Making: Stories Without End

WBEZ Chicago

4.6 (3.5K)
SOCIETY & CULTURE
WEEKLY SERIES

Making: Stories Without End takes you on a journey to learn about daytime soap operas and their broad reach on television. From the early radio days in the 1930s through the invention of TV to streaming, this way of telling immersive stories has endured. There are intergenerational family stories, discussions about divorce and abortion, groundbreaking storylines dealing with queer representation. And all these threads go back to one Chicago woman, Irna Phillips. The queen of soaps originated, wrote or supervised more than a dozen daytime serials for more than 40 years… and left a lasting mark on the television industry. You’ll hear the story behind the stories from scholars, actors, writers – from the past and now – as well as fans.

SEASON 6 TRAILER

TRAILER: Stories Without End

Soap operas are the foundation of American television storytelling. From early radio days in the 1930s to the invention of TV to streaming, soaps have endured by telling intergenerational family stories. Daytime dramas are an important part of American television history and popular culture. It’s been said that television is socially ahead of movies. Soap operas take that social consciousness a step further. Rape, abortion, AIDS, LGBTQ+ storylines – before primetime or even mainstream America was ready. But soaps have been written off as low-brow drivel for women. For decades, soaps routinely pushed serious social issues the general public didn’t even know about because they weren’t paying attention to them. Take this journey to learn the history of soaps, the innovative creators who pushed social impact and how the genre was the moneymaker for networks for decades. This is television's unique immersive storytelling.

2 min

See All Season 6 (1)

4.6

out of 5

3,518 Ratings

Excellent

06/03/2023

Prittigul

Very informative, entertaining and captivating!!!
Entertaining and educational!

06/02/2023

Physix7

Thank you for this behind-the-scenes look at the people and events that played such an important part in my life!
Thank you Susy ⭐️⭐️!!

05/24/2023

Educated yourself

You are the best!!
A Hit!

02/16/2023

Christian P. Bryant

The names you know, the stories of their legacies and lived experiences you don’t! This is a show that teaches me something new with each episode. Brandon Pope is an incredible host who deftly navigates listeners through conversations with some well-picked guests. Sign me up for more!

Making: Stories Without End takes you on a journey to learn about daytime soap operas and their broad reach on television. From the early radio days in the 1930s through the invention of TV to streaming, this way of telling immersive stories has endured. There are intergenerational family stories, discussions about divorce and abortion, groundbreaking storylines dealing with queer representation. And all these threads go back to one Chicago woman, Irna Phillips. The queen of soaps originated, wrote or supervised more than a dozen daytime serials for more than 40 years… and left a lasting mark on the television industry. You’ll hear the story behind the stories from scholars, actors, writers – from the past and now – as well as fans.