New Daytime Soap Opera at CBS In Development

[AbrahamJSimpson]

It was 35 years ago, meaning much of a target audience was either not born for its brief life or too young to have followed it. And it ranked at the bottom (or second from the bottom for a bit) among +/- a dozen soaps, and didn’t even make it two years. Absolutely nothing about that moves it into a “reboot” discussion.

No one outside a forum like this cares a whit about whether BTG is “the original” or not. The target audience doesn’t remember it, and the audience that was alive back then didn’t tune in enough to keep it alive.

Of course NBC will watch what happens. So will ABC. It’s what competition is all about. Peacock already has one soap and the occasional limited-run offshoot. The idea they’d sink the investment into a “me-too” show is improbable enough; that they’d do so with a show that was never a hit in the first place defies logic. And all of that would assume BTG takes off, which is far from a sure thing.

 

[JeeperOne]

I wouldn't say that. Generations was THE ORIGINAL show to feature a predominantly minority cast & had something of a following. It's only problem is it was ahead of its time

BTG is behind the 8 ball in the sense that it doesn't have such a following & is only the original amongst the younger generation. But those of us who were alive (And still be in that all important demo you experts love to talk about) when Generations debuted on NBC back in gthe mid 1980s, iBTG is not the original

This is why I believe Peacock at some point will reboot Generations (If you don't think they won't be eyeing what CBS/Paramount+ do with BTG & the success they have, you are fooling yourself)

It was 35 years ago, meaning much of a target audience was either not born for its brief life or too young to have followed it. And it ranked at the bottom (or second from the bottom for a bit) among +/- a dozen soaps, and didn’t even make it two years. Absolutely nothing about that moves it into a “reboot” discussion.

No one outside a forum like this cares a whit about whether BTG is “the original” or not. The target audience doesn’t remember it, and the audience that was alive back then didn’t tune in enough to keep it alive.

Of course NBC will watch what happens. So will ABC. It’s what competition is all about. Peacock already has one soap and the occasional limited-run offshoot. The idea they’d sink the investment into a “me-too” show is improbable enough; that they’d do so with a show that was never a hit in the first place defies logic. And all of that would assume BTG takes off, which is far from a sure thing.

Even so, Peacock will use Generations (Obviously recasted) to launch a competitor to BTG (And to complment DOOL)

As for ABC, unless they decide to let Prime Video have the entire ABC soaps library (It already has GH as a freevie channel), they won't do anything

 

[PTBoardOp93]

This is why I believe Peacock at some point will reboot Generations (If you don't think they won't be eyeing what CBS/Paramount+ do with BTG & the success they have, you are fooling yourself)

My money is on Beyond the Gates being cancelled less than two years after its debut. With the Skydance-Paramount merger, corporate raiders are coming. A new show without a loyal audience, and with a huge crew seems unlikely to avoid the budget axe.

IMO the best chance Beyond the Gates has is to attract an audience to daytime serials that hasn't previously watched, by becoming a hit on Paramount+.

 

[JeeperOne]

It would be cancelled on CBS (As Y&R & B&B will eventually be too) BUT would remain alive & well on Paramount+ though

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Even so, Peacock will use Generations (Obviously recasted) to launch a competitor to BTG (And to complment DOOL)

As for ABC, unless they decide to let Prime Video have the entire ABC soaps library (It already has GH as a freevie channel), they won't do anything

In what fantasy world is Peacock adding Generations, a show no one cares about about the first time? No one is “using” a failure from three and a half decades ago to compete against a show that has zero track record at this point. Is the obsession here that they are going to be so desperate for a Black led soap?

One business doing something does not mean another business will do the same. CBS is doing fine with a pair of game shows as part of their schedule. Where is NBC/Peacock’s Price is Right clone?

Generations was a dud. No one is reviving a dud.

 

[Larry]

No one is “using” a failure from three and a half decades ago to compete against a show that has zero track record at this point.

Even if Peacock did reboot Generations (which i agree they won’t) I wouldn’t view it as “competing” in the same way broadcast channels compete with each other. Although everyone is competing for limited audience viewing/listening hours, one can easily stream both a show on Paramount + and Peacock. I think the competition might be more for paid subscribers of the respective streaming services.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Even if Peacock did reboot Generations (which i agree they won’t) I wouldn’t view it as “competing” in the same way broadcast channels compete with each other.

Absolutely great point.

 

[JeeperOne]

In what fantasy world is Peacock adding Generations, a show no one cares about about the first time? No one is “using” a failure from three and a half decades ago to compete against a show that has zero track record at this point. Is the obsession here that they are going to be so desperate for a Black led soap?

