By 1932, the "daytime female serial dramas" and the "light, homey, or love interest dramas" were starting to become more and more popular. NBC-Blue introduced ROMANCE, and SHEER ROMANCE, with Betty & Bob. Betty and Bob began at NBC Blue on October 10, 1932 (with General Mills), the first show to be produced by the parents of soap opera, Frank Hummert and the then Anne Ashenhurst (they would marry in 1935 to become the King & Queen of Soaps team).

With an early afternoon (1:45pm) serial time slot, the show was the first network daytimer to contain all the classic soapy themes in the tale of "poor-but-pure" Betty Drake and her once "wealthy-but-now-disinherited" husband Bob.