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70 December 14th, 2012 RATINGS: All Soaps Down! Y&R Hits New Low For Key Female Demo 18-49!

The ratings are in for the week of December 3rd through the 7th and it was not a good week for your favorite daytime dramas! In fact, all four soaps were down in total viewers with The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital all losing -200,000 viewers give or take a few either way. Days of our Lives was the only show to lose the least amount of viewers for the week – 58,000.

However, the most notable part of this ratings sheet is that number one Y&R is slipping in the key female 18-49 demo! In fact, they hit a new low with 712,000 viewers in the demographic, and whose previous low was back in September. Are fans not digging the transition thus far of Jill Farren Phelps and Josh Griffith taking the reins as series EP and head writer? To view the entire ratings courtesy of Soap Opera Network click here!

So it’s time for you, our soapers, to be our Soap Opera Programming Executive Armchair Quarterback! What needs to be done with the current storylines on Y&R, B&B, GH, and DAYS to pique your interest to tune-in each and every day? What is making you fast-forward through the episode, if you Tivo’d or taped it? And, what is working that you would like to see more of? Which show is doing the best job right now of integrating the characters you want to see from the canvas? Weigh-in!

Tags: Days of our Lives, General Hospital, Ratings Week of Dec 3-7 2012, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless

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Caroline says:

December 14, 2012 at 8:18 pm

A lot of people may have been busy with shopping and such. I wonder how the ratings were for other daytime shows.

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Christine replied December 15th, 2012 at 10:51 am
That’s an excellent point, Caroline. And some probably had to go back to work/school unlike the week before.

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Mary SF replied December 15th, 2012 at 5:57 pm
And the powers that be know this and this is why we won’t see anything exciting on any soap until mid Jan when they will start setting up for Feb Sweeps. Soaps have seasons just like the Mother Nature, it the soap is dull it must be December.

RUBY C. replied February 4th, 2013 at 12:39 pm
WELL THIS SHOW NEEDS MORE SHARON AND NEEDS VICTORIA ROWELL BACK AS DRUCILLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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aria says:

December 14, 2012 at 8:31 pm

I think Gh is doing everything a soap fan wants at this time and they should keep up the good work, as for the ratings, well who knows, its december, i don’t know if viewership goes down or what, hopefully things will pick up agian, as for the other soaps, well, they need to get their act together, especially YR.

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MK replied December 14th, 2012 at 11:17 pm
ITA!

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Tina Gray says:

December 14, 2012 at 8:34 pm

Not a big surprise. Jill Farren Phelps is the kiss of death for everything she touches!

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Dinah replied December 15th, 2012 at 12:22 pm
So true

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babsy replied December 24th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
definitely
mikey says:

December 14, 2012 at 8:40 pm

Hello! in GH’s case, bring back Genie Francis! Seriously, its a ratings explosion waiting to happen!

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randy replied December 14th, 2012 at 10:20 pm
i sooooo agree,,,,y and r were fools to let her go

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MK replied December 14th, 2012 at 11:19 pm
Yes, add Kin and Genie to the mix, as so long as they don’t do a Luke and Laura redux.

lisa replied December 16th, 2012 at 6:21 am
I like the idea of having Kin and Genie back……Scotty up to his old dastardly tricks – as for Genie she has stated that she does not want to play the ‘ Laura the victim ‘ card anymore, and I’m cool with that.
I also agree with not coupling her with Luke again.
There will always be a love between them – but some things are better left in the dead pile.
K Jones says:

December 14, 2012 at 8:44 pm

I only watch General Hospital. For me, the novelty of returning vets is wearing off. I want some solid stories with characters I am invested in, and I want Ron C. to finish what he starts. For example, I was just getting interested in Trey and Connie and it seems as if that has been dropped. I want characters I really care about, like Liz Webber, to be used as lead or central, instead of being used as props for brand new people. I want couples to spend time together, talking, listening, laughing, dating, and I want to see romance, not just sex scenes. I loved seeing all the Quartermaines back, but now it’s only AJ again. Where’s Tracy? Monica? I got interested in John McBain then he disappeared for weeks. It’s too hard to stay invested in anyone right now the way they drop stories for weeks at a time. RC seems to do comedy well, but he has no idea, IMO, how to do real honest love and romance.

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Jules replied December 14th, 2012 at 9:54 pm
I think you said this well and succinctly. They’re making big waves over big moves, but when push comes to shove, nothing’s clicking like it should. Too much happening, not enough focus.

This combined with STILL too much concentration on a select few characters (though thank heaven’s Jason is out of the equation), too many newbies I don’t care about, and well, no Robin and Patrick (with Robin’s return incessantly dangled and toying with but never anything more), and they’ve lost me as a viewer.

