ALL: With BTG garnering so much attention, should the other networks jump on board the Daytime Train

[DRW50]

Moving this as my reply wouldn't be on topic for the BtG thread.

@Contessa Donatella

Now, about telling other fans that it is unlikely that classic soaps will be rebooted. Here I am not prepared to be criticized. For years I have told fans this is unlikely & I have given reasons. In like fashion I have explained why very successful classic soaps are so expensive to prepare them for streaming. IOW, so many episodes, etc. For example the only reason PC would be more accessible than GH is the total number of episodes involved.

Back to telling fans "unlikely". These fans are stuck. The past is too enticing. Whether AW or GL or AMC & not only because of nostalgia they are just in love with what they had & it prevents them from moving on. So telling them it's not gonna happen, was the right thing!

Now, I am talking quite a lot about a possible soap renaissance. And, I say, "A rising tide lifts all boats." That is because I see BTG as - maybe if we're lucky - a facilitator not a competitor.

I don't agree - I think fans can still wish their old soaps would return and argue why they should and still support a current soap. If they say they will not watch a new soap or make snide remarks about a new show because they are angry over the old shows (as some soap 'journalists' did with Prospect Park's OLTL and AMC reboots) that's one thing and should be criticized. I think going too much into how it's never going to happen would take us not far off from where people like Moonves and Frons were in the late '00s and early '10s, acting like the soap genre as a whole was gone.

Edited March 1 by DRW50

[Contessa Donatella]

I respect you & your opinion. We simply disagree. I have never posted "doom & gloom" for the genre. I have been a stalwart defender of the "final four" even when I have found it necessary to reflect upon & discuss the low bar they seemed to inhabit. And, now, with this very strong launch of BTG & experiencing the blitz of good solid promotion, things have changed, maybe dramatically. And, Frons hated soaps from as early as 1983. Moonves was not very interested, not very informed about them & frankly dismissive. With my immense interest in all soap history including writing about any soap I can find info on, I submit your comparison of them to me, is simply offbase. One would be hard-pressed to support it. Scott McKinsey did  not dub me a true "daytime champion" without putting serious thought into it.

[DRW50]

It's not a direct comparison as much as I would say a cautionary tale of seeing old soaps as too much of a part of the past rather than a gateway to the future. Realistically, none of those shows will return - even that AMC movie is a reach - but I think letting the idea stay out there to possibly happen is a good thing for the genre, and the old fans who may struggle to connect with what is being made today but haven't totally moved on yet.

[Antoyne]

I’d honestly prefer another new soap and one that was actually diverse. We have enough white soaps still.

[DRW50]

I would also enjoy a diverse soap, but unfortunately, I don't think it will be in this country. BtG probably got in just under the wire.

[Contessa Donatella]

Here we have the crux of our disagreement. To me false hope, unrealistic "possibilities" is a thing that is very bad for soap fandom.

Edited March 1 by Contessa Donatella

[te.]

I think the big issue with doing a proper rural based soap is that the popularity of those Taylor Sheridan shows are as much based on plots as showing off the landscape and just small town life. I'd feel like in order to do a successful rural/small town soap you'd need to at the very least build a small town set a la Peyton Place and maybe even do location shots (not Peapack style). It would be a huge commitment that I'm not sure a network would want to do.

Weirdly enough, setting soaps in a more urban area is probably cost effective because we end up not expecting as much from the sets to represent that. 

[DRW50]

I think it depends on how those hopes are handled. If they involve deranged or entitled behavior, then I think it's bad. Otherwise, I don't. After all, many would have said a new soap ever being made was false hope and an unrealistic possibility. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Why would anyone have said that, though? There's literally no data to either support the idea or not. Nor any history of any action, etc. 

At this point, anyway we're not thinking of the same subset of fans, I don't think. Are you aware of the female fan who repeatedly posts the same 3 lines saying that Josh & Reva are like family to her & she posts it & only it despite the fact that is totally off-topic 8 out of 10 times she posts it? She's the epitome of the stuck fan that I'm talking about. Although the others are just repetitive posting, "I want ATWT back on the air." or OLTL or GL! 

[Antoyne]

Your last point I think is actually so unfortunately right, and I’m grateful.

[Melroser]

I think soaps could easily come back. Fingers crossed that BTG proves this and leads the way.

As far as "revivals" go, I agree AMC might be the only one likely and that is IF the movies for Lifetime come to fruition and have decent ratings. Other than that, I can't see any revival grabbing a new, youthful audience which is so coveted these days.

Having a new "Dark Shadows" would work great, but as a whole new show and setting. A dark, creepy setting with lots of mist (thank you Stephen King) could pull in new and old viewers with the right storytelling. 

As others have said, an EON-style show could work too. 

Personally, I think a 30 min. show for streaming could be a big hit. It's less time consuming and can be binged more easily to keep up with it. Film 2 eps a day (as if an hour show) for 6 months and have 6 months off where the cast are free to do other projects. Don't hold them back because they are "under contract" with the show. Their other projects can lead viewers back to the soap to check them out on that. 

[Khan]

Although I think a 15-minute show would be much more desirable for streaming purposes, I definitely think your production model is doable, @Melroser.

[DRW50]

Mainly because there was no new soap for 25 years and because we were at a point of only having three soaps on TV and one on a streaming service.

I do agree there are some overinvested fans. I just think that many don't feel that way and there's nothing wrong with thinking an old soap can come back, even if some fans may derail conversation.

@Melroser I agree a 30 minute soap is what we need most. BtG being an hour is one of the reasons I haven't had time to even watch most of it yet. Neighbours did sort of try a model similar to what you mentioned, but they did a much worse job with the idea. 6 months off might have worked better.

 

Given how many young people today apparently can't even watch a full movie, I do think the 15 minute soap is something that could be enjoyed and it's frustrating no one is trying.

Edited March 1 by DRW50

[Khan]

If nothing else, @Melroser's hypothetical production model would present the entire team - cast, crew and staff - the opportunity to recharge physically and mentally, and avoid the burnout that tends to happen when soaps are taped year-round.  That, in turn, might lead to less cast/writer turnover.

I think I've said this before, but bringing back the 15-minute soap would be a real "full circle" moment for the genre, allowing viewers once again to enjoy their stories in the time it takes them to eat lunch or have a "coffee break" from their jobs.

[Vee]

I think the only way to revive most US soaps not named Edge of Night - AMC, OLTL, whatever - is to do them at 30 mins and yes, give them seasonal breaks of 2-4 months and make them arc-based for maybe 13-16 weeks at a time. Something Linda Gottlieb attempted in a way in a year-round format and got trounced for, and something Prospect Park only attempted when they ran out of cash lol. But it's viable IMO.

Unlike GH or Y&R, it moves pretty fast. It's not a chore to watch at an hour so far.