Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

1965: Final episode of ATWT spinoff Our Private World aired.
1984: Syndicated soap opera Rituals premiered.
1999: All My Children's Mateo told Hayley he loved her.
2008: As the World Turns' Aaron and Alison married.

"The best prophet of the future is the past."
― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.


On this date in...

1965: CBS aired the final episode of As the World Turns primetime spin-off, Our Private World. Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months while airing twice a week. The series, created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, was CBS-TV's answer to ABC's popular Peyton Place.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

1965: Final episode of ATWT spinoff Our Private World aired.
1984: Syndicated soap opera Rituals premiered.
1999: All My Children's Mateo told Hayley he loved her.
2008: As the World Turns' Aaron and Alison married.

"History is a vast early warning system."
― Norman Cousins

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1965: CBS aired the final episode of As the World Turns primetime spin-off, Our Private World. Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months airing twice a week. The series, created by rna Phillips and William J. Bell, was CBS-TV's answer to ABC's popular Peyton Place.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

1965: Final episode of ATWT spinoff Our Private World aired.
1984: Syndicated soap opera Rituals premiered.
1999: All My Children's Mateo told Hayley he loved her.
2008: As the World Turns' Aaron and Alison married.

"If you don't know history, then you don't know anything. You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree."
― Michael Crichton

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1965: CBS aired the final episode of As the World Turns primetime spin-off, Our Private World. Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months airing twice a week. The series, created by rna Phillips and William J. Bell, was CBS-TV's answer to ABC's popular Peyton Place.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

1965: Final episode of ATWT spinoff Our Private World aired.
1984: Syndicated soap opera Rituals premiered.
1999: All My Children's Mateo told Hayley he loved her.
2008: As the World Turns' Aaron and Alison married.

"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again."
― Maya Angelou

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1965: CBS aired the final episode of As the World Turns primetime spin-off, Our Private World. Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months airing twice a week. The series, created by rna Phillips and William J. Bell, was CBS-TV's answer to ABC's popular Peyton Place.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

1965: The final episode of OUR PRIVATE WORLD aired on CBS.

"That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach."
― Aldous Huxley

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1965: CBS aired the final episode of AS THE WORLD TURNS primetime spin-off, OUR PRIVATE WORLD. Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months airing twice a week. The series, created by rna Phillips and William J. Bell, was CBS's answer to ABC's popular PEYTON PLACE.

Today in Soap Opera History (September 10)

On this date in...

1965: The AS THE WORLD TURNS primetime spin-off, OUR PRIVATE WORLD, aired its final episode.  Eileen Fulton moved the character of Lisa Hughes from Oakdale to Chicago for the show, which lasted four months.  Trivia: Can you name all the OUR PRIVATE WORLD actors in this photo?

1968: On ANOTHER WORLD, Alice told Missy she thought Rachel wasn't really upset about losing her baby.

1984: RITUALS, a syndicated soap opera from Lorimar, premiered.  Watch a promo for the show below that aired early on in its one year run.

EMPIRE SPECIAL: Tina Sloan, Ellen Dolan & Greg Turner Tease Season 4; Plus, Premiere Party Video

EMPIRE's Tina Sloan, Ellen Dolan, and creator Greg Turner offer insights into Season 4 of the show and we have some behind the scenes photos in this WE LOVE SOAPS TV special you can watch below.

WATCH: EMPIRE Season 4 Trailer - Sex. Scandal. Soap.

Indie Soap Award-winning EMPIRE The Series returns on July 17 to kick off Season 4 and the show promises "Sex, Scandal and Soap (literally!)." The show is celebrating the release of a brand new trailer today by marching in the New York City Gay Pride Parade. We Love Soaps will be joining them. Check out the sexy new trailer below:

INDIE SOAP BEAT: Greg Turner Previews Fourth Season Of EMPIRE

We Love Soaps is celebrating our five year anniversary this week and we wanted to introduce our new web series, INDIE SOAP BEAT. Back in the summer of 2009 we launched a weekly podcast called "We Love Soaps Radio" which included an Indie Soap Beat segment. Greg Turner and EMPIRE were profiled on that very first segment and we wanted him to come back as this idea has transitioned from a radio segment to a regular column to a weekly web series.

In the clip below, the EMPIRE creator previews the upcoming fourth season of the show, which has added new cast members like Ellen Dolan and Lauren B. Martin as well as Martha Byrne as producer. He also talks about the evolution of the Indie Soap Awards the past three years. The EMPIRE team heads to the Hamptons all next week to shoot most of the season which will air this summer.



