Two years ago today, AS THE WORLD TURNS' Luke and Noah kissed for the first time. It was a groundbreaking moment for the show and daytime. Clips of the kiss immediately became an international sensation online with the one below passing two million views already. If you're not sure how huge that is, go to YouTube add up the totals for every other daytime soap kiss.
Amazingly, despite all this buzz, and a controversial kissing ban which was covered by CNN, NPR, Time Magazine, the New York Times, USA Today and more, Soap Opera Digest, the leading industry print publication, has never once mentioned this couple on their cover. No wonder the industry is struggling to translate buzz into ratings. Even when a show strikes gold, the print press virtually ignores it.
What has been the impact on future stories? We saw Bianca and Reese in bed together on ALL MY CHILDREN in the past year, THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS has introduced a gay character (although actually showing kissing is apparently banned on that show as well), and Kyle and Fish have started a promising romance on ONE LIFE TO LIVE. We've also had the slow burn of Olivia and Natalia of GUIDING LIGHT (Natalia returns today!) which was brilliant until a few months ago. The breakthrough of Luke and Noah has to be given some credit for these newer efforts. It's unfortunate though that incest and rapemances still seem more acceptable to the networks and some fans than gay love stories. And worst of all is THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, who not only has zero gay characters and little diversity, but can't even claim their small Midwestern locale is to blame (like some soaps) because the show takes place in very diverse Los Angeles.
The good news is that after a second kiss followed by a seven month kissing ban, Luke and Noah began to kiss again and have kissed more than any other couple in Oakdale ever since. ATWT has never really taken advantage of the couple's instant popularity though with flimsy story lines and little airtime. One has to wonder if the dire situation the show finds itself in now could have been avoided with more thoughtful decisions on this story and others.
I'm tired of all this bulls**t talk on As The World Turns. This soap opera is in danger of cancellation. It has turned around in the last month. It is now showcasing characters that have been on the show for years. It is introducing characters that tie to the rich history this show has to offer. It has snappy one liners. I have been watching this show since the year 2000 and it is now the best the show has been since Hogan Sheffer left. Stop bitching about it on websites and the media. Do you want it to be cancelled? Do you want to see another show die the death that Guiding Light did? No?? Then start focusing on what's RIGHT about ATWT and not what's wrong!!!
ReplyDeleteAndy, what we always do at We Love Soaps is offer thoughtful and constructive criticism. It's important to have an intellectual discussion on these shows as long as they are around. Calling that "bitching" is quite rude because it is completely inaccurate. This post in particular was noting an historical moment, looking at what has changed on soaps in the past two years as a result and pointing out the missed opportunities by the show and the press to really keep momentum. Perhaps you shouldn't be so quick to judge others for "bitching". Have a nice day.
ReplyDeleteHas it been two years already?
ReplyDeleteDespite all the ups and downs of the show has been through since then and thinking back (and watching) that historic kiss and all the emotion surrounding Luke and Noah, nothing can ever take that away from ATWT.
Happy Anniversary, fellow Nukies.
Peter, time flies, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteDespite all the ups and downs, ATWT has been portraying these two gay characters in a positive light for over two years and we may never know the full positive impact that has had on some of the audience.