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Soap opera

A soap opera, daytime drama, or soap for short, is typically a long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality.[1] The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored by soap manufacturers.[2] The term was preceded by "horse opera", a derogatory term for low-budget Westerns.

For other uses, see Soap opera (disambiguation).

BBC Radio's The Archers, first broadcast in 1950, is the world's longest-running radio soap opera.[3] The longest-running existing television soap is Coronation Street, which was first broadcast on ITV in 1960.[4] Guiding Light, which began on radio in 1937, transitioned to television in 1952, and ended in 2009, holds the record for the longest-running soap opera of any kind.


According to Albert Moran, one of the defining features that make a television program a soap opera is "that form of television that works with a continuous open narrative. Each episode ends with a promise that the storyline is to be continued in another episode".[5] In 2012, Los Angeles Times columnist Robert Lloyd wrote of daily dramas:


Soap opera storylines run concurrently, intersect and lead into further developments. An individual episode of a soap opera will generally switch between several concurrent narrative threads that may at times interconnect and affect one another or may run entirely independent to each other. Episodes may feature some of the show's storylines, but not always all of them. Especially in daytime serials and those that are broadcast each weekday, there is some rotation of both storyline and actors so any given storyline or actor will appear in some but usually not all of a week's worth of episodes. Soap operas rarely conclude all their storylines at the same time. When one storyline ends, there are several other story threads at differing stages of development. Soap opera episodes typically end on some sort of cliffhanger, and the season finale (if a soap incorporates a break between seasons) ends in the same way, only to be resolved when the show returns for the start of a new yearly broadcast.


Evening soap operas and those that air at a rate of one episode per week are more likely to feature the entire cast in each episode and present all storylines. Evening soap operas and serials that run for only part of the year tend to bring things to a dramatic end-of-season cliffhanger.


In 1976, Time magazine described American daytime television as "TV's richest market", noting the loyalty of the soap opera fan base and the expansion of several half-hour series into hour-long broadcasts in order to maximize ad revenues.[7] The article explained that at that time, many prime time series lost money, while daytime serials earned profits several times more than their production costs.[7] The issue's cover notably featured its first daytime soap stars, Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes of Days of Our Lives,[8][9] a married couple whose onscreen and real-life romance was widely covered by both the soap opera magazines and the mainstream press at large.[10]

Origin and history of the genre[edit]

The first program generally considered to be a "soap opera" or daytime serial by scholars of the genre is Painted Dreams,[11][12] which premiered on WGN radio Chicago, on October 20, 1930.[12] It was regularly broadcast in a daytime time slot, where most listeners would be housewives; thus, the shows were aimed at – and consumed by – a predominantly female audience.[2] Clara, Lu, 'n Em would become the first network radio serial of the type when it aired on the NBC Blue Network at 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time on January 27, 1931.[13] Although it did not make the move until February 15, 1932, Clara, Lu 'n Em would become the first network serial of the type to move to a weekday daily timeslot, and so also became the first network daytime serial.[13]

A construct unique to U.S. daytime serials is the format where the action will cut between various conversations, returning to each at the precise moment it was left. This is the most significant distinction between U.S. daytime soap operas and other forms of U.S. television drama, which generally allow for narrative time to pass, off-screen, between the scenes depicted. On occasion, a character or characters involved a conversation earlier in that act may appear in a different setting later in the same act.

[5]

In U.S. daytime soap operas, scenes often end with a and a close-up on the character. There will be no dialogue for several seconds, while the music builds before cutting to a commercial or a new scene. This kind of segue is referred to in the industry as a "tag".

pregnant pause

The traditional set-up routinely used in filmmaking and television production is also used on daytime soap operas, sometimes with accentuated back lighting to lift actors out of the background. This is useful in programs like soap operas, which are shot on videotape in small interior sets. The backlight is frequently more subtle on filmed productions shot on location and in larger sets.

three-point lighting

Domestic interiors are often furnished with stained wood wall panels and furniture, and items of brown leather furniture. This is to give a sumptuous and luxurious look suggesting the wealth of the characters. Daytime serials often foreground other sumptuous elements of set decoration; presenting a "mid-shot of characters viewed through a frame of lavish floral displays, glittering crystal decanters or gleaming antique furniture".