Starting next week, INDIE SOAP BEAT will air on Tuesdays and we will cover the latest news and reviews from the world of web series. Aside from interviewing the stars in front of and behind the camera from Times Square, we will be revealing the winners of our Indie Soap of the Week poll, as well as introducing preview and backstage clips from various web series. If you have a clip you would like to submit, or would like to be a guest on our show, email editor@welovesoaps.com.

Sudsy Soaps In Next Magazine; Indie Soap Awards Nominees & Presenters Weigh In On Gay Storylines

In support of the 3rd Annual Indie Soap Awards on February 21, New York's Next Magazine asked some of the people involved about "gay moments in soap history."

Colleen Zenk, who will be presenting an award, talked about daytime drama's first out gay man, AS THE WORLD TURNS' Hank Elliot: "The wonderful thing about how the story was written, by the late, great Douglas Marland, was that the character was integrated into the fabric of the show before he revealed that he was gay. I was very proud to have been a part of this [historic] storyline."

Find out what EMPIRE's Greg Turner (ISA Winner), HUSTLING's Sebastian La Cause (Lead Actor nominee this year) and GREGORY WAY TV's Andrew Espinoza Long (Supporting Actor, Writing and Directing nominee this year) had to say at nextmagazine.com.

The telecast will air exclusively on The SFN on March 18 at 9 p.m. ET.

Former AS THE WORLD TURNS Star Lauren B. Martin Joins Empire For Season 4 In the Hamptons

The Year of the Soap continues! Lauren B. Martin, who played Camille Bennett on AS THE WORLD TURNS for several years, has joined the cast of EMPIRE for Season 4. The Indie Soap Award-winning series is heading to the Hamptons with a new director and an exciting story planned. Read the new press release from EMPIRE with all the details below:

"With so few soap operas left on network television, the Internet is the place for this genre to grow and thrive, as there continues to be a loyal and dedicated audience.”
-- EMPIRE's new director, Daytime TV veteran, Fritz Brekeller

Two Time Indie Soap Award Winner Comes To The Hamptons
Daytime Veterans Lauren B. Martin and Fritz Brekeller Join Team Empire

MANHATTAN, NY—The popular Indie Soap Award winning online sudser, EMPIRE add Lauren B Martin to their cast and Fritz Brekeller as their new director. EMPIRE is set to resume shooting on location in the Hamptons at the end of March 2012.

OPINION: 90210's Annie (Shenae Grimes), Liam (Matt Lanter), And Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord) Are Hanging On A (MidSeason) Cliff!

I have to apologize for being a slacker and not writing about last week's episode.  My life has been a little crazy.  No, I'm not freshly out of rehab and collaborating with a drummer who is still using drugs like Dixon (Tristan Wilds).  Nor am I fighting Sally Kellerman's ungrateful punk of a grandson for an inheritance that is rightfully mine like Annie (Shenae Grimes).  Nor have I become a fashion designer overnight only to have my nemesis also become a designer overnight and steal my designs like Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord).  I also didn't move to DC with my new boyfriend after finally making peace with the fact that my family hates me but my best friend never meant to backstab me like Teddy (Trevor Donovan).  Oh wait, I guess my life isn't all that crazy after all!  Maybe that's because my zip code is not the zipcode for nonstop insanity.

OPINION: 90210 Smoked Turkey and Ravy (AKA Raj & Ivy's Last Holiday)

I watched 90210's Thanksgiving episode, "Smoked Turkey" last week and I wanted to make sure I had a moment to write a little something something about it before this week's episode airs.

I don't know if Ivy (Gillian Zinser) and Raj (Manish Dayal) have an official smoosh name.  Ivaj?  Ravy?  I don't know, but if Ravy is a thing, then I've made no secret that I'm a big fan of theirs.  That's why it's pretty sucky for me to watch them deteriorate as a couple.  (Though, I admit, the boy waiting in the wings for Ivy's heart is pretty cute too!)  At the start of this episode, it looks like Ivy basically hates Raj now that he's not going to die.  Not cool Ivy Sullivan, not cool at all.  And why didn't you take Raj's last name anyway?

OPINION: 90210 Hits It Out Of The Park As Escort Annie Finally Turns Her First Trick To Pay For Dixon's Rehab!

This week's 90210 was the best episode they've had all season!  Extraneous stories were minimized or not included at all and some stories that have been slowly chugging uphill all season finally came to a head and will hopefully move full steam ahead from here.

