Save the Soaps: Five Ways the Networks Can Keep the Fans Happy, and Soap Operas on the Air

When ABC announced yesterday that they were pulling the plug on 80 years of television history by canceling two long-running soap operas – “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” the announcement was met with passionate outcries from outraged fans, many of whom had grown up with the shows their whole lives.

Our Facebook page quickly flled with angry and disappointed viewers, and we have to say, perhaps more so than with any other programs we cover, it appears that fans of soap operas are incredibly engaged and involved in the shows (read: an advertiser’s dream), and passionate about following them.

While we get why dwindling ratings would cause ABC to consider other options, we think the idea of abandoning the entire soap opera format in general is pretty weak sauce.

Scripted daily serial dramas don’t have to be a dying breed at all. In Mexico, soap operas (aka telenovelas) are absolutely crushing the ratings. Over on Univision, the finale of the telenovela "Eva Luna" on Monday night averaged 6.9 million total viewers, according to Hispanic Market Daily, placing it in the top 10 most-watched telenovela finales in the channel’s history.

In the UK, episodes of the four-times-a-week soap opera “Eastenders” took the top 4 spots on BB1 this week, averaging close to 9 million viewers per episode. ITV1 shows “Coronation Street” and “Emmerdale” likewise annihilated the ratings, averaging 7-9 million viewers per episode, according to BARB (the English Nielsens).

So what’s our point? While the good ol’ U.S. of A. isn’t Mexico or England, television is television, and when you have long-standing entertainment properties with established and engaged fan bases, you don’t kick them to the curb. You simply don’t toss 80 years worth of combined brand equity out like it’s Cousin Eddie crashing your bar mitzvah because your latest trend report says viewers want another “The View.”

So what should ABC (and the other networks doubtlessly figuring out when to pull the plug on their soaps) do?

Here are five good ideas for what the networks can do to save the soaps:

1. Prime Time, Baby

What to do when your shows fail in daytime? Move them to prime-time! It sounds ridiculous until you realize that a huge percentage of soaps watchers use a DVR to watch their shows anyway, and considering that the nighttime soap concept is what’s working in the U.K. and Mexico.

“Desperate Housewives” is practically a soap opera, and it’s a ratings champ.Imagine programming a nightly show with that same level of thoroughly rapt viewership. While ABC might be folding their hand on soap operas, we think there’s money to be made by going all-in.

2. A-List Central

James Franco and Kourtney Kardashian have both performed in soap operas – why not develop shows that are more conducive to guest appearances?

We visited the “Reality Rocks” Expo this last weekend, and we’ll tell you what – there’s a Prussian army-sized mob full of publicity-whoring reality stars out there that would just die for the a chance to get their grubby paws on the sands of your hour glass. This concept kept “The Love Boat” going for a rather unbelievable 9 seasons, why couldn’t it work for the soaps?

3. F%^&ing Soap Operas, Man

At a recent TV conference (NAB in Vegas) we listened to a Starz Network programming exec ask the president of Lion’s Gate “Mad Men” why the show didn’t move over to premium cable. “Think about how freeing that would be – characters could use profanity, nudity is allowed, you’re creatively allowed to do so much more.”

A.) You mean like “Mad Men,” only with more adult content? Gulp. Yes, please.

B). Great point, and no other genre could benefit from the freeing and easy nature of premium cable than soap operas. Drama, intrigue? Profanity, sex, nudity? As fun as soft-focus make-out sessions and last-second cutaways are, we’d bet a whole lot of people would watch soaps if the audience was treated like grown-ups living in the 21^st century.

4. Time for an Upgrade

Even diehard fans will admit that the soap opera genre has gotten stale. I asked my Mom what she thought and she said that soap operas need to “hire some fresh, inventive new writers who come up with a new plot now and then.  I’ve watched ‘Days’ for many years, and, once again, Stephano has erased a memory!  It’s the same stuff, over and over.  I watch because I'm bored and hooked.”

Many of the comments on Yidio’s Facebook page echo the sentiment: “The storylines are bad…killing off 4 years old...messing with fan bases…killing off vets bringing on new people that are boring,” said Laura Bonnell.

Let’s be honest, people never tuned into soap operas because of stellar writing and production values, but imagine a soap with reasonably high production values, decent actors, talented creative writers who are encouraged to take risks, and high-profile guest stars. Would that be screwing with the soaps? Maybe, but even diehard fans would admit the genre needs to be brought into the 21^st century, and the novelty of a soap that was…you know…good, would be enough to drive ratings.

5. Make it Social

This week at NAB, we listened to the creators of shows like “Community,” “Glee,” and “Sons of Anarchy” go on lengthy tirades about just how vital social media and interacting with their fan bases was to the success of their shows.

In fact, “Community” Executive Producer/Director Joe Russo gave credit to the show’s wildly experimental, ratings-grabbing format to fans of the show, who provided great feedback through social media.” Dante Di Loreto, Executive Producer for “Glee” credited the online community around “Glee” with the growth in popularity of the show,  saying it was “joyous” and “organic” and capable of producing content and entertainment related to the show that “the network could never have dreamed up.” Social media is increasingly vital to the success of TV shows, but is a component that’s woefully lacking in the soaps world.

I mean, think about it. Have you ever tried to interrupt someone during their favorite soap opera?  Unlike reality shows, where audiences don’t really have to pay attention to what’s going on to follow the action, the soaps demand rapt attention, and inspire serious engagement.

That engagement could translate well to an active and vibrant online community - particularly if they knew their comments and feedback would have an influence on the direction of the show.

Hell, maybe that is the show – a soap opera where what happens next is determined by the fans.

What do you think? Should soaps be spared? How would you make the format relevant again? Let us know.