Television has always been a fantastic way to tell thoughtful, emotional stories and to take our minds off the stressful daily routine. And since the middle of the 2000s, we have been enjoying the so-called ‘Golden Age of Television’. But the road to the mind-blowing action series, sharp comedies and touching dramas have been long and bumpy. And it starts with the soap operas. The melodramatically eventful shows have laid the foundations of the television programs that we know and love today.

From the moment they started airing on TV, they have ruled both daytime and primetime television. Week after week, year after year, soap operas gradually turned into obsessions for millions of people around the world. Some of the most successful and loved soaps have been on the air for decades, introducing new characters, changing hundreds of plots and dealing with issues and beliefs of different generations.

What is a Soap Opera?

A soap opera, by definition, is a television or radio serial dealing particularly with domestic situations and everyday life. The term soap opera has, at times, been generally applied to any romantic serial, but it is also used to describe more naturalistic primetime drama series. More often than not, soap operas, also known simply as soaps or soapies, follow the daily lives of regular people. This might sound a bit dull at first, but as you’ve probably seen, soap opera actors have the powers to exaggerate and overact situations that in other context seem regular.

Their ability to express their emotions and make simple arguments and actions seem like a huge drama is at the heart of a successful soap opera. Quite often, a large percent of the fanbase follows and supports certain shows only because of the outstanding acting performances of particular actors or actresses. Melodramatic, intense and passionate acting is the gist of a soap opera. Most of the time, a large portion of the cast is young, beautiful and charming women and men, which can hardly be a negative. However, to get an idea of the pace of such TV series, we’ve included the top 10 soap operas below, alongside the current count of their episodes:

As you can see, most soap operas do have certain storylines, but usually, they run quite slowly and lead to further developments. A crucial element that defines soap operas is the open-ended serial nature of the narrative. Stories and plots that can be told and shown in a few minutes usually span over several episodes. The strategy to end the episode at the most crucial point, where the main character is about to say, do or face something that you have been waiting for the whole chapter (or even season), is essential for the success of the genre.

This form of entertainment, in which each episode ends with a promise that the storyline will be continued in another episode, holds the audience on edge, eager to wait until the next show. Now you know why your current favourite TV series ends in this open-ended style. Because it works. It keeps you wondering what will happen, what will be the outcome, will the main hero be able to make the right decision. It all comes from the so-called mother of TV shows – the soap opera.

The Birth of Soap Operas

The first serial considered to be a soap opera debuted nearly a century ago, in 1930. Obviously, television wasn’t created yet, so it was broadcasted on a Chicago radio station. The name of the show was Painted Dreams, and the duration of a single episode was about 15 minutes. The soapy aired for nearly 13 years and laid the foundations of this genre.

The storyline followed a relationship between a mother and her unmarried daughter. Irna Phillips was not only the scriptwriter and creator of the show, but she also played multiple roles, including the one of the main character Mother Moynihan. The soap opera aired during the day (normally five days a week), and most of the listeners were housewives. That was actually the main aim of the show as it was targeted at a predominantly female audience.

As this whole genre and type of entertainment was new for the people, it took some time to get a regular base of audience, but soon enough, it became a hit. Especially among bored housewives, who spent their whole days at home. After all, luxuries such as television or internet weren’t available for the biggest part of the 20th century. There were no TV shows and programs, no social media platforms, no online stores and gambling websites, no Netflix or PlayStation. The diversity that soap operas brought was a breath of fresh air.

Soap Opera Viewership, Trends and Statistics

Undoubtedly, the peak of soap operas was during the final years of the 20th century. Since the 2000s, soap opera ratings started to fall, and daytime television viewing declined. New generations of potential viewers were no longer raised watching soapies with their mothers or grandmothers. This left the shows’ long and complex storylines foreign to younger audiences. The average viewers’ age started to grow, and many soapies that have been airing for decades were cancelled one by one. The major networks began to count more on talk shows and game shows for their daytime programs. The rise of cable and the internet also provided new sources for entertainment during the day.

The highest number of soap operas running simultaneously was during the 1969-1970 season – a total of 19 soapies. During the 1990-1991 season, this number had fallen to 12. Another 20 years later, there were just four daytime soap operas running on three major networks in the United States. The decrease in viewership was mind-blowing. Just for example, the longest-running soap opera in television, Guiding Light, barely reached 2 million daily viewers in 2009, while a decade ago this number was three times bigger. It was cancelled after a 72-year run, along with many other long broadcasting soapies.

In 2012, the only daytime soap operas that managed to keep up with the trends and stayed on air were The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless, and General Hospital. A number of external factors also contributed to the fall of soap operas. The Great Recession led shows to reduce their budgets and cast sizes. The removal of key characters, the lack of diversity and the cliché plots assisted in the genre’s decline.

Some popular soaps like All My Children or One Life to Live tried to keep up with the times and started broadcasting online, trying to revive their success. It didn’t work. People were no longer attracted to the soap opera genre, as they were getting their daily dose of melodrama, romance and secrets from reality TV shows, talk shows, modernistic TV series, and of course the world wide web.

It is undeniable that soap operas had a good run. For more than 70 years they ruled both daytime radio and television, getting millions and millions of fans as the kings of drama. American daytime television was described as the TV’s richest market for many years, mainly due to the soap operas fan base. Soapies certainly set the standards in the industry, in terms not only of profits but viewer interest and satisfaction.

Soap Operas and Gambling

It shouldn’t come as any surprise that even soap operas have found their way into the gambling industry. After all, the love and dedication of millions of soap opera fans can’t be wiped out and forgotten. And as we’re experiencing the boom of the online gambling industry, it is understandable that internationally respected software gambling providers have produced games dedicated to some of the all-time favourite soapies. You can play the best real money slots online and take a dip in the past, by meeting again some of the favourite characters and plots of our grandparents.

Some of the most played and favoured slot titles dedicated to soap operas are Days of Our Slots by Arrows Edge, Beverley Hills by iSoftBet, As the Reels Turn 1, 2 and 3 by Rival Gaming, La Romantica slot by Booming Games, and of course the Bold and the Beautiful slot by NeoGames. Most of these games can be found at most of the top slot sites, so if you want to take a trip on Memory Lane and have some fun, you should definitely check them out.

Slot Sites as Entertaining as the Best Soap Operas

Nowadays, the competition among online gambling providers is fierce. Attracting new customers is not an easy task, and online casinos use various strategies to allure new players and hold on to their regulars. From a player’s point of view, this can only be an advantage, as there are more perks, bonuses, games, rewards and offers at the best slot sites. Online gambling fans have access to a massive game diversity, especially those playing at the top UK casinos.

And just like the soap operas were dethroned by the more modernistic TV shows and serials, not only in the US but in the world, the top gambling websites surpassed land-based casinos in terms of popularity and customers’ base. When you play real money slots online, there are many advantages, most notably the availability of bonuses, the convenience of playing from the comfort of your home and the possibility to play free online slots USA.

Unexperienced players can try the most popular slot titles, whether they’re soap opera-related or not, in free demo mode, without risking any real money. This way, they can get acquainted with the rules, payouts and bonuses of the slots, and decide if the game is up to their likings. Canadian free slots also enjoy huge popularity these days, so in case you’re out and about somewhere in Northern America make sure to check them out.