What Makes a Soap Great
Written 4/4/04 by Suzanne originally
for Bella Online
Right now the best soap operas on the air are As The World Turns and
All My Children, followed closely by Young and The Restless. This is the
first year that all of the CBS soaps were nominated for Daytime Emmy
Awards for best show. It really shouldn't come as much of a surprise to
anyone. ATWT has been going strong for a year or so now, in terms of
quality. Last year Bold and the Beautiful was also really good (it's lost
some of its focus this year). Young and the Restless has been the
top-rated show for over 15 years, and with good reason. CBS seems
synonymous with quality, at least as far as its daytime soaps.
All My Children was not great for most of last year, but I'm looking
forward to them being nominated next year because they are doing great
again. Guiding Light just went through some major changes (the executive
producer was replaced and there are major cast changes coming up), so the
fans are hoping that it improves as well.
Days of Our Lives has improved, but until it gets a different headwriter,
I can't see it winning any awards. Jim Reilly has some great ideas but
executes them poorly. The show is exciting and certainly tighter than it
used to be, but he still uses his signature "bits" such as having
characters talking out loud, too many flashbacks, long and frequent
fantasy sequences, predictable plot devices and characters who just act
plain stupid. More to the point, no one behaves in a rational or
believable manner. It's pure escapist fantasy.
I don't see other shows getting any better. One Life to Live has many ups
and downs. General Hospital writers seem more interested in having daily
"thrills" such as shootings, stabbings, kidnappings, explosions, etc. than
in developing interesting long-term stories or characters. B&B has moved
its focus to the Marone family, taking it off the Forresters, and spending
way too much story on Nick/Brooke/Ridge. Passions....well, the only bright
spot on this show lately has been that, I have noticed its pace picking up
for the last few weeks. Otherwise it has all the same problems Days has,
without the exciting serial killer storyline.
Why are ATWT, AMC and Y&R so good? Why can't other soaps emulate them?
Good writing is hard, apparently. These shows have multiple storylines
that somehow intertwine, using most of the cast, without leaving many
people out. They have characters of all ages (they don't just focus on
teens, or 20-somethings). They mingle new characters with old, so that we
care about them. They don't ignore the history of the shows; rather, they
build on that history with new, compelling storylines. They have the
characters going through emotional trauma in a believable way so that we
empathize with them. They don't change the characters' personalities or
basic values overnight, just for the sake of the story. If a good guy goes
bad, there's a believable reason. They show people actually working at
their jobs. They have romance, along with the occasional death or other
sadness. They don't show blood and gore gratuitously. They may have some
fantasy sequences but don't overdo them. They make the actors happy so
they want to stay; they rarely have to recast. When they do recast, they
go through a great deal of trouble to find just the right person. They
don't base casting, for the most part, on looks. They focus on families
and love, rather than sex or violence. ATWT and Y&R hardly ever have
changes in writers. AMC has been great since Megan McTavish returned (she
has a long history with the show).
Soap execs, take note. This is what good soap opera is all about. Please
stop trying to make our daytime shows into primetime ones and just give us
good daytime drama.
Page updated 12/27/11
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