Every week day at 1:50, I sit in the break room at work for my ten minute break. Throughout the entire day, the television is tuned to only one channel. CBS, I think. At 9:15, we put up the horror that is the dancing yhetti on Regis. At 11:35, we watch Drew Carey as he attempts to fill Bob Barkers shoes.

But it’s every week day at 1:50 thats the worst, because at that time I am sitting at the table, looking in disgust at the sham of a production that is the Bold and the Beautiful, and wonder, to myself, why do people watch these shows?

During my first six months on the job, I literally saw the same scene a million times: some 70 year old woman fighting with her 40 year old son over his 20 year old girlfriend. Or maybe it was his future wife. Or perhaps, the old woman’s future wife. I really didn’t care all that much. It was hoaky! Although, the lines were slightly different each time, it was obvious that they just recycled the same directions over and over again .

I scratch my head when I think about how many of these shows there are and how long they have been on.

Everyone knows that the acting is cheap, the situations are beyond unlikely, and the writing would almost put Uwe Boll to shame. Almost.

And yet, these shows have been on for decades. They even have their own channel.

I just can’t get my head out of the “why?” I just can’t let it go. Do people watch these because they are so stupid? Do they get a laugh out of these? Is it because each episode gives the impression that something interesting will happen in the next episode? Is it because girls watch these and dream about a similar romance? If so, is that why they dragged their unwilling boyfriends to see The Notebook?

Perhaps, this is a question that can be best answered by shows’ target audience. So I ask you, watchers of the soaps, why do you watch these?