Soap Opera History

Guiding Light

Soap operas hold a special place in entertainment history. Take a look at their humble beginnings, the changes they've gone through, and some of their contributions to the television industry.

Evolution of Soap Operas

If you have a favorite soap, you're not alone. People have been captivated by these continuing dramas for decades. However, today's soap operas have come quite a long way from where they began.

Radio Serials

The term "soap opera" comes from the original serial radio shows that were sponsored by soap companies such as Colgate-Palmolive and Procter and Gamble. These "primitive" soap operas were broadcast during the day, and housewives became the target audience. This may account for the soap opera's large female following today.

The radio serials were broadcast in 15 minute segments that aired each day, and each segment ended with a dangling thread that was picked up in the next day's episode. Listeners would need to know what happened in previous episodes to understand what was happening in the newest episode, and that was the hook that kept them tuning in day after day.

Transition to Daytime TV

The transition from radio to television came about slowly because networks were initially wary of viewer investment. The audience could listen to radio shows while they went about their daily household tasks, but they would have to sit down in front of the television to actually watch what was happening. Would they be willing to do that? As it turned out, the answer was a resounding yes.

Storytelling changed with the advent of television. Viewers expected more with a visual format, and soap operas needed to provide it in order to get viewers to sit down and watch. The first American soap opera was Guiding Light, which premiered as the first radio drama in the beginning of 1937. The program made an easy transition into television and it became one of the longest-running dramas ever before the show finally ended its run in 2009.

ABC, NBC and CBS all launched their own soap operas over the following years, and each show appealed to a different type of soap opera fan.

The Young and the Restless

For example:

General Hospital appealed to viewers who loved hospital dramas.
Soaps like As the World Turns and One Life to Live appealed to viewers that loved the middle class, down-to-earth families
Other soaps like The Young and the Restless and Bold and the Beautiful appealed to viewers that craved drama and glamor.

Cast Changes

With some soaps having decades-long runs, it has been necessary to replace actors over the years in order to keep characters and plot lines going. These changes were typically made with little fanfare; there was just a simple announcement that the role of "John" would now be played by "so-and-so," and viewers would simply have to get used to the new actor in the role. Fortunately, viewers were invested enough in the story lines to continue watching their favorite shows.

However, some actors have been with their shows through thick and thin, such as Helen Wagner. She portrayed the role of Nancy Hughes on As the World Turns from 1956 until her death in 2010. Susan Lucci is another example. She originated the role of Erica Kane on All My Children, and she portrayed the character for over three decades until the show ended in 2011.

Moving Into Prime Time

The drama Peyton Place (1964-1969) demonstrated that soap operas could draw an audience in the evening hours as well daytime, and two nighttime soaps in particular made some lasting contributions to the genre. A popular drama called Dynasty (1981-1989) gave rise to the "super bitch" in the form of Alexis Carrington Colby, played deliciously by Joan Collins. Dallas (1978-1991), one of the most popular nighttime soaps ever, introduced the arch villain J.R. Ewing.

Other notable primetime soaps include:

Falcon Crest (1981-1990) - This soap told the tale of the Gioberti family as they struggled for control of the Falcon Crest winery.
Beverly Hills 90210 (1990-2000) - The show followed the ups and downs of a group of privileged Beverly Hills high school students.
Dawson's Creek (1998-2003) - This show focused on the friendship between four main characters who lived in a coastal town. It launched a number of careers, including those of Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, James Van Der Beek and Joshua Jackson.
ER (1994-2009) - This show remains one of the seminal hospital dramas of all time. It followed the careers, relationships and trials of a group of emergency room doctors and nurses.
Grey's Anatomy (Began airing in 2005) - Grey's takes a page from ER's premise, but it really focuses more on the personal relationships of a group of young doctors and residents while using the medical cases as a backdrop.
Desperate Housewives (2004-2012) - This show mixed comedy with drama in an irresistible combination as it followed the complicated lives of the housewives of Wisteria Lane.

The Importance of the Cliffhanger

Dallas was also responsible for introducing a plot twist that would become almost a requirement for nearly all series in the future - the season's end cliffhanger. Cliffhangers leave viewers with a question begging to be answered, but they don't get the answer until the next season begins. With Dallas, the defining cliffhanger was "Who Shot J.R.?"

Some other memorable cliffhangers include:

Dynasty. - The Moldavian massacre occurred, leaving everyone to wonder who survived.
The West Wing.- President Bartlett stepped down.
Grey's Anatomy - It was revealed that Dr. Derek Shepherd was actually married.
Alias - Sydney woke up two years later.
Lost - Jack and Kate escaped from the island.
Knots Landing - Viewers were left wondering who killed Peter Hollister?
Melrose Place - Kimberly died.

Daytime Emmys

There's no denying that soap operas have played an extensive role in entertainment culture. In light of that fact, the Daytime Emmy Awards were created in the 1970s to recognize the outstanding work done by actors and writers in the soap industry, just as the traditional Emmy Awards honor prime time programming. The Daytime Emmys also honor talk shows and children's educational series, along with other unique and dynamic categories.

Changing Times

Despite their longevity, soap operas are quickly disappearing from the landscape of daytime television. Many have already been replaced by less expensive programming, although a few shows like The Young and the Restless as well as General Hospital still survive. Will daytime soaps eventually make a comeback? Anything is possible, but for now the future looks dim. Viewers will just have to wait and see.