Yeah in a sitcom each episode has to be about something. It has to have a distinctive story that begins and ends in that episode. Soap operas don’t have any of that.
The radio version of Amos ‘n’ Andy used to be a daily comedy/soap opera.
It was a 15 minute show. Same for Lum and Abner. I’m more familiar with the latter, and it did have continuing story lines, so the story could go on for a week or more.
As I understand it, it went through two distinct phases. First it was a daily 15-minute serial, and then it became a weekly traditional sitcom.