One business doing something does not mean another business will do the same. CBS is doing fine with a pair of game shows as part of their schedule. Where is NBC/Peacock’s Price is Right clone?

Generations was a dud. No one is reviving a dud.

It was a dud then because it was pn OTA TV. Streaming is a different arena. So if FGenerations can'rt be rebooted, then NO ONE ashould be in the business of reboorting ANY show. Justg give up. Just give up on them all

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

It was a dud then because it was pn OTA TV.

So that was a dud specifically because it was on broadcast TV. But General Hospital, Young & Restless, Days of our Lives (in the same era) that were on the same platform….they weren’t duds. Generations was hardly alone in being a dud, but it wasn’t because of the platform.

Streaming is a different arena. So if FGenerations can'rt be rebooted, then NO ONE ashould be in the business of reboorting ANY show.

Remind us which other soap opera has been “rebooted” in the current era. Hint: it’s a reallllly short list. Like…zero.

Even with Days’ move to Peacock, did Disney jump into the game with Hulu as a new home for All My Children? One Life to Live? Port Charles? Loving? The City? Ryan’s Hope?

No, because not everyone has the exact same business model and approach to content. NBC already has a streaming soap. They’ve done a few offshoots for limited runs, and seem perfectly fine with that. The expense of starting up a new soap from scratch without the dual platform distribution is prohibitive as it is. Picking a long-dead flop as the pet project is pure comedy.

Justg give up. Just give up on them all

The ones that are long dead? Yeah. That’s what you do. Good lord, they’d be smarter to bring back Santa Barbara, and even that would be ludicrous.

 

[JeeperOne]

It was a dud then because it was pn OTA TV. Streaming is a different arena. So if FGenerations can'rt be rebooted, then NO ONE ashould be in the business of reboorting ANY show. Justg give up. Just give up on them all

So that was a dud specifically because it was on broadcast TV.

And it was the 1980s. Generations (As everyone including NBC found out) was ahead of its time

But General Hospital, Young & Restless, Days of our Lives (in the same era) that were on the same platform….they weren’t duds. Generations was hardly alone in being a dud, but it wasn’t because of the platform.

They weren't duds because they were (And still are) time tested proven hits. Generations wasn't the only dud in the end as (If you recall) CBS cancelled Capitol (The successor to SFT on CBS) in 1987

WHO would've thunk THAT?? Not me that's for sure

Remind us which other soap opera has been “rebooted” in the current era. Hint: it’s a reallllly short list. Like…zero.

There's a first time for everything you know (Remember Generations was the first soap of its kind)

Even with Days’ move to Peacock, did Disney jump into the game with Hulu as a new home for All My Children? One Life to Live? Port Charles? Loving? The City? Ryan’s Hope?

I think ABC has been trying to decide how it was going to handle the streaming of GH (Let alone any other soap they've aired). Remember while NBC has Peacock & CBS has Paramount+ (And Pluto TV for that matter), ABC has no such companion service (Ditto with FOX & The CW but that's a different story) & it seems like ABC has settled on Amazon Prime Video since it has a GH channel on there (Not sure if it can be seen elsewhere or not as I've only seen it there)

The ones that are long dead? Yeah. That’s what you do. Good lord, they’d be smarter to bring back Santa Barbara, and even that would be ludicrous.

SB itself might be but a new soap based on the same premise as SB (Either Santa Barbara or Sunset Beach) probably wouldn't be though

 

[PTBoardOp93]

Remember while NBC has Peacock & CBS has Paramount+ (And Pluto TV for that matter), ABC has no such companion service (Ditto with FOX & The CW but that's a different story) & it seems like ABC has settled on Amazon Prime Video since it has a GH channel on there (Not sure if it can be seen elsewhere or not as I've only seen it there)

Huh? ABC's typical streaming service is Hulu, which is another division of the Walt Disney Company. I checked, and General Hospital streams on Hulu.

 

[fybush]

Huh? ABC's typical streaming service is Hulu, which is another division of the Walt Disney Company. I checked, and General Hospital streams on Hulu.

It's Jeeper. The next time he's right about something like this will be the first time.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

And it was the 1980s. Generations (As everyone including NBC found out) was ahead of its time

So because nearly four decades later someone happens to be producing a show with a predominantly Black cast, but otherwise not the same main premise, which may or may not succeed….you think that qualifies as ahead of its time? Did you write for the show or something? It flopped. It wasn’t ahead of anything except the pink slip line.

