Which soap operas have you watched?

[ChickenGuy]

I don't watch them now, but back in my teens, I was an avid watcher of two - and they weren't even British.

They were Australian - Neighbours and Home and Away.





Ah, the memories of my childhood.

Oh, and I did watch Eastenders briefly for a year or two.

But I haven't a clue about the American daytime soaps - never seen them at all.

Any info on which ones you watched?

 

[DeafFoxDemon]

I used to watch Passion and Days of our Lifes

 

[SLOPPYSECONDS]

me use soap operas ta make grass grow

cows no much interest sorry



this was a moment
' YEEES '
but ya not ma mothers great lost cousin what really was werewolf costume designer born ta travelin politican sellin snot recycling gadget turn ya snot inta gas oline but really just sticky goo
' NOOOOOO '
yes me sorry
' so who is me? '
here it say on ya tag
- please return ta sender -
' What on other side? '
NOOOO nottttt LOOKKKKKK

ans next week wills a be
next week



Ma life on hold
' ooh what is gonna happen? '
" let find out on internet! "

 

[herry1]

Over the years to a larger or lesser extent

Coronation Street

Eastenders

Brookside

Emmerdale

Dallas

Dynasty

 

[ronboy]

I grew up during what was the "golden age" of daytime television. I watched soaps evolve from 15 to 30 minutes, and then again from 30 minutes to an hour.

I was there when CBS was the reigning network with more soaps than anyone else. I was there for the beginning and ending of so many soaps. My late mother was devoted to the CBS soaps, so that's mainly what I watched too.

So here it is, Sir Ron's list of soaps and the years that I followed them... (I'll try to be chronological...)

The Secret Storm (1960's to its cancellation in 1974, the first that I can remember ending)

The Edge of Night (1960's through 1975, when it moved to ABC. We would have continued to watch it, but our ABC affiliate chose not to carry it. It was cancelled in 1984).

Love of Life (1960s through about 1978, when it moved to 4:00, and our local station stopped carrying it. It was cancelled in 1980)

Search for Tomorrow (1960's through 1982, when it moved to NBC, and was on directly opposite "The Young & The Restless." It was cancelled in 1986.)

(The) Guiding Light (1960's through 18 September 2009 This was the show I loved most. It's cancellation last year was a hard rite of passage for me. While I agreed with many viewers that the more recent years of story were not very well written, it was still the show I loved best. I did enjoy the very last months, as they attempted to wrap up 72 years of storyline.)

As The World Turns (1960s through 17 September 2010 After Guiding Light, ATWT is also near and dear to me. This will be another hard pill to swallow. But I will watch it to the end...)

Where the Heart Is (1967- to its cancellation in 1973)

Love is a Many Splendored Thing (1967 to its cancellation in 1973)

The Young and The Restless (1973 to present and still going strong)

Dark Shadows (1975-1980) The ABC network cancelled this show in 1971, but our local ABC affiliate picked up the reruns in the mid-1970's and showed the reruns chronologically at 4:00 PM, I was hooked forever. This show was the reason that "The Edge of Night" wasn't shown in Rochester anymore.

Capitol (1982 to its cancellation in 1987) I loved this political soap for its brief five-year run. I was sad to see it go.)

The Bold and The Beautiful (1987 to present, I was bigger on this show in years past. I don't really watch it regularly anymore. Capitol was cancelled to make room for this show)

 

[cityboy-stl]

I never watched many soap operas...but Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was wonderful.

 

[ronboy]

All of those and not "The Doctors". Tsk, tsk tsk.

The Doctors was on NBC. I think it was on at the same time as "As The World Turns"

But I occasionally followed "Another World." That show shouldn't have been cancelled either...

 

[Willie Boy]

The only ones I've ever watched are the ones that have played out here in the JUB threads.

 

[ronboy]

I agree wholeheartedly. If I'm not mistaken, it was canceled for "Passions". Btw, I really like "Dark Shadows", too, since I saw it for the first time at the age of ten. I've been watching the second season on DVD lately. I'm not to the episodes in colour yet. The elegant Barnabas Collins has just arrived in Collinwood.

Stick with Dark Shadows, it will hold your interest and keep you entertained....

It is still one of my all-time favorites...

 

[JetSetJake]

I used to watch Neighbours and Home and Away too. I've also seen Eastenders, Emmerdale (also remember when it was Emmerdale Farm lol), Coronation Street, Doctors, A Country Practice, Blue Heelers, Heartbreak High, Shortland Street... it's quite a long list lol.

However, now I think only Emmerdale is worthy of my time.

I tended to watch more antipodean soaps than British, or soaps from other parts of the world - as you can see from my list I watched most of these soaps during my teens and early twenties.

