THE COMPLETE LIST: 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History (September 2011)

A lot of people in the daytime soap opera industry like to blame O.J. Simpson, the growing number of cable channels, reality television, the growing number of women in the workplace, and many other factors for the decline in ratings over the years. While some of their points are valid, and you hear these excuses in most mainstream articles, there are also a number of intentional decisions made over the years that decimated soap casts, future storylines and viewer loyalty. We Love Soaps revealed our 25 Biggest Blunders in Daytime Soap Opera History in September 2011. This list was not easy to edit down to 25. Sadly there are many more we could have included. We will revisit this list from time to time to see how the rankings might change as perspectives do.

25. Killing Jo's son on SEARCH FOR TOMORROW

On June 9, 1955, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW's Joanne (Mary Stuart) married Arthur Tate. A year later their son, Duncan Eric, was born. Stuart's real life pregnancy was written into her storyline and SEARCH filmed on location with her in the hospital. Her newborn son, Jeffrey, played Jo's baby on the soap.

Brian Frons Promotes CHEW Creator to Vice President, Programming & Development, ABC Daytime

Randall Barone, the man behind the creation, development, and launch of THE CHEW, was officially promoted today. It's an interesting move, with questionable timing, given the first week's ratings and critical response. Barone has several Emmy nods from his days at GOOD MORNING AMERICA and THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW, where he was senior supervising producer over ten years ago. He's been working on THE CHEW for about a year and a half, and reports directly to Brian Frons, president, Daytime, Disney/ABC Television Group. You can read the official release from ABC Television Network below.

READER RESULTS: 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History

We Love Soaps recently counted down the 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History. Last week we asked for your opinions and the results are in. Here are the rankings of our readers for the Top 25 Blunders plus a few extra that received multiple votes.

25. Misogyny in a genre watched by primarily women

SURVEY: Tell Us Your 10 Biggest Blunders in Daytime Soap Opera History

We Love Soaps recently counted down our list of the 25 biggest blunders in Daytime Soap Opera History. Did you agree with the order? What would you add? What does your list look like?

Please let us know by taking this quick survey! We will take votes through the weekend and publish the results on Monday, September 19 at 10 a.m. ET.

COUNTDOWN: 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History (5-1)

Was it O.J. Simpson, women in the workplace, Reality TV, or did the soaps kill themselves with one bad decision after another? You decide. Our countdown of the 25 Biggest Blunders in Daytime Soap Opera History concludes today with the five biggest blunders.

5. Firing Michael Zaslow from GL when he became ill Soap opera actors have been fired or let go in many disrespectful ways over the years. For example, GENERAL HOSPITAL's Anna Lee, who had reportedly been promised a lifetime contract from a previous production regime, was fired in 2003, and she died a few months later. But the most disrespectful and disgusting casting move of them all was the way Procter & Gamble and GUIDING LIGHT treated Michael Zaslow. The word "blunder" hardly begins to describe it.

COUNTDOWN: 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History (10-6)

Was it O.J. Simpson, women in the workplace, Reality TV, or did the soaps kill themselves with one bad decision after another? You decide. Our countdown of the 25 Biggest Blunders in Daytime Soap Opera History continues with blunders number 10-6.

10. Making Jill the daughter of Katherine Chancellor on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS

Not every soap opera story is a home run. Sometimes they can be boring or even bad. But sometimes they are just wrong.

COUNTDOWN: 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History (15-11)

Was it O.J. Simpson, women in the workplace, Reality TV, or did the soaps kill themselves with one bad decision after another? You decide. Our countdown of the 25 Biggest Blunders in Daytime Soap Opera History continues with blunders number 15-11.

15. The early 1970s soap purge

In the first four years of the 1970s there was a brutal daytime soap opera massacre. To begin with, you might remember that that was when THE BEST OF EVERYTHING, DARK SHADOWS, A WORLD APART and BRIGHT PROMISE were axed. But it was the cancellations of LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING, WHERE THE HEART IS, RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE and THE SECRET STORM in less than a year's time (March 1973 to February 1974) that was especially brutal.

COUNTDOWN: 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History (20-16)

Was it O.J. Simpson, women in the workplace, Reality TV, or did the soaps kill themselves with one bad decision after another? You decide. Our countdown of the 25 Biggest Blunders in Daytime Soap Opera History continues with 20-16.

20. Networks and soaps spoiling their own storylines

On a Friday in November 1984, DAYS OF OUR LIVES put Bo, Hope, Anna, Tony, Eugene, Calliope, Liz, Carlo, Andre, and Daphne on an airplane... and crashed it. All weekend we couldn't stop thinking about the fate of our favorite Salem residents, and there was absolutely no way we could not turn back in on Monday to see what happened. Why? Because we only had vague previews in 1984, and we had absolutely no way to know from week to week and day to day if our favorite character would be returning.

COUNTDOWN: 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History (25-21)

A lot of people in the daytime soap opera industry like to blame O.J. Simpson, the growing number of cable channels, women in the workplace, and many other factors for the decline in ratings over the years. While some of their points are valid, and you hear these excuses in most mainstream articles, there are also a number of intentional decisions made over the years that decimated soap casts, future storylines and viewer loyalty. Over the next week, We Love Soaps will reveal our 25 Biggest Blunders in Daytime Soap Opera History. This list was not easy to edit down to 25. Sadly there are many more we could have included. We will revisit this list from time to time to see how the rankings might change as perspectives do. For now, here are the first five blunders on our list.

25. Killing Jo's son on SEARCH FOR TOMORROW

On June 9, 1955, SEARCH FOR TOMORROW's Joanne (Mary Stuart) married Arthur Tate. A year later their son, Duncan Eric, was born. Stuart's real life pregnancy was written into her storyline and SEARCH filmed on location with her in the hospital. Her newborn son, Jeffrey, played Jo's baby on the soap.

Starting Tuesday: 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History

Starting on Tuesday, We Love Soaps will begin counting down the 25 Biggest Blunders In Daytime Soap Opera History. From network decisions to casting choices to storyline bombs, which blunders made our list? Stay tuned!