Do you think Soap deserved the level of controversy, outcry, and protests that it received or do you think that it was fairly benign compared to what's on the airwaves these days? Let us know what you think in the comments.
▬Contents of this video▬ 00:00 - Intro 01:22 - Critics Were Split And The Controversy Never Died Down 02:06 - It Was A Solid Parody 02:58 - Soap's Plot In A Nutshell 04:40 - Network Censors Voiced Their Concerns 05:23 - ABC Abruptly Dropped Soap At The Season 4 Cliffhanger 06:57 - Outro
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Soap was a groundbreaking, parody of daytime soap operas created by Susan Harris. The series made its debut on ABC on Tuesday, September 13, 1977. From the very beginning, the show was plagued with controversy. Even before the show had even premiered, there were six months of constant protests and public outcry.
In March of that year, network executives at the 195 ABC affiliate stations across the United States screened the show's pilot. To say that they didn't like what they saw is putting it mildly.
The show's recurring themes of sex and infidelity resulted in what some have called a moral panic. As a result, the series almost failed to even make its debut as religious groups made it their mission to campaign against it. In addition to sex and cheating, conservative viewers were horrified about how the show presented subjects like homosexuality. Today, such themes are pretty much par for the course, but back in those days, they were still considered to be taboo.
ABC refused to abandon the show. They weren't going to just cancel it. So much money and hard work had already gone into its development. They were determined to let the 'show go on', as it were, no matter what. In fact, they even reduced the sponsor fees from $75,000 a spot down to just 40 grand in order to hold onto their sponsors. While this move certainly 'sweetened the deal', corporate sponsors continued to be apprehensive about supporting the controversial program.
The controversy only created more hype and publicity for the series. While some people were vehemently opposed to its subject perceived 'raunchy' material, for everyone else, it was something fresh and new. When it premiered, it won its time slot and went on to rank #13 in the Nielsen ratings for its first season.
Soap went on to air for four seasons before wrapping up on April 20, 1981. Despite being met with mixed critical reception, it developed a devoted following and has since left behind a glowing legacy. It has even been listed on various critics' list of the top television shows of all time.
In addition to declining ratings, scandal, ongoing controversy, and moral outrage would ultimately end up playing a role in the series' eventual cancellation. Join Facts Verse as we take a look at the most significant controversies that ended up taking Soap off the air.
Controversies That Took the Soap TV Show off the Air
By: Facts Verse Title: Controversies That Took the Soap TV Show off the Air Sourced From: www.youtube.com/watch?v=T61ZA-fMvWk
