Really fascinating! I think a down-to-earth US soap could work really well, but it's not something the US ever seems to have tried.
All the soaps were down to earth pre 1980. Gloria Mont took over as EP of General Hospital and completely changed the game with the larger than life adventure stories and the creation of the super couple with Luke and Laura, those stories made GH the number one soap and got it media attention that soaps had never seen before, so almost every soap copied that format.
Serialized programing in the evening can have difficult time succeeding in the US during prime time. I like serialized programing but audiences don't always. The things that seem to do the best with older audiences right now are the cop shows. Which is why there so many of them. I guess the theory on those is that you don't have to make a commitment to watching every week since the episodes are self contained.
I think shorter run series or soaps that have a limited number of episodes are probably the answer. That is one of the theories behind the success of Empire that it was a 12 episode series which keeps the plotting tight, without a lot of filler. That type of program works for streaming as well, because you can watch an entire series over a week end.
Actually serialized shows are the only thing that was worked for ABC in the last decade outside of Modern family. All their hit shows since about 2004 have been serialized, Desperate Housewives, Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Revenge, Once upon a time, Scandal, and How to get away with murder are serialized and very soapy. Now NBC and CBS are the networks that rely more on procedural cop and medical shows.
Actually serialized shows are the only thing that was worked for ABC in the last decade outside of Modern family. All their hit shows since about 2004 have been serialized, Desperate Housewives, Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Revenge, Once upon a time, Scandal, and How to get away with murder are serialized and very soapy. Now NBC and CBS are the networks that rely more on procedural cop and medical shows.
I never said serialized soap type programs don't have an audience. They just don't have one in the early afternoon. I don't see the US day time soaps changing much or getting a big audience. I think there days are over. That's the biggest difference between US and British soaps, the time of day they are shown.
More money is spent on the British evening soaps which improves the quality all around. More money is spent on the British soaps because they are meant for a large general audience. US daytime soaps target a dwindling number of stay at home mothers, and elderly people. That will effect quality it just will. I am not sure how you would change that or if its even worth changing.
I never said serialized soap type programs don't have an audience. They just don't have one in the early afternoon. I don't see the US day time soaps changing much or getting a big audience. I think there days are over. That's the biggest difference between US and British soaps, the time of day they are shown.
More money is spent on the British evening soaps which improves the quality all around. More money is spent on the British soaps because they are meant for a large general audience. US daytime soaps target a dwindling number of stay at home mothers, and elderly people. That will effect quality it just will. I am not sure how you would change that or if its even worth changing.
Ok, I got ya. I still think they could produce something decent, if you make a quality product people will watch it.
Ok, I got ya. I still think they could produce something decent, if you make a quality product people will watch it.
I see that Broadchurch has been remade into Gracepoint for the US audience, is that being received well in the US? The original format isn't exactly soapy but it's very British IMO
But you do notice that the networks haven't moved to create another soap to take their place. I think the soaps that still exist on networks are there because they haven't found anything cheaper that gets the same or similar ratings. The networks still would love to do so.
Axing the four soaps in the late 00's\early 10's seems to have actually saved the four that are still on the air now. If you look at their ratings since 2008, none of them have had a dramatic increase or decrease in viewers. They have levelled out and stayed in and around the same rating for the last 7 years. Fans of the axed soaps appear to have migrated over to the remaining soaps, a move which stopped the dwindling ratings that saw the likes of All My Children get axed. Of the four that are left, I think its the CBS soaps that are the safest. The Young and the Restless is still the highest rating soap and I think it out rates a lot of the talk shows too. The Bold and the Beautiful is the most watched soap in the world so even if the ratings weren't great on US TV, the international sales would keep it alive, much like Neighbours current situation. I think the one most at risk would be Days of Our Lives. I know it's had a bit of a resurgence in recent years but it still appears to be the weakest of the pack.
I see that Broadchurch has been remade into Gracepoint for the US audience, is that being received well in the US? The original format isn't exactly soapy but it's very British IMO
The ratings started low and stayed low throughout it's run. It isn't being brought back for a second series either. They did promote it as a limited run series but I'd say it would've gotten a second series had the ratings been better.
I see that Broadchurch has been remade into Gracepoint for the US audience, is that being received well in the US? The original format isn't exactly soapy but it's very British IMO
A lot of Americans watched the British version of Broadchurch so the audience for Gracepoint was pretty diluted in the first place. There is a market for high quality British programs in the US. Most people who want to watch those want to watch the original not a remake.
Days of Our Lives. I know it's had a bit of a resurgence in recent years but it still appears to be the weakest of the pack.
