All: Pioneers, The New Frontier, and Americana in Our Soaps

[2shane8]

Aside from OL's 1988 fantasy sequence in which Clint Buchanan traveled back in time, can anyone help me come up with instances in soap history that incorporate the aesthetics or spirit of American Pioneers, the New Frontier, and general Americana?

So far, I have come up with the following:

OL's Kevin and Kelly served as a metaphor for the struggling pioneer couple, with Kelly's pregnancy troubles calling to mind the women of the 1800's. TPTB were not allowed to dress them in period garb, because they would have looked out of place, but from the time Heather Tom was cast, the mission was to have us feel like we were back in time, on the broken trail with them.

DAYS: Bo and Hope often head west on adventure, and their similarities to Lewis and Clark are probably intentional. Notice how there is often something PHYSICAL, whether it be Bo using a tool like a shovel, or Hope having to mess up her hair or wardrobe to get them out of some srape, much in the spirit of hard working American rustics.

Guiding Light has always had lighting and sets that are purposely designed to make the show look like it's taking place in a glorious American past.

Lucinda on ATWT: notice how a lot of the jewelry she wore during the breast cancer storyline was meant to look "authentic," as though it had been designed by a Native American tribe, and some of it was actually purchased for this sole purpose

OLTL's Nora has had dialogue written for her that was directly taken from words attributed to Calamity Jane; also, she has from time to time been dressed in a more Modern Day version of Ma Ingalls' frocks from the 1970s television classic "Little House On The Prairie"

can anyone add to this list?

[CSW]

Days had THE CAN and the blue key.... surely they are representations of some pioneer spirit.

jk.

(another year another cheap shot directed at THE CAN)

[2shane8]

I'm not sure what THE CAN refers to, but thank you for the addition. If we can keep these coming, I would be most appreciative!

[2shane8]

I'm not sure what THE CAN refers to, but thank you for the addition. If we can keep these coming, I would be most appreciative!

[applcin]

Well, for Americana, DAYS had a story of Kayla and Steve reading from a Civil War-era Southern belle's diary about her falling in love with a Union soldier and SN and MBE played those characters. "Gideon" and "Emily" had their own storyline going for a while.

[2shane8]

Thank you for this one! So as of now we have:

~ OLTL's Kevin and Kelly as metaphor for pioneers on the broken trail

~ ATWT's Lucinda with authentic Native American jewelry

~ DAYS: Bo and Hope's physicality and tendency to head west, THE CAN, and Steve and Kayla's Civil War

~ GL's rustic sets, lighting, etc.

~ OLTL's Nora's Calamity Jane dialogue

Can anyone add? Someone at Soap Opera Central told me Y&R had a mystery on a ranch back in the 80s, but I haven't been able to confirm this.

[2shane8]

Thank you for this one! So as of now we have:

~ OLTL's Kevin and Kelly as metaphor for pioneers on the broken trail

~ ATWT's Lucinda with authentic Native American jewelry

~ DAYS: Bo and Hope's physicality and tendency to head west, THE CAN, and Steve and Kayla's Civil War

~ GL's rustic sets, lighting, etc.

~ OLTL's Nora's Calamity Jane dialogue

Can anyone add? Someone at Soap Opera Central told me Y&R had a mystery on a ranch back in the 80s, but I haven't been able to confirm this.