Take Annie (Shenae Grimes) and Dixon (Tristan Wilds).  The Wilsons are definitely not in Kansas anymore...  Annie is trying to help Dixon with his drug habit, but the only way she knows how to raise the money he needs for rehab is to have sex with Patrick (Chris McKenna), who is no longer her boyfriend after she caught him in the arms of another escort in Las Vegas.

OPINION: 90210 Goes To Vegas, JERSEY SHORE (Vinny), Billy Ray Cyrus, Brandy Come to Them, Teddy Marries Shane, Adrianna Saves Dixon?

This week our 90210 faves headed to Sin City.  Liam (Matt Lanter) is now an overnight celebrity after allowing his shirtless modeling gig to use his face.  JERSEY SHORE guest star Vinny gets Liam involved in a high stakes poker game with a high buy-in.  Liam's got all this modeling moolah so he figures why not.  Liam does really badly and frets that he will lose his bar and everything else.  Ok, but two weeks ago, Liam didn't have the money for the bar either and last week when he reluctantly started modeling he got the money and apparently quite a lot of it because he loses $80,000 at the poker table.

OPINION: Dear Writers & Producers of the CW's 90210

Dear Writers & Producers of the CW's 90210:  Forget about 90's '201 if you must, but my goodness, please remember and use the history and character development from last week's episode, and the week before, and the week before that!!

I don't know why I love 90210.  I knew the original series, but I certainly wasn't a fanatic.  If I was, maybe I would be less likely to stomach the new series.  But I love a good TV franchise and I was happy to see old 90 connected to new 90 when the new 90210 was launched.  We saw Kelly, Brenda and Donna.  And Kelly and Silver's mom Jackie (Ann Gillespie) of course was prominently featured until she lost her battle with cancer.  That storyline was so much more moving for people who saw Ann Gillespie play Jackie Taylor twenty years ago.

OPINION: How Annie Got Her Groove Back? Has 90210 Finally Realized How Best To Feature Shenae Grimes?

Remember a few weeks ago, where I spelled out the formula that 90210 seems to follow each season? It went something like this: begin by adding a hand full of new and mostly static characters and overdose us with the exposition on what has taken all of our regular characters from where they were when last we saw them to an entirely different place, then slowly but certainly weave everything together and make magic with the new set up they've created. Well, the weeks of exposition and suffering through new, underdeveloped characters are over and 90210 is sailing onward and upward full steam ahead!

"Empire's Got Talent" And You Don't Want To Miss It!

Indie Soap Award winning web soap EMPIRE announced their "Empire's Got Talent" event earlier this month and now it's just over three weeks ago. Tickets are limited so buy yours today for the November 7 event.

Some of what you will experience that night includes:
- Preview Sneak Peak Clips of DAYS OF OUR LIVES stars Molly Burnett and Mark Hapka reuniting on EMPIRE Season 4!
- A song from former AS THE WORLD TURNS now EMPIRE star Ellen Dolan

OPINION: The Zip Code's On Fire! AnnaLynne McCord's Naomi Stuck Between The Nerd & The Cowboy on 90210!

Whether you like it or not… here comes my opinion on last night’s 90210. 

First of all, we have Zombie Jim, who apparently was lost at sea, but is alive.  He tells Adriana (Jessica Lowndes) he isn’t going to bother his wife Jane (Kristina Agpar) and Liam (Matt Lanter) after learning they are in love, but then he reveals himself to them before the opening credits.  Jane and Liam don’t seem very surprised that Jim is still alive and they also don’t seem very happy about it at all.  I mean, I know he’s an obstacle for your budding romance, but he’s also your dead husband/best friend and he’s ALIVE!  Can somebody have a reaction?  This storyline is playing out to be very lame.

OPINION: Mysteries Build, a RINGER Is Exposed; Sarah Michelle Gellar Handles Ioan Gruffudd, Nestor Carbonel, Justin Bruening & more

RINGER is by far one of my favorite new shows this fall. I haven’t written about it yet, because it kind of scares me. It’s complex. It’s about one twin pretending to be another. I’m going to try to write about last night’s episode now, because it’s too good to keep to myself! If you watch the show, you’ll understand my summary, if you don’t, try to follow along and tune in to the show for goodness sake so you can see what all the fuss is about! The show isn’t hard to follow when you are watching it; my disclaimer is only to cover my own butt if this summary and review get too convoluted.