They weren't duds because they were (And still are) time tested proven hits. Generations wasn't the only dud in the end as (If you recall) CBS cancelled Capitol (The successor to SFT on CBS) in 1987

No one is forgetting plenty of other duds, that one included. Capitol was never the point. However its successor fared very well. It’s almost like audiences rejected some shows and embraced others. Guess which bucket Generations was in?

There's a first time for everything you know (Remember Generations was the first soap of its kind)

There’s really not a first time for reviving a 35 year old soap that fell flat the first time and apart from perhaps one obsessed fan, is a non-entity in the history of the genre. We get it. It had a Black cast. This new one does. Both have to stand on their own.

ABC has no such companion service

The word is Hulu.

SB itself might be but a new soap based on the same premise as SB (Either Santa Barbara or Sunset Beach) probably wouldn't be though

They would. They really would. There is no new golden age of soaps. This new one has other factors behind it and has yet to deliver a single set of ratings.

 

[JeeperOne]

Huh? ABC's typical streaming service is Hulu, which is another division of the Walt Disney Company. I checked, and General Hospital streams on Hulu.

GH also streams on Prime Video too. I've seen it

 

[JeeperOne]

So because nearly four decades later someone happens to be producing a show with a predominantly Black cast, but otherwise not the same main premise, which may or may not succeed….you think that qualifies as ahead of its time? Did you write for the show or something? It flopped. It wasn’t ahead of anything except the pink slip line.

Yes I did. And it was cancelled, no one was surprised because barely anyone knew it was there

No one is forgetting plenty of other duds, that one included. Capitol was never the point. However its successor fared very well. It’s almost like audiences rejected some shows and embraced others. Guess which bucket Generations was in?

Capitol was never on point as it kept straying away from why CBs gave Capitol its chance with the storylines it had. That's why CBS dumped it

But since politics is an evolving thing, if ANY of the old soaps has a chance of success at a second life as a streaming soap on Paramount+ (Not on CBS at all), Capitol would be it. Naturally because it's been nearly been 40 years since the show has been on the air, they would have to start from scratch since very few would remember who the central characters were anyway

They would. They really would. There is no new golden age of soaps. This new one has other factors behind it and has yet to deliver a single set of ratings.

Not in streaming anyways Streaming is still a new medium. On Broadcast TV, there's a plethora of old soap operas, If you poke around on YouTube enough, you'll stumble across a few surviving episodes (some in VERY GOOD quality)

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Yes I did.

Uh huh. Sure.

And it was cancelled, no one was surprised because barely anyone knew it was there

Now, let’s think this through. No one knew it existed, so let’s reboot that. Do you see the issue there?

Capitol was never on point

The point of the thread 🙄

as it kept straying away from why CBs gave Capitol its chance with the storylines it had. That's why CBS dumped it

They dumped it for ratings. That’s how the business works. No one at CBS said let’s kill it because it’s doing soapy stories on a soap.

But since politics is an evolving thing, if ANY of the old soaps has a chance of success at a second life as a streaming soap on Paramount+ (Not on CBS at all), Capitol would be it.

Oh my lord, another DOA soap that could be revived? No.

Naturally because it's been nearly been 40 years since the show has been on the air, they would have to start from scratch since very few would remember who the central characters were anyway

You’re sooooooo close.

On Broadcast TV, there's a plethora of old soap operas,

There’s literally not.

If you poke around on YouTube enough, you'll stumble across a few surviving episodes (some in VERY GOOD quality)

YouTube is great. It’s not broadcast TV.

 

[CentralFL]

Remind us which other soap opera has been “rebooted” in the current era. Hint: it’s a reallllly short list. Like…zero.

Neighbours on Freevee/Amazon. It was cancelled in 2022 and returned to streaming in 2023. It's a daily Australian soap, most of its viewers are in Britain and it is frequently Amazon's #1 streaming show.

 

[Larry]

Neighbours on Freevee/Amazon. It was cancelled in 2022 and returned to streaming in 2023.

Correct although that was rebooted within one year of cancellation. The suggestions people are making to reboot cancelled soaps in this thread were cancelled 20 or 30 years ago

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Correct although that was rebooted within one year of cancellation. The suggestions people are making to reboot cancelled soaps in this thread were cancelled 20 or 30 years ago

Indeed, and we’re talking US. That was more a continuation after a gap.

 

[CentralFL]

True it isn't a domestic soap, but it is an example of a reboot.

Many soap viewers get upset if their stories were interrupted by a sports game or major breaking news. A year gap is really bad.

If not a reboot, it's at least an example is a recesatated soap.