[14]

Few U.S. daytime soap operas routinely feature location or exterior-shot footage (Guiding Light began shooting many of its scenes outdoors in its final two seasons). Often an outdoor locale is recreated in the studio. Australian and U.K. daily soap operas invariably feature a certain amount of exterior shot footage in every episode. This is usually shot in the same location and often on a purpose-built set, with new exterior locations for particular events.

The visual quality of a soap opera is usually lower than prime time U.S. television drama series due to the lower budgets and quicker production times. This is also because soap operas are recorded on videotape using a , unlike prime time productions that are usually shot on film and frequently use the single-camera shooting style. Because of the lower resolution of video images, and also because of the emotional situations portrayed in soap operas, daytime serials make heavy use of close-up shots. Programs in the United States did not make the full conversion to high-definition broadcasting until September 2011, when The Bold and the Beautiful became the last soap to convert to the format; One Life to Live was an exception to this, as it continued to be produced and broadcast in standard definition – albeit in the 16:9 aspect ratio – until the end of its run on ABC in January 2012.

multi-camera setup

Soap operas have idiosyncratic techniques. In one common situation, a romantically involved couple starts a conversation face to face, then one character will turn 180° and face away from the other character while the conversation continues. This allows both characters to appear together in a single shot, and with both of them facing the audience. This is unrealistic in real life and is not frequently seen in film or on television outside U.S. daytime serials, but it is an accepted soap opera convention, sometimes referred to as a "two shot West".[25]

blocking

Because of the escapist tone of the genre and due to the large number of cast members employed by each program (usually totaling around 30 to 35 actors for hour-long soaps, and 15 to 25 for those lasting a half hour), daytime soap operas have traditionally listed all contract cast members (as well as recurring and guest actors) during the , instead of the opening title sequence. Until the 1990s, these series listed only a few of the principal actors at the end of the episode in certain episodes airing on Monday through Thursdays. Because of the aforementioned reasons, an extended credit sequence featuring a complete list of the show's cast members, listed alongside the characters they portray, typically airs at least once per week (usually on the Friday show; although since the 2000s, most soap operas, with General Hospital as one of the few exceptions, have randomized the day the cast list is shown). The Young and the Restless became the first American daytime soap to include the names of its contract actors in the opening credits in 1999 (although due to the large number of actors on contract with the show at one time, it utilizes different versions of the title sequence with a randomized list of about nine actors, increased from the seven listed in each version until 2017); The Bold and the Beautiful listed its entire main cast (as well as some actors appearing on a recurring basis) from 2004 to 2017, with General Hospital following suit from 2010 to 2013. (As of 2021, The Young and the Restless is the only American daytime soap opera that lists the names of its main cast during both its opening titles and extended closing credit sequence.)[26]

closing credits

New Zealand[edit]

Television[edit]

Pioneering series Pukemanu[81] aired over two years (1971–72) and was the NZBC's first continuing drama. It followed the goings-on of a North Island timber town.[82] Close to Home is a New Zealand television soap opera that ran on TVNZ 1 from 1975 to 1983. At its peak in 1977 nearly one million viewers tuned in twice weekly to watch the series co-created by Michael Noonan and Tony Isaac (who had initially only agreed to make the show on the condition they would get to make The Governor).[83] Gloss is a television drama series that screened from 1987 to 1990. The series is about a fictional publishing empire run by the Redfern family. Gloss was NZ's answer to US soap Dynasty, with the Carrington oil scions replaced by the wealthy Redferns and their Auckland magazine empire. It was a starting point for many actors who went on to many productions in New Zealand, Australia and around the world including Temuera Morrison, Miranda Harcourt, Peter Elliott, Lisa Chappell, Danielle Cormack and Kevin Smith. Many of them would go on to star in Shortland Street, which has been New Zealand's most popular soap since its debut in 1992. It airs on TVNZ 2.

Radio[edit]

Radio New Zealand began airing its first radio soap You Me Now in September 2010. It is available for podcast on its website.

Rue Carnot (1984–1987) : Aired on .

Canal+

(1996–2008) : Aired on TF1.

Sous le soleil

(1996–2007) : Aired on TF1. Third series and first soap opera in the Hélène et les Garçons franchise.

Les vacances de l'amour

(2004–2022) : Shown on France 3 on Monday to Friday evenings.

Plus belle la vie

Cœur Océan (2006–2011) : Aired on .

France 2

Baie des flamboyants (2007–2008) : Aired on .

France Ô

Foudre (2007–2011) : Aired on .

France 2

Seconde Chance (2008–2009) : Aired on .

TF1

Cinq Sœurs (2008) : Aired on .

France 2

Paris 16e (2009) : Aired on .

M6

(since 2011) : Broadcast by TMC. Fourth series and second soap opera in the Hélène et les Garçons franchise.

Les Mystères de l'amour

Les Flamboyants : (2011–2012) : A spin-off of Baie des flamboyants, aired on .

France Ô

Sous le soleil de Saint-Tropez (2013–2014) : A spin-off of Sous le soleil, aired on .

TMC

Cut ! (2013–2019) : Aired on .

France Ô

(since 2017) : Shown on TF1 on Monday to Friday evenings.

Demain Nous Appartient

(since 2018) : Broadcast by France 2.

Un si grand soleil

OPJ, Pacifique Sud (since 2019) : Broadcast by .

France Ô

Ici Tout Commence (since 2020) : Shown on on Monday to Friday evenings.

TF1

Middle East[edit]

Egypt[edit]

In February 2022, MBC launched the first Egyptian daily soap opera, Downtown West El Balad. In Cairo, two brothers became enemies after the death of their father because the eldest son was excluded from the inheritance. 190 episodes have already been produced.

Home video release[edit]

Due to the massive number of episodes typically produced for a long-running soap opera (into the tens of thousands for some) and the fact many episodes are lost over time, home video release (in VHS, DVD or Blu-ray) of daily soap operas is generally considered impractical and impossible beyond occasional retrospective releases or highlights. A notable exception is the 1966–1971 series Dark Shadows, which has had its entire run of 1,225 episodes (with an audio recreation of its sole missing episode) released to home video. In the case of American "primetime soap operas" this generally does not apply as typically such series produce far fewer episodes (generally on par with that of other genres), allowing home video release.

(1967–1978) featured a recurring skit, "As the Stomach Turns", that spoofed the American soap opera As the World Turns.

The Carol Burnett Show

The first season of the children's television series featured a recurring sketch, "Love of Chair", spoofing classic soap operas. The title was based on the long-running soap opera Love of Life, and its announcer Ken Roberts was also the announcer on Love of Life.

The Electric Company

Two of the most famous U.S. parodies were the series (1976–1977) and Soap (1977–1981), the latter of which was a weekly sitcom/soap opera parody.

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman

The cult Australian prison soap opera (1979–1986) included a spoof television soap that the inmates were occasionally seen watching called "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow". In one episode, specially recorded audio can be heard in which two characters from the fictional soap opera play out a ludicrous script which clearly pokes fun at the heightened melodrama of daytime soap operas.

Prisoner

British soap opera (1982–2003) included an in-universe soap opera parody of itself called "Meadowcroft Park" which Brookside characters referenced and were occasionally seen watching. The soap was set on a newly built housing estate in Chester and real scenes, even a "Part two" caption, were produced for airing on the character's houses TV's. Notably, Meadowcroft was also the original working title of Brookside.

Brookside

was a 1986 American miniseries spoof of the prime time serials of the period.

