Opening sequences

[MarkH]

I do love visiting this thread.

If _I_ were programming Soapnet, I'd be running dubbed or subtitled versions of these shows. Of course, my network would fail economically, but I'd have joy while dying :-).

[Sylph]

I think you would change your mind about some of these pretty quickly – they weren't good.

[All My Shadows]

I have to say that "Coronation Street" has had some of the dullest openings I've ever seen. I'm sure that there's a gigantic respect for its tradition and all, but it's just so drab and depressing...that music...the shots of the run-down buildings. Yech! The only one I love is from the mid-80s and it has nice little shots of birds and clouds and such.

"Emmerdale Farm" uses the exact same concept but it comes off so much sunnier and brighter there, even the ones that had random footage of cows and sheep.

[Sylph]

CassieFan, do you have the openings for new Croatian soaps?

[CassieFan]

Nope, nothing new. The only news is that "Zakon ljubavi" was cancelled after 60 episodes due to low ratings.

[Huntress]

Sturm der Liebe (telenovela, fourth cycle 2008/2009

Nya Tider

This one's a Swedish soap. Don't know if it's still on the air.

[Ben]

Since no-one has added the latest H&A opening/recap, I will.

Home & Away 2009

[DRW50]

When I watch foreign soaps I usually prefer the older, more somber openings. They have a certain power. Eastenders, Coronation Street (their closing theme is just absolutely beautiful), and the old Emmerdale theme before they jazzed it up with the overorchestration. They bring the old theme out for special occasions like Jack Sugden's funeral, although the announcer usually talks over it

Many of the peppier openings get on my nerves, they seem hollow, like Neighbours, or cheap, like All That Matters (I do like the opening notes -- that strong German voice is better than any alarm clock). The one which doesn't bother me is Hollyoaks, it tends to fit the show. Or the music does anyway. The pictures I just like to study because they go so fast and are frequently changed.

[Faulkner]

I agree...I hate the "pop song" openings...perhaps because I prefer my soaps more "classic" and "classy" in tone.

I do like the grandeur of the Emmerdale theme, overbearing orchestration and all. It feels very dramatic and soapy to me.

[All My Shadows]

The Hollyoaks opening screams trailer trash to me LOL It may be from England, but every time I hear that song, all I see is rednecks bouncing around with mullets and rat tails. Not a pretty image.

I loved the music that they had before that though, with the opening with all the blue rectangles floating around. The music was just incredibly sexy. I'm talking about this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=385f1A2pydE

[DRW50]

I've been watching some Neighbours stuff from the late 90s recently (Susan Kennedy with the long, dark hair is jarring...and I wish they'd kept Lance around, he's a wonderful character), and I just love their opening sequence from around 1997-1998.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0P9JlNvuOk

In some of the other Neighbours sequences from that decade, the music is right but I don't like the images. This has the right combination of both. Warm family and friendship sequences with character names attached, making everyone easy to identify, and unlike the current credits, not jerking by so fast that you have no idea who is what.

The singer also seems to be trying for a Bono here and there, which makes it more entertaining to watch.

[JamesF]

Something in the Air - 2001

Short lived Aussie soap that aired on the ABC. Eric Bana was on the show at its inception but was recast and then killed off in a tractor accident.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

^I can see why it was "short lived." That opening alone is like a sleeping pill.

[JamesF]

You should have seen the show. I'd completely forgotten about it until I found the clip. I caught various bits of reruns when I was over there about 5 years ago. It was very very gently paced. Some interestingly quirky concepts and characters but the format seemed a little off.

[Ben]

@ that theme tune!

"Everybody knows everyone; we like it that way.

Sun goes up and comes down..." You don't say.

Triangle - Old BBC One soap, starring Kate O'Mara.