What do you consider the Golden Era for Daytime Serials?

[OldGHFan]

I think for ABC Daytime it was the 80s. General Hospital, All My Children and One Life To Live were #1, #2 and #3 in the ratings. They hit the height of their ratings in the 80s. It was unfire. I hate to admit it, but sometimes I would watch all three soaps in a row. What a waste of a day! But what fun!

[EricMontreal22]

A waste of a day?!?!?!? What forum do you think you're on, spouting such proclamations.

[NothinButAttitude]

IMO, their debuts on TV in the 50 till about 2005. There was still some heart in the genre, and great storytelling/interesting, complex characters. 2005 marked a turn around for all the remaining soaps and not in a good way. None of them had a stellar (IMO) that year, and they gradually became worse year by year.

[DRW50]

Anything before 1994.

You can tell that soapsuds and I are P&G fans, can't you.

[NothinButAttitude]

^

Yep. But there's nothing wrong with that. For many old school P&G soap fans, their soaps died about 93/94. GL killed off Maureen and shoved the Coopers down fans throats. ATWT lost Marland and began their slump, and AW was decent but already in a slump. Being a later P&G soap fan, I enjoyed them b/c I didn't know any better, but going back and looking at YT clips from earlier and comparing them to what I've seen, I can see the downgrade in quality.

[DRW50]

I'd even put most of the ABC soaps in this category, as 1994 began the racism and sexism that destroyed their soaps, but yes, it does go back to P&G for me.

[Angela]

Hmm, I can't answer that as I wasn't born until 1980. I will say 1993 was the last golden age.

[jfung79]

The golden age is now. Soaps are experiencing a renaissance. The most addicted I've ever been to a soap since the the cliffhanger galore period of multifacted David and Anna, Leo and Greenlee, Bianca and Maggie, and the Proteus umbrella story in 2001 on Richard Culliton's All My Children, is right now with Days of Our Lives's All-Star scriptwriting team.

I have also in the past been deeply enthralled to early '98 Another World (Donna guilting Vicky to keep Vicky visiting Shane a secret after Vicky indirectly caused Shane's and her father Michael's death in a car crash, so Michael's death would not be in vain, plus Cass and Felicia hijinks -- also Richard Culliton), Summer 1996 General Hospital (Guza to Culliton transition period -- introduction of long-lost son Nikolas Cassadine), Summer 1997 Port Charles as it launched (sweet Joe/Karen! -- also by Richard Culliton, and Carolyn Culliton) and June-July 1999 As The World Turns (young love Eddie/Georgia, umbrella "baby Hope" story, Ben Jorgensen's confused Chris Hughes figuring out his life -- written by Lorraine Broderick).

But later on I also loved Guiding Light in 2006, written by David Kreizman, featuring Jammy, Reva's cancer, and "Inside the Light" ... Also noteworthy: Luke's coming out on ATWT that year.

I started watching soaps in 1989 with Guiding Light (where Richard Culliton was on the writing team, as was Melissa Salmons -- both now on Days's All-Star team) but not hard-core until the late 90s so I don't have the authority to comment on anything before that. I do think from clips the longer scenes on soaps such as Another World in the 70s were compelling. The play-like quality of television in those days is not something that can be done now however.

I've always found something to enjoy and latch on to in soaps. 2008-2011 were a dark period because of all the cancellations and the budget cuts affecting show quality, as well as a conglomeration of a lot of bad writers and/or producers remaining at their posts. But aside from that, I'm not going to say any era was better than another and look at the past with rose-colored glasses.

In terms of mainstream consciousness and popularity, the early 80s, when soaps were king in both daytime and primetime, were probably a golden age. But that doesn't mean they were better then.

To sum up, I don't see any golden era when soaps as a whole were better, but I do see a golden writer -- Richard Culliton -- and I tend to favor Procter and Gamble, who continued to have good soaps well after 1994.

[Eric83]

Well I loved soaps in the 90's. Can't speak on any other time periods really.

[quartermainefan]

The 80s: Luke and Laura, Greg and Jenny, Susan Lucci, millions watching. The stories were crazy and full of imagination.

[Steve]

I think that's a great summary! Something definitely changed when the soaps tried to emulate Dallas and bring in tycoons. Imo, the soap it damaged the most was OLTL, which became too focused on the Buchanans and lost its ethnicity.

ITA. I think AMC hit its stride around 1978 until about 1985. I'd put the Silver Era from 1987-1997.

I grew up watching all 3 in a row with my mom and it never felt like a waste!

GL just never recovered from Maureen's death, imo. The closest it came to being great again was when Mille Taggart was head writer but after she left the quality fell considerably again.

Imo, GH, GL and ATWT all had their golden periods when Douglas Marland was head writing them.

[yr9190]

I agree that it really does depend on the soap.

I have to also agree though that for the ABC soaps the golden era had to be mid 70's to 80's (especially the "Love in the Afternoon" era)

I think throughout the late 80's and 90's is when CBS had their golden era with the soaps.

[SoapDope]

I always felt that Y&R was at it's best 1973-1993.

[All My Shadows]

Late as I am to the soap party, I could never say that Marland's ATWT was that show's golden age. Its influence and popularity throughout the 60s and early 70s makes it impossible for any other era to be considered its glory days.

[zanereed]

When it comes to P & G soaps, absolutely.

For me, nothing beats the late 1970's Dobson era of GL. I was so young, yet I still remember those characters and storylines so much.