Your New Year's resolutions for the soaps

[DRW50]

Mine are:

Enjoy the soaps more. It's fun to be very analytical and write a lot of critical commentary, but even when I complain about some of the stuff on Corrie or Emmerdale or Hollyoaks or Eastenders, there are moments I enjoy, and since with all the various laws or possible overcharging and caps going on in both countries within the next year, I might not even be able to watch them by this time next year. I might as well enjoy them while I can.

Try to watch more Brookside and Crossroads while I have a chance.

Try to finish more of the late 80s and early 90s Eastenders.

Try to find some pre-2005 Hollyoaks or any of Family Affairs. It's ridiculous to me that so little of these are available.

Try to find more of Night and Day.

Try to watch more Australian soaps, past and present, while I have a chance.

Try not to go to Digital Spy's soap forums as much. The soap war stuff and all the agendas and the bitterness tends to influence you even if you are just reading. I'm sure that I might not be as "Eastenders is great/Corrie sucks" or vice versa, if I read there less, and generally, although I do enjoy some of the threads, there is also a lot that ends up being exhausting to get through.

Try not to write such long blathery posts that people probably ignore.

[Skylover]

Happy New Year by the way Carl!

Carl - I definitely think you should get into Neighbours! I know I'm biased because it's my favourite soap, and favourite show too, but in my opinion Neigbours is a show all people should see if they love the soap opera genre. It's just a show you can get completely sucked into and I enjoy it so much, an entire episode could just focus on chit-chat round the dinner table and I'd still love it. Have you watched it in the past, and which eras have you watched if so?

As for my personal soap ambitions for this year, I'm extremely keen to get into Days of our Lives. I saw some 1993 episodes when I was in Barbados a few years ago which centred around the characters of Sami and Lucas(?) and was thrilled when I came back to England and discovered they were bot still on the show in the episodes that were being shown here. DOOL is the only American soap that I'm really keen to get into.

I really want to write for either one of the Oz shows, as I think there's so much potential with both shows which isn't being utilised properly. I know I live outside of Australia, but I'm hoping that one day in the near future I will be able to get permanent residence there when I've finished my PGCE course and then I'll hopefully have the opportunity to fulfil this life-long amibition. Crazy lengths to reach a crazy dream, eh? These shows are my life and I believe they have a bright future just as strong as Corrie and EE if the right people tun things round.

My last one would probably be to get hold of episodes of American soap The Edge of Night. I've watched scenes on YouTube and it looks like a fantastic show I'd like to watch.

[DRW50]

I hope you get your wish to write for one of your shows! I'm sure you'd do a great job.

I wish more of EON was available but I'm happy with what is. You've probably already seen this channel but I love it, especially the clown puppet murder stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/user/eonschuylerwhitney

I have watched bits and pieces of Neighbours -- mostly the last ten years. I really liked Lance, I wish he could have stayed around. I watched a little more regularly in the last few years but characters I enjoyed, like the gorgeous Frazier and Declan and great characters like Elle or Rebecca, were leaving or were dealing with annoying people. I do mean to watch more while I can and to see more of the earlier years, with Kylie and such. And the early Kennedys. Which era is your favorite?

I keep meaning to learn more about the Australian soaps that aren't on now, like Sons and Daughters and others, like what was it, Z Street? Are there any you'd recommend? I wish more of Chances was out there. I've only seen a few clips. It looks like good trash.

Toups had a collection posted for good DAYS stuