The Sad State of Soap Operas

They are the original TV soap opera supercouple, and they remain responsible for the most memorable episode in the history of the genre.

When Luke Spencer, played by Anthony Geary, and Laura Webber, played by Genie Francis, got married on Nov. 17, 1981, on “General Hospital,” it was the most-watched episode of a soap opera in history. More than 30 million people looked in on what TV Guide later named the 35th most memorable moment in TV history.

Cutbacks and cancellations have become the norm.

The show averaged 14 million viewers during the season of 1980-81, also an all-time high. Ratings-driving controversy swirled around a plot that called for a woman to marry a man who had raped her in an earlier episode.

But their industry is not what it used to be. Those 14 million viewers are now more like 2 million per show for “General Hospital” — and even less for some of its competitors.

Tastes and lifestyles have changed, and cutbacks and cancellations have become the norm.

Susan Lucci of “All My Children,” one of the best-known soap actresses ever, who once made $1 million annually, had to sell her $20 million home in the Hamptons after her show was canceled in 2013.

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The downturn began in earnest in 1988 when the Writers Guild of America went on strike. The shows went on, but without writers, the plots moved little and viewers became frustrated. Many left and never returned.

In the 1990s, VCRs, DVDs, and the expansion of cable provided viewers options and flexibility they’d never known before. Daytime soaps were hurt by the emergence of prime-time dramas, such as “Dallas,” “Beverly Hills 90210,” “Melrose Place,” “7th Heaven,” and others.

Then, a real-life soap opera — the O.J. Simpson trial — dominated and preempted daytime programming throughout its duration, which served to break the habit of daily soap viewing for many.

Soaps never relied on distinguished acting. But a number of TV and movie personalities got their starts on soaps.

• Kelly Ripa got her start on “All My Children” as a teenage rebel named Hayley Vaughan.
• “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Sarah Michelle Gellar’s breakthrough role was playing Erica Kane’s secret child — who was conceived in rape as a teenager.
• Brad Pitt had a small recurring part in the soap “Another World.”
• Demi Moore scored her first gig on “General Hospital” before joining the Brat Pack films of the 1980s.
• Meg Ryan was on “As the World Turns.”
• And before we knew him as Uncle Jesse on “Full House,” John Stamos was a heart-throb on “General Hospital” in 1981.

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Most soaps followed a familiar formula. There were always memorable antagonists, rivalries, and vendettas. Happiness never lasted for long, and we couldn’t get enough of the Machiavellian webs of deceit. Some got so absurd, we finally thought, “C’mon, writers. You just made it weird.”

For instance, that Laura married Luke after Luke raped her is only part of the story. First, Laura had to fall for Scotty; Scotty had to break up with Laura and have an affair with a prostitute named Bobbie. Bobbie’s brother, Luke, had to fall for Laura. And Laura had to discover the manipulating Bobbie did to break up her relationship with Scotty. Then, Luke raped Laura, more craziness happened, Luke got knocked overboard from a boat, people thought he was dead and a lot of other craziness had to unfold before they could get married.

Did you follow all that?

Related: Is Binge-Watching Bad for You?

Today, only “The Young and the Restless,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Days of Our Lives,” and “General Hospital” remain. And there are no guarantees they will survive for long.

But soap operas, holdovers from radio and the earliest days of television, will always hold a special place in the hearts of their fans that younger, binge-watching consumers won’t understand.

We can only hope Netflix and Hulu pick up the soaps so younger people might one day understand the delight of the crazy love triangles and villainous circumstances of the classic soap opera.