‘The Story Of Soaps’: What Will ABC Special Reveal About Soap Operas?

Soap operas include some of the longest-running programs in television history, and now, their formulas for success and impact on the cultural landscape will be examined in a new ABC primetime special, “The Story of Soaps.”

The two-hour special, which is being co-presented by both ABC and People Magazine, is set to highlight the impact the long-running programs have had over the years, as well as the female creators behind them who became a “dominant force” in the genre.

Among the interviews on the special will be some of the biggest faces in daytime—including Susan Lucci and Maurice Benard, but will also feature interviews with Andy Cohen, Bryan Cranston. Alec Baldwin and Jon Hamm as well.

“When people think about soaps, they think about daytime, that’s not the whole story,” Cohen says in a preview for the special.

“There are elements of soap opera in every dramatic television show,” Hamm adds. “It was the first binge-watch.”

Soap Operas have largely been seen as the daytime television dramas which air in the early afternoon hours each day on the major networks. Currently, there are four remaining. On ABC, “General Hospital” has been airing since 1963 and following the Quartermaine, Corinthos and Spencer families of Port Charles, New York. On NBC, “Days of Our Lives,” which follows the Horton, Brady, Kiriakis, Hernandez and DiMera families in Salem, Illinois, has been airing since 1965. CBS is still the home of the Genoa City set “The Young and the Restless,” which has been following the Newman and Abbott families since 1973, and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” which has told the story of the Forrester family in Los Angeles since 1987.

During the heyday of the soap operas, several other titles aired, starting with CBS’s “Guiding Light” and “As The World Turns.” Guiding Light went off the air in 2009, after 57 years, while “As The World Turns” ended in 2010, after a 54-year run. NBC said goodbye to “Another World” in 1999 after 35 years, and “Passions” ran from 1999-2008, before it too was pulled.

As for ABC, the network only went down to one series within the last 10 years. While “Loving” and “Port Charles” went off the air in 1995 and 2003 respectively, their other two long-running shows, “One Life to Live” and “All My Children,” have been off the air for less than a decade. “One Life To Live” aired from 1968-2012, with a brief online reboot in 2013. “All My Children” also had a brief online reboot that year as well, though it only officially ran on ABC from 1970-2013.

Those interested in watching the special can tune-in on Tuesday, May 19 at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.