available for sympathy and affection, which is what Leo hired her to do.
  
• The court finds Zoe criminally insane and orders her confined to an asylum. Aunt Rowena, exonerated in Andrea's poisoning, is told she can go home, but she elects to remain in the sanitarium... she likes it there. Having already decided to divorce Zoe, Julian finds he can play the piano again. However, he decides to give it up, choosing instead to pursue a career in journalism, a field which he has always found interesting.
  
• Andrea and David finally become engaged, while Emily searches for a way to keep them apart. When she suggests Andrea accompany the family abroad for a year, Emily is angered by her daughter's refusal, as she considers David an unsuitable choice for an heiress. Dana, determined to stop his mother's machinations, tells her that good breeding hasn't prevented Phillip from having an affair with his secretary. Stunned, Emily asks Phillip is she can accompany him on his upcoming business trip, but he gently discourages her. She still isn't convinced of his infidelity until Phillip leaves his briefcase behind. Searching through it, Emily finds an itinerary and a hotel reservation for Mr. and Mrs. Matson -one room.
  

Edited June 10, 2012 by toml1962

[toml1962]

JANUARY 1974

• Pulling himself together after his wife Laura's suicide, Rex Cooper goes to Chicago where surgery to restore the use of his legs proves successful. He's pleased at the sudden arrival of his aunt Becky Winkle to see him through his recuperation. However, Rex is unaware that she has decided to live with him permanently. He begins to see things more clearly when she speaks of a "long, long visit." Rex is overjoyed that he can now stand on his own and seeks solace in the birth of his first grandchild, a boy named Joseph Rex.
  
• Zoe Cannell, still on the lam after escaping from the sanitarium, plots to kill Julian and Andrea, whom Zoe still believes took Julian away from her. Chrystal realizes Zoe's first target would be Julian and that her presence in his house would only fuel Zoe's anger. Over Julian's objections, Chrystal moves into her own apartment, promising to return as soon as Zoe is captured. Chrystal continues to believe her past association with the criminal syndicate makes her unworthy of Julian and his friends. She visits Ginger to apologize for her part in the events which paralyzed Rex and led to Laura's suicide. Chrystal insists she's wants to become a better person. Ginger is understanding, but suggests it will take time for Tony to forgive and forget the past.
  
• Julian feels Chrystal is unnecessarily berating herself with guilt and self-degradation. Zoe telephones Julian from Lansing asking for $1500 to cover room and board debts to a Mrs. Temple. This leads Julian and the police straight to Lansing, but Mrs. Temple is a con woman who has coerced Zoe into asking for the money and safely hidden the fugitive out of sight.
  
• The continuing difference of opinion between Andrea and David finally erupts in a tremendous argument. David returns the sports car she grandly gave him for Christmas, saying she's too busy playing the lady executive to have a personal life and be a wife. She angrily accuses him of male chauvinism, being unable to accept help from a woman -even a woman he loves. Andrea maintains he resents her money and demands for an equal partnership as he expects a woman to be a subordinate, a plaything. Friends and family realize David is obsessed with male dominance, but Andrea is equally obsessed with her own independence and was thoughtless in giving David an extravagant gift which magnified their problems. David, depressed and at odds, considers giving up law school even though he is close to graduation. He looks into a career as a police officer. Lt. Price tells David about the police academy at Evanston, though Price feels David might not have the objectivity necessary to be a good cop.
  
• Young and lovely Eve Lawrence makes plans to join her fiancé Judge Brad Bishop in Somerset. Eve's daughter Heather, a teenager, resents the idea of her mother's marriage to a much-older man and makes it clear that she believes her grandmother's contention that Eve drove Heather's father to the depression and drinking that led to his death. Heather begs her grandmother to let her live with her rather than go with Eve to Somerset. Mrs. Lawrence refuses, saying that she and Heather's grandfather are planning an around-the-world cruise. In reality, Mrs. Lawrence's disapproval and hatred for Eve -a woman she never wanted her son to marry- makes it impossible for her to love Heather, whom she sees only as "Eve's daughter." Judge Bishop reacts to Heather's objections and insults with reason and tact, though Heather realizes she's ultimately going to Somerset because she's a minor and has no other choice. Meanwhile, Ellen doubts Eve's reasons for marrying her father, though it is Andrea who is so obsessed with Eve's intentions that Julian accuses her of gossiping.
  
• Mark and Edith Mercer move from Boston to Somerset. He's been hired as an executive at Delaney Brands and will probably be its president when Rex becomes Chairman of the Board. Edith is delighted to have left Boston as it takes Mark away from the woman who has long stood between them. Mark reminds his wife that this woman was his friend's widow. He only helped her emotionally and financially after the death of his friend... it wasn't an affair. However, Edith insists Mark was deeply in love with her and might still be. Mark protests that it's a neurotic belief, though he privately wonders if he can be happy in Somerset without his lady friend in it. The whole town is buzzing about the Mercers uprooting themselves from Boston; a move they publicly admit was for personal reasons. Andrea vows to uncover exactly what those reasons were.
  

Edited June 10, 2012 by toml1962

[toml1962]

Am most likely missing some of the small, short term story bits, but my two posts along with Paul's gives a good accounting from December 1972 to December 1974. I need to organize 1975 and 1976, and 1970 - November 1972 still needs a lot of work.

[sungrey]

Wow. I have a ton of stuff here. Not to mention Somerset's one of those shows whose history has to be filled in piecemeal.

Tom: To fill you in on what I am doing, in my updated version Susannah is the central character and she comes back to Somerset, ostensibly to open her own law practice. I won't bore the rest of the board with long, boring details (lol), but this version is meant to hook today's audience, about 90-95 percent of whom probably didn't see the original show.

