A soap opera, often referred to simply as a soap, is a serial drama, on television or radio, that related story lines dealing with the lives of multiple characters. The stories in these series typically focus heavily on emotional relationships to the point of melodrama. [1] The name soap opera stems from the fact that many of the sponsors and producers of the original dramatic serials’ broadcast on radio were soap manufacturers Introduction Staying Tuned: Contemporary Soap Opera Criticism examines serials.
Broadcast first in 1926 on radio and since 1956 on television Monday through Friday 52 weeks a year, soap operas provide a clear promise to continue for as long as mass mediated entertainment exists. Over the last sixty years, billions have happily suffered along with the gallant men and women of the afternoon. A growing body of scholarly literature exists now to provide insights and suggest answers to the question of why so many continually return to the routine tragedies of daytime drama. Each of our chapters explores an aspect of soap opera which contributes to the endurance of the genre.
Rodney Andrew Carveth looks at the question of why the audience returns day after day by analyzing the effects of viewing. His “Exploring the Effects of Love in the Afternoon: Does Soap Opera Viewing Create Perceptions of a Promiscuous World? ” discusses how the audience perceives sex in the soaps. Alexander, et. al. study whether women view serial drama differently than men do. Their examination “Investigating Gender Differences in College Student Soap Opera Viewing” reveals a further reason for why soap opera remains a compelling form.
Frentz and Ketter scrutinize theme by looking at the treatment of sexual activity in daytime drama’s stories. “Everyday Sex in Everyday Drama” suggests the power of sexual elements in storytelling be marshalled to provide modeling behavior. Families remain at the heart of storytelling in televised serial drama. In “The Nuclear Family Is Alive and Well, As The World Turns,” Gilah Rittenhouse writes that one reason we may be staying tuned is because as audience we are either fantasizing or reminiscing about being part of one big happy family. Deborah Rogers offers a similar view
about the importance of family in “The Afternoons of our Lives” but points out that soaps may be undermining the family with a subtext which institutionalizes female subordination. In another essay, Rodgers reminds us of the importance of contemporary themes as a contributor to staying power of daytime drama. “AIDS Spreads to the Soaps, Sort Of” sheds light on how the creators of serials choose to embrace yet soften current topics. Mariam Darce Frenier attends to the audience in her research by examining the younger set in “7th and 8th Graders ‘Read’ Daytime Soap Operas in Three West-Central Minnesota Public Schools.
” In search of a non-empirical approach to audience studies, Carol T. Williams considers adult viewers. ” ‘It’s Time for My Story’: Oral Culture in the Technological Era—Towards a Methodology for Soap Opera Audience Study. ” In “The Fate of the Subject in the Narrative Without End” Jane Archer treats us to an analysis of what happens to the major character in a soap opera that keeps us coming back for more. She posits the notion that because they are dependent on the story-telling devices of deferral, contradiction, and repetition, serials underline the instability of closure and the inconsistency of character.
Diana C. Reep suggests we listen to “The Siren Call of the Super Couple: Soap Operas’ Destructive Slice Toward Closure” as a warning knell. Contradicting the definition and purpose of a serial, several characteristics of the Super Couple do not ring true to form. Utilizing feminist theory as a base, Scott Nelson in “Pine Valley Prostitute: The Representation of All My Children’s Donna Tyler” submits that this serial serves as a continuing transmission of patriachal values. Vibert C. Cambridge examines the power of serial drama by exploring another medium—radio, on another continent—Africa.
“Radio Soap Operas in Global Africa: Origins, Applications, and Implications” examines the power of the serial form when pressed into delivering pro? social messages. In “Soaps & Serials: The Transformation of Daytime Drama into Romance Literature,” Diane M. Calhoun-French analyzes the failure of publishers to capture the essence of the serial form and thus the audience with print efforts. From Dickens and print, to film, then radio, and now television, serials have maintained a powerful hold over audiences. Some of the reasons for this fascinating phenomenon are found in this volume.
The 25 Most Powerful TV Shows of the Last 25 Years 1. TROPIKANKA: THE SHOW THAT WON A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2. MELROSE PLACE: THE SHOW THAT TURNED PRIME TIME INTO AN ART GALLERY 3. THE SIMPSONS: THE SHOW THAT CHANGED HOW WE TALK 4. AMERICA’S MOST WANTED: THE SHOW THAT CLEANED UP AMERICA’S STREETS 5. THE THEORISTS: THE SHOW THAT MADE US RESPECT BELARUS’S ACTORS 6. GLEE: THE SHOW THAT BOOSTED THE RECORD INDUSTRY 7. DE GROTE DONORSHOW: THE SHOW THAT BECAME AN ORGAN DONOR 8. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: THE SHOW THAT REWIRED KIDS’ BRAINS 9. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION: THE SHOW THAT SAVED A GENRE 10.
