Once upon a time the soap opera was a staple of daytime television. Picking and choosing what to watch in the afternoon was a stressful choice for daytime soap viewers, not so much today. There are those that wonder what’s so compelling about daytime television anymore when primetime and online platforms are growing and evolving so rapidly. We’re taking a look at reasons the original daytime soap opera is alive and well, and what it will take for the remaining four on major networks to stay that way.
First up, Daytime’s currently longest running, and ABC’s only remaining soap, General Hospital. Despite having its 50th anniversary just a few years ago, GH has had some ratings decline, especially in light of having to compete with the traction from Days of Our Lives‘ recent 50th anniversary. An even bigger blow to the soap this year was the loss of its veteran Anthony Geary, who retired after nearly four decades with the show. I’ll admit, it’s been more hit and miss in the past couple years (that dalliance with transplanting One Life to Live characters after its demise didn’t help). Despite this, it remains my favorite soap on the air, and here’s why. Because of its longevity, it has a plethora of legacy characters to choose to bring back, which the show has taken full advantage of. Case in point, Genie Francis (Laura) just signed a multi-year contract that keeps her with the soap long after she was brought back for her television husband’s farewell arc. I also see small hints of compelling stories. Just this week the show toyed with the idea of one of its older characters going back to school for his degree, a public breastfeeding controversy, and its continuing Bipolar Disorder storyline. Most importantly, love is making a comeback. General Hospital touted “Love in the Afternoon” back in the day, and with destined couples such as “Julexis”, “Carson”, and “Jasam” moving towards happiness, fans have reason to be in love (if you take issue with my shipping choices, take it up with me on Twitter).
Days of our Lives just celebrated 50 years on the air, only the second soap opera to achieve that. The Golden Anniversary brought the veterans out to play, and a few of them are sticking around. To be perfectly honest, I’m as frustrated with the past few months as I am thrilled with them. They brought back the best of the heroes and villains alike, but proceeded to kill off (SPOILER Alert) fan favorites Will Horton, Bo Brady, and Stefano “The Phoenix” Dimera. So am I 100% happy these days? No. Am I glued to my screen? Yes. The second longest running soap continues to draw in viewers, achieving a nearly two-year high in the ratings for the 50th. After five decades on the air, it takes a lot to shock your fans enough to keep them interested, and Days is certainly doing that.
Daytime’s highest-rated soap opera for the past few years is The Young and the Restless. This has been achieved by not being stagnant. Whether the storyline is completely compelling or makes you want to pull your hair out, it keeps moving forward. The show moves along at a swift pace while still making the audience feel reverberating effects of powerful moments, sometimes for years after the fact. They continue to keep building a stellar cast, with many transplants coming with experience from previous work on other soaps. The fight to stay on the air for daytime soaps has never been more cutthroat than it is today, but if any soap has a chance, it’s Y&R.
Where do I begin with The Bold and the Beautiful? Success doesn’t begin to describe the revolution the soap started this year. In the past other shows have taken a socially controversial topic by the horns and made viewers stare it straight in the eye, such as General Hospital‘s HIV/AIDS storyline in the early 90s. This year B&B took full advantage of what the world was focused on when it daringly undertook a transgender storyline. Main Character Maya Avant was revealed to be a transgender woman, and the viewers and critics have been hooked ever since. The writers and actors have done an exceptional job of showing the many layers of this movement, good, bad, and ugly. They haven’t shied away from the intolerance towards the transgender community, they have embraced that realistic aspect and made it apart of the character’s stalwart resolve for change. Add in the surrogacy aspect to that storyline, as well as the increase in minority presence, and there seems to be no slowing down in sight.
Here’s what a soap comes down to, essentially what separates it from anything else on television. In order for a show to stay on the air, it needs to remain compelling and dynamic over a long period of time. Viewers these days are very savvy and will lose interest quickly if stories remain the same. The soap is different in that recycled stories are a staple because it’s more about the character action and reactions than anything else. Daytime soap viewers enjoy watching the growth or decline of a character, and they cheer for the ones who grow dear to their hearts. How else do you explain that at times despicable characters like Y&R‘s Victor Newman and GH‘s Sonny Corinthos are beloved, while most Empire viewers would shudder at the idea of going toe to toe with its patriarch Lucious Lyons? The soap may have a reputation for having viewers of a certain age demographic, but that hasn’t been the case for some time. The availability of the four remaining network soaps through online platforms and such has ensured that working viewers can continue their viewing dedication. The daytime soap is alive and kicking, no doubt about it.
What are your thoughts on today’s current daytime soap landscape?
