1980s Trends

[kalbir]

Since the 1980s ratings are nearing the end, a spinoff of sorts of from that topic.

We know the big 1980s trends on the soaps: Dallas influence, Dynasty influence, action/adventure, supercouples. Which soaps got the 1980s trends right and which soaps got the 1980s trends wrong?

General Hospital started the whole action/adventure and supercouple trends but Days took them to a whole other level.

Y&R got Dallas influence and Dynasty influence right w/ Victor, the Abbotts, Jabot, Dina but the action/adventure storylines during the H. Wesley Kenney era didn't work for me. Bill Bell wasn't big on supercouples despite the popularity of accident pairing Victor and Nikki.

Guiding Light chased all the 1980s trends but in the long term it wasn't sustainable.

As the World Turns also chased the 1980s trends but not to the degree that GL did.

By the time B&B started, the big 1980s trends were wearing thin plus 1980s B&B was mostly dust offs of 1970s and 1980s Y&R storylines.

Texas was a dollar store Dallas. 

Santa Barbara was a dollar store Dynasty.

I'd love to know others thoughts on the 1980s trends.

 

 

[Khan]

I've often wondered if it was the other way around, with Y&R influencing DYNASTY, since Tom Trimble and Brock Broughton worked on both shows (and several other Aaron Spelling-produced shows, I think) as art director and set decorator, respectively.

[Paul Raven]

One trend that accelerated in the 80's was the decimation of core families/long running characters.

Part of that was inevitable as  actors aged and characters seemed played out, but there was also a wilfull determination to rid shows of the older tentpole characters.

Y&R dumped the Fosters and Brooks bar Jill.

Days said goodbye to a heap of Hortons

The Bauers disappeared from GL as dd the Matthews from AW

Steve Audrey and Jessie were virtually extras at GH. SFT had only a few characters from the decade before.

 

 

[Broderick]

P&G had a real purge in the very early 1980s.  

"Edge" dumped longtime police chief Bill Marceau for Derek Mallory circa 1980.

"World Turns" saw Nancy & Chris Hughes dumped to recurring about 1981.  

"Guiding Light" dumped Holly's mother, Roger's father, Steve Jackson, and Sara McIntyre about 1981. 

The soap press at the time said this was an effort to mimic Y&R, but ironically, at the same time, Y&R was writing very complex storylines for Jeanne Cooper, who was in her early 50s.  

[Paul Raven]

Also ATWT dropped Judge Lowell, Joyce, Don, Grant, Mary, Jay, Dan,Susan, Sandy etc over a 2-3 yr period.

GL also dropped Mart Hulswit for younger(slimmer) Peter Simon.

SFT dropped Bob, Ellie

AW -John Randolph

Probably others we've forgotten.

Another trend was the push to location shooting. It certainly was a welcome change from interiors but instead of it becoming a regular thing where we saw characters in their yards or outside workplaces-day to day stuff, it was saved up for splashy sweeps stunts in most cases. And made the contrast with fake 'outdoor' sets even more noticeable.

[kalbir]

Location shooting/far-off remotes I'd say were a side effect of action/adventure and supercouples.

Edited November 13, 2023 by kalbir

[Broderick]

I never thought going to the Virgin Islands or St. Croix was terribly effective, when their idea of a city park was a roll of Astroturf, a garbage can, and a fake tree, lol.   

[Contessa Donatella]

Does anyone else find it rather fascinating that the Ewings on Dallas & The Carringtons on Dynasty came out of Pete Lemay's AW characters? I keep wondering if there's a story there. 

As to the big picture because of politics, because of life, because of Nancy & Ron never saying the word AIDS, because of all the friends I buried, ... I really enjoyed escapism in my soaps more than ever before. In fact before I wasn't really into soaps as escape. So I just happened to be in tune with the clothes, the glamour, the adventure, the supercouples, ... but then again, hmm, maybe real life had an effect on reel life. Maybe all that & its trappings came about because in fact on some level one's life is politics. 

