What do you consider the Golden Era for Daytime Serials?

[EricMontreal22]

For me the end of the ABC era was 1997, really--but you definitely started to see the seems slipping open around '94.

To be fair, you can also make an argument for a soap's golden age ratings vs creative. I would say the Nixon early eyars of OLTL, the Russell and Hall years around 78-80 maybe 81, and the a chunk of the Malone/Griffith years were creatively its golden eras--but ratings wise it was the first 2/3rds of the Rauch era.

[EricMontreal22]

No. I love you, but no.

You *could* make a case that we are potentially entering into a semi renaissance--something soaps haven't had in a long while (but I think we have to see how PP does first,) but at least in how the term is used with comics, movies, etc, Golden Age is usually when the shows first truly peak creatively and commercially.

[KMan101]

Going by that I'll say the mid to late 70s through probably 1994/1995

[David V]

Overall it would have to be the 70s and 80s, the decline beginning in the 90s and I think we have seen a more dramatic flight from soaps since 2000 that fatally wounded the genre, although the groundwork for this was laid in the 90s. People like to throw about the issue of the OJ Simpson trial. But the 90s generally saw a shift in soaps towards seeing preposterous storylines, shock value and sensationalism becoming the norm, a lowering of writing and acting standards, etc that have been major factors in the genre's decline. Soaps had been considered a viable enough genre for new ones to be launched, which hasn't taken place since Passions in '99. Add to that, each network has had its "Golden Age", "Silver Age", etc. CBS had been quite consistent, but ABC had its Golden Age through the 1980s and NBC had its Golden Age in the 1970s.

But even the supercouple era of the 80s had certain consequences. The shift in how people watch soaps and the creation of rabid fanbases for particular characters and couples has had a detrimental effect as well.

[applcin]

I agree with this. All three soaps had changes during this period that affected the shows permanently. AMC was on fire with its younger generation (Jenny, Greg, Jesse, Angie, Liza, Tad) as well as Cliff & Nina, Palmer, Daisy, Opal. OLTL brought the Buchanan trio (Asa, Bo, Clint) to the forefront and GH, of course, had its whole action-adventure period, notably with Luke & Laura, Robert, Duke, Anna, Sean, Frisco & Felicia. If anybody (online or on some tv substation) ever decides to run these shows from these periods, I'm there.

[Gray Bunny]

I definitely think the golden age of soaps ended after 1997. It's no surprise that 1998 is when many soaps took HUGE nosedives in the ratings; it was also the same year most delved into completely out-of-this-world storylines.

And in general, I feel like soaps lost any and all impact on pop culture after this time, except for the moment in 1999 when Susan Lucci finally won the Emmy. After that, soaps and mainstream ceased to exist.

[teplin]

I would say 75-85. That encompasses both the creative peak, which I consider the mid-to-late 70s, and the pop culture peak of the early 80s.

[Sapounopera]

The late seventies. The original core families were still around, there were rich, middle-class and blue collar characters, no supercouple mania, no cheap Dynasty rip offs, a lot of drama, great dialogue, more everyday scenes and shows seemed more down-to-earth and sophisticated.

[David V]

Not only that, but Ryan's Hope got decent ratings in those years (late 70s-early 80s) and only began to slide after about 1982 and more fatally after changing its timeslot with Loving in 1984. Even the Edge of Night may have been bought a few extra years by ABC's ratings rise. On the week of Luke & Laura's wedding, EON outrated every NBC soap, this was a time NBC was in the toilet.

In 1998, it was ABC who took the biggest hit during Megan McTavish's second stint on AMC, and JFP being EP at OLTL, with all attendant vices (these two women proving that men have no monopoly on misogyny). Guiding Light actually got decent ratings during the whole "clone" storyline! We all know where that trend started...

[KMan101]

1997/1998 there was a definite shift looking back on it now. All soaps were pretty terrible.

[will81]

The golden age was when you had writers who knew how to write soaps. Even when bad, those writers still had a love for the genre but just failed to make good shows or made some bad decisions. When writers and producers who had no knowledge of soaps or wanted them to be more like Primetime shows is when the genre started falling apart in a big way. I'd say around the early 2000's.

In general it seems to me soaps started getting edgier and more sophisticated around the late 50's with ATWT and EON. I really like what I have read about shows from that period.

As for now, yes I really like Days, particularly since about January of this year. GH sounds like it is doing well with fans and if the rebooted AMC and OLTL are good shows there could be a renaissance happening. Maybe not ratings wise, but creatively.

[Susan Hunter]

I would say 1956 - 1978/9 is the Golden Era. Pretty much the beginning of 'As the World Turns' until Gloria Monty takes over 'General Hospital.

[allmc2008]

I agree. Gloria made the soaps "Pop Culture". Because of that shows like World Turns and Guiding Light were tampered with to be in the pop culture spectrum, which in turn caused a lot of shows to loose focus.

[#1_Bitch_Boy]

Two weeks ago you were telling

allmc2008

she was the worst thing that ever happend to a soap opera community board and now she is the lime in the tequila, lol

Oh wow super messed.

[David V]

I would argue the negative effect in terms of the shift in how people watch their soaps. Yet the Monty era also coincided with Y&R's gradual ascent to the top, ironically at the expense of GH, by virtue of its adherence to realism and social relevance. You had Doug Marland's work on GL and then on ATWT, also in the same era.

The misguided attempt to chase a market that wasn't there with stupid storylines and a focus on looks rather than talent that took root in the 90s, contributing massively to the decline of soap opera as a viable and credible medium, and flying in face of what serious TV shows were more about. Most hit primetime TV series, for instance, are dominated by older adult actors and not always "glamourous" ones either. Even more youth-oriented shows had a better balance in this regard. The fact is that TIIC simply underestimated the intelligence and sophistication of its alleged target demographic.