For Y&R, I haven’t seen too much of the new writing, but what I did see….or what I tried to keep myself awake for…..was nothing short of boring and predictable. Foremost, I hated the way they copped out Phylis’s trial. I haven’t been watching long, but I can imagine for those fans who’ve waited 20 years for Phylis’s misdeeds to come to light, only for it all to amount to nothing in one episode must have been a huge let down. I get JG had another direction for the character, but hold off on that direction until AFTER the story gets a PROPER conclusion. But there’s just so much more that just isn’t jiving my interest. An online bullying story should be topical and hardhitting (a la OLTL’s fantastic bullying s/l), but that actress is so grating and the character’s justification is so stretched I can barely hold off my disbelief long enough to let myself become invested. Nick/Avery, Sharon/Adam, Lily/Cane even Nicky/Victor….all yawners. I’m just not feeling any of this show right now. It’s not worse than MAB, and though I’d say even bored out of my skull, the storylines are stronger than they were a year ago.

B&B I have no idea….but I don’t care either. I will say I’m a bit surprised that the week following the BIG Stephanie week dropped that much.

And DAYS….I always leave my DAYS for last. They are focusing way, waaaay, WAAAAAY too much on Dannifer and trembling hands (words I never want to hear ever again. And I mean EVER.). And Gabi being pregnant with Will’s baby while buying into this antiquated notion that she must marry a straight man who will raise the baby as his own is probably the biggest mistake of the year for any soap IMO (beating out that horrible Alamania story *shudders*, HopeLiamSteffy, Mob Princess and anything on Y&R). But they are getting things right with Kristen’s return. Oh baby it’s been delicious so far and I can’t wait for more. ED has just brought freshness and much needed fire and excitement to Salem. If they keep going in the direction of EJami, pursue long term story for Eric (and by default Nicole), showcase more vets like Victor, Justin, Adrienne, Julie, Doug, Caroline, Lucas, Kayla, Stephano, Abe and Kate and less no-nothings like Rafe, Daniel, Gabi, and when she returns, Chloe, and write ONE other huge, well woven, entertaining, dramatic and character driven storyline, DAYS would be unstoppable. And honestly, all of this for a show like DAYS would be so simple. They have all the right ingredients right there at their disposal at no extra cost or effort. They just have to combine them properly.

All JMO.

Didn’t mean to take over your post K Jones. Once I started my reply, I somehow couldn’t stop. My brain kept thinking and the fingers kept typing.

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Patrick replied December 14th, 2012 at 10:49 pm
Jules -

LOL…. “my brain kept thinking and the fingers kept typing”.

Oye! I love the soap genre… has always kept me entertained… even through the mundane… disbend my belief…

DAYS OF OUR LIVES! is in fact improved….. i like your post… so many wonderful actors at DAYS/Sony/Writers disposal… I so wish they’d write for Justin/Adrienne, MORE Victor/Maggie, Kayla/Abe…

Days is smokin’ hot… ala’ Kristen/Brady. I haven’t seen – witnessed such hotness… in eons… Eileen Davidson has brought DAYS to another whole new dimension and level of attention. We have more Marlena and John. As much as i’m enjoying what’s going on with Brady… I don’t know what to think yet, if and when John finds out about Kristena and Brady’s tryst/affair. they have to craft this storyline so well… as for Kristen having any chance at the big prize… and that’s John… LOL. I have to give John some props… ie: he had his days… sparks…. wasn’t it a hoot that DAYS showed the best of Kristen/Susan/John/Marlena over the thanksgiving weekend?

1) Kristen/John/Marlena/Brady
2) Eric/Nicole
3 Will/Sonny
4) Nick/Gabi/Will

These four storylines are keeping my attention… and for DAYS this is Big.. it’s not just the will – sonny show… let alone, i didn’t even mention Sammi…

GH – the Robin/Patrick/Emma story will always be my main attraction to GH… and I agree with you… I don’t like the dangling the carrot… is Robin coming back or not? plus the fact that i swear i heard and or saw upcoming previews that she’s going to tell Patrick to move on…. ????? NO. i’d rather her remain captive then the show/writers go this route… this is one of the best love stories.
Please GH, remain true to Robin and Patrick…. till KM is ready to come back full-time.

