July 6, 1999

The World of Another Soap - THE COMMENTARY

By Joseph Planta

Last week marked a milestone in the history of television. Another World a daytime mainstay on NBC for 35 years, was originally conceived as a spin-off for As The World Turns. ATWT was and still is a CBS series and at the time they had no room on their schedule for the new soap. NBC picked up the project and as homage to its parent soap named itself, Another World. That was 35 years ago, and while uproar over its cancellation was tepid, it did encourage Internet and print campaigns to keep AW on the air. I must confess, I was not a fan of Another World, but due to the historical significance of the whole thing, I tuned in on Friday the 25th of June.

Soaps are an interesting facet of television. You either love them or not. Another World is not the longest running daytime serial of all-time, that distinction belongs to the still running Guiding Light. Its been on the air at CBS for almost 47 years. Interestingly enough, As The World Turns and General Hospital are older, so it is safe to bet that Another World’s cancellation was not due to age. Its cancellation all comes down to the most almighty in the television industry, ratings. The top soap in North America would have to be The Young & The Restless, which it has been for the last decade or so. Another World ranked near the bottom of the ratings heap, thus its cancellation was inevitable. Another World really took off when in the mid 70’s playwright Harding Lemay revamped the show and added prominence to the Cory family, AW’s core family. The Cory’s were so of its time, they were as recognizable as the Ewings of primetime’s Dallas. In its heyday it spawned two spin-offs and was the first soap to expand to ninty minutes.

The passing of a long running show is certainly met with regret and a level of sadness, by those in the industry and the fans. The sheer longevity of soaps in daytime is enviable to shows which can’t make it into syndication in Primetime. Another World’s cancellation was made to make room for a new serial set to debut next week, Passions. It boasts a cast that includes (finally!) Emmy-winner Susan Lucci’s daughter, Liza Huber. NBC promises it to be a more youth oriented show that will try to capture young viewers during the summer months. If Passions is set to ignite a massive ratings coup during its debut, it’ll be hard pressed in keeping that up after summer. New soaps just don’t last. I bring forth the example of Loving which left the air without impact entitled The City. With the exception of Port Charles, a General Hospital spin-off, soaps debuting now can’t seem to break the cycle of familiarity, faithful viewers develop with their beloved soap operas.

Another World’s finale didn’t have the climax cliffhanger most associated with soap operas. It did boast a wedding, old faces resurrected from the dead, and a gorilla upstaging the festivities. With Victoria Wyndham floating through her picture-filled living room of former Another World characters, and Bette Midler’s singing in the background, 35 years of Another World retreated into the world of television history.

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