Soaps

Fans of daytime television may refer to soap operas as soaps. These over-the-top ongoing dramas air a new episode each day, typically in the early afternoon. While soaps' popularity has been declining for some time, a select few remain on the air.

Why soaps are called soaps

Soaps originated as daily radio dramas that were sponsored by soap companies. Because these soap-sponsored dramas featured wild, operatic twists and turns, viewers and those in the entertainment industry began calling them first soap operas, and then just soaps.