MK replied December 14th, 2012 at 11:28 pm
ITA JUles,

Jules replied December 15th, 2012 at 10:36 am
Love your post Patrick and I whole-heartedly agree with you as well. Despite what critics say, DAYS is offering fine entertainment. No they aren’t going for huge stunts (plots, casting, locations) as frequently as other shows, but we shouldn’t be thinking those things are necessary in order to produce a good story. When push comes to shove, any fan, actor/ess, producer and writer will tell you it’s about romance, intrigue, mystery, high stakes drama and humour, which adds zero cost to their annual budgets.

Exhibit A: Kristen. Her return has awoken this show in a way it hasn’t been in years. More than the reboot last year, and in 3 months more than CC’s Carly was ever able to do in two years. A breath of fresh air, as they say. Her scenes with EJ, Chad, Jennifer, Sami, John, Marlena, and of course Brady have been gold medal worthy every time. Funny, devious, shrewd, a little crazy….we have a winner ladies and gentlemen. And all it took was bringing on one character to mingle and mess with an already established cast and the show feels anew.

Of course, the show needs more than just the one character. It is an ensemble after all. And that’s been the disappointment for me because it CAN do such wonderful things and they have the resources to do it. They just need to start listening to the fans, drop the dead weight, and DO IT!

As for Scrubs, unfortunately while I remain true to the memory of Scrubs, I will not for one second give the writers a chance to make a fool out of me. I know KMc’s not returning full time. Until I get confirmation that Patrick SEES Robin and they reunite, I will not follow ANYTHING in between. FV couldn’t pay me to. And since there is nothing else that’s grabbing my attention with the show they have lost me as a fan.

But I admire your devotion to the couple through this garbage. Heaven knows you’ve sat through more than your fair share of crap with them. I simply have no desire, no strength and no patience to endure any more. When it really happens, like for real-for real, I’ll of course be there, but with KMc’s schedule and RC’s obsession with stretching out stories as far as they can feasibly go, we’ll be watching the show from Mars before it happens.

G replied December 14th, 2012 at 10:27 pm
I can co-sign most of this, but the DID story is overplayed and needs to be finished. However, I do agree that the writing is choppy, stories are not followed up and/or are very unevenly paced. I love seeing the vets, but its sort of like stunt casting, and I think the higher ratings can be attributed to that. When that is over, I don’t what RC/FV will do, because consistency and long term storytelling don’t seem to be among their talents. I think they are all wrong for GH. I too would like to see the romance, and the build up and the relationships; and for crying out loud GIVE REBECCA HERBST A STORY!!

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k/kay replied December 15th, 2012 at 3:26 pm
Rebecca Herbst should be in a storyline with Patrick they fall in love then when Robin comes back he has to make a choice. I always thought RH & PT had good chemistry instead we get another snotty doctor and a scene out of ugly betty.Your husband falls in love with your best friend how soapy can you get!

k/kay replied December 15th, 2012 at 3:28 pm
Wanted to add we should all keep those wonderful children who were gunned down in our prayers and the adults who sacirificed their lives for them.

calie replied December 15th, 2012 at 8:48 pm
I stopped watching GH recently for a similar reason. I watch for Elizabeth and Patrick ( not as a couple) and I am not getting anything to watch. I am tired of FF through other character stories. I am tired o Carly and am already tired of AJ. I like Sabrina and Anna but it is not enough to hold me for 5 hours a week. I miss Jax. I miss Luke and Lucky and Jason. So many changes and I was on board but now I am watching a series from Netflix for that 5 hours a week.

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Mary SF says:

December 14, 2012 at 8:56 pm

Well, in light of the events in CT, it is hard to care about soap opera ratings. On the other hand because of all the darkness in this world at times, soaps should be a place one can escape and for an hour just enjoy the unreality of the universe of soaps. It would be shame if this trend of declining ratings marks their demise. As a viewer all I want is good story telling, but perhaps, all the good stories have already been told. Perhaps there is only so much you do with the same characters year after year. I don’t know if the soaps are really getting worse, maybe the audience has changed and what they want from a soap is perhaps more than it is possible to give them.

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Tori says:

December 14, 2012 at 8:59 pm

I stopped watching when they let the incredibly talented Genie Francis go. I lost all respect for the show as she played one of the best multilayered characters they’ve had on in a long time. She had great chemistry with Stephen Nichols and Peter Bregman not to mention Jess Walton and Eric Braden. Genevieves history with Tucker was most interesting and I was looking forward to that storyline exploring their pasts together but Instead they pair Stephen with Jess,theirs no chemistry their romantically what the heck happened to Colin? The addition of so many new people by this new regime is also boring,they can’t develop who they have so to add new people is ridiculous. If they had any brains they’d bring Genie back and pair her with Nichols now that would draw ratings!

