Best short-lived soap of the 1980s & 90s?

[Mel O'Drama]

Mark Frankel, who had generated critical acclaim for that show as Julian Luna, died not long after Kindred was cancelled by Fox, which put paid to Aaron Spelling being able to have another network pick it up, given Julian Luna was one of the main characters.

This was a shocker for me at the time. Kindred was airing in the UK at the time he died (I think on Sky) and his death was announced over the end credits somewhere in the middle of the season.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

Winnetka Road

I always forget that Spelling was involved in this show.

Chicago Story, but that show suffered, as episodes mostly ran in a 90 minute block each week, a big ask for viewers

These days, we’re used to streamers having lengthier episodes but in the days of linear TV, it must’ve been quite the anomaly.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Do you rate it? I mean, all the elements are there that should entice me - two ex-Bond stars duking it out, Sela Ward vamping it up, men in uniform - but for some reason I found it to be a snooze fest. Should I give it more of a chance?

Well it has more to do with curiosity. I saw it back in the late 80s or early 90s on old Sky Channel and I'd love to know what it was all about.
I only remember a few things, like the horse-related accident caused by the villainess (haha), a dark secret from the past that was revealed under hypnosis and also the series cliffhanger finale which, I think, was something like Philip and Frankie Colby except that it happened on a wedding day.

Like the other short-lived prime time soaps it just jumped on the bandwagon and I don't think EMERALD POINT had anything interesting to say.
And it's usually a bad sign if a series doesn't have any breakout characters.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

Well it has more to do with curiosity. I saw it back in the late 80s or early 90s on old Sky Channel and I'd love to know what it was all about.
I only remember a few things, like the horse-related accident caused by the villainess (haha), a dark secret from the past that was revealed under hypnosis and also the series cliffhanger finale which, I think, was something like Philip and Frankie Colby except that it happened on a wedding day.

Like the other short-lived prime time soaps it just jumped on the bandwagon and I don't think EMERALD POINT had anything interesting to say.
And it's usually a bad sign if a series doesn't have any breakout characters.

Thanks. I’ll give the four episodes available a look when I’ve finished meandering through Bare Esssence.

 

[MarkSinacori]

Titans had four more scripts ordered that went unfilmed and you can tell that it sort of just ends.

The afore-mentioned The $treet also had a 13 episode ordered, with only 11 filmed. Bare Essence only filmed 11 episodes and was pulled off the air by the ninth, so odds are that they had a traditional 13 episode midseason order and because it performed so badly they pulled filming; though it looks like they might've allowed episode 10 and 11 to work as a proper conclusion to the show.

Another show that rarely gets a mention is The Round Table - a show that premiered the same season as Melrose Place; it aired on NBC for five episodes with only seven produced. Likely another show that was pulled from filming. The Monroes also had a 13 episode order but only filmed nine.

If we start dwelving into the 00's soaps there's North Shore, which was meant to be the Melrose Place to The OC's Beverly Hills 90210. There was also Pasadena that I wish would've at least gotten a full 22 episode season since it's obvious they ignored the pilot events to wrap it by the 13th episode.

I DIDN'T KNOW TITANS HAD 4 MORE ORDERED?!

I know they moved the night and then episodes 12 and 13 which were filmed weren't aired in the USA. I wonder what would have happened in the episodes? So they would have gotten at least 17 episodes for season 1?

I know Pacific Palisades got 13. They didn't just want to film a few episodes, so I guess they got 13 and that was it.

When North Shore came out in 2004, it was just as bad. They got 21, not 22, and then FOX cut the season at 20, and episode 21 was never aired and the series was cancelled.

But I don't recall seeing that Titans had 4 more scripts ordered. I remember Melrose Place had 6 more episodes ordered on CW, they didn't get the full 22, which made me believe the show was over.

 

[tommie]

I DIDN'T KNOW TITANS HAD 4 MORE ORDERED?!

I know they moved the night and then episodes 12 and 13 which were filmed weren't aired in the USA. I wonder what would have happened in the episodes? So they would have gotten at least 17 episodes for season 1?

