Soap Opera Shortage Looming Amidst Coronavirus Shutdowns

By now, we're getting used to dealing with shortages of certain things during this Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Everything from toilet paper and hand wipes to yeast and now meat has been in short supply as demand for these items have far exceeded demand.

But with all of the activities that have been curtailed by the pandemic-related shutdowns, we're on the verge of another shortage - in the entertainment world.

Production on feature films and television shows have been on hold indefinitely since mid-March and while some programs, like the late-night talk shows and competition shows like American Idol and The Voice are continuing with remote broadcasts, not all projects have that luxury.

Vulture is reporting that the soap opera industry, which usually records episodes only a few weeks in advance, is already coming up short on new material.

Different soaps are handling the situation differently.

At CBS, The Young and The Restless and The Bold and The Beautiful have been airing 'classic' episodes (sounds better than repeats) to make up for the shortage.

Over at ABC, General Hospital has been padding its' current shows with footage from previous shows in a series of 'flashbacks'.

The halt in production is even having an impact on some primetime shows.

This week, NBC announced the Friday's (May 8) season seven finale of The Blacklist would be short on new footage. The New York Daily News is reporting that producers have had to add animation to the storyline, with dialogue recorded at home by the show's actors.

If the shutdown continues much longer it could have a serious impact on the launch of the 2020-21 television season in September.