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randy replied December 14th, 2012 at 10:23 pm
i stopped watching too when they fired genie…have tuned in this last week a bit but my snoreing woke me up to change the chanel.i think the show now has finally ben destroyed,

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Patrick replied December 14th, 2012 at 11:03 pm
Tori –

Genie Francis knocked me out…. having watched her on Y&R… made me a true believer in her talent. she is more than the hoopla of her GH royalty’. of all the goings on with Y&R and all the actors let go… don’t even get me started on what is left of the Abbotts… course they’ve done this before…. just Jack. But, the big prize Y&R should have capitalized on… Genie Francis… she was bitchy, calculating, sensual, business woman, fierce mother…. held her own.

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Sharon replied December 14th, 2012 at 11:46 pm
Genie Francis will never work on a show that is helmed by JFP! Very bad history between those two. I can’t wait until she returns to GH!!! And Colin is not on Y&R because Triston Rogers is back on GH as Robert Scorpio!!!

In my opinion GH has been on fire but I do agree that there have been too many dropped storylines. FV & RC start a story and then weeks go by before it is picked back up again and by then I don’t really care or remember. He’s doing that across the board to accomodate the large cast he has now, to bring back the vets for short stints and to bring over his OLTL actors/characters. Its choppy and confusing. And although Cartini are doing comedy, mystery, intrigue and drama well, there really is no romance at all! Soaps are known for “love in the afternoon” but GH has none of that. Bring back the romance, couples and family along with the comedy, mystery, intrigue and drama and the ratings will go right back up.

I only casually watch B&B as I find it very boring and although I watch Y&R now, I don’t find it all that interesting either. I have never been able to get into DOOL.

GH has always been my favorite soap and after 39 years it still is. Cartini hit the ground running when they took over GH, but now that they’ve been there for a year there’s no excuse for the lack of romance and couples. I don’t remember a lot of romance on OLTL either, so it may just be that RC doesn’t know how to write those types of stories. And that would be a real shame.

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babsy replied December 24th, 2012 at 4:51 pm
ITA Sharon. Intense storylines begin, keep the viewer riveted, and then BAM…the characters are off the canvas for close to a week at a time while the viewers are left hanging. The Faison story was very gripping for many of us long-time viewers, but to have it suddenly forgotten about – to have Robert lying practically dead with a syringe plunged into him and then to have the entire story off the screen for nearly a week???? – well, this is something we loyal viewers don’t appreciate. The soaps have always been entertainment of serial form and escape, whether watched live during the afternoon or later on via DVR or online – but the stories must continue and must have logical conclusions. And characters (except for Luke) can’t just disappear for weeks at a time.
rose says:

December 14, 2012 at 9:07 pm

Du lower ratings apply to most other TV shows during the holiday season? As far as soaps, they are on in the afternoon when audiences may be Christmas shopping. Tis the season.

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susan M. replied December 18th, 2012 at 6:13 am
Good possibily!

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KatieM says:

December 14, 2012 at 10:08 pm

Glad Days brought back Kristen. Would love to see Vivivan come back. Maybe Shawn,Belle,& MiMi.

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Anne says:

December 14, 2012 at 10:57 pm

The present storyline is boring and cliche’ . Victor is being the typical dictator; Jack on drugs (boring), Phyllis (no man); Ugly daughter of Nick and Phyllis is too pathetic to watch and not pleasing to the eye! Please find Drucilla and bring her back for Neil; the women you are pairing him with have no chemistry. The voice of the present love interest make me think of nails on a chalk board!! AND last but not least We (my entire IT department – 25 people), had that you broke up Chelsea and Adam. He was our most hated character until he married Chelsea. He and Sharon has NO chemistry. There kissing scenes are gross! FIX IT SOON or you will lose us!

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Anne replied December 14th, 2012 at 11:02 pm
Edits to my previous post…. Our dept. hate that you broke up Adam and Chelsea on Young and Restless…. Sharon and Adam do not have any chemistry on screen. Their kissing scenes are awkward! I look forward to Beauty and the Beast, Arrow, Vampire Diaries, SCANDAL and 90210. Take some tips from these writers. They are interesting!!!!

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Mary SF replied December 15th, 2012 at 8:36 am
I am sorry you have been disappointed by the break up of Adam and Chelsea- but I think it is a bit unfair to compare daytime dramas to nighttime dramas. They are two different formats and styles of story telling. I bet you if Arrow or Vampire Diaries had to be on 5 days a week, year in and year out for over 20 years, the quality of these shows would go down as well. I am not knocking those shows, I watch them too, but if you are expecting the level of production you see on prime time to be on daytime, you will always be disappointed. The networks would never invest that amount of money into a soap for the amount of eyeballs available in the day time. We are lucky they are still investing any money in the last four soaps.