I have referred quite sparingly to past events in Bay City and Somerset; when Susannah was ill and the doctors were filling Sam and Lahoma in on her condition, one doctor asked if Sam and Lahoma took part in the "recreational drug" habits of the 1960s and Lahoma went bonkers, saying she hadn't touched anything more than cold medicine since her friend Lee Randolph's death in an LSD-influenced car crash.

Keep all this stuff coming, everybody!! It's good that we see more history filled in.

[Susan Hunter]

This is all wonderful. Thank you for posting this.

Awful to hear that about Carol Roux, but I guess given the time period I shouldn't be too shocked.

Do you know if the plan all along was to drop the ties to Bay City after the show was established or was that a Slesar thing after he decided to take the show in a new direction?

The ratings are also interesting because while the show never broke into the top ten, it seems to have maintained a stable audience for its entire run with a few spikes here and there. It premiered at 5.7 and was cancelled at 5.2, not exactly a huge drop. It came on at 4:00 eastern time where I lived, so I'm wondering if NBC just gave that time back to local affiliates and that's why it was cancelled.

[toml1962]

Glad all this is of help. I have always felt that the show, certainly during its first four years (70-73) was quite a good one overall.

As tot ratings, the sad thing is it nearly always won its time slot. Up against DS for the first year, then for three years against Gomer Pyle and Love American Style, it was often either #1 or 2 in the time slot. in summer of 1973, Secret Storm was moved against it. Again, Somerset often won the slot. THEN, in fall of 1974 began $10k Pyramid and Tattletales and Somerset fell into third place. THAT was the problem. Only got worse when Edge of Night was moved against it and that show got much better ratings during this period, recapturing some of its previously lost audience.

Somerset DID go out with some okay numbers but the demographic was not to NBC's liking. Shame ABC did not take the show. There was chit chat in the soap magazines that Lyle Hill had thought about brining back Leo Kurtz and hiring Jonathan Frid for the role, which IMO would have been a big audience boost and good casting. But then the show got thirteen weeks' cancellation notice and that was it.

Somerset was replaced by - are you ready? THE GONG SHOW!

[toml1962]

Forgot to say that, as from the fall of 1975, Somerset had the hour long Another World as its lead in, but of course the ties between the shows had long been cut. Cannot help but think renewing those ties would have helped. Instead of firing all those actors, they could easily have moved them over to Somerset. Certainly Reinholt would have made the ratings go up as he did on OLTL.

[DRW50]

And NBC never had ratings on that level for their other new soaps, did they? Not for long anyway.

Maybe with the 90 minute expansion NBC should have just revived Somerset. Georgann Johnson was still working on P&G soaps at that point, and they could have brought Nic Coster back, I'm sure others too.

[toml1962]

NBC was NOTORIOUS for starting and cancelling soaps too quickly. Take a look at their soap history:

Of all their soaps, only three went the distance. Amazing.

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1.13.1958

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06.27.58

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

6

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

From These Roots </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

6.30.1958

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

12.29.61

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

3

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

6

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Today is Ours </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

6.30.1958

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

12.26.58

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

6

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Young Doctor Malone </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

12.29.1958

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

03.29.63

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

4

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

3

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

House on High Street </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

9.28.1959

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

02.05.60

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

4

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Our Five Daughters </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

1.2.1962

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

9.28.62

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

9

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Doctors </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

4.1.1963

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

12.31.82

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

19

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

9

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Ben Jerrod </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

4.1.1963

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

06.28.63

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

3

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Another World </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

5.4.1964

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

06.25.99

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

35

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

2

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Moment of Truth </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

1.4.1965

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

11.05.65

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

9

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Morning Star </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

9.27.1965

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

07.01.66

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

9

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Paradise Bay </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

9.27.1965

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

07.01.66

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

9

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Days of Our Lives </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

11.8.1965

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

None

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

46

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

7

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Somerset </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

3.30.1970

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

12.31.76

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

6

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

9

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Return to Peyton Place </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

4.3.1972

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

01.04.74

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

1

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

9

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

How to Survive a Marriage </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

1.7.1974

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

04.18.75

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

1

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

3

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width: 164px; height: 28px;">

Lovers & Friends.Richer, Poorer </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 28px;">

1.3.1977

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 28px;">

09.29.78

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 28px;">

1

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 28px;">

2

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 28px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 28px;">

(Not continuous) </td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Texas </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

8.4.1981

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

12.31.82

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

2

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

5

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Santa Barbara </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

7.30.1984

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

01.15.93

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

8

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

6

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Generations </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

3.6.1989

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

01.04.91

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

1

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

9

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Sunset Beach </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

1.6.1997

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

12.31.99

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

3

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

Passions </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;">

07.05.99

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;">

08.07.08

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;">

9

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

1

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

NBC.DIR TV

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> <tr> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 164px; height: 18px;">

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 81px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 66px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 49px; height: 18px;"> </td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 58px; height: 18px;">

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 78px; height: 18px;">

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 106px; height: 18px;">

</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

Edited May 27, 2012 by toml1962

[Susan Hunter]

It appears that, based on the ratings that Tom posted, 'Return to Peyton Place' was higher rated than 'Somerset', yet 'RTPP' was cancelled after 21 months and 'Somerset' last another 2 seasons.

That is actually a great idea and I'm surprised that PG didn't think of it. Steve and Alice moving to 'Somerset' may have been a boost to that show.

[toml1962]

It all had to do with whether or not the show had the demographic AND was #1 or 2 in the time slot. The show was nearly always in third place, and that just never seems to be enough for the networks. In 1972, 1.0 rating = 620,000 homes. That means that a 7.0 rating, which RTPP had in its final season, equaled over 4M viewers.