Soap Opera Ratings Race: Bad News for One Soap, Good News for Two

The soap opera ratings for the week of April 25-29 point to a downturn for “Days of Our Lives”.

The show that was on a ratings upswing through the fall has hit a stumbling block as the only soap to lose overall viewers from both the week before and the same week the year before.

DAYS remained number 4 out of 4 soaps once again, losing 49,000 viewers from the week before and 117,000 viewers from the same time last year. It was the only soap to lose overall viewership, but did gain a nominal amount in the coveted female 18-49 and 25-54 demographics.

“The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful” remained number 1 and number 2 as always, while also gaining viewers overall and in each female demographic. Y&R gained 177,000 from the week before and 316,000 from the year before. Sister soap B&B gained 74,000 from the previous week and 270,000 from the week before.

Number 3 soap “General Hospital” posted overall gains of 18,000 viewers from the week before and 28,000 viewers from the year before. However, it was down in all key demographics.

Many attribute Y&R’s large gains to the storyline centering around Baby Christian/Sully and Sage’s death. B&B baby drama also may have helped pull in better numbers, between Nicole’s pregnancy and the paternity of Baby Douglas.