I hope you and your gang don’t stop watching because of one plot device- this is soap, couples get together and break up – and get back together- all the time. As many fans that want Chelsea and Adam together, there are most likely an equal number that hated them together. Writers have to write the story they want to tell, and not be swayed by what fans like or don’t like because they will always upset someone with some story line.

I hope you watch the show because you enjoy the social time with the group and are having fun doing that- that was the best part of watching a soap when I was watching with a group. I hope you stay and try to embrace the format for what it is.
Mirko di Wallenberg says:

December 15, 2012 at 12:41 am

In my humble opinion soaps are a dying genre in the long run! What the producers do not understand is that the viewing population i.c. demographics is changing very quickly meaning the older soap loving generation is dying out very quickly, people who were the core audience in the 60, 70 and 80′s and the new generations of tv and serial viewers have not the time, the interessant and the will view endless soaps and their character development, when you can even now speak of character development. There is so much good thrilling fun exciting entertainment at the moment to choose from so why would like to spend each and every week day for half to a hours time in front of the tube watching storylines rehashed over and over and over again, Stories and character that are forgotten by new producers and writers, rewritten, redconed… Why would you invest in such a drab? Example: Katie Logan Spencer on The Bold and The Beautiful going from depression after the birth of her son in a few weeks time into a blooming mother? Hello! Reality check! The audience nowadays want shorter stories, more action and final endings of a story or even saga! Unless the producers think in the long run, hire non soaps writers but REAL writers thinking in story arcs and having the courage to drop cast members when a story is over soaps will not survive! Trust me!

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boes replied December 15th, 2012 at 1:28 pm
I might trust your analysis more if you knew basic sentence structure and punctuation – you, know, like the REAL writers you seem so intent on boosting?

Soaps have evolved before, and they will again. Unless, of course, people lose interest in good storytelling. And if that happens, then it’s all over for all drama, comedy, stories of any sort.

I don’t believe people have become stupider. What’s really happened is the remaining soaps are being micro-managed by account managers instead of being run and written by people who have an actual investment in story outcome instead of a balance sheet.

We’ve heard the pronouncement of the death of soaps before.

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mirko di wallenberg replied December 16th, 2012 at 8:43 am
Point taken about my basis sentence structure and punctuation in English but can you write what I have written in my native language as I have done in your English language? I do not think so, so please, do not patronize me like you did! Can you write and speak 4 languages like I do? Again, think not! So please keep your comment about my grammar structure in English to yourself unless you can do better!

Mary SF replied December 15th, 2012 at 2:54 pm
You have proven the point I made in an earlier post that the issue might not be the soaps are getting worse, but rather the audience is changing and what they want is changing. Soap opera is one form of story telling just like comics are different than novels, so too are soaps different from the form of story telling you are describing in your post. There is nothing wrong with that form of story telling you are speaking about, more like a mini series than a continuing drama, and perhaps that will eventually replace soaps. However the genre the way it is now, was and still is a unique form of story telling and to change the way it is done is to fundamentally alter the substance of the genre. It is a form of story telling that might have seen its day- just like poetry use to be a popular form of writing, but now is not, I will admit that. However, perhaps if people would stop expecting soaps to be something there were never meant to be, maybe they would enjoy them more for what they are instead of disliking them for what they aren’t.

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Patrick replied December 15th, 2012 at 8:01 pm
the way i see it…. ie: i’ve been watching soaps for 35 years… etc… that being said… it would seem to me… we’ve evolved… said all that can be said… so, to come up with any thing new… isn ‘t possible? LOL…. all the stories have been told… so… hence.. it’s regurgitating… ? we have to tell the same stories, and make them still relevant… ie: perhaps the new watchers and new generations will learn and emote with…. ??? I think mary sf said it best… that we long time viewers… suffer through, remaining loyal to our soaps… like my DAYS… so, we’re left wishing our long time favorites would return… or give story for…. as a 50 year old here…. I root for just wanting my soap to stay on the air. I salute long timers. every fan has an insight and memory…

Christine replied December 16th, 2012 at 11:22 am
“…What the producers do not understand is that the viewing population i.c. demographics is changing very quickly meaning the older soap loving generation is dying out very quickly, …”

I have to think some of this has to do with TV going digital and I am not sure everyone got a new TV or converter box. Even though the boxes were free or subsidized, I don’t think a lot of older people got them or understood what was happening so they just go without TV.

