Daytime has never shied away from intense, raw storylines, and often led the way in tackling social issues. After all, Agnes Nixon broke new ground all the way back in 1963 when she wrote Daytime’s first cancer storyline with Bert Bauer for “Guiding Light,” at a time when neither soaps nor primetime were tackling such stories. In 1983, Douglas … [Read more...]
The Gang Rape of Marty on “OLTL”: A Shocking Storyline That Still Matters
September 19, 2026 by 1 Comment
Minor Characters: The Not-So-Little People of Soaps
September 13, 2026 by 7 Comments
As soaps grew in universal popularity, so went their budgets. Actors with large, vocal fan bases commanded salaries that no one could have imagined back in the '50s and '60s. Sets grew opulent...costumes rivaled those in prime time...location shoots across the globe became commonplace for a while.At the same time a less flashy area seemingly … [Read more...]
Comic Relief: How Humorous Characters Enrich Our Soaps
August 11, 2026 by 7 Comments
Attention soap writers! Are you having fun writing your shows these days? Well, it certainly doesn’t feel like it! Where is your collective sense of humor? And, with the recent departure of Spinelli from “General Hospital,” where will our much-needed lighter moments come from? Especially on a show that is so serious all the time?Damian … [Read more...]
Gays of Our Lives
July 12, 2026 by 9 Comments
It's no secret that soap operas have long enjoyed a devoted LGBTQ+ following. Even before gay characters became part of the daytime landscape, many gay viewers were drawn to the genre's emotionally rich storytelling, larger-than-life characters, and delightfully over-the-top drama. What was it about soaps that resonated so deeply with this … [Read more...]
“The Hamptons,” A Summer Soap that Missed the Mark
June 16, 2026 by 9 Comments
Marlena says: Back in the summer of 1983, when soaps were hot and the networks were trying to attract young viewers on school vacations, ABC devised a five-episode soap called The Hamptons, set on Long Island. Its executive producer was Gloria Monty. This was her reward for executive-producing General Hospital in the hot Luke and Laura days. … [Read more...]
Soap Opera Natural Disaster Stories Revisited
June 9, 2026 by 8 Comments
Marlena says: Before Beyond the Gates’ current tornado, other daytime soaps were visited by all manner of disasters. Here’s a vivid history of some of the memorable ones by soap historian Michael Poirier.By Michael PoirierHow did the writers and producers shake up a soap opera in the early days of the genre? For many years, it was car … [Read more...]
Movie Stars on Soaps, Part Two
June 6, 2026 by 1 Comment
When I wrote the previous piece about established movie stars appearing on soaps, I knew that despite its considerable length, I was only scratching the surface. Thanks to a few knowledgeable readers and my renewed research into the subject, here are some additions. Please understand that there are many other such performers who graced the big … [Read more...]
Movie Stars Who Appeared on Soaps — A Complete History
May 17, 2026 by 18 Comments
Marlena says: Who knows more about daytime soap opera than John K. Read, formerly known as John Kelly Genovese? I met John in 1978 when I was an intern to the late editor/columnist Jon-Michael Reed. John and I discovered a mutual interest in soaps and became fast friends. He invited me frequently to his home In Connecticut to watch kinescopes of … [Read more...]
Jeanne Cooper (1928 – 2013): An Appreciation
May 10, 2026 by 5 Comments
We soap fans love our performers because they come into our homes as our favorite characters for years. In short, fan favorites become members of our own families. When a member of our family passes away, we feel it deeply.Last week I reprinted a memorial column for Beverlee McKinsey (Iris, “Another World” and “Texas,” Alexandra, “Guiding … [Read more...]
Behind the Scenes: “They Care as Much About Soaps as We Do”
April 13, 2026 by 13 Comments
Marlena says: When I first started writing the “Critical Condition” column in Soap Opera Weekly in 1989, I hoped reader reactions to my opinions would be strong, and I wasn’t disappointed. So early on I decided to make anybody who wrote to me my friend, either by personal reply or later by making you my Facebooks friends. I’ve made many, many … [Read more...]
