▁that ▁are ▁fol ded ▁into ▁a ▁single ▁half - hour ▁episode ); ▁cable ▁networks ▁with ▁original ▁programming ▁seem ▁to ▁have ▁settled ▁on ▁about ▁ 1 0 ▁to ▁ 1 3 ▁episodes ▁per ▁season , ▁much ▁in ▁line ▁with ▁British ▁television ▁programming , ▁though ▁there ▁are ▁exceptions ▁( part icular ly ▁with ▁cable ▁networks ▁special izing ▁in ▁children ' s ▁programming , ▁which ▁util ize ▁the ▁network ▁television ▁model ▁of ▁total ▁per - season ▁episode ▁counts , ▁but ▁spread ▁out ▁the ▁episodes ▁over ▁a ▁single ▁calendar ▁year ). ▁ ▁American ▁soap ▁oper as ▁air ▁in ▁the ▁afternoon , ▁five ▁days ▁a ▁week , ▁without ▁any ▁significant ▁break ▁in ▁tap ing ▁and ▁air ing ▁sched ules ▁throughout ▁the ▁year . ▁This ▁means ▁that ▁these ▁serial s ▁air ▁approximately ▁ 2 6 0 ▁episodes ▁a ▁year , ▁making ▁their ▁cast ▁and ▁crew ▁members ▁the ▁bus iest ▁in ▁show ▁business . ▁These ▁shows ▁are ▁rarely , ▁if ▁ever , ▁repeated ▁( unless ▁the ▁network ▁cho oses ▁not ▁to ▁air ▁a ▁new ▁episode ▁on ▁certain ▁major ▁hol id ays ), ▁making ▁it ▁difficult ▁for ▁view ers ▁to ▁" catch ▁up " ▁when ▁they ▁miss ▁an ▁episode , ▁though ▁the ▁television ▁networks ' ▁ad option ▁of ▁online ▁streaming ▁during ▁the ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 0 s ▁has ▁made ▁it ▁easier ▁for ▁view ers ▁to ▁watch ▁recent ▁episodes ▁of ▁a ▁particular ▁soap . ▁C able ▁channel ▁So ap Net ▁provided ▁week ly ▁repe ats ▁for ▁some ▁broadcast s ▁until ▁it ▁shut ▁down ▁in ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 3