Yes, it got four more scripts at the same time they announced the move to Monday:

NBC Moves 'Ed' to Wednesday

abcnews.go.com

I'd assume the reason for it was because they needed scripts in case they were to put the show back in production post-Christmas break (shows tend to film the first 13 during the fall). I'd assume if the Monday move had been successful they might've ordered further scripts beyond those four.

 

[MarkSinacori]

Yes, it got four more scripts at the same time they announced the move to Monday:

NBC Moves 'Ed' to Wednesday

abcnews.go.com

I'd assume the reason for it was because they needed scripts in case they were to put the show back in production post-Christmas break (shows tend to film the first 13 during the fall). I'd assume if the Monday move had been successful they might've ordered further scripts beyond those four.

My friend works for TMZ. One day we were in Santa Monica. He was looking for celebs. He spotted the guy who played Tarzan. I'm all "Who?" Then when he said "Mr. Dien" I was all "Titans!" He told me I was the ONLY person who reminded him of the show HAHAH!

 

[Chris2]

The Yellow Rose was like a more substantial, higher-aiming version of Dallas at the beginning. It had similar themes of oil vs the land; and a rival family wanting a piece of the main family’s business. As another poster pointed out, they went to an episodic format halfway through the only season. And it ruined the show. The rival family was gone, as was all the soapy goodness and fun. They started doing episodes about topics like illegal immigration and white slavery.

King’s Crossing wasn’t really a full-on soap in its only season. It was also episodic, similar to the first season of Falcon Crest. Frankly, I always thought it was very similar to FC in its initial setup: a troubled family returns to the hometown of one of the parents, much to the chagrin of an older aunt who doesn’t want them around.

 

[Monzo]

What about 1992's The Heights? Wasn't it a soap? Has anyone seen it? Did anyone like it? Some people may remember the theme song...

 

[Seaviewer]

Do you rate it? I mean, all the elements are there that should entice me - two ex-Bond stars duking it out, Sela Ward vamping it up, men in uniform - but for some reason I found it to be a snooze fest. Should I give it more of a chance?

I did like Emerald Point. The Naval family duty theme was a precursor to JAG in a way and, yes, it introduced us to Sela Ward.

What about 1992's The Heights? Wasn't it a soap? Has anyone seen it? Did anyone like it? Some people may remember the theme song...

I remember The Heights. It tried to cash in on the 90210 teen soap craze but disappeared fairly quickly.

 

[Sarah Danner]

Flamingo Road was well done for its first season. The second season, however, didn't hold my interest as it got worse with each passing episode.

 

[tommie]

I've been re-watching Flamingo Road and being finished with season 1 and starting on season 2 I think the setting is an issue - as in they're not really successful in conveying The Dirty South. First of all it appears at the end of the pilot when Lane makes some dramatic statement about getting to live on Flamingo Road on her own terms, yet... why? Lute-Mae's house seems nice enough and at the moment there's the Weldon's and... uh, Titus who lives on that street? They're not really doing a good job with conveying the difference between the "seedier" parts of Truro and the so-called upperclass parts is what I'm saying I guess. And of course, besides obviously being filmed in California, I wanted more dirty swamps, alligators (flashbacks to Return to Eden) and humid heat in the night where everyone looks sweaty, but not in the gross way, but in the sexy tv kind of way.

I was surprised at how serialized it is, but I think I've mixed some of it up in my head - I'm at 2x02 right now and it feels like an episode that should've been in season 1 because it sets the stage for what kind of town Truro is - Lute-Mae's raped by an obsessive stalker, who also happens to be the son of one of the town founder families. While I don't think I'll ever really "like" rape in soaps because it's too often used as a plot point for a sweeps story (HAAAAAIII DYNASTY GURL), I really do think this is the sort of episode that almost needs to be in a shows run early on because it explains the mechanisms at work in the small town of Truro.

Excited to get to the voodoo stuff + David Selby.

 

[tommie]

I'm half way through season 2 and the voodoo stuff is yet to start and I'll say I enjoy season two more than season one so far. I think they've solved a lot of issues had with season one - the cast feels more interconnected and it feels like everyone's in everyone's business. And bless their hearts, they're actually trying to make it more Florida in various ways and solve the "setting" issue, but they're fighting a losing fight here because it's very obviously shot in California.

