As longtime television viewers know, there used to be a lot more soap operas on the air. Today, only four of them remain — The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS), Days of Our Lives (NBC), General Hospital (ABC), and The Young and the Restless (CBS). Their ratings are a fraction of what they used to be, even a few years ago, so it can feel like they’re on borrowed time. How long will these four survive? That will likely have a lot to do with the ratings. Stay tuned.
Note: Each network measures the success of its own programming. Still, it’s fun to see how the four remaining soap operas rank against each other.
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Season-to-date averages are compared to previous season averages. Raw data courtesy Soap Opera Network.
What do you think? Are you surprised by any of the ratings? Which shows should be doing better? Which one do you think will be cancelled next?
Years ago I loved to watch Y & R, GH, and the B & B my mother also watched. I have since stop watching all public TV because of the amount of ads. TV was a way to relax but over time it just started to make me angry, I don’t need that in my living room! Advertising is killing TV.
I’ve watched GH & Days because of my mom & grandmother. My mom & I talk everyday about her now only soap GH. Days the acting & stories for her have just gotten too ridiculous. She lives the drama & great acting on GH. That said, when she’s done I’m done because there isn’t much more these remaining soaps can do 50+ yrs later that isn’t repetitive but most importantly, with no budgets the writing, production quality & acting (look at Days) suffer.
I grew up watching General Hospital but now I’ve gotten into watching Days of Our Lives , and I think it has much better and faster moving storylines. General Hospital storylines are so predictable and boring. They drag on forever…..How many Port Charles women will Sonny have illegitimate children with that he’ll wind up ignoring? It seems he is never around when his family really needs him. These episodes with him and Nina is typical, no originality. Days is fresh and funny. The characters and episodes are interesting and don’t drone on forever. Wrap it up already with Sonny! Thank… Read more »
I grew up watching “The Young & The Restless “with my late Mother. I miss watching the other soap operas too.
I am praying that oneday somebody would recreate or do a continuation of some of the old soap operas. I dearly loved and enjoyed all of the wonderful ❤Soap Operas.
General Hospital is far and away the best remaining soap on tv. The best writing and actors by a mile!!
I’ve watched on and off since around age 12 for General Hospital Days Of Our Lives and prior to when it ended in 2012 All My Children ratings naturally decline over time GH is currently the longest running US soap over taking Guiding Light which ran for 57 seasons from 1952-2009 GH’s 59th season begins in September 2021 the longest running News magazine show is 60 minutes who’s 54th season starts September 5th
None of these will ever be as great as Ryan’s Hope was.. Wish ABC would air the originals in prime time, then revive it.
Keep politics out of soap operas and stop catering to different groups and their views. That is the reason I will no longer watch soap operas until this stops.
I have something to say. Im almost 52,and I always loved the soaps. They should really bring back AMC,OLTL And GL. I would be so thrilled.
General Hospital ratings would go up immensely if they would get rid of the Peter character
No one under age 35 watches tv anymore, so perhaps you need to reevaluate your customer demographic, the 3 soaps supposedly out performing DOOL are doing so only because dvr’s are still on those channels from last night, tv is off, no one is watching anything…btw, we don’t care for your immoral, nor family dividing commercials either…smh
The bold and the beautiful is so boring Ridge is always Thinking is so much better than Bill but Ridge is so boring and dress like he is homeless and needs a shave. Do he bath. But I’m so tried of him crying about Mr Bill Spencer. He should know now that he can’t keep Brook the hoe from him. He’s always crying about Brook and Bill. She has slept with every man in his family and he has slept with every man in his family. Why he keep going back I don’t know. Unless he’s just dumb she has… Read more »
I check in from time to time to see Brooke–still one of the best on all of daytime tv. The writing for the show, however, is horrendous. These writers/producers should be ashamed of themselves. We all know Bill Bell was passionate about the shows he created and it showed in his work. His son needs to watch some old episodes and familiarize himself with what quality looks like cause this ain’t it. And Liam can’t act regardless of how hard he overacts his scenes LOL. The cast is a snore for the most part but its the writing that really… Read more »
Bold and Beautiful is the WORST! Recycling relationships and storylines OVER and OVER…I’m over it…
i will not watch any of b@b it not b@b any more it the hope and brook logon show /they dont pay for any thing they do worng ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,bill JR ,,,WANT TO GET RID OF ALL THE FORSTER FAMILY ////STEFFY/TOM /ERIC /QUINN /AND THEN RIDGE //////AND KEEEP BROOK AND HOPE CANT KEEP THERE LEGS CLOSEED/////THAT WHY I DONT WATCH AND NONE OF MY FRIENDS WATCH THE LOGON SHOW//WE FIND WATCHING GAME SHOW NET WORK //CATCH21 /MASTER MINES/ARE MORE BETTER THEN THE LOGON SHOW,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,