Who Killed the Soaps? We Pick 7 CulpritsI have to say that much of what they say makes a lot of sense. Though I'd elaborate that audiences today aren't willing to let storylines build slowly over time and/or willing to wait years for a payoff. But some of the absolute best soap payoffs in soap history were years (even decades) in the making (like the truth behind the parentage of Mike Horton on
Days of our Lives and Philip Spaulding on
Guiding Light). But that type of story telling just isn't accepted anymore. Back in the day audiences were willing to keep tuning in faithfully to see every twist and turn of their favorite plots play out over time. Today's audiences are far too impatient and they want answers and resolutions and they want them yesterday. And when they don't get them as soon as they think they should, they balk, they squawk, and they walk. (I mean, has anyone ever read some of the soap message boards?!) If you ask me, the richness of the stories suffers from audience impatience. So in a way, audiences themselves are to blame for the state of soaps today, as opposed to what they once were. The article is definitely correct that lack of audience commitment plays a big part in what's going on with soaps today...