Shutdown Could be ‘Dangerous’ For Soaps, Predicts Vet Wally Kurth

[Errol]

With three of the four remaining daytime soaps soon to run out of original episodes they can air in the coming weeks, soap veteran Wally Kurth (“Days of our Lives,” “General Hospital”) thinks the shows are running into “dangerous” territory.

Appearing on “The Freddie and Alyssa Show” earlier this week, Kurth said of the soaps, “They’re going to run out of shows, and I think that’s dangerous.” He adds, “During the O.J. Simpson trial we lost a lot of viewers because once viewers tune out it’s sometimes hard to go back.”

Kurth’s concern stems from the uncertainty of when the shows can resume production after the novel coronavirus pandemic shutdown filming last month.

Currently, “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “GH” and “The Young and the Restless” have been curtailing the inevitable loss of originals by airing classic or flashback episodes on Fridays. ABC announced that it will air flashbacks through at least Friday, May 22. Fans of the soap have also noticed a number of flashback scenes being included in the episodes being aired. CBS hasn’t formally announced Friday as a day for re-airing classic episodes, but the network has aired re-runs for the past three weeks with more re-runs expected. Neither network has announced what will air in place of originals once they run out.

According to TheWrap‘s Rosemary Rossi, producers at “B&B” and “Y&R” are currently in the planning stages of the next steps to take if the production shutdown continues for an even lengthier period. Los Angeles remains under “Stay at Home” orders which were extended through at least Friday, May 15 by Mayor Eric Garcetti.

“DAYS” will be the only soap airing originals for the foreseeable future. Due to its advanced film-to-air schedule, the show has enough episodes to air through at least the end of October. “It will have the only original content for soaps,” Kurth says. “I have a feeling we may gain a few viewers.”

“The Freddie and Alyssa Show” is hosted by Kurth’s on-screen son Freddie Smith (Sonny Kiriakis, “DAYS”) and Smith’s fiancée Alyssa Tabit.

You can watch Kurth’s appearance below.

The post Shutdown Could be ‘Dangerous’ For Soaps, Predicts Vet Wally Kurth appeared first on Soap Opera Network.

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[KMan101]

I agree to an extent, but reruns will keep fans watching. TRUE reruns, classics, like what Y&R is doing. GH and B&B need to realize this. However, I suspect there are numerous reasons they aren't. One being that fans would recognize how far the two shows have fallen. Not that Y&R is any better quality wise, but the classics compliment the current show and have a slew of faces that are still around. Imagine GH airing something from Guza/Phelps years? Lord. B&B could probably do it but they have had so many cast changes.

[lucaslesann23]

+1 and people will still be stuck at home. New eps or not. So i think they will watch the classics

[Soapsuds]

Y&R classic episodes and B&B reruns are getting higher numbers than Days. I'd air Y&R classics until regular episodes are available. The classic episodes of Y&R are more entertaining than any new episodes from Y&R, B&B, GH or Days. 

[Aback]

I don't think it's a matter of the shows losing viewers, it's more of a matter of how are they going to be financially sustainable? How are they going to pay their workers during this long hiatus? When will they really be able to resume filming? I can see the production companies filing for bankruptcy. 

[DaytimeFan]

 

They're not. And if they are, they're paying union minimums. The production companies will always protect themselves first. 

 

Airing classic episodes like Y&R is doing will not hurt the shows. The Y&R classic episodes are excellent, fun to watch, and most fans are able to tap into their memories. B&B should go back to the mid-late 1990s with Sally/Clarke/Stephanie/Morgan/Sheila - people would watch those episodes because they were good the first time around.

 

GH is really the show that will have the hardest time dealing with this - what era would they air? Riche era Sonny and Brenda would be my suggestion. 

[DramatistDreamer]

 

 

In an environment where programming is dependent on advertising dollars, as commercial television tends to be, the number of viewers and financial sustainability are inextricably linked. If you look at the soaps in the 1980s and 1990s, the range of advertisers airing during programming was a lot more vast and varied than it is today. Some of the ads during those high ratings eras spanned into high-end products like cars--today, not so much. When ratings fall, many companies, particularly those selling high-end products that they market to a well-heeled consumer, they will  pull their advertising from shows that they consider to fallen below a certain level or fallen out of favor, which results in less money to go around, which has a direct impact on budgets (sets, salaries, cast numbers,etc.)

 

 

Since the beginning of this pandemic hitting the U.S., I've been saying that this COVID-19 crisis has put a magnifying lens (or blue light) on all the deficiencies and cracks and nasty stains that were hiding in plain sight in society. That the soaps, which have really been on a razor's edge for near two decades now, could possibly fall off the cliff, is not surprising at all.

[lucaslesann23]

Really? Wow! Thanks im glad the classics are doing well

[KMan101]

 

Yep, exactly. IMO of course. Guess time will tell, LOL

 

+1

 

And lol at them getting higher ratings

 

They need to realize there IS a demand for classic episodes. Ratings prove that, no? Y&R, DAYS, etc. should all be streaming classic episodes.

[Soapsuds]

I enjoy watching a classic Y&R episode over anything airing now. The time flies by when I am watching. When I tune in to a regular Y&R or Days episode I struggle to stay interested and usually ff a lot of the storylines.

[Khan]

 

Agree.

 

It's still astonishing to me how DAYS' insane production schedule is paying off in a big way during this crisis.  Never again will I mock them for taping 30 years ahead.

[Paul Raven]

A once a week classic is a different scenario to 5 day a week repeats.

 

How will they program this? Start from a certain date and play in sequence? Or groups of episodes from different eras?

 

It's all unknown territory and quite a risk...

[VanessaReardon]

Why do you believe everything you read?? Y&R classics for the last 2 weeks have NOT been rated by Nielsen. There are no ratings for those episodes. Gullible much? 

Lord. Y&R classics are NOT rated. Too funny. #FACTS matter

[John]

Maybe they can just revive a Daytime to Remember which ABC had between The City's Finale & Port Charles  debut. CBS & ABC could do this with their soaps.

 

Days I doubt will have any inturuptions

[VanessaReardon]

Exactly. Viewers are not going to stick around for 5 repeats. Ratings will plummet. 1 repeat mixed in with 4 originals is different.