Fresno

The recurring "" skit on the UK's Victoria Wood As Seen On TV (1985–1987) was modeled on Crossroads and other British soap operas of the 1970s. In 1992, Wood included a new soap parody for the one-off programme Victoria Wood's All Day Breakfast called The Mall which was set in a shopping centre. Wood played Connie who was a send up of Polly Perkins character Trish Valentine in failed BBC soap Eldorado which was still airing at the time.

Acorn Antiques

(1990–1994) was an Australian parody of medical drama series.

Let The Blood Run Free

The 1990–1991 ABC drama was a prime time series that poked fun at the genre. Episodes during the series' first season also included a fictional soap within the stories, titled Invitation to Love.

Twin Peaks

Shark Bay (1996) was an Australian parody of glamorous beachside soap operas. It featured many actors who had appeared in Australian soap operas Sons and Daughters, Prisoner, Home and Away and Neighbours.

The 2000–2001 sitcom Grosse Pointe was a self-parody of creator Darren Star's behind-the-scenes experiences producing nighttime soaps, in particular Beverly Hills, 90210.

WB

South African comedian produced the soap opera parody Haak en Steek (which ran from 2003 to 2004), based on South African soaps like Egoli: Place of Gold.

Casper de Vries

The now-cancelled ABC soap opera One Life to Live would often poke fun at the genre as well, even featuring a soap within the soap called Fraternity Row, which many of One Life to Live's characters had either worked on or watched. Months after ABC announced in April 2011 that it would cancel One Life to Live, the series featured a storyline in which Fraternity Row itself was cancelled, leading the character of (Ilene Kristen) to desperately try and save the series, to no avail. A special episode that aired on December 19, 2011, featured the cast of One Life to Live acting out an episode of Fraternity Row in a dream of Roxy's; the episode poked fun at both One Life to Live and the entire genre itself, featuring many soap opera stereotypes such as overacting, outrageous story lines, bad casting and incestuous relationships; it also parodied some storylines featured on the real-world soap. The second-to-last episode of One Life to Live showed characters watching the final episode of Fraternity Row and exposing the show's last big secret: the series' main heroine and protagonist, Lorraine King Vonvaldenburg Baxter Beumont, was really a man.

Roxy Balsom

featured The Days of the Week: "Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. Thursday. Friday. Saturday. Sunday. These are...The Days of the Week."

Second City TV

The ABC comedy drama (which ran from 2004 to 2012) was a semi-satirical nighttime series that took many elements from the genre.

Desperate Housewives

The Fox broadcast show has a recurring spoof of All My Children called All My Circuits.

Futurama

The animated series Tender Touches, which premiered in 2017, is a parody of soap operas.

Adult Swim

In motion pictures, the 1982 comedy Tootsie has the lead character impersonating a woman in order to gain acting work on a long running television soap opera. Several scenes parody the production of soaps, their outrageous storylines and idiosyncratic stylistic elements.


The 1991 comedy Soapdish stars Sally Field as an aging soap opera actress on the fictional series The Sun Also Sets who pines over her own neuroses and misfortunes, such as her live-in boyfriend who leaves her to go back to his wife, and the incidents of backstabbing and scheming behind the scenes, some of which are more interesting than the stories on the program.


Another 1991 comedy, Delirious, stars John Candy as a soap opera writer who, after a head injury, has a dream experience of being in his own creation. The dream experience is an increasingly outrageous exaggeration of soap opera plot elements.


On television, several soap opera parodies have been produced:

Soap Opera overview – Museum of Broadcast Communications

SoapHub.com – Portal for US soap operas

SoapCentral.com – Portal for US soap operas

Soapdom.com – Portal for US soap operas

SoapOperaDigest.com – Portal for US soap operas

Soaps.com – Portal for US soap operas

(US soap operas)

Soaps of the Past page on MySpace

What's on TV – Portal for UK soap operas

The Aussie Soap Archive – Classic Australian soap operas

Interviews and news on UK and Australian soaps

The Soap Show

US soap operas overview, news and recaps