Like many a soap opera storyline, the saga of SOAPnet’s ultimate fate has been stretched out for a long time now, with many fans of the channel wondering, “When is SOAPnet going off the air?” ever since word started in 2011 that the network would be ending and making way for Disney Junior.
ABC has confirmed with us that SOAPnet will be ending at the end of 2013, and it doesn’t seem likely to pull the “back from the dead” maneuver that so many characters in soap history have managed.
“SOAPnet goes off the air at 11:59pm Dec 31st” read an email from an ABC publicist, in answer to my request for further information about the fate of SOAPnet and any potential new network homes for soap opera re-airs.
SOAPnet had managed to stay on a few systems over the past few years thanks to the outcry from soap fans, but this finally looks like the end. With very few daytime dramas left on the air, SOAPnet, at the end, was only showing same-day re-airs of Days of Our Lives and General Hospital (The Young and the Restless re-airs went to TVGN earlier this year), along with some very old re-airs of All My Children, which is no longer on the air. Aside from those two soaps, SOAPnet also aired old TV programs like Beverly Hills 90210 and Veronica Mars to fill up its schedule.
But while SOAPnet may not have shown as many actual soap operas as it did during its heyday, the ones it did attracted some decent Twitter conversations among fans during its evening re-airs. So, while the ABC publicist assured me that “Fans can catch GH repeats on abc.com, iTunes, hulu, by DVR’ing, it, etc. … check with NBC for Days info,” and that is all very true, what may end up missing is the sense of community tweeting while first-shifters watch the SOAPnet re-airs all together in the evening.
But soap fans are a hardy bunch, and will likely find a way to live with this development. And SOAPnet was able to at least hang on through the 50th anniversary year of General Hospital, allowing evening viewers to catch up on those events (and perhaps even help draw them back into the show’s daytime airings, as it has had a ratings surge in recent months).
As the intro to a legendary soap informs us, “Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.” And after nearly 14 years on the air, the days of SOAPnet’s life are rapidly running out.
What do you think? Will you miss SOAPnet, or are you fine with watching soap opera re-airs online?
SOAPnet goes off the air Dec. 31 at 11:59pm to make way for Disney Junior.
(Note: We’re hearing from some readers that their systems have pulled SOAPnet within the past few days. Other systems such as DirecTV are still airing SOAPnet, but it will be gone on all systems after Dec. 31).
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Ian Buchanan and Finola Hughes in “General Hospital” — Courtesy of ABC
Disney is the greediest operation out there. How many Disney channels can we have. Bad enough there are so many kids do t want to get off the couch. I am personally going to miss One Tree Hill reruns. They need to create another channel that will include older daytime and nighttime soaps like OTH, Melrose, Dynesty, Santa Barbara.
I am a working professional who has followed abc soaps for the past 30 years !They been my escape & I so enjoyed relaxing & watching them on soapnet ! Two of them cancelled and now soapnet ??? Really ?? Another Disney channel that will start the careers of children who end up as bad role models . Bring back soapnet please!!!!!’
Very upset to see this while channel surfing Direct TV. I work during the day and looked forward to watching GH at night. Sure I could catch it on Hulu or ABC.com but those stations are day behind. Direct TV’s solution, buy aDVR for $99.00 + installation and tape it! How many Disney channels do we need?!
I’m going to miss soapnet.I work all day and love watching Days and GH at night
The right thing to do is at least take a viewer survey. This BS of just pulling stuff is out of hand. TV does not need another Disney channel for some stupid little priss to become another Miley. Why you would pull a soap channel with the female and male following those older shows get is beyond comprehensible. Whoever makes the decisions obviously has NO clue about TV whatsoever. What a joke.
What them them on. Too many talk shows they are all the same and horrible
Please rethink this over
The chew is a horrible show
Cancel that show
Why soaps leave them on
We do not ask for much please leave them on tv
I have been a fan since I was 13years old
Same shows on ten times a day dr Phil dr oz. Wendy doctors. We are not happy the talk fighting with the view ,,,,,,,,both bad shows always the same
I love my soaps. Please them alone
Honestly, I am the kiss of death for shows. I had never watched anything on Soapnet, not ever once, until about a month ago when I was looking to refresh my memory about the Veronica Mars series in anticipation of the movie coming out next year. I have scheduled my days to be able to watch the shows and now the DirecTV guide shows the last episodes will air tomorrow! Seems like every time I want to watch something, it gets canceled.
just what tv needs….another disney channel…..everything they touch lately turns on them…..hope this does too……will miss beverly hills 90210, one tree hill and my gilmore girls. directv has a zillion channels—-why can’t they reserve just one more for soapnet fans…..no one listens to the consumer anymore—its all about money….hope “disney” goes down the “Soap Drain”……
This really stinks, I only had about 7 more months to be caught up on the last 5 yrs, of General Hospital since I retired. Now there will always be that big gap of not seeing Dante and Lulu getting married, or Elizabeth’s baby getting ran over, or Steve and Olivia getting together, or Michael and Abby getting together. I AM NOT A HAPPY PERSON. Thanks Disney for the Christmas present. BOYCOTT DISNEY.
I only just now found it out it’s gone from my listings when I saw my box didn’t record the three hour block of Gilmore Girls yesterday like it was supposed to. The show had JUST started over too! So pissed. And I thought there already WAS a DisneyJr. And there really is a market to re-air anything drama, the traditional soap may be gone, but primetime drama is what it’s evolved into.
I so upset over this. For those who have to work this was my me time to relax in the evening. What a cruel thing to do. How many Disney channels do we need?
I am so angry. I love to watch the reruns of Beverly Hills 90210. I record it everyday so I can watch each night. Is it possible another network will pick them up?? I so hope so!!!
This is very devastating for me, and I’m a 14 year old boy! I always watch reruns of One Life To Live in the morning while I get ready for school since it is now cancelled. I also watch SOAPnet when a TV announcement comes on my DVR during General Hospital. This is just some terrible news. My grandmother got me started with SOAPnet, and now I love it. Disney should’ve taken some other channel, like nickelodeon. They have 4 channels for crying out loud! I just can’t believe this 🙁
Disney Junior? Anyway Disney could have made even more money by keeping the soaps and especially I always hoped they would replay Dynasty and Dallas from the beginning. There was always such a market for those 2 shows again. Anyway thanks Soapnet for being there for the fans.
Im missing the soap network already. There is nothing left for middle aged women to watch.
I even enjoyed the reruns of Gilmore Girls – give me a break – more Disney is NOT what I need.
I just want to say that this is so wrong ya’ll are messing me up cause I watch Days of our lives and general hospital and they come on at the same time during the daytime I always watched them at night on soap net. Why are you doing this it is so wrong please change your mind’s.
Mine went off 12-19. Now I have to rely on NBC Chicago who interupts programming if one of their “TV Personalities” break a nail & I hate watching anything by computer. Sad day.
Mine was pulled yesterday. I am behind times & still record with a VCR. My VCR broke Wednesday and my Soapnet was gone Thursday. Seriously?? Guess I might have to get a DVR. I love General Hospital. Can watch On Demand or online but will miss soapnet. Loved 90210 reruns too. It irritated my daughter that I watched that.
Mine was pulled 2 days ago.
End of December that is BS because mine was pulled two days ago.
Mine was pulled 11 days ago!