I think soaps are multi-generational in that if your parents watched, then you watched to some extent. I know I am one. My mom only started watching the ABC soaps when she was on maternity leave with me and then I watched them with her when she was on leave with my baby brother. In the 70s and 80s you had to watch them live until VHS came around. My mom worked so she gave them up because she could not see them live. When I became a teenager I picked them up again after school and on holiday break and have been with them since.

I have to think that a lot of people have just learned to live without certain things. I know what it is like to depend on my Tivo for everything only to have it break down and be without it for a couple of months (my husband was fixing it but was busy with other things). Anyway, you learn to live without it. When it comes back you are almost of the feeling that you do not need it anymore. For some, they do without these things and others take them back.

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Ces says:

December 15, 2012 at 9:38 am

Days storylines are moving at the slowest pace ever. I don’t think soap viewers have the patience to wait out these storylines any longer which shows in their dismal ratings.
The constant flashbacks are annoying and need to stop.
Suzanne Rogers does not need to be on every day!
The hair and wardrobe department needs to be fired.

Kristian Alfonso deserves a storyline of her own… can’t writers come up with anything once their acting partner is gone?

I think GH is on fire and has an awesome and talented cast. Every episode has been sharp and entertaining for me to watch and that’s what I look for in my soap.

The only GOOD thing Days has done recently is get Eileen Davidson back but the rest of these actors seem to be sleepwalking. Please, please, please DO NOT show Daniel’s hands one more time!

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Tsuds replied December 16th, 2012 at 9:02 am
Amen!! Ditto!

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sara replied December 16th, 2012 at 1:59 pm
HA HA HA !

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Dmitri replied December 16th, 2012 at 10:01 pm
You got it right about Days. Very slow and boring, I know people who don’t watch the show very often anymore, and also I know some people who fall asleep during the show! Actually, though!

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Brad replied December 17th, 2012 at 2:21 pm
I fall alseep during DAYS every time I try to watch it from my DVR. LOL! When I watch GH I’m very alert and watching because it has become such an exciting show. DAYS needs to take a few tips from them. GO GH! lol

susan M. replied December 18th, 2012 at 6:15 am
I agree with Ces about comments on GH!!!

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Ces replied December 18th, 2012 at 8:51 am
Yesterday, someone called during Days and this time I didn’t hang up the phone. Surely, I didn’t miss anything other than Jennifer’s drivel (btw her hair and wardrobe look awful) AND that Abigail bun??

snorefest.
Derrick says:

December 15, 2012 at 11:21 am

Y&R will go up………………….
The writing is good. It takes time to build up.
Hope DAYS go up too!
B&B has been good also!

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Ella says:

December 15, 2012 at 6:59 pm

General Hospital was on fire but now I think it’s concentrating too much on Connie and too little on chemistry between Carly/Todd and Sam/John. I know the latter has to do with SB leaving but it hurt the momentum being built. AJ was awesome when he returned but now they seem to be resorting to “AJ the schemer” typecasting which is a shame. The idea of a fair fight between AJ and Sonny without the bad/good lines being drawn was intriguing to say the least. I still love GH but think it really needs to focus in what’s working and give up on what’s not (ie: Connie, Trey). Kelly Sullivan is too over-the-top as Connie and I find myself comparing her to Bree Williamson’s Tess who I liked so much better. Trey’s storyline is just boring IMO.

As for Y&R, it has gone down hill since the regime change. Adam/Chelsea storyline is on fire because of the actors & not the writing. Neil is being written badly now, Cane is too. The Summer bullying storyline has gone off the rails with Fen now taking odlver being unbelievable to me. Phyllis’ storyline is as a back-burner to Jack’s pill addiction storyline and Michelle astafford is far too good of an actress to be backburner. Nick & Avery seem forced to me and Victoria now seems like a brat married to a loser, as we are constantly reminded that is what Billy is. Sharon’s bipolar storyline seems like a retreading of Sonny’s bipolar on GH but not as well writtten. I hope Y&R improves but I am really skeptical at this point.

As for B&B, it seemed to be moving in a positive direction with Liam finally moving on and choosing Steffy but now with the retreading of Hope wanting Liam it seems like the plot is moving backwards and it is at the detriment of all characters involved. Liam and Hope become less and less likable the more they can’t make up their minds and stick with their decisions. I was hoping the show would drop the Steffy/Liam/Hope triangle and move onto a Katie/Bill/Brooke one which seems far more interesting to me but alas they seem to be moving in the opposite direction. This walk-off competition between the Logans and Forresters is just a bad idea. I’m tired of the Logans acting like they own the place and can’t believe Stephanie would leave her family in such turmoil.

I think soaps need to remember that their shows are best when they center more around relationships and less about gimmicks. I see quite a few gimmicks lately masquerading as storytelling and don’t find them compelling. Just the humble opinion from a long time soap fan.

