"Starting from scratch with all new characters is so much more exciting than taking over somebody else's mistakes," Douglas Marland had said. However the world of daytime television programing was said turning slowly. "The goal is simple," it was reported. "Soap fans know the formula by heart – family intrigue, bad blood, mystery characters, rebellious youth. It never changes. Only the style and the writing varies. Daytime soap is a world of its own understood by a few in the trade." Although daytime dramas were "tough to get off the ground…Once a soap is established, its audience is very loyal...By nature, the typical soap opera storyline was designed to make people want to come back for more. It's all about hooking in the audience, which explains the common use of cliffhangers."
Carol Wallace of the New York Daily News confessed in 1980, "I have been a soap opera fan in general and an 'All My Children' fan in particular ever since I was laid up with not one, but two major diseases (namely, measles and strep throat) in 1970...If you aren't a soap watcher, or haven't tuned in in years, you might be surprised to see how slick and sexually liberated such serials have become since the old radio favorites, Ma Perkins and Helen Trent (back in 1932).
"In the last 10 years (1971-80), the action has moved out of the kitchen and into the boudoir, with careful attention given to set design and wardrobe...And these days (the 1980s) on soaps, the problems are not unlike those whispered about at cocktail parties and coffee breaks. Agnes Nixon is credited with moving soap operas away from stereotypical domestic conflicts and into the arena of contemporary social issues." At the time, 'Search For Tomorrow' was also credited for tackling "storylines that reflect the changes in our everyday society." In 1982, the ratio of soaps watchers were roughly 75% women and 25% men. By 1986, there were almost 86 million homes with television sets in the United States. Robert Newman of 'Guiding Light' made the comment in 1994, "I think (the storylines) are more of a reflection of where society is right now (1994). We’re doing what we read in the papers." Procter & Gamble publicist added, "Soaps can do very well with heavier issues because they have the freedom of time." Terri Guarnieri of 'Another World' told TV Guide, "Our challenge is to provide the kind of stories, characters and production values that warrant their time 5 days a week."
Deborah Wilker of Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel observed, "Some new TV shows are just more equal than others. They're the ones that are showcased by their networks in can't-miss time slots, while others flounder in TV's particularly tough time zones." Connie Passalacqua believed John Conboy had steered 'Capitol' away from many problems that new soaps faced by focusing on its core characters. There were 12 daytime dramas on the 3 networks in 1986. Head writer Henry Slesar of 'Edge of Night' had shown "that tightly woven, fast-paced and intelligently crafted plot lines make for superior soap action…Slesar's intricate and always unpredictable plot twists have made 'Capitol' daytime's most suspenseful show. Occasionally Slesar gets carried away with the intensity of his plotting, but the overall intelligence of the masterly, thought-out writing makes 'Capitol' the thinking viewer's soap."
Sally Sussman of 'The Young and The Restless' developed the daytime soap opera 'Generations' in 1989 about 3 generations of 2 Chicago families. Sally recounted, "When they asked me to create the show they asked me if I had any ideas. I did. I submitted a 20-page outline describing the 2 families. I didn't have a story at that time. Then I wrote the bible, which ran to 525 pages. It has 8 or 9 different stories and I figure it will take us through the first 2 years (1989-90)."
By January 1989, the writers of 'Generations' already had completed 20 scripts and 30 outlines. "The taping will begin with 25 completed scripts and 10 in the works," it was announced. "Sussman wants to stay 5 to 6 weeks ahead of taping and 2 months ahead of the air date ('Generations' premiered in March 1989)." Sally told the press, "We're going to keep the writers away from the production office and studio. The production offices are too small and too hectic. We need to be where it's quiter, more sane, and the writers aren't pressured. We also have to work in secret because we're so far ahead with the story. We don't want anyone to know what we're doing until we're ready to reveal it. We want every actor to be thoroughly familiar with his character. We want them to know who they are and who all their relatives are. Before we start taping we're going to meet individually with each actor and go over their character. It's very important each has a strong knowledge of who they are. These are going to be stories of character and emotions. It's not what I call the false reality of soap operas where everyone's a private detective. It's more reality oriented. We'll get into some black issues and social trends."
By January 1989, the writers of 'Generations' already had completed 20 scripts and 30 outlines. "The taping will begin with 25 completed scripts and 10 in the works," it was announced. "Sussman wants to stay 5 to 6 weeks ahead of taping and 2 months ahead of the air date ('Generations' premiered in March 1989)." Sally told the press, "We're going to keep the writers away from the production office and studio. The production offices are too small and too hectic. We need to be where it's quiter, more sane, and the writers aren't pressured. We also have to work in secret because we're so far ahead with the story. We don't want anyone to know what we're doing until we're ready to reveal it. We want every actor to be thoroughly familiar with his character. We want them to know who they are and who all their relatives are. Before we start taping we're going to meet individually with each actor and go over their character. It's very important each has a strong knowledge of who they are. These are going to be stories of character and emotions. It's not what I call the false reality of soap operas where everyone's a private detective. It's more reality oriented. We'll get into some black issues and social trends."
