Jump to content

How Soaps Competed With New Programs, Timeslot Rivals, etc.


Recommended Posts

  • Members

So, I recently realized that the very day Another World expanded to 90 minutes, Karen Wolek was confessing her prostitution on One Life to Live.

Could anyone share more examples of programs bringing out the big guns in the face of new competition?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 12
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members

In 65 ABC was launching a major offensive in daytime and part of that strategy was placing reruns of primetime hit Ben Casey in the 1-2 pm slot hoping viewers would not turn over at 1.30 for ATWT.

Variety reported in Nov 65 that CBS planned to stage a big wedding for David and Ellen to counter any ratings momentum Ben Casey might muster.

However,David and Ellen didn't wed till June 66. Maybe the article referred to the whole lead up to the nuptuals.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Looking back at when Another World was highly rated in the late 60s and the 70s, it is always surprising to see the large number of shows that CBS pitted against it, yet it was still able to maintain its high ratings, including the #1 primetime series at the time All in the Family. Below are the programs that competed against AW from 1964-1999:

8 Soaps

As the World Turns- CBS

Capitol- CBS

General Hospital- ABC

Guiding Light- CBS

Love is a Many Splendored Thing- CBS

One Life to Live- ABC

Search for Tomorrow-CBS

The Secret Storm- CBS

4 Game Shows

Match Game- CBS

Tattletales- CBS

The Price is Right- CBS

To Tell the Truth-CBS

3 Sitcoms

All in the Family- CBS

M*A*S*H-CBS

One Day at a Time- CBS

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

In 1999, GL was going to embark on a breast cancer storyline for Reva, but decided to go with a fantastical "Calgon-Take-Me-Away" story of Reva being a princess in San Cristobel, complete with lush, on-location shoots in Puerto Rico. This was was done to compete with the upcoming new NBC soap, Passions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



  • Recent Posts

    • Does the vault have the original scene and not the short flashback?
    • I appreciate that you are using AI with the knowledge of it's limitations. Some posters take everything it produces as fact.
    • And of course Mama Ru herself appeared on All My Children.
    • The Saturday 8pm slot usually had the lowest rating of the NBC 4 sitcom lineup for some reason. NBC let Saturday night fizzle, They used 9.30 pm to launch 227 and Amen, both of which moved to earlier in the evening but they  kept Empty Nest following GG for several seasons.  Empty Nest should have moved to 8pm with their strongest new sitcom at 9.30, anticipating that GG would eventually falter. Instead they left them there and stretching the sitcom pool too thinly on other nights. When Grand talk over at 9.30 Thurs maybe Night Court and Wings could have been used on Saturday.
    • @Maxim Great to see your mini-reviews again. There are a number of clips on Youtube of Janice's slow mental breakdown, especially as we go into January 1980. Christine Jones is just superb. She played the hell out of that role. Something which isn't referenced as much later on is how Mitch pushed Janice's doubts and mental instability for his own ends...until suddenly he didn't want to anymore (I guess he caught on with the audience and the show became wary). I don't want to post a bunch of clips, but this one has a very good confrontation between Rachel and Janice.

      Please register in order to view this content

      This has a good scene around 7 minutes in where you can see Janice struggling internally with her need to identify herself so much by the men around her, all of which helps lead to her crackup.  
    • It really made Oscar the Doorman seem like an imbecile.   I think the show's unusual format & subject manner is what makes EON often seem less "dated" and "old-fashioned" than other shows from that time period.  It never attempted to be especially "trendy" or "modern" -- and its film noir style is pretty timeless.  
    • Dallas, Dynasty, Knots and Falcon Crest all had good runs but by 85 they had seen better days. I think they were a victim of the format. After several seasons seeing the same characters front and center viewers were bored. What was once fascinating grew predictable. JR, Alexis etc had to be front and center and after a while their schemes and shtick grew repetitive. JR remarrying Sue Ellen, Alexis constantly trying to get he better of Blake etc Unlike daytime, there wasn't the flexibility to bring in other stories and characters and maybe let the likes JR go backburner. That same mentality also invaded daytime with characters like  Sonny and Victor still peddling the same stuff after decades. I guess the same could be said for MSW eg every week Jessica encounters a crime and solves it,but I think viewers come to that format with a different mindset.
    • Daphnee and Trisha did a live stream on Instagram and confirmed they find out if the show gets picked up in May. This pretty much confirms they're on the primetime schedule like the Bell soaps. Fingers crossed we get a multi-year renewal announcement soon!  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJSsYb7PDv8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==        
    • I don't think Lois the character was there.  The Lois we knew from the 90s has pretty much died with this  Gio story crap.
    • Have to agree re MM. The goody two shoes character and writing doesn't help but maybe a more dynamic actor would help Brandon lift his game also. I found the song sequence a little OTT. First of all it should have been shorter and maybe the song fades out and just some music to accompany the montage. I think it would have worked better if Anita had have been alone after everyone left and started tinkling leading into the song, with Vernon coming in observing and then joining her for  a close moment. Everyone standing around felt a little too much. And that closing effect with the two blackscreens meeting was unnecessary. Just a fade out would have been enough.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy