This discusses how crime stories took over in the 80's.I think that it was one of the factors that lead to the decline of soaps in general.

Crime had always been a part of most shows,some more than others,but in the 80's it seemed to be a constant,with violence and deaths happening constantly.

Thanks.

I think some soaps did this in a smart way - Marland's ATWT, for instance. Others just plain choked. AW had way too many crime stories and way too much slaughter. 1980-1986 was one long bloodbath.

I agree, Carl. Some shows -- Marland's AS THE WORLD TURNS, Slesar's EDGE OF NIGHT -- excelled at it; others -- GUIDING LIGHT, ONE LIFE TO LIVE, GH and DAYS -- were...okay, although it truly depended on the particular story; and still others -- ALL MY CHILDREN and Y&R come to mind -- just plain bombed at it.

To be fair, AMC never really let it take over--they also resisted some of the other stories that took over in the early 80s like super couple on the run (they did this but not to the same extent). I woulda thought OLTL would count as bombing it--didn't all the soap books and press say that in the early 80s (was it under the Corringtons) it nearly destroyed the show before Rauch turned it more into high fantasy?

Crime stories weren't the problem.

It's moral relativism that's killed Daytime.

That's very true. Oh who cares what he did because he's hot/he suffered/someone else is worse.

That's very true. Oh who cares what he did because he's hot/he suffered/someone else is worse.

Exactly.

The worst thing that EVER happened to soaps was Laura forgiving Luke.

Crime stories weren't the problem.

It's moral relativism that's killed Daytime.

Agree.

The worst thing that EVER happened to soaps was Laura forgiving Luke.

This, too.

Well...almost.

No, I wouldn't have minded Laura forgiving Luke, in the Judeo-Christian sense of the word (if THAT makes any sense). But falling in love with him and thereby whitewashing what happened at the Campus Disco until the too-little-too-late rehash during Liz's rape? Prolly not.