Search for Tomorrow

Search for Tomorrow was a soap opera which aired on the CBS television network from September 3, 1951 to March 26, 1982. The show was then moved to NBC, where it commenced telecasts on March 29, 1982. It continued on NBC until the final episode was aired on December 26, 1986.

The '80s

The show was doing fine in the afternoon ratings (the show consistently ranked #4 in the soap ratings throughout most of the 1970s) until the decision was made to move the show to 2:30 PM (Eastern Time) in 1981 (the show had aired at 12:30 PM since its first episode thirty years before). The show still had many fans, but the ratings weren't near the level they had once been. CBS canceled the show in early 1982, replacing the show with a glitzy serial called Capitol.

Related Topics:
Eastern Time - 1981 - CBS - 1982 - Capitol

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In an advertising campaign called Follow the Search, the stars of the show wished for its loyal viewers to follow Search to NBC. However, CBS only allowed the advertisements if Procter and Gamble did not name the network to which the show was moving in their adverts (something CBS also decreed when The Edge of Night moved to ABC in 1975). At the end of the final CBS episode, veteran actors Mary Stuart and Larry Haines told the audience to start watching the show as it moved to "another network", and asked the viewers to locate them in their television listings.

Related Topics:
NBC - The Edge of Night - ABC - 1975

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The show was moved back to its 12:30 slot, but the ratings stayed 50% lower than they had been on CBS, even in the 2:30 slot. By this time, Joanne's final marriage to Martin Tourneur (John Aniston) did not interest many viewers, and the show was chastised for preposterous storylines: in one heroine's case, she gave birth to a baby just three months after conception.

Related Topics:
CBS - John Aniston

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The show was canceled in 1986, but not after a memorable attempt to bring up the ratings: the whole town of Henderson was washed away in a flood. In a display of reverence, the only buildings that were left standing after the flood were Joanne's residence and business.

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The final episode ended with senior characters Stu Bergman and Joanne Tourneur talking about the future. Joanne told Stu that she was searching for "tomorrow, and I can't wait."

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