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...]
Marlena Asks, What Was Your First Soap, Part Two
March 23, 2026 by 8 Comments
Marlena says: Two weeks ago, I asked all of you to send me recollections of your first soap. These memories typically go back a long way. In the first installment, I described my introduction to “The Doctors.” A colleague spoke fondly of “Another World” and the interlocking rings on its colorful logo. Another went way back, to the days when the … [Read more...]
What Was Your First Soap? A New Marlena Interactive Series
March 15, 2026 by 21 Comments
Way before there was an Internet, Marlena loved being interactive with her readers. Today I am going to tell you all about my very first soap, which led me to a lifetime of soap fandom (otherwise known as addiction).What was yours? I have also asked the same question of some of my soap journalist colleague friends who were kind enough to send … [Read more...]
