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Ericguy · 09-23-2002, 01:39 PM

I don't know if anyone has ever posted this but I remember hearing a rumor once and confirmed by a very trusted source that Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas (the producers of SOAP) had scripts written for most of season five, thinking ABC was going to renew the show. If this is true, and he would release them, it would be wonderful for all of us long suffering SOAP fans who have been in limbo since 1981. We could see the shows, but we could read how the plots from the end of the 1st season came out.

jerry allen · 10-14-2002, 05:40 PM

it's the same old routine. low ratings caused the demise of "Soap" in 1981. it came in the Top-30 at #13 in 1978 with a 22.0 rating! that was the highest it got because in 1979 it was #19 with a good 21.3 rating and in 1980 in was #25 with a 20.5 rating. it didn't make the Top-30 in 1981 primarily because it was abruptly axed in January 1981. to answer your question, there were episodes written for the possible fifth season, 1981-1982, but like i stated ABC yanked the show in January 1981 instead of letting it run until the spring and have time to film a final episode...ABC never treated this show right and the aired it at 9:30pm on Tuesdays from 1977-1978; then Thursdays from 1978-1980; and then on Wednesdays from 1980-1981! back in those days, parents seemed to be more strict it seemed and they made children go to bed at 9pm...at least that's how it was in my house on school nights! i found "Soap" around 1988 when it used to air around 12:30am on WSYX in Columbus. it followed "Benny Hill".

Ericguy · 10-15-2002, 06:08 PM

Yes, ABC yanked the show in Jan of 81 and bought it back in early March as 4 hour long shows to finish out the run becuase they just wanted to be rid of it. However, they should have known they werent coming back when they were yanked off in mid season. I suppose we are lucky they even showed us the final four at all.

jerry allen · 10-15-2002, 06:36 PM

well, ABC should've had guts and ran the show until the season was over instead of waiting a whole months before wrapping the show up in March. the shows that were airing during the 1980-1981 "mini-season" had already been taped during the spring/summer repeat season and so the cast had no clue that ABC was going to abruptly ax the show in mid-season...that's what i meant to say. that's how shows were done since "live" TV was a thing of the past even in the '70s! they tape so many in one time-frame in front of an audience and then the networks air them during the fall/winter months. "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson" during the '80s and early '90s was actually taped at 3:30pm L.A. time but aired at 11:30pm Ohio time on NBC and nobody watching suspected a thing!

09-23-2002, 01:39 PM	#1
Ericguy Banned Banned!! Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 09, 2002 Posts: 185	Scripts I don't know if anyone has ever posted this but I remember hearing a rumor once and confirmed by a very trusted source that Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas (the producers of SOAP) had scripts written for most of season five, thinking ABC was going to renew the show. If this is true, and he would release them, it would be wonderful for all of us long suffering SOAP fans who have been in limbo since 1981. We could see the shows, but we could read how the plots from the end of the 1st season came out.

10-14-2002, 05:40 PM	#2
jerry allen Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2002 Location: State Route 72/ Ohio Posts: 148	it's the same old routine. low ratings caused the demise of "Soap" in 1981. it came in the Top-30 at #13 in 1978 with a 22.0 rating! that was the highest it got because in 1979 it was #19 with a good 21.3 rating and in 1980 in was #25 with a 20.5 rating. it didn't make the Top-30 in 1981 primarily because it was abruptly axed in January 1981. to answer your question, there were episodes written for the possible fifth season, 1981-1982, but like i stated ABC yanked the show in January 1981 instead of letting it run until the spring and have time to film a final episode...ABC never treated this show right and the aired it at 9:30pm on Tuesdays from 1977-1978; then Thursdays from 1978-1980; and then on Wednesdays from 1980-1981! back in those days, parents seemed to be more strict it seemed and they made children go to bed at 9pm...at least that's how it was in my house on school nights! i found "Soap" around 1988 when it used to air around 12:30am on WSYX in Columbus. it followed "Benny Hill".

10-15-2002, 06:08 PM	#3
Ericguy Banned Banned!! Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 09, 2002 Posts: 185	Yes, ABC yanked the show in Jan of 81 and bought it back in early March as 4 hour long shows to finish out the run becuase they just wanted to be rid of it. However, they should have known they werent coming back when they were yanked off in mid season. I suppose we are lucky they even showed us the final four at all.

10-15-2002, 06:36 PM	#4
jerry allen Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2002 Location: State Route 72/ Ohio Posts: 148	well, ABC should've had guts and ran the show until the season was over instead of waiting a whole months before wrapping the show up in March. the shows that were airing during the 1980-1981 "mini-season" had already been taped during the spring/summer repeat season and so the cast had no clue that ABC was going to abruptly ax the show in mid-season...that's what i meant to say. that's how shows were done since "live" TV was a thing of the past even in the '70s! they tape so many in one time-frame in front of an audience and then the networks air them during the fall/winter months. "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson" during the '80s and early '90s was actually taped at 3:30pm L.A. time but aired at 11:30pm Ohio time on NBC and nobody watching suspected a thing!