You know those day time series that never end. Men and women alike, though it is statistically mostly women, who can not bear to miss even one episode of their most loved day time program.

Soap operas got their start as programs on the radio. They were sponsored by soap manufacturers, soap manufacturers who knew that is was in large women who purchased their products. These radio programs were directed at women and were aired on the radio during the day when most women were cleaning and cooking at home.

They were full of love, romance, and intrigue. They had a continuing story line and would usually end a program each day in a cliff hanging situation so that a listener would be sure to tune in the next day. Hopefully they would also be reminded that were in need of a new box of detergent or soap of some kind.

Soap operas today follow the same pattern as when they first started years ago. They still have cliff hangers, especially on Friday's episodes. They still have a more faithful than ever audience, only they watch on television instead of listening on the radio.

The one thing that can separate daytime soaps from other shows that might share the term soap, like Dallas, Knots Landing, or today's biggest prime time hit, Desperate Housewives, is that daytime soaps never have re runs.

Everyday is a brand new episode. This could be one reason that they have endured as a program type for so many years. Many people who watch them are so enthralled by them that they had rather miss dinner than miss their best soap opera.

It is much easier for people who watch these almost addictive programs to keep current with what is going on even if they miss a show or two. The Soap Opera network which can be seen on cable and satellite television is a non stop 24 hours a day broadcast station of soap operas.

So if a viewer misses the show they love the most during the day, they have the opportunity to catch the missed episode on the Soap channel later. This is great for those faithful fans that have found their selves having to work a day job who thought they had to give up following the soap opera that they have probably been watching for years.