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM: THE SHOW THAT IMPROVISED JUSTICE 11. BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: THE SHOW THAT SPAWNED AN ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE 12. FRIENDS: THE SHOW THAT LAUNCHED A ONE-HIT WONDER 13. CSI: THE SHOW THAT GAVE D. A. ’S HEADACHES 14. HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER: THE SHOW THAT REVOLUTIONIZED PRODUCT PLACEMENT Bad Effect of Media in Younger Generation 1. Introduction Until the mid of the last century most adolescents spend their free time together with adults and monitor the behavior and activities of this social group. Therefore adolescents get the abilities they need in society to get well-integrated.
Until that time parents, brothers, sisters and relatives were the most important examples for adolescents and children. After the Increasing of technology and globalization mostly everything changed. New Media were created and they not only changed the manufacturing process but also the quality and size of products. This had effects on the social behavior and relationships of young people. The media which influenced the life of mankind the most are mass media like television and internet. It is acquainted that TV was introduced in the 40s in the United States of America. Today TV and internet is a big partIs this Essay helpful?
Join OPPapers to read more and access more than 325,000 just like it! get better grades in the life of many adolescents but also in the life of many adults apart from their financial and social status. Furthermore the media fascinates children with the mixture of technology, creativity and possibilities. Many adolescents want to have a job in the media-branch because they dream to be on TV and many of them have the desire of being the next Madonna. Because of that development the question arises how mass media influenced the Youth Culture in the last ten years. What Exactly is a Soap Opera?
Soap opera fans are some of the most loyal and vocal viewers out there, and soap opera storylines are some of the wackiest and most romantic on air. But while soaps are generally well known for these very characteristics, it is not uncommon for people to wonder, “What exactly is a soap opera? ” Definition By definition, soap operas are ongoing works of fiction, and episodic in nature. In laymen’s terms, soaps are stories told over an extended period, with different characters being featured at different times. It is rare in soaps to have a quick wrap-up of a storyline, and it is even rarer for a story to affect only one or two characters.
Most often, a storyline affects several characters, and possibly interconnects with other stories. Perhaps the most common trait of a soap opera is that each episode ends with a promise for more drama the following day, rather than a neat tie-up of that episode’s story, as you’d find with sitcoms or other dramas. How Soap Operas Got Their Name When soap operas began, they were first broadcast on the radio. Called “dramatic serials,” soap manufacturers such as Procter and Gamble, Colgate-Palmolive, and Lever Brothers were the show’s sponsors.
In time, the name “soap opera” came to be and has remained ever since. How Soaps Differ from Other TV Programs Soap operas tend to focus their plots and storylines around family life, personal and sexual relationships, emotional and moral conflicts and sometimes newsworthy issues such as rape, teen drinking, drug abuse, adoption, illness, addiction and more. While many of these scenarios might show up in other TV programs, soaps are filmed to reveal the day-to-day lives of its characters, building the story over time.
In addition, you’ll find soap staples such as missing siblings, mystery parents, death (and resurrection), adultery, betrayal, and, yes, even demonic possession. You’ll also find actors and actresses who are generally more attractive and well dressed than in other mediums, and who are almost certainly more alluring than the show’s viewers. With the exception of The Young and the Restless, which is filmed in High Definition, soaps also tend to have lower visual quality than primetime television programs, mostly due to their smaller budgets and faster production times.
Soaps in Prime Time TV During the 1980s, primetime serials were a large part of television viewing. Shows such asDallas, Knots Landing, Dynasty, and Falcon Crest all aired to adoring fans. These shows tended to focus more on business conflicts and wealthy families. Their sets were extravagant and the actors dressed to the hilt. When filmed on location, viewers could count on beautiful locales to lure them in. Today, prime time soaps including Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty and ER are equally as alluring, but much less flashy. Soaps Odd and Ends
Soap actors are some of the most skilled actors, as the amount of material they need to memorize and the hours they spend on camera are relentless. Shooting a soap opera often requires plenty of improvisation and quick thinking by the actors. In addition, blocking (the way an actor faces a camera) is slightly unconventional and is contrary to how humans would normally interact. Because their faces are often shown close-up to reveal the emotions relevant to the story, actors may have to tilt their bodies in an unnatural manner, which can be rather challenging.
The ending of a scene in which an actor is shown delivering a staggering line or leaving us with a telltale expressive face is called a “tag. ” In the industry, a soap actor is proud when he or she is awarded with a tag. The “rooms” on a soap set are often dark and rich in color, with stained walls and leather furniture to portray a sense of wealth. It is also common to find grand floral displays, glittering chandeliers, crystal accessories, and a myriad of other fine furnishings on set.
