When Did Soap Operas Get So Bad?

[Dixon Carter Lee]

So I'm home yesterday for the fourth and I actually watch daytime TV for the first time in years.

Holy sweet Jesus what the hell happened to soap operas? I'm not talking about the science-fiction plots or the trashy bedroom scenes that have been par for the last decade or so, I mean the absolute awful, awful, awful acting and sub-standard dialogue. Where do they get their artists these days, from the back of matchbook covers? I've seen high school productions of "Bye, Bye Birdie" that were better.

Soaps were always sort of bad, but once they claimed great actors, and some difficult, interesting writing.

Wow. I actually had to watch Rosie O'Donnell just to escape. (Excuse me while I go start a thread called "When did talk shows get so lame?")

 

[Weevil]

I think it can be traced back to when the networks decided they needed to appeal more to the Youth of America. All the lovable old characters were bumped for the new "actors".

 

[Sparky Kronkite]

You certain that you just aren't aging?

You ever go back and watch - oh - Mike Douglas?

How about Diana?

Total crap.

And the first soaps I saw as a kid - shot into black velum - limbo lives of the scariest kind. I used to think - shit - if you fell off your couch you'd drop into the "endless void."

They've always sucked Dix.

 

[Sparky Kronkite]

Obviously....

I meant Dina - as in Dina Shore.

 

[MysteryJKR]

theyve never been good. *shrugs*

 

[KillerMuffin]

That's why there's Blockbuster and the video rental outlet at the supermarket, Dix ol' man. Wallyhell was open, they have a vast selection of $6.44 groaners that are a cut above daytime soap operas.

Though, I must say that I adored that movie Soapdish. I think it was called that. With Whoopi Goldberg, Sally Field, Robert DoesDowners Jr. and some other guy. Hys-fuckin-terical. But then, I'm easily amused.

 

[RudeNastyAssBitch]

They ALL Sucked!

Except For, Another World

WHY! WHY! Did They Have To End It!!!?

Timmy? What The Fuck Is That About Anyway? LOL

Louis Fitzgerald Lopez Though, Now There Is A Fine Looking Male

 

[*bratcat*]

they HAVE to stay bad...

 

[Ksss]

I was "captive" to several soap operas the other day, as my puter and the tv are in the same room and my daughter insisted on watching her soaps. I was amazed to see Catherine Chancellor and Ester were still on the Young and The Restless. Nikki and Victor Newman. Yikes, I haven't watched that one since...ummm...the Brookes and Fosters were on it.

I don't think they were ever very good, but that's just my opinion. I'll take a good video or book any day.

 

[Mensa]

Donning his asbestos suit

When did soap operas become so bad?
When they starting calling it "Sports Entertainment"

 

[stargazer76]

Umm, probably since they started recycling the same crappy writing teams from one soap opera to the next. Or maybe it was since they started firing an executive producer for running a show into the ground, only to have him hired at another soap on a different station. One of those two. I can't remember which....

 

[OUTSIDER]

It is with huge pride I can announce that I never ever EVER watch soap opera's.

 

[crystalhunting]

YOU mean to tell me that they were once good?....WOW thats new news to me.




CH

 

[scylis]

all i can say is... Susan Lucci...

*shivers*

 

[Mensa]

Here come da judge

One thing has improved, though, those courtroom shows with Judge Judy, Mills Lane etc.

They're an immense improvement over Jerry Springer, Rickie Lake etc.

The people are still losers but they settle matters in a civilized manner, not with a brawl.

 

[GuyJD]

"THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS"

I think the soaps got bad when Shiela tried to kill her Mom and Lauren and, to this day, she was never caught, arrested, tried, or convicted. Eventhough they both lived but told no one. Yeah right...As if that would happen in real life.

 

[SleepingWarrior]

Well........soaps went down the tubes when Passions went on the air.

 

[SunnyGirl]

I can honestly say, I haven't watched daytime television, be it soaps, court shows, talk shows, etc. in years. I'd just as soon spend my time outdoors, or if the weather is bad, curled up in my chair with a good book.

 

[CRaZy]

I think soap operas became bad when real life took over. No soap opera script writer could dream up O.J. Simpson, Diana's death, Hugh Grant and Devine Brown or the entire Bill Clinton administration years. The poor souls are up against it. The celebrity soap opera is so much more riveting and far less predictable.

 

[Guest]

Were they ever good?

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

all i can say is... Susan Lucci...

*shivers*

A few years ago a friend of mine was on the Daytime Emmy committe and had an opportunity to finally vote for Susan Lucci. He said he desperately wanted to vote for her and let her finally get her Best Actress statue. But after looking at her tapes...he couldn't.

He just freakin' couldn't.

 

[Angel]

I was raised on Y&R but I got some sense and moved on to AMC, OLTL and GH.


Port Charles sucks. Actually they all suck now, but I can't bring myself to stop watching them.

Speaking of which, AMC is on. BYE!

 

[nasty]

Soaps are bad to begin with

I'll never understand why people watch a story they don't know how it began, or will never know how it ended.