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Christine replied December 16th, 2012 at 11:12 am
“General Hospital was on fire but now I think it’s concentrating too much on Connie and too little on chemistry between Carly/Todd and Sam/John. I know the latter has to do with SB leaving but it hurt the momentum being built.”

I wonder why that is myself. They must have gotten some very negative backlash considering the above-mentioned pairings.

It sounds like Todd is about to lose everyone and Johnny and Carly will be in each others’ orbits again.

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shelly says:

December 15, 2012 at 7:28 pm

Let’s stay on topic here. It’s December. The soap viewing population is busy with other things. I have to laugh at the new concept of “mid season finale” promoted with the hottest prime time shows right now. No TV show can compete with Christmas. I am, however, really looking forward to the nurses ball on GH! I hope I can have that little pocket of time to enjoy it this coming week…

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Missy says:

December 15, 2012 at 11:12 pm

People make a good point people are holiday shopping, but also a lt if us women in the 18-49 demo have jobs like myself. I work from 9 am to 3 pm in a nursery school,so unless we are off I’m not home watching live, I DVR it.

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ashlee says:

December 16, 2012 at 1:20 am

I am not majorly alarmed by this. Its a busy time of year. People are Christmas, Christmas planning, working to pay for Christmas. There ARE more important things in life than soaps. Watch the ratings rebound majorly in January when life is dull and slow paced. And speaking of slow paced…i must bring up Y And R. Sorry…Avery talking about baking is not drama!! I have alternately loved and hated JFP‘S work, but here I cant fault her. The old saying is that if it aint on the page, it aint on the stage. Josh Griffith is not writing stories! Jill is a producer, and the production has been classic y and r. Josh is not telling any story worth rooting for. There is no couple worth rooting for. There are no couples. Lesley and Neil talk about their past, Phyllis and Jack talk business, Nick and Avery talk about cupcakes, adam and chelsea talk about bipolar Sharon, nikki and victor should become the power couple or pack it in…the scenes go nowhere. And adults pushing 60 should not write for teens. Teens are not just angry bitter one note balls of hate. They are wonderful and angry and happy and they love life and hate life. This show needs to come up with a storyline soon…ANY storyline.

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Mary SF replied December 16th, 2012 at 1:39 pm
I agree at this time of year most soap stories are a bit on the bland side because they know people have a life and are not glue to their sets when there is so much to be done. And it is true a soap’s bread and butter is the telling of a good romance and lately that has been lacking in most of the soaps. There are a lot attraction stories, hook ups and sex scenes, but the glorious journey couples use to take to fall in love has been MIA for a long time. As for Avery, I find her cooking charming- overplayed- but charming, it makes her character more human, but they don’t have to do every time she is in her apartment. And in case you missed my answer to your question where in Canada I live- I live in Ontario- what about you?

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ashlee says:

December 16, 2012 at 1:25 am

GH is the only show doing it right. And by, right, i mean as right as it can get in this era of 4 soaps. They are writing for veterans, doing umbrella stories, and providing surprises. It is classic GH with now 60 year old action heroes…but hey…Harrison Ford has done it…so why cant soaps? At least it is a. Preposterous thrill ride. Not mind numbingly boring.

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ashlee says:

December 16, 2012 at 1:34 am

Ron Carlivati might be misled enough to think that viewers really want to watch a black femmy nurse hawking lipstick and claiming credit for the legendary Nurses Ball, but he is also savvy enough to bring back AJ, and resurrest the Quartermaines, and diminish Sonnys airtime, and try to think about the viewers and what THEY want.

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Lisa says:

December 16, 2012 at 11:42 am

Have to agree about Y&R being boring right now. I only started watching it after ABC killed my favs AMC and OLTL and I liked it alot initially but lately, not so much (but I’ll still watch). I’ll also watch GH faithfully, regardless. Sometimes I get exasperated with the storylines but that won’t stop me from watching. It’s part of the journey you take in watching the soaps. I watch the good, bad, and ugly and I’ll continue to do so.

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Elise says:

December 16, 2012 at 1:05 pm

Does anyone know if it’s possible or know where to catch Friday’s episode of GH? Like most people we were all shaken up by the craziness of that day, but I was very much looking forward to the reunion of Anna and Robin as well as seeing Lucy… were it a very regular episode I wouldn’t mind skipping it, but I would think this one’s a must-watch episode. I can’t find it on YouTube either. Will they play it Monday?

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Elise says:

December 16, 2012 at 1:06 pm

Never mind, I just saw the other article, it’ll play monday I guess… you can delete my posts.

