Media > Articles > General Prime-time soaps slip into lineups USAToday.com By Gary Levin, USA TODAY The prime-time soap is making a comeback. Fox's The O.C., a teen-centered drama set in wealthy Orange County, Calif., provides an early start to the fall season Tuesday (9 p.m. ET/PT) and will soon be joined by a half-dozen family dramas with continuing story lines. The trend harks back to the 1980s heyday of Dynasty and Dallas and marks an abrupt reversal. Only last year, network executives sounded the death knell for serial dramas. Ratings for repeats fell sharply, and there was little value in syndication. Open-and-shut crime shows with tidy endings each week were soaring. But now, there's a risk of crime-series overkill. And reality dating shows such as ABC's The Bachelor, along with Fox's ticking-clock thriller, 24, proved that the right formula can entice loyal viewership. So have NBC's nostalgic American Dreams and WB's father-and-son saga Everwood, both of which are returning for second seasons in September. "We would love to have our version of CSI or Law & Order," Fox entertainment president Gail Berman says. "That said, the serialized nature of the reality programming we're running now is very appealing to our audience." Joining newcomer The O.C., which stars Peter Gallagher as a lawyer who takes in a kid (Benjamin McKenzie) from the wrong side of the tracks: In many of these shows, networks are asking writers to come up with "closed-ended" stories that will satisfy occasional viewers while using serialized elements to keep fans coming back. The soapy nature of The O.C. won't allow repeats through the season, so the show is being produced at a lower cost, compared with many dramas. And if successful, the network can order as many as 35 episodes a year, up from the standard 22, much as Fox did for Melrose Place and Beverly Hills, 90210. 2003 Virtual Rain. This is an unofficial fansite with no relation to FOX, Warner Brothers, or any of their associates. This is just a fansite opened for the purpose of exposing the show "The O.C" to new fans across the internet. Original copyright of all photos remain to FOX/WB and are used purely for the purpose of enjoying the show and furthering its fanbase.