When Disney announced that Soapnet would be morphed into Disney Jr, alarmist started calling the death of all soaps. In fact groups popped up all over facebook, some trying to save Soapnet, other trying to save the soaps. Hardly anyone was able to see the good in the demise of the network that was dedicated to daytime dramas.
How is the demise good for the soaps? First and foremost with soapnet gone, the ratings will increase. Each time is was shown on the cable network, the ratings did not count for that, but with Soapnet gone, people will be forced to watch on the network again, either live or on DVR. All My Children Star Jacob Young has always urged fans to watch his show on ABC, saying "The ratings for Soapnet don't count, please watch the show live."
When Days Of Our Lives went through massive budget cuts, what emerged was a leaner, better show. If all the shows weeded out the garbage, and made the hard decisions. Yes Days fired some beloved daytime vets, Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn, but it also allowed Days to bring back some other vets for short term arcs.
In fact All of the shows could clear away some of the fat of their cast and tell some great short term arcs, with fan favorites. AMC could bring back Justin Bruening as Jamie Martin in an arc that involves his dad and the Martin family arch rival David Hayward. Or One Life To Live could use it's trimmed down cast and budget to add some flavor to it's stories, Like Maybe Oliver had slept with the man slut known as Ford causing problems with Kyle, which could lead to more story for Rex and Gigi and would add another suspect(s) to the who beat ford story.
Also with reduced budgets, maybe soaps will stop hiring the same head writers over and over again. Daytime is the only industry where you can fail and still get a job doing what you love. With less money to go around, the powers that be may have to look outside of the industry and find someone who has the skills to tell good solid stories but will also work for cheap.
While Soapnet going dark is nothing to celebrate, it is something that can be used as a tool to save the industry that is so beloved. Before critics and other start calling the death of an entire industry, why don't they try and turn this negative into a positive.
How is the demise good for the soaps? First and foremost with soapnet gone, the ratings will increase. Each time is was shown on the cable network, the ratings did not count for that, but with Soapnet gone, people will be forced to watch on the network again, either live or on DVR. All My Children Star Jacob Young has always urged fans to watch his show on ABC, saying "The ratings for Soapnet don't count, please watch the show live."
When Days Of Our Lives went through massive budget cuts, what emerged was a leaner, better show. If all the shows weeded out the garbage, and made the hard decisions. Yes Days fired some beloved daytime vets, Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn, but it also allowed Days to bring back some other vets for short term arcs.
In fact All of the shows could clear away some of the fat of their cast and tell some great short term arcs, with fan favorites. AMC could bring back Justin Bruening as Jamie Martin in an arc that involves his dad and the Martin family arch rival David Hayward. Or One Life To Live could use it's trimmed down cast and budget to add some flavor to it's stories, Like Maybe Oliver had slept with the man slut known as Ford causing problems with Kyle, which could lead to more story for Rex and Gigi and would add another suspect(s) to the who beat ford story.
Also with reduced budgets, maybe soaps will stop hiring the same head writers over and over again. Daytime is the only industry where you can fail and still get a job doing what you love. With less money to go around, the powers that be may have to look outside of the industry and find someone who has the skills to tell good solid stories but will also work for cheap.
While Soapnet going dark is nothing to celebrate, it is something that can be used as a tool to save the industry that is so beloved. Before critics and other start calling the death of an entire industry, why don't they try and turn this negative into a positive.
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