Days is in trouble again, I just read today that last week they tied their ratings low. They fired the Gary Tomlin for the second time and are bring back Dina Higley and teaming her up with Josh Griffith as HWs to try and save the show for the 50th anniversary this fall and bringing back several fan favorite characters. But IDK if it will work, Higley isn't and good writer and Griffith hasn't done anything decent since he was at One Life to Live in the 90's. Days only saving grace is that NBC is in a mess as a whole from the Today show to its entire primetime line up so Days might be able to fly under TPTB's radar.
A lot of Americans watched the British version of Broadchurch so the audience for Gracepoint was pretty diluted in the first place. There is a market for high quality British programs in the US. Most people who want to watch those want to watch the original not a remake.
Yup you're right about that, the only successful British to American remake I've seen is the Office.
Days is in trouble again, I just read today that last week they tied their ratings low. They fired the Gary Tomlin for the second time and are bring back Dina Higley and teaming her up with Josh Griffith as HWs to try and save the show for the 50th anniversary this fall and bringing back several fan favorite characters. But IDK if it will work, Higley isn't and good writer and Griffith hasn't done anything decent since he was at One Life to Live in the 90's. Days only saving grace is that NBC is in a mess as a whole from the Today show to its entire primetime line up so Days might be able to fly under TPTB's radar.
It's been averaging 2.0 or 2.1 for the last few years but I see it's latest rating was 1.6. It appears that once you fall below 2.0, you're in the danger zone for cancellation. All of the other soaps that fell below 2.0 in the last decade (Passions, One Life to Live, Guiding Light, As the World Turns, All My Children) were cancelled. NBC have renewed it up until late 2016 so the next year really matters towards the show's future. If ratings continue as they are, the plug might be pulled.
That doesn't really make much sense. Doctors is about as lo-fi as a soap could be but it gets good ratings. The trick to daytime in the UK is to aim for an older audience.
It does make sense if you try and understand what I'm saying. Doctors has been on a number of years now and has a loyal and established fanbase. For a new daytime soap to work they will have to go in with gripping SL's and loads of drama so people would rather watch that then any of the other established daytime shows on TV that people are already familiar with and have a loyal fanbase.
The late night soap will work better as it will be more of a adult nature and more people will be willing to watch as there's not really shows on at that time that run for the whole of the year.
It does make sense if you try and understand what I'm saying. Doctors has been on a number of years now and has a loyal and established fanbase. For a new daytime soap to work they will have to go in with gripping SL's and loads of drama so people would rather watch that then any of the other established daytime shows on TV that people are already familiar with and have a loyal fanbase.
The late night soap will work better as it will be more of a adult nature and more people will be willing to watch as there's not really shows on at that time that run for the whole of the year.
I DO understand what you're saying, I just don't agree with you.
It does make sense if you try and understand what I'm saying. Doctors has been on a number of years now and has a loyal and established fanbase. For a new daytime soap to work they will have to go in with gripping SL's and loads of drama so people would rather watch that then any of the other established daytime shows on TV that people are already familiar with and have a loyal fanbase.
The late night soap will work better as it will be more of a adult nature and more people will be willing to watch as there's not really shows on at that time that run for the whole of the year.
Talking of a late night soap, I remember some years ago seeing an Irish soap style show called Love/Hate when I was in Dublin. That seemed pretty well written, and I always thought it would be a great export to be shown in the UK. I've never seen it since though, but I believe it's still running over in Ireland.
That said. There seems to be a lot of great stuff coming out of Ireland, that the UK never get the chance to see.....given that we export all our soaps over there it seems strange we don't do the same in return! Instead of creating new shows why not just hop onto the back of those which have already proved successful?! We do it with American shows all the time!
Talking of a late night soap, I remember some years ago seeing an Irish soap style show called Love/Hate when I was in Dublin. That seemed pretty well written, and I always thought it would be a great export to be shown in the UK. I've never seen it since though, but I believe it's still running over in Ireland.
That said. There seems to be a lot of great stuff coming out of Ireland, that the UK never get the chance to see.....given that we export all our soaps over there it seems strange we don't do the same in return! Instead of creating new shows why not just hop onto the back of those which have already proved successful?! We do it with American shows all the time!
Love/Hate's first series was aired on Five in the UK. I don't know if they've aired any further series though. I'd say the main selling point with it for UK audiences was the fact that Aiden Gillen from The Wire and Robert Sheehan from Misfits were playing lead roles. There's actually very few dramas made for Irish TV each year due to lack of funding. RTE has Fair City (which is dire) running throughout the year and then only makes two or three limited run dramas after that each year. TV3 have only recently gotten into dramas but you're looking at maybe one a year and TG4 is the Irish language channel which only makes a few dramas a year too. Most of the drama schedules are made up of imports from the US, UK and Australia.
Comments
All the soaps were down to earth pre 1980. Gloria Mont took over as EP of General Hospital and completely changed the game with the larger than life adventure stories and the creation of the super couple with Luke and Laura, those stories made GH the number one soap and got it media attention that soaps had never seen before, so almost every soap copied that format.
