Here are my thoughts on Afternoon Delight Why Soaps Still Matter by Carolyn Hinsey. If you haven’t read the book, there are spoilers in content. I’m not going to give away everything, but this summary and commentary is just on the last half of the book.
Chapter nine is called: soaps the first social network. This chapter focuses upon social issues in soap operas. It summarizes Irna Phillips’ early plots. Then goes into more contemporary examples like Monica’s cancer story on General Hospital, Holly being raped by Roger on Guiding Light, AIDS on GH and STD on Y&R (Paul and Nikki). Hinsey mentions how sexually transmitted diseases and condoms used to be mentioned on shows, but seldom are today. And I find that to be true as at one point, programs would make note of usage (even Robin and Stone used protection, but not every time, which is how she became HIV Positive.) Other topics included OLTL’s Viki having DID, Maurice Bernard being bi-polar like his GH character Sonny, B&B and homeless people. There is also a mention that people stopped smoking in soaps (unless they were evil way back in the 1940s.) Now that’s a fascinating note.
Chapter ten is called it’s not always TIIC (the idiots in charge). This goes into detail about problem performers. She writes about Michael Nadar (Dimitri on AMC) having problems with alcohol and drugs, ATWT and what happened when Michael David Morrison who died of a drug overdose (I remember hearing about that on the news) and Nathaniel Marston’s issues at both ATWT and OLTL. Those are stories viewers have heard about, but there are others we have never heard. Hinsey gives an example of how it works, and she also mentions how some performers ruined their looks with plastic surgery. Another thing that programs have to deal with is romantic relationships among actors, sometimes it works, but other times it is a disaster. This section has a lot of interesting blind items, that I have no clue, whom she is mentioning. Sometimes though the reasons someone is let go aren’t as serious. She gives an example of when she was at GH one day at an actress cut her hair without permission, and taping was held up as the program had to add extensions. Sometimes actors get upset with material and complain, which also can cause problems. I’m of two minds with this as in some cases, the actors do have a better idea of their characters (or how viewers see their character) than the people scripting the material. She ends the chapter with comments about how she believes fans don’t want to know, and sometimes how shows protect the performers by taking the heat for them. I think some viewers don’t want to know, while others like myself appreciate knowing as much as possible even if it may potentially turn me off of an actor as sometimes knowing more causes the opposite effect.
Chapter eleven is called but sometimes it is TIIC fault. She starts with the preemption of soaps back in the summer of 1973 for Watergate. (Hinsey doesn’t mention Iran-Contra that made Oliver North famous back in the 80s, I wonder how that messed up ratings as some shows aired, but others were not.) Then she talks about OJ Simpson and includes how the ratings went down. She then mentions the Internet and how the shows didn’t properly use the new media to promote. Then Hinsey goes into youth stories of the 90s hurting the shows. I was in the under 24 demo then, and my favorite performers primarily were old enough to be my parents, so there. In this chapter, Doug Marland is discussed and how ATWT spun out of control after that happened. She shares two examples of really bad ATWT stories (Danni and Nikki) and a Sarah Kasnoff episode. The chapter ends with Marland’s list, and how things got better until the show died.
Chapter twelve is called naming names. This is the chapter that should be of interest to fans of ATWT and GL. Hinsey goes into detail (especially with GL) about how things went wrong. Basically to summarize she says that hubris on the parts of Goutman and Wheeler played a major part. She starts the part on GL talking about Beverlee McKinsey’s (Alex) departure from GL, but says there was a hole when she left even if the show was at a creative high. The next domino was the death of Maureen Bauer. Nothing is mentioned about what happened after that unfortunately, as that is part of the why GL fell apart like how it was moved in different parts of the country and stories became tabloid-like in the wake of OJ Simpson and everything that went on with Michael Zaslow (Roger) getting sick and losing his job. Hinsey skips ahead to when Rauch comes in and the outrageous Reva stories like cloning, San Cristobel and the mob. The last two worked but not long term. Then Conboy was mentioned and how he fought with Mary Alice Dwyer-Dobbin and the FCC issues. The history of how Wheeler got to GL is explained. One comment Hinsey made that I appreciated was “...the most interesting characters lost their individuality, and the popular actors started to leave.” Basically the veteran characters couldn’t be in scenes together due to money, people watch for that, and Wheeler allowed actors to leave that were beloved and replaced them with newbie actors and recasts. She ended that and Irna rolling in her grave. Then she goes into detail using quotes about the Wednesday episodes. The last section about GL was excerpted in SOD. The ATWT section goes into details about Goutman’s past career before ATWT. The InTurn web show is discussed, which was a reality show to cast people on the program. She goes into detail after that about Martha Byrne (Lily) and what went down with her leaving ATWT.
