What soap opera do you remember watching from your youth or adulthood? Mine was the Guiding Light. Started watching

[debm55]

as a youngster and it was only 15 minutes long. It was on CBS. Day or Night.

[Freddie]

1. The Doctors

Watched it every summer with my grandma.

[debm55]

13. Thank you Freddie. I ate lunch at home a lot of times and watched the Guiding Light. Didn't have a choice.

As an adult sometimes watched as an adult as I taught and had summers off.

[CTyankee]

2. I got hooked on "Days of Our Lives" but then I went back to work and was "cured" of it when I retired.

[debm55]

16. Watched during summer break. It was always the Guiding Light. When cold turkey when we adopted him.

[mntleo2]

3. Dark Shadows /nt

[Darwins_Retriever]

7. Ditto

The only one I ever watched.

[debm55]

19. Thank you mntleo2. My cousins watched that.

[CrispyQ]

36. Oh yes!

We watched it in the summer but school let out to late to watch it during the school year.

[BuddhaGirl]

103. Yes!

Watched it every day after school...also had most of the paperbacks based on the series!

[Squeaky41]

4. Early TV soap operas

Secret Storm 4:15 PM after Brighter Day

[debm55]

20. Thank you Squeaky41. I remember Secret Storm but not Brighter Day.

[Basso8vb]

5. Days of Our Lives in the early 80s when I was in middle school.

With the whole Bo and Hope and Stefano drama! I kept watching until the early 90s.

[debm55]

23. Thank you Basso8vb. Mother and Grandmother watched them all day. I guess that was the thing back then.

[EYESORE 9001]

6. My grandmother was a fan of General Hospital

Or as I called it, to her consternation, ‘General Horse-pistol’. That’s about it for me. I eschewed soaps and every other show resembling one. Dallas? Dynasty? Utter unfamiliarity. I understand people were once speculating about who shot J. R., and that’s it.

[debm55]

25. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. that's funny EYESORE 9001. I never watched any of the night soaps.

[dobleremolque]

8. Don't remember the name, (Mother watched it, not me) but it had dramatic

solo organ music to underscore the tight-shot, closeups of dramatic facial reaction before they'd cut to commercial. Hate organ music to this day.

[debm55]

46. Thank you dobleremolque. I remember that music.

[Walleye]

9. My grandmother was hooked on "As the World Turns" never missed it.

[debm55]

47. Thank you Walleye. I always wonder why they were so hooked on it. Some of the acting was bad. Same for the story telling

Especially the old ones.

[Walleye]

112. In those days, soap operas were live. I think that could've been part of the appeal.

[BuddhaGirl]

105. My mother and grandmother watched ATWT

so I watched it too, as well. Loved it!

When my grandfather retired, he watched it too LOL

[debm55]

108. thank you BuddhaGirl. That's funny.

[Walleye]

111. I remember when my grandparents got a smaller TV for their upstairs den

In those days, televisions in the living room were really a piece of furniture

[Diamond_Dog]

10. I started watching "The Young and the Restless" from the very first episode.

In high school I could go home for lunch so I watched it while I ate lunch. Then I had to go back to school for one class. Tom Selleck was on that soap before he was Magnum.

Then, once in college, that fell by the wayside.

[debm55]

48. Thank you Diamond_Dog. I didn't know that about Tom Selleck.

[Jrsygrl96]

11. My grandmother

watched “Love is a Many Splendored Thing.” I only remember her watching that and football. Maybe that’s why I always hated soap operas! 😂

[debm55]

49. Thank you Jrsygrl96. Some of the older ones had some bad actors and story lines.

[Ocelot II]

12. I remember watching some soaps with my mom when home during the summer.

I vaguely remember As The World Turns and The Guiding Light but didn't pay much attention to the plots, such as they were. I also remember watching Queen For A Day and feeling so sad for those poor ladies who had such heartbreaking stories and they were so happy to get a new refrigerator. The winner was chosen by how much applause the audience gave her story. It was a stupid, exploitative show but when you're a little kid you don't realize that.

