Above: Susan Lucci and Richard Shoberg.
I, like many people who are writing about the cancellation of All My Children and One Life To Live are not actual viewers. Yet, the news is rather historic. Historic as it is part of a scary trend few seem to actually notice. If you don't watch soaps you might ask why you should care. I guess maybe...because television as a whole is moving towards becoming one big 24 hour commercial.
Above: Mark Consuelos
The replacements are going to be talk shows. Talk shows are basically a format for others to sell their products. Celebrities sell their books and their latest movie on them. Kitchen product demonstrations and food segments are really about buying a cook books and products. People who claim to be on to talk about your health are usually just really trying to push a product as well. Talk Shows are really one big commercial masked as an entertainment program. Reality tv already dominates night time (Would American Idol survive without Ford and Coke?), now talk shows (60 minute commercials) are going to dominate daytime. Networks have found a way to shove commercials down our throats all day long without many even noticing.
I don't thinks Soaps are leaving the air ways because viewership is down, I think Soaps are leaving the air (as all scripted television soon might) because we the viewers found a way to watch them without watching...the commercials. Although many look down on the genre of soaps the alternative is truly much more frightening.
Below: Josh Duhamel
Photos of Mark Consuelos and Josh Duhamel via Soaphunks