[kalbir]

Looking back on the 1980s as an adult, I think it was the 1986 trifecta of the AIDS crisis, Space Shuttle Challenger, and Chernobyl that made everyone stop and think "s--- just got real". Then the 1989 trifecta of Reagan leaving office, Tiananmen Square, and fall of the Berlin Wall made us all realize the world was on the verge of change.

Primetime shifted w/ the changing times in the 1980s but daytime remained escapist until the tail end of the decade.

 

[j swift]

It is so interesting to see the indirect impact of AIDS on the soaps.  Romantic plots became much more chaste, and the highlights became about a first kiss, or a fairy tale wedding, rather than exploring overt sexuality of the late 70s in soaps.  It is easy to see how producing a daytime drama in New York or LA at a time of increased anxiety about HIV influenced the writing, as well as other parts of the production.  Most soaps eventually told actual stories about the disease, (some of which would be deemed offensive by modern standards), but I am fascinated at how the epidemic changed the culture of daytime TV.

I think a perfect example is Victoria on Y&R was described as frigid when she was a teen because she refused to engage in sex with her boyfriend, whereas a decade earlier Dr Casey Reed's story of sexual inhibition due to being abused by a father lead to a sexual re-awakening.  The happy ending for Casey was being sexually liberated, whereas Victoria found happiness when she met a guy who was willing to wait for the right time.

Obviously this argument is a bit reductive, but I think it accurately reflects how AIDS changed storytelling (and fashion) beyond the real issues like using condoms, to trying to de-emphasize libidinal needs and tease the audience in ways that were considered safer.

Edited November 15, 2023 by j swift

[j swift]

You know what I really miss that I associate with the 1980s?

Summer stories

I enjoyed when the teens got some attention, we knew it would be resolved by Labor Day, and it set a nice pace.  Also, there was usually a middle-aged B story to maintain interest, like when Luke and Laura went on the run the same summer as Rick and Monica's affair.  The Y&R teen concerts were more than a little cringy, but I also like a little cheese in the summer.

[titan1978]

Another 1980’s trend not mentioned yet was the increasing importance placed on the star more than the character. Really popularized by Monty on GH, but in use on other soaps in the 80’s too. Monty stopped anything but short term recasts by 1981ish, and when someone left the character was gone, and the show moved on. Heather Webber was the last major recast during her tenure that I can recall. The celebrity of soap actors exploded.

 

[Contessa Donatella]

Now you've just made me think by bringing up Glo in regard to 1980s trends. Of course, she is responsible for so many changes in soaps. A move away from character-driven stories to action-driven stories or plot-driven. More short scenes. A faster overall pace. More editing within scenes. Cross-cutting edits. More outdoor shooting but not on exotic locale remotes, instead just ordinary outside places. Very long shooting days. Cocaine. Inclusion of Action/Adventure sequences. Inclusion of sci-fi. Cheesy production values. Inclusion of "romcom" stories. Inclusion of Movie of the Week type "from the headlines" stories. 

[JoeCool]

I agree but Gloria's changes did not sustain GH or surpass the expertise of Bill Bell. Bill Bell was the master at storytelling and Restless was always character driven in the 1980s and not have much in action/adventure sequences. Restless had strong stories and strong characters and did not need exotic locales and remotes. AMC also remained character driven in the 80s yes there were some adventure stories but they really were tame as compared to GH.  Monty's changes were strong enough to save GH from cancellation then to Number 1 but not enough to sustain it. Strong characters and strong stories always trump. I always thought that GH was overrated in the 80s as compared to AMC, Restless and ATWT.

[Contessa Donatella]

It is true that what she did, did not ultimately sustain. However, it is not true that these characteristics did not have a lasting effect on soaps in general. You cannot dispute that there has been much more plot-driven & action-driven storytelling throughout daytime since Gloria made GH #1. Same is true with sci-fi elements. Just because Bill Bell did not succumb does not mean most of soapdom was not effected & I would suggest adversely. AMC, examples McTavish & Pratt. We would never have had James Reilly burying Carly alive if not for Gloria Monty 80s GH. Etc.