Chapter thirteen is called the ABC’s of soaps: Kane was able. This focuses on ABC daytime and starts with how Susan Lucci is the face of daytime. How ABC owned their shows, and how great it was how they had so many long timers on their network especially for the sake of continuity. Two controversial stories are written about how AMC rewrote Erica’s abortion and Dixie’s death by pancakes. Another example given of a mistake is how Jamie Luner was hired to play Liza on AMC, when there are a lot of other characters that would fit her better. Hinsey has one insider who went on a tear over what happened on AMC and said it was “pathetic to see what the crown jewel in daytime was reduced to. Everyone was either cast aside or told they’re replaceable.” When I read that, I thought sadly that this is how I feel as a viewer. Then Hinsey mentioned the shock over OLTL being cancelled at the same time as they were doing a lot better than AMC in the ratings. She mentions Oprah also and quotes part of a posting made by Catherine Hickland who was Lindsay on OLTL.
Chapter fourteen is called how to save soaps: go back to the basics. This chapter goes into things that could help. Product placement, cutting the cast, fixing the ratings system, looking to Spanish soap operas, airing on radio, showing reruns, social media, and having a good talented writer (in the guise like someone like Irna Phillips or Y&R creator Bill Bell) are all listed. Some of these things may work, but others may not, (considering what was said about GL, cutting the cast on that show did not.) I’d love reruns if they were old enough, but other than P&G’s attempt with Another World on television, there haven’t been any recent rebroadcasts.
Chapter fifteen is called where the art is today. She writes about how she doesn’t get how some shows are hits with fewer viewers than soaps (like The Daily Show). Hinsey shared her open letter to Anne Sweeney (Disney/ABC President). She also states that reality shows won’t replace soaps. She goes into detail about each of the shows (GH, OLTL, Days, B&B, AMC and Y&R). What she sees as their pros, their cons, their prognosis and some suggested improvements. This section is interesting and timely.
Chapter sixteen is called the heart of the matter. It wraps up everything in a bow. How soaps are for some like sports are for others, ICAM with that. Also how the numbers of viewers are there, but aren’t being counter, and that people should contact networks before their beloved shows are cancelled. Social issues is mentioned again. Connection, comfort and family the shows bring is also brought to mind. Things like the Horton Christmas on Days are unique to daytime. I like how she says picture the things we’ve lost as she does this as do I. She ends the chapter and the text of the book with a quote from Frank Valentini (executive producer of OLTL), which basically sums up how in soaps people can follow their heart as you will always be loved and who doesn’t want that? And Hinsey ends it with Indeed.
The very end of the book has a black and white picture gallery, which left me a bit puzzled. I say this as it mentions Christopher Walken playing Mike Bauer as a child on GL. The Schemering book from the 1980s’ states that Glenn Walken his brother played the part primarily and he just filled in sometimes. So I wonder is that picture of Chris or his brother. Another GL related photo is marked as being from the 50s and I know it is from the 60s based on the cast.
This summary was a lot longer than I expected for the second half. I apologize for that. The book had a lot of detail about the shows, and many interesting blind items. Like any good non-fiction book, it made me think about what my own ideas are. I also appreciated that while opinions were shared, they were explained.
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