 

[Leavemealone]

As the world turns ( Luke and Noah)

Days of our lives The serial killer storyline and where marlena was possesed.

Passions had alot of sexy men and was funny.

 

[ronboy]

The evolution of a soap opening from the 1950's to 2009--GUIDING LIGHT

1953...The opening used the same music as it had on the radio. Sponsored by Duz.


1974...you see a couple of seconds of the legendary Dr. Joe Werner (Anthony Call) and the opening and closing. In the closing, there is a plug for "The edge of Night" which followed GL.


1977...the " sun light through the leaves abstract" opening. A favorite of many viewers (notice that the word "The" was dropped from the title, but the announcer still says it!)


1982...this theme was called "Guided Lightning" It had a disco beat! It lasted less than two years, but I loved it!


1983...This theme would be last the show into the 1990s. It was my personal favorite.


1986...a faster, re-orchestrated, but still likeable version of the 1983 theme.


1989...faster and bouncier and still enjoyable...


1991..first new theme in years...the start of "Hold on to Love"


1997...jazzed up version of "Hold on to Love"


2002..new theme and opening... There's a later version of this with Joan Collins in it (when she played Alexandra) but this copy is much clearer...


2003-2005 not an improvement in my opinion...


2005-2007...with the show desparately looking for more viewers this beautiful modern opening was introduced. This one features Reva. Another version was made, featuring Harley.


2007...The 70th Anniversary theme, which features the original 1937 radio epitaph...


2009..."Only Love" sung by Katie Mac. This was the show's last opening theme . After all of the beautiful openings of the past, this one seemed too simplistic. But in its simplicity, it had warmth and beauty. I liked this one a lot.

 

[roadtripboy]

In High School I watched the ABC soaps...All My Children...One Life To Live...General Hospital. Because my sister watched those so they were already on the TV.

Later, I worked at a CBS affiliate and worked Master Control during the afternoon. So, I got hooked on...The Young and the Restless...As The World Turns...Guiding Light. But, I can't stand The Bold and the Beautiful. That show doesn't have a local commerical break during the show, I'd take my lunch break when it was on.

 

[ronboy]

In High School I watched the ABC soaps...All My Children...One Life To Live...General Hospital. Because my sister watched those so they were already on the TV.

Later, I worked at a CBS affiliate and worked Master Control during the afternoon. So, I got hooked on...The Young and the Restless...As The World Turns...Guiding Light. But, I can't stand The Bold and the Beautiful. That show doesn't have a local commerical break during the show, I'd take my lunch break when it was on.

I'm not that crazy about The Bold & The Beautiful either....
They hit a new low a week or so ago when Brooke slept with her daughter's boyfriend, thinking it was her husband, Ridge. The excuse, it was after a costume ball and they had masks on. You mean to tell me that after 24 years of sleeping with Ridge, she couldn't tell her own husband's cock? Bull....

 

[AdmiraalW238]

Search for Tomorrow
As The World Turns mainly through YouTube
The Young and The Restless not much these days
Dark Shadows For two seasons that it was on Australian TV
Capitol
The Bold and The Beautiful only when I remember it is on
Another World
Ryan's Hope
All My Children (now that it is on Digital TV
Days Of Our Lives
General Hospital
Passions
Texas
Generations albeit briefly
Santa Barbara

 

[ronboy]

BTW, I have seen the openings of some British and Australian soaps through YouTube and the now defunct website The World of Soap Opera Themes.

Home and Away looks like it would be an interesting show to watch. That theme song is catchy. I can sing the whole thing from memory!

 

[DJ1990]

I grew up in Bosnia, watching Mexican telenovelas with my grandma, most of these were even before I started 1st grade and I still remember them. I get chils just watching these videos...good times.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZA1BCiA5Nc[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNX4BKnWIEg&feature=fvw[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np2-vFT-d2E[/ame]

 

[ronboy]

^ very cool.

Telenovelas are soaps that have a distinct beginning and end. I think that might be a good lesson for the American networks. With the traditional soaps dwindling by the day, Telenovelas might be an answer, because they don't go on forever like soaps do...

My sister-in-law, who grew up in Puerto Rico, used to love Dos Mujeres, Un Camino (with Erik Estrada!)

 

[seven_sins]

I love the vacuum tube electronic organ music. I think that was a carryover from the radio soap operas.

1953...The opening used the same music as it had on the radio. Sponsored by Duz.

 

[IowaGuy]

Loved Dark Shadows! I've been hooked on All My Children since the late 80's! Ryan (Cameron Mathison) is sooooooooooo HOT !