Granted the slow death of soap operas is no big deal. Sensitive topics like drug abuse, alcoholism, rape, homosexuality and yes, cancer were included in the soap opera story lines way before such things made their way into prime time. One good thing that did come from soap operas is they helped bring taboo subjects out into the open.

Once the cameras are rolling, in my opinion, reality ends. By the way, I don’t understand the reality show label.

Today’s audiences want fast-paced action they want reality-type shows. I’ve heard it’s because they’re too expensive, there aren’t that many women at home during the day anymore, they move too slowly and other various reasons. That was the nice thing about soap operas you could tune in whenever and realize you had missed absolutely nothing! Well, those few minutes were enough to get me hooked and I continued watching sporadically during college, while working, while being a stay-at-home mom and when I returned to working part-time. One of my earliest memories of childhood is observing my mom ironing while she watched “As the World Turns.” Later on when I was in high school, I sometimes walked home for lunch (yes, we were actually allowed to do that) and my mom had ATWT on, so I often watched it with her for those few minutes. That’s because my mom watched “As the World Turns.” That particular cancellation made me sad, well maybe nostalgic would be a more appropriate word choice. (The final episode of “One Life to Live” comes in January 2012) The soap opera I used to tune into on a somewhat regular basis was “As the World Turns,” which also succumbed to cancellation last September. Recently when I heard the announcement about the last episode of “All My Children” airing on Friday, September 23, 2011, my reaction surprised me, especially since I don’t watch “All My Children.” I never did. The latest two soap operas to bite the dust are ABC’s “All My Children” and “One Life to Live.”ĭo you care? Do you, or have you ever, followed a soap opera? It’s OK you can admit it if you do or if you have. I don’t think the shows will be that lucky. Miraculously, some of the characters were resurrected. OK, I admit it, the title of this post sounds a bit melodramatic, but then isn’t that what soap operas are were all about, melodrama? And now they’re slowly dying off, one by one, almost reminiscent of the characters in the shows that seemed to do the same thing, die off.

Why did passions soap opera end