Despite the current popularity of TV's prime time soap operas, the genre itself is relatively new - at least in its current and updated form. Dallas premiered in 1978, and was originally intended to air solely as a five-part mini-series. Then, in 1981, producer Aaron Spelling stepped in and introduced his own ultra-glitzy entry Dynasty. Between these two mega-hits, the era of the nighttime soap was born. Soaps soon spun off into non-traditional avenues as well, in sitcoms like "Filthy Rich" and the supernatural drama "Twin Peaks".Then, with the arrival of the more youth-oriented Fox Network, producers were able to hook an entirely new generation on programs such as "Beverly Hills, "90210", "Melrose Place", and "Party of Five". Pay cable channels have also stepped into the picture and now act as trendsetters with hits like "Sex and the City", "Six Feet Under", "The Sopranos", and "The L Word". "Prime Time Soap Operas" covers all the major shows, and also investigates all the ways that soaps have contributed to the development of more general television trends. Interviews with producers, actors, and other artistic collaborators supplement this revealing and entertaining account.