Actually serialized shows are the only thing that was worked for ABC in the last decade outside of Modern family. All their hit shows since about 2004 have been serialized, Desperate Housewives, Lost, Grey's Anatomy, Revenge, Once upon a time, Scandal, and How to get away with murder are serialized and very soapy. Now NBC and CBS are the networks that rely more on procedural cop and medical shows.
I never said serialized soap type programs don't have an audience. They just don't have one in the early afternoon. I don't see the US day time soaps changing much or getting a big audience. I think there days are over. That's the biggest difference between US and British soaps, the time of day they are shown.
More money is spent on the British evening soaps which improves the quality all around. More money is spent on the British soaps because they are meant for a large general audience. US daytime soaps target a dwindling number of stay at home mothers, and elderly people. That will effect quality it just will. I am not sure how you would change that or if its even worth changing.
Ok, I got ya. I still think they could produce something decent, if you make a quality product people will watch it.
I see that Broadchurch has been remade into Gracepoint for the US audience, is that being received well in the US? The original format isn't exactly soapy but it's very British IMO
Axing the four soaps in the late 00's\early 10's seems to have actually saved the four that are still on the air now. If you look at their ratings since 2008, none of them have had a dramatic increase or decrease in viewers. They have levelled out and stayed in and around the same rating for the last 7 years. Fans of the axed soaps appear to have migrated over to the remaining soaps, a move which stopped the dwindling ratings that saw the likes of All My Children get axed. Of the four that are left, I think its the CBS soaps that are the safest. The Young and the Restless is still the highest rating soap and I think it out rates a lot of the talk shows too. The Bold and the Beautiful is the most watched soap in the world so even if the ratings weren't great on US TV, the international sales would keep it alive, much like Neighbours current situation. I think the one most at risk would be Days of Our Lives. I know it's had a bit of a resurgence in recent years but it still appears to be the weakest of the pack.
The ratings started low and stayed low throughout it's run. It isn't being brought back for a second series either. They did promote it as a limited run series but I'd say it would've gotten a second series had the ratings been better.
A lot of Americans watched the British version of Broadchurch so the audience for Gracepoint was pretty diluted in the first place. There is a market for high quality British programs in the US. Most people who want to watch those want to watch the original not a remake.
Days is in trouble again, I just read today that last week they tied their ratings low. They fired the Gary Tomlin for the second time and are bring back Dina Higley and teaming her up with Josh Griffith as HWs to try and save the show for the 50th anniversary this fall and bringing back several fan favorite characters. But IDK if it will work, Higley isn't and good writer and Griffith hasn't done anything decent since he was at One Life to Live in the 90's. Days only saving grace is that NBC is in a mess as a whole from the Today show to its entire primetime line up so Days might be able to fly under TPTB's radar.
Yup you're right about that, the only successful British to American remake I've seen is the Office.
It's been averaging 2.0 or 2.1 for the last few years but I see it's latest rating was 1.6. It appears that once you fall below 2.0, you're in the danger zone for cancellation. All of the other soaps that fell below 2.0 in the last decade (Passions, One Life to Live, Guiding Light, As the World Turns, All My Children) were cancelled. NBC have renewed it up until late 2016 so the next year really matters towards the show's future. If ratings continue as they are, the plug might be pulled.
It does make sense if you try and understand what I'm saying. Doctors has been on a number of years now and has a loyal and established fanbase. For a new daytime soap to work they will have to go in with gripping SL's and loads of drama so people would rather watch that then any of the other established daytime shows on TV that people are already familiar with and have a loyal fanbase.
The late night soap will work better as it will be more of a adult nature and more people will be willing to watch as there's not really shows on at that time that run for the whole of the year.
I DO understand what you're saying, I just don't agree with you.
Talking of a late night soap, I remember some years ago seeing an Irish soap style show called Love/Hate when I was in Dublin. That seemed pretty well written, and I always thought it would be a great export to be shown in the UK. I've never seen it since though, but I believe it's still running over in Ireland.
That said. There seems to be a lot of great stuff coming out of Ireland, that the UK never get the chance to see.....given that we export all our soaps over there it seems strange we don't do the same in return! Instead of creating new shows why not just hop onto the back of those which have already proved successful?! We do it with American shows all the time!
Love/Hate's first series was aired on Five in the UK. I don't know if they've aired any further series though. I'd say the main selling point with it for UK audiences was the fact that Aiden Gillen from The Wire and Robert Sheehan from Misfits were playing lead roles. There's actually very few dramas made for Irish TV each year due to lack of funding. RTE has Fair City (which is dire) running throughout the year and then only makes two or three limited run dramas after that each year. TV3 have only recently gotten into dramas but you're looking at maybe one a year and TG4 is the Irish language channel which only makes a few dramas a year too. Most of the drama schedules are made up of imports from the US, UK and Australia.