 

[tommie]

It's funny - I always got it in my head that the voodoo stuff was there longer than it was, but nope. Up until 2x17 Michael Tyrone just appears as your average corrupt business man set out to destroy the lives of our (somewhat) beloved cast for... well, 80s corrupt business man reasons. Then we get a vague mention of Sandi being sent to the Caribbean and in 2x18 everything takes a turn and they go full in on the voodoo stuff. I guess someone was told they were on the brink of being cancelled!

 

[Monzo]

I wish instead of producing yet another NCIS spin-off (Origins), Mark Harmon would say, "I feel like bringing back Flamingo Road!" With him on board, new episodes would actually have a chance. With Julio and Alicia you would even have real Latinos from the original and not have to rewrite something like on Dallas TNT. No idea which Flamingo Road actors are still healthy enough to take part, but it would be great to see Barbara Rush again.

 

[tommie]

I wish instead of producing yet another NCIS spin-off (Origins), Mark Harmon would say, "I feel like bringing back Flamingo Road!" With him on board, new episodes would actually have a chance. With Julio and Alicia you would even have real Latinos from the original and not have to rewrite something like on Dallas TNT. No idea which Flamingo Road actors are still healthy enough to take part, but it would be great to see Barbara Rush again.

I very much doubt that they'd ever revive something that had ok ratings at best in its first season, then bombed in its second, lol. If anything they might take the source material for Flamingo Road and do something new with it at best.

With that said, I'm surprised how far they went with the vooodoo stuff. If there had been a season 3, then it would either turn out to be a complete trainwreck or the most unique of the 80s prime time soaps.

 

[WarriorsFan]

I've been re-watching Flamingo Road and being finished with season 1 and starting on season 2 I think the setting is an issue - as in they're not really successful in conveying The Dirty South. First of all it appears at the end of the pilot when Lane makes some dramatic statement about getting to live on Flamingo Road on her own terms, yet... why? Lute-Mae's house seems nice enough and at the moment there's the Weldon's and... uh, Titus who lives on that street? They're not really doing a good job with conveying the difference between the "seedier" parts of Truro and the so-called upperclass parts is what I'm saying I guess. And of course, besides obviously being filmed in California, I wanted more dirty swamps, alligators (flashbacks to Return to Eden) and humid heat in the night where everyone looks sweaty, but not in the gross way, but in the sexy tv kind of way.

New Orleans or the Louisiana Bayou might have made a better setting instead of Florida.

 

[Soap archives]

I watched about half of the shows and would have continued watching any of them, even though I wasn't really impressed with any of them, but the only one that made me curious about what would happen next was Paper Dolls. There were so many characters that most of them couldn't be developed in such a short time.

A soap that I would have really liked to watch more, but that didn't come from the 80s and 90s and only started in 2000, was The Street. Just when things were getting interesting - Jennie Garth had just joined along with a then unknown Bradley Cooper - the show was cancelled.

The street hmm have to look for may be YouTube

 

[tommie]

I often forget how much stuff is available on Archive.org and found Freshman Dorm, a short-lived CBS college soap that aired for five episodes along with 2000 Malibu Road in the summer of 1992. It starred Robin Lively, Matthew Fox and wooden board Casper Van Dien among others and is, predictably, about young adults living in... a freshman dorm! The focus in on three young women - one is a naive country gal from Minnesota (who is a virgin, but also has a jock boyfriend), one is a blue collar hispanic who has to struggle with juggling school and working a job and the rich tart who flirts with ALL the guys (but also seems especially taken with the lone black guy in the cast).

It's a soap alright - the pilot episode is okay. I could see myself watching this, but at the same time would you really skip the delicious summer episodes of 90210 that was airing in the same time slot? Sometimes counterprogramming can work I guess (2000 Malibu Road did well against Melrose Place, after all), but this just seemed like kamikazing the show before it had a chance to gain traction.

 

[WeldonBallou]

Just out of curiosity, would the one season anthology series Finders Of Lost Loves count as a nighttime drama or soap?