'Soap's' ratings improve

as controversy subsides

By Tom Shales

The Washington Post

Burt's coming out of the bathtub and soon will be committed. Father Flotsky fled but is due to return. Jodie the homosexual will soon get a new boyfriend. Jessica is about to go on trial for the murder of Peter, the tennis pro, though the identity of the real killer may not be known until next fall.

"Soap" started out the new TV season as one of the most prematurely controversial shows in broadcasting history. Catholics condemned It. Baptists condemned it. Something called the International Union of Gay Athletes condemned it.

To all who thought "Soap" would demoralize the planet Earth, it had to be a disappointment. But as the controversy died down, the show and its ratings have improved.

It's still often gross, garish and uneven in tone.

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Then came "Fay," the short-lived NBC comedy starring Lee Grant, who coined the phrase "mad programmer" for Marvin Antonowsky, the man who canceled it.

"I was angry," Miss Harris said. "They never gave the show a chance. On sexual matters, we really had to beat around the bush. It was silly.”

"I'm having a much easier time at ABC than I did at NBC,” she said.

In addition to the protest about the sexual content of "Soap" there are other criticisms.

For one thing, what is it supposed to be?Everybody involved has said it is not a satire or soap opera, yet it is a continuing story and it is called "Soap."

"I just wanted to do a continuing story, week after week. As a writer, it gives me a luxury 1 hadn't had up to now, I don't have to tell a complete story in 23 minutes. It's a wonderful luxury

How does Susan Harris, "Soap's" creator and author, feel about the show's success? "I'm exhausted," she said. "I just can't wait for it to be.. because I can put in scenes that don't advance the over. I have four more to write, and I just can't wait for them to be done."

Miss Harris, 35, is writing all the episodes herself, something very unusual for a weekly TV situation comedy.

She also played a hooker named Babette on a couple of "Soap" episodes.

plot, things that are just good talk, Miss Harris said.

The number of groups protesting "Soap" mostly on the basis of a sensational Newsweek advance piece grew to a staggering length. Most of this has quieted down; ABC no longer

She is divorced, has a 10-year-old son named prefaces the show with a "mature audiences" dis-

Sam and started writing for television seven years ago when she needed money, watched a few TV shows and told herself, "I can do that.”

claimer, sponsors seem to be less terrified.

There is talk of expanding "Soap" to an hour or to two half hour episodes weekly next season though this may be ABC camouflage to give

Her first script, for an episode of "Then the impression the show is a big hit, which it ishid) {

Came Bronson, was sold within a month.

The Plain Dealer Sunday, February 12, 1978–21