The future of US soaps

[Juliajms]

I would. I watched AMC and OLTL on Hulu.

[GSGfan2017]

According to this video, the WWE might leave traditional television in 2019.

 

In a conversation with movie historian Stuart Galbraith IV, TV historian Stephen Bowie said the following:

 

"Bringing this back to streaming: I haven’t found this on my own Netflix platform yet, but last August some users reported that Netflix was minimizing the end credits of TV shows and some movies, to prompt viewers toward the next episode.  There was a lot of negative reaction to this, as intruding upon the experience.  And you know what it reminds me of?  TV.  My prediction is that streaming, which is replacing cable (i.e., cord-cutting), will just become cable once it moves everyone over.  As soon as everyone’s hooked, you’ll get watermarks, crawls on the screen, shrunken or talked-over credits and, finally, ads (only now you won’t be able to fast-forward through them)."

 

[Skylover]

 

Me too. I don't have a subscription but I'd get one if it had soaps on it. I probably sound like a right loser, and I can assure you, I am

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I'm not sure if soaps as a genre will die out completely. From the sounds of things, once network TV has been phased out for streaming, new soaps will probably develop. It's a shame they won't have that history though.

[Melroser]

I watched OLTL on Hulu because I already had an attachment and it was free. Haha. If I were forced to buy a subscription just to watch I most likely would have passed. I don't have an online subscription to anything and where I am the internet services available suck for streaming most of the time. It takes patience for me to watch and most days I don't have patience. 

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[kalbir]

 

That interview must have been around 1992 or 1993, when the crossover storylines were in full force. Maybe at that time, Bill Bell was trying to get the time space for expansion. Interesting that Bill Bell didn't mention what I would've figured was B&B's biggest competition in it's first decade, supercouple era and Reilly sci-fi era Days as they aired head-to-head.

 

[Gray Bunny]

I recall that quote so I pulled out my trusty ol' Digests from 1997, and it was an interview for B&B's 10th anniversary. He (Bradley) said: 

 

"We started out in 8th place with ratings in the low 5's, which at the time were very poor. We slowly passed GL and ATWT. When we first beat General Hospital, I couldn't believe it!" 

 

At the time, they were usually 3rd place. In regards to expanding to an hour: 

 

"If we're going to make a play for first or second place, it can't be done as a half-hour. There are definite benefits to the way we are now, but we're not going to reach our fullest potential until the show becomes an hour." 

 

It doesn't read as a disrespectful plan to beat his sister CBS shows, but rather a goal to be seen by the greatest amount of eyeballs. 

[Fevuh]

That is the quote I remember.  And I remember thinking - but - you won't go to 1 hour because you're really not that good and it means I'd have to have either Guiding Light or World Turns cancelled or reduced to 1/2 an hour for your inferior show to get to 1 hour.  And that ain't gonna happen because they're both better than you.  Fast forward 20 years, and they're still not a 1 hour show because they were never worth it even if both GL and ATWT were cancelled.  So Bell can eat it. 

 

And my other beef now that you posted the quote - he mentions they started out in 8th place with ratings in the low 5's.  Which is exactly where Capitol was when they were cancelled.  Only Capitol never got to follow Y&R which B&B always has followed in the East.  Capitol was cancelled with a 5.2 or 5.3 (which was "very poor" according to Bell)...but you got to start out with those ratings and they let you stay?  Yeah, no. 

[Soapsuds]

I did too and thought both shows were tighter and better on Hulu than on broadcast TV. I especially loved OLTL.

[Skylover]

The only other US soaps I've been interested in other than Days are ATWT and GL.

[Vee]

AFAIC AMC and OLTL were the closest to the British soaps, when they were at their best anyway. But I'm biased, as OLTL was my soap, period. When it was at its 90s height (not its only height, to be fair) it told gritty social issue stories with what was at that time evolved style and passion. AMC always did the same, but in a less flashy way. I still believe they're the two soaps that could easily jump to Netflix today, by way of their formula - along with perhaps GL, GH and the long-dead but still very influential on TV Edge of Night.

[Soaplovers]

The problem has never been lack of interest, or talented people..it is all about money.

 

When AMC and OLTL ended on Hulu..i recall someone found out that the numbers for both were quite strong..but that funding killed both of them in the long run.

 

That is what is killing Days...the reduced fees which lead to a reduced budget that leads to actor guarantees being slashed..whixh affect the ability for characters to interact..or foe stories to hit on all the beats.

[allmc2008]

 

Have you all forgotten. Bills disgust for the hour?  He even said he told CBS he would  do B&B if it were a half hour. 

 

 

I dint think Bell wanted Capitol gone.  It was CBS.  He said they wanted another show to replace SFT but he was still burned because of expanded ynr.  I also know CBS commissioned capitol to be a filler until Bell got another soap.  I feel Bell only decided to create BnB for his son.  I deeply feel that he didn't think his son was competent.  His attitude wgen asked if his son takes his advice on his archive interview speaks volumes.  

[adrnyc]

I don't watch any of the current American soaps. However, I *do* watch B&B on CBS All Access, when I'm in the mood.  I'm around Dec 2014 at the moment. 

 

I tried to watch the British soaps - a dear friend is OBSESSED with Emmerdale - but couldn't get into them. I watched Neighbours for 2 years until pretty much every character I knew left. 

 

Nowadays, so much of the old shows are on YouTube.  I watch 3 daily soaps M-F.

Ryan's Hope has the entirety of 1975-1981 on there (I'm in 1980 right now).  I never watched that soap. I've been watching it for the past 5 years M-F through YT.  

Another World has SO MUCH on YT. I'm re-watching the late 80's/90's, which I watched as a kid.

As The World Turns has over 4,000 episodes on YT. I watched it real time 2000-2010 but am watching the golden years of the 80's which I have never seen before. 

 

Soaps today, as we all know, are different. They're just not as fun. I mean, watch ATWT from the 80's and the aughts - the actors are having an absolute BLAST together, and it shows. Everyone on soaps today looks so depressed all the time. 

 

I don't think the current CBS shows are in any danger of leaving. B&B, in particular, is HUGE in Europe and Australia. As long as that continues, that show should be safe. 

 

Serialized storytelling is everywhere these days, so one doesn't have to go to soap operas to get that type of storytelling. I think, ultimately, that's what has made the genre seem irrelevant. 

 

I believe the soaps will always exist, though, whether in America or across the ocean.

[Skylover]

 

There's certainly do danger of the UK soaps going anywhere. I can't imagine a time when they don't exist. I could never get into Emmerdale either. As much as I hate it at times, if you're interested in watching a UK soap, it has to be EastEnders. The others just aren't worth watching (however old Coronation Street, 1960-1980ish is good). Neighbours is great.

 

I'd be interested to know your views on the old US soaps you're watching.

 

 

Where though? I don't see many alternatives to soaps 

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I like that the US soaps are different to the UK soaps. They don't feel as realistic but more 'fantasy' if you know what I mean. At first that can be off-putting, but I think it might actually be an advantage as it really draws you in. I guess you have to be willing to suspend your disbelief though. I want to watch some old Days, but I might watch some other old US soaps at some point.

[JellicleCat]

 

But there's a difference between starting with those ratings like B&B did, and having those ratings after several years on the air. Capitol had obviously reached a pinnacle at that level, while B&B improved on those ratings in the following years.

No soap starts out with terrific ratings. Even ratings champions like ATWT and Y&R took a while to build an audience.