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Dmitri says:

December 16, 2012 at 10:05 pm

I have never really found the CBS soaps entertaining, so I can see why they are going down, especially B&B. GH was good, or so I heard, I guess it is getting slower, but whatever, still doing well. I’m apalled Days isn’t losing more viewers. The show is very boring. The Gabi reveal will probably bring in so many viewers because people hate Gabi and Nick and want drama. Dannifer, EJami/Safe and shaky hands, in addition to the lack of airtime of younger characters and vets, has made the show lose viewers. Why is Dannifer being repeated? Why EJami/Safe? Why is Maggie so nosy all of a sudden? I just don’t get it. I’m not watching, but I am reading the recaps, which, more often than not, make me glad I didn’t waste time watching it.

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shawn replied December 18th, 2012 at 6:16 pm
Since when did u speak for ALL DAYS viewers. I do not hate Gabi or Nick or Dannifer. They are the reasons I watch DAYS as well Brady/Kristen/John/Marlena and Will/Sonny. I have my fingers crossed that TPTB approach Stephen Nichols to return as Patch and we’ll have a full blown Patch/Kayla/Abe triangle or bring back Shawn/Belle so they can help Hope find her missing husband.

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Dmitri replied December 18th, 2012 at 6:46 pm
I’m speaking for most people on Daytime Royalty. I like Gabi and Nick as a couple, but I’m not a fan of their current storyline. Most people loathe Dannifer. They’re OK, but I’m tired of their storyline because it isn’t being told in an interesting way like last time.
Douglas says:

December 17, 2012 at 12:16 am

B&B is dropping post Susan Flannery — guessing many long-time fans tuned back in to watch the last days of Stephanie Forrester and now are tuning back out as the focus shifts back to Brooke and to Hope (zzzzzzzzz). It is also ludicrous that Thorne is not the next in line for the CEO job at Forrester, but Bell wants his CEO protoge (Rick or Thomas) to be shirtless for ratings sake

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Dmitri replied December 17th, 2012 at 11:44 am
Exactly why I’m not interested in B&B. It’s the same old stuff everyday. You can tune out for a month and when you come back to watch the same thing is still happening. Too much Steffy/Liam/Hope and Brooke for me. Y&R is bland IMO as well.

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Bill Wilson says:

December 17, 2012 at 1:24 pm

Focusing on GH, since I gave up on Y&R MONTHS ago, I think Frank Valentini reneged on his promise to have this Anna/Faison/Robin storyline “race to the finish.” While I love ALL the actors involved, and have since the 80s, it’s just flat-out dragging. While I enjoyed the episode devoted to Robert and Helena doing their verbal sparring, it served NO purpose in forwarding the plot, and ultimately just killed time. And Anna’s been an absolute IDIOT! It’s increasingly hard to believe that this woman was a superspy, is the police chief of Port Charles, and can’t tell when she’s kissing someone wearing a latex mask. May have bought it on the old “Mission: Impossible” series, but not now. Let’s wrap this up, folks. Oh, yes, and put Tristan Rogers on contract!

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susan M. replied December 18th, 2012 at 6:26 am
Hopefully Robert makes it after the fight w/the needle. He better not die! We need Robert Scorpio…I like him a lot!

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Ces replied December 18th, 2012 at 8:55 am
yeah, can’t believe she overtook him but guess we couldn’t save Duke & Robin all in one day!
Missy says:

December 18, 2012 at 1:26 am

Speaking for MYSELF I do have patience for the dool story lines more than a few gh story lines , robin has been held prisoner now 10 months how much longer are they going to drag her finally going home to Patrick and Emma our seriously and those oltl people except Mcbaine need to leave port Charles they are irritating as hell except Mcbaine

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susan M. says:

December 18, 2012 at 6:23 am

I see nothing wrong with GH at all. Really enjoy watching it everyday. It’s exciting & I like
the storylines.. I just hope Robert isn’t going to be killed off after that fight with the needle..Hope he tells Anna and Duke that Robin is alive! That’s my concen now . But otherwise I am liking GH a lot! Ratings are CRAZY! I enjoy GH more than years ago when it was the mob/ganster show…There’s a definite improvement! The ratings are a fluke.. The ratings go up & down and GH ratings will be up again its like a roller coaster
ride…

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susan M. says:

December 19, 2012 at 5:49 pm

I saw the front cover on soap opera in depth and Natalie’s picture was on the front cover.
Inside I only saw it briefly said Sam verses Natalie and who will John pick. Didn’t get a chance to read the entire article.Sounds like Natalie isn’t giving up on John just yet..

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