Who Killed the Soaps? We Pick 7 Culprits

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Who Killed the Soaps? We Pick 7 Culprits

I 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...

[David]

I read one report, can't recall where, that Days gets 3 million viewers on NBC & another 6 million online.
Y & R gets 5 million viewers on CBS and another 11 million online.
But the online viewings don't generate revenue for the networks.

The web may be the biggest culprit of all, just as the web (Amazon) is killing retail.

[Nancy]

I was about to say that it was the increasing far out plots that might have started to kill off the soaps but then I watched DS for a couple of years, didn't I??? Who am I to say some other show was too far out?

[Bob_the_Bartender]

What's going to happen to "Soap Opera Digest"?  I'm going to miss employing my old Evelyn Wood speed reading training lessons, when reading that eminent publication as I wait  on line to check-out at my local supermarket.

By the way, do you think Mrs. Johnson (or even the "slightly" toffee-nosed Roger Collins) ever enjoyed perusing through all of those weekly periodicals prominently displayed on the rack by the check-out register as they made purchases at the local Collinsport Von's or K-Mart's? 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Mrs. J. - most probably. After all, she was always complaining about slaving so much at Collinwood, so she probably had little time to keep up with the soaps she may have watched while she was Bill Malloy's housekeeper. But would Roger even consider buying anything but the most important items (like, say, a car ) himself? That's the work of the servants. So poor Mrs. J. probably had to pick up everything else for him...

[Bob_the_Bartender]

In addition to shopping at Brewster's Department Store, perhaps the unfailingly sartorially-splendid Roger used to also purchase some of those finely-tailored navy double-breasted blazers, snazzy Sherlock Holmes-like Inverness raincoats, and traditional "rep" ties of his at the Collinsport K-Mart's men's clothing department?

(Roger always did enjoy those "blue light" specials at K-Mart's, I understand.)

[Mysterious Benefactor]

   But somehow I think Roger wouldn't have been caught dead in K-Mart!    Although, maybe on occasion he wore Cassandra's wig and shopped incognito. Because, after all, the only thing one needs is that dark hairstyle to completely throw off almost anyone as to one's real identity!  

[Bob_the_Bartender]

 But somehow I think Roger wouldn't have been caught dead in K-Mart!  

Yes, Roger Collins, always steadfast in "keeping up appearances," among the "unwashed masses," of Collinsport, just like his "other," likely "British cousin," Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced "Bouquet").

[Gerard]

Yes, poor Roger, trying to keep up appearances.  Mrs. Johnson had finally had it with him wanting her to cook for one of his "candlelight dinners."

Gerard