[debm55]

69. I hate Queen for a Day. I felt sorry for the contestants.

[onecaliberal]

14. Young and the restless, as the world turns.

[debm55]

72. Thank you onecaliberal

[PittBlue]

15. When I was in elementary school I would walk home for lunch.

My Mother and I would watch Search for Tomorrow and Guiding Light. I think they were live.

[debm55]

68. Thank you PittBlue. Do you remember PAPABier?

[PittBlue]

80. Yes!

I’m old.

[hlthe2b]

17. College: Young & the Restless, much less frequently: Days of Our Lives & rarely: General Hospital

My sister liked GH and now still watches Young & the Restless. My Mom (from my youngest childhood watched As the World Turns--I only remember her talking about it occasionally with an old friend of hers but I never paid attention when she watched).

I find it fascinating that all of those who used to deride soap operas (and those who watched them) are now addicted to "Reality" TV, while soap operas are dying. At least Soaps were unabashedly Fake. "Reality" tv likes to premise themselves on some level of realism which is just about as ridiculous as those who star in them.

[debm55]

75. I agree with you. However I do watch the Amazing Race. I like to see what other cultures do and the traditions they have

I have never watched Big Brother or any of the countless others. You make an excellent point. Thank you.

[KC19]

18. Because my mother liked them

I remember Another World and All My Children

[debm55]

76. Same here. Thank you KC19

[KC19]

86. The misbehaving characters

We enjoyed the intrigues caused by Rachel (AW) and Erica (AMC).

[debm55]

87. Wasn't Erica married like ten times????

[Alliepoo]

21. I remember my mom setting up the ironing board

In the living room so she could watch As The World Turns as she ironed. I also remember The Secret Storm, and Search For Tomorrow. As I got older my friends and I rushed home after school to watch Dark Shadows and when I was a teenager my best friend and I watched All My Children from the very first episode. When my kids were little and I was at home w them I watched Ryan’s Hope, The Young and the Restless, and The Guiding Light. Lots of soapy goodness thru the years!!

[debm55]

37. Alliepoo. Thank you. You were a true fan.

[John1956PA]

92. I remember "The Edge of Night."

I liked that title.

"The Guiding Light" was another favorite title of mine.

[Alliepoo]

93. Oh my gosh-yes!

I remember The Edge of Night, too! Completely forgot about that one!

[debm55]

110. Thank you John1956PA Guilding Light for me.

[Nictuku]

22. ABC Trio

All My Children, One Life to Live and General Hospital. I was around 16 when I started.

I still watch GH !!

[debm55]

35. Thank you Nictuku. I didn't know it was still on.

[dameatball]

24. Soaps have always made me cringe a little bit, but first one I remember seeing parts of was "Edge of Night."

As a kid I just didn't like all the emotional drama I guess. We had enough of that in the house just day to day. Dad worked and mom kept pretty busy at home. I don't recall her really watching soaps much either.

[debm55]

34. Thank you dameatball. I only watch as a kid and during my breaks as a teacher. When we adopted our son. I stopped. Had

more important things to do with my life then watching soaps. Grandmother and mother watched all day.at my grandmother. She would come home in time to make dinner at 5 o'clock.

[FarPoint]

26. Guiding Light was always my favorite...

Then Young and the Restless...

Let's not forget " Dark Shadows"....

[debm55]

29. Thank you FarPoint. I watched Young and Restless, too but only during the summers and then went cold turkey. I don't

ever thing I watched Dark Shadows , but I knew a lot of folks that did.

[kimbutgar]

27. All my Children

I got my first VCR to record it in the early 80’s. My ex husband used to get mad at me recording it and used to threaten to throw it off the deck. When I finally had enough it was one of the first things I took to my parents house besides my jewelry!

[debm55]

30. Good for you kimbutgar. You were so lucky to get out of that abusive relationship. You are a strong woman.

[subterranean]

28. General Hospital

During the Luke and Laura saga around 1979-1980. That's the only soap opera I was ever really interested in.

[debm55]

32. I never watched that , but I remember how everyone was interested in the wedding. It was big at the time. Thank you

[subterranean]

39. I had mostly lost interest in it by the time of the wedding.

But I really got hooked on it for a while, when they were on the run from Frank Smith, and after that when they got tangled up with the Cassadines and the “ice princess”. Ah, the memories!

[bullimiami]

31. Luke and Laura in GH of course.

[BuddhaGirl]

107. OMG I was so addicted to GH

from that era...so were most of my friends. We would gather for watch parties!

[debm55]

114. thank you bullimimiami. I didn't watch but I remember all of it from the media. I believe Liz Taylor was invited. It

was a big event.

[MiKenMi33]

33. Days of our Lives, Another World, and Search for Tomorrow

I kept up with Days until a few years ago. But when mom passed, I didn’t have anyone to discuss it with and I no longer enjoyed it.

[debm55]

78. Sorry, MikenMi33, Thank you for sharing with us.

[CrispyQ]

38. Dallas. Until Pam's dream. Although maybe that isn't technically a soap opera, just drama. ??? -nt

[debm55]

83. Thank you CrispyQ. I know it was a favorite of many. but I never watched it. Remember the "Who Shot JR" over the summer.

[Charlie Chapulin]

40. Dark Shadows

[debm55]

42. Thank you Charlie Chapulin.

[maptap22]

41. All My Children...I still miss it.

[debm55]

43. I watched that for a little while.

[ProfessorGAC]

44. My Mom Watched "As The World Turns"

Every day without fail. That was her show.
I was home sick (7 years old) and my mom, in the phone with her best friend, asked to turn to channel 2.
She was ending the phone call to get to her show when they broke in to say Kennedy was shot.
That's why I'll never forget that ATWT was her show.

[debm55]

45. Thank you ProfessorGAC, That is sad.

[AngryOldDem]

71. Whenever my mom mentioned the assassination, she always said she was watching ATWT.

The Cronkite bulletin is indelible. I’ve seen footage of it, and it is chilling how it goes from soap opera dialogue one second, to earth-shattering the next.

(I was in the next room taking my afternoon nap. I was 3.)

[Brother Buzz]

50. Norman Lear's Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman was the only soap I could ever wrap my head around

I know, I must have been born under an unlucky star. You know I have filled out entry blanks for every single drawing in the supermarket for the last twelve years, and the only thing I ever won was a coupon for a small little jar of tomato paste. But they were out of tomato paste, and by the time they got more in, my coupon had expired. And now I have venereal disease. - Mary Hartman

[debm55]

84. Thank you Brother Buzz. That was on late at night, wasn't it?

[Brother Buzz]

88. Yes, and syndicated directly to independent television stations - The networks passed on a good thing

https://m.

&pp=ygUZbWFyeSBoYXJ0bWFuIG1hcnkgaGFydG1hbg%3D%3D

[Deep State Witch]

51. Guiding Light

When everyone else was watching General Hospital in the early 80's, I was watching Guiding Light. I met John Wesley Shipp (Kelly Nelson) pre-COVID. He's a great guy and a self-described "red diaper baby." He's definitely a liberal.

[debm55]

54. That's the one I watch and do remember Nola and the musicals they put on?

[Deep State Witch]

60. Loved Them!

I loved the musicals!

[debm55]

85. Me too.

[NowsTheTime]

52. None...couldn't stand soap operas...

[debm55]

66. Thank you NowsTheTime

[NowsTheTime]

122. You're Welcome

[Mz Pip]

53. General Hospital

I started watching it in college in 1967. I lost interest a few years ago.

[debm55]

124. Thank you Mz Pip

[LoisB]

55. My grandmother was a Guiding Light watcher. I preferred All My Children - mainly because of Erica Kane (Susan

Lucci). She was something else.

[debm55]

125. thank you LoisB

[catbyte]

56. I watched most of the CBS ones: The Edge of Night, The Guiding Light, As the World Turns

with my grandma. My mom worked days, my dad nights, so he was usually sleeping when I got out of school. So I went to my grandparents' house, which was just down our long driveway. I would go home around 5 p.m. to set the table for the dinner my dad always cooked on weekdays. My mom would get crabby if dinner wasn't ready when she got home at about 5:30. I thought that's how all families worked in the early 1960s, lol. My folks were feminist icons and they didn't even know it.

[debm55]

73. Thank you very much for sharing with us.My family would be CBS too.

[OnlinePoker]

57. As the Stomach Turns from Carol Burnett

I never started watching a soap until I was an adult and then got into the British one Coronation Street. I find the stories move so much faster than in U.S. soaps.

[debm55]

64. HAHHAHAHAHAH, That is funny. I remember that.Thank you OnlinePoker

[OnlinePoker]

81. Thanks to YouTube, here's the skit

[debm55]

104. Thank you very much. OnlinePoker

[Wiz Imp]

58. Santa Barbara

Watched it steadily for about 3 or so years in the late 80's. Always hated soap operas but was turned onto SB by someone who said I should give it a try since it was not like other soaps. He was right. It never took itself very seriously and contained a ton of humor. I think it was one of the funnier shows on TV at a time in the late 80's - better than many sitcoms. It never had high ratings but won 3 straight emmys for best soap opera during the period I watched. I stopped watching when many of the leading cast members started leaving the show (The cast through about 1989 was fantastic but definitely went down hill fast after that - as did the quality of the writing).

[debm55]

62. Thank you Wiz Imp It sounds like it was fun to watch.

[AngryOldDem]

59. Ryan's Hope during summer break, Guiding Light year-round.

I got home from school right around the time GL started.

[debm55]

61. Thank you AngryOIdDem. I watched the Guided Light after school. When I was young it was on earlier in the afternoon.

Really liked Nola.

[AngryOldDem]

63. Nola, LOL, and her fantasies.

Ryan’s Hope was notable for the debut of Kate Mulgrew, who I absolutely love to this day. It was her first TV gig, and she was all of 20.

[debm55]

70. I remember that. She was Dah"s daughter at the bar.

[Onthefly]

65. The Secret Storm

What a mess of a family!

[debm55]

67. HAhahAhAHAHAHAHH that;s funny. Thank you Onthefly

[SWBTATTReg]

74. Gunsmoke. My grandmother and grand grandmother always loved Matt Dillon and Festus every week.

I know it wasn't the typical soap opera, but it was their weekly show, that everything had to stop, and we all get together in the LR to watch it.

[debm55]

82. Thank you SWBTATTReg Thank you very much for sharing your memories.

[RainCaster]

77. "As the stomach turns" was on at most houses

My mom couldn't stand any of the soaps, so it was never on at our house.

[debm55]

79. Thank you RainCaster.

[moniss]

89. I've written a little before about being young and at my Great

Grandmother's house in the afternoon and she was an adamant believer that the cameras were showing real life rather than a script. Her absolute favorites were "The Edge of Night" and "The Secret Storm". If you made noise or asked her for anything during those two shows it was going to be big trouble. She also liked the old original "Divorce Court".

[debm55]

90. Thank you moniss for sharing your memories with us.

[BarbaRosa]

91. We got into 'All My Children' for awhile.

I even had an 'Opal's Glamorama' tee shirt made.

[debm55]

102. Thank you BarbaRosa. I watched for awhile. Remember Opal and her family from WV.

[Doc_Technical]

94. "Upstairs, Downstairs" on PBS

also "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman"

[debm55]

101. Thank you Doc_Technical.

[Elessar Zappa]

95. Which one has the character of Victor Newman?

My mom watched that one.

[debm55]

100. I think it was the Young and the Restless. Thank you Elessar Zappa. Did you watch it too?

[Montauk6]

96. Guiding Light and Days Of Our Lives

[debm55]

99. Thank you Montauk6. Mine was the Guiding Light.

[Montauk6]

123. And I always favored Mart Hulswit's Ed Bauer or Peter Simon's ; )

[debm55]

126. Thank you Montauk6

[Mad_Dem_X]

97. General Hospital in the 80's - only because

Rick Springfield was on it.

[debm55]

98. HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAH. Agree. Mad_Dem_X

[NH Ethylene]

106. One Life To Live

I watched it for years when I was a teen and when I was home with little kids.

[debm55]

116. Thank you NH Ethylene. I returned when I took a two year Leave with my son.

[Mike Nelson]

109. Dark Shadows...

... was the only "Daytime" one. I thought they were so slow-moving. It seemed like the characters would take a week to drink a cup of coffee! I did like most of the "Nighttime" soap operas - they moved faster.

[debm55]

117. Thank you Mike Nelson. I think at night they did have to move faster. Sometimes during the day a storyline would take

weeks to get through. Night soaps were only on once a week and day soaps were on 5 times. Might have needed more filler during the day.

[Polly Hennessey]

113. Santa Barbara. Loved the cast: A Martinez, Marcy Walker, Robin Wright.

Loved their houses. After awhile I became bored. 🥱
Took too long for stuff to happen. Guess that’s what Soaps are all about.

[debm55]

118. Thank you Polly Hennessey. There was a point where I stopped watching too. The Nola musical stopped on Guided Light and

a western family took over. It lost me.

[if..fish..had..wings]

115. Like sands through the hourglass

so go the Days of Our Lives

[debm55]

119. HAHAHAHAHHA. That's funny. Thank you. if..fish..had..wings

[valleyrogue]

120. Guiding Light and As the World Turns

The best years of GL in my opinion were in the late 1970s to 1980, when the late, great Michael Zaslow was the center of the show as Roger Thorpe. He was irreplaceable. It and ATWT weren't that great later on, but during that era, they were really good, especially GL.

There is a very old YouTube channel whose owner passed away many years ago, in 2008 to be exact, but he put up a great many videos of vintage GL storylines (he uploaded them by storylines rather than entire episodes). I think he was in touch with somebody who had the late seventies episodes on Betamax tapes (and also official VHS compilations), so that viewers could once again see those storylines. The channel is Classic GL:

https://www.youtube.com/@classicGL

[debm55]

121. Thank you very much vallerogue. I will try that.

[brush]

127. "Dark Shadows" long ago. Then the night time soaps "Dallas" an "Dynasty" and the rest later.

[debm55]

130. Thank you ,Brush.

[Jeebo]

128. Days of Our Lives

That was in the late 1970s, when I was in my late twenties. I was thoroughly hooked on it for several years. I finally stopped watching it when I became seriously OD'd on it. There was literally no end to it. Enough!

-- Ron

[debm55]

131. Jeebo. Thank you and I agree.

[Playingmantis]

129. Young Doctor Malone

I never watched soap operas but my grandmother never missed Dr. Malone.

.I prefered Space Patrol.. THE US version ..never saw the British version which came out decades later

I still remember the opening..

"High adventures in the wild vast regions of space!
missions of daring in the name of interplanetary justice!

Travel into the future with Buzz Correy..
Commander of SPAAAACE PATROL!!

[debm55]

132. Thank you , Playingmantis.

[ArnoldLayne]

133. The Young & The Restless

[debm55]

134. Thank you ArnoldLayne.

[mvd]

135. Great question!

I started watching Young and the Restless in high school and Bold and the Beautiful in my 20s. The stories and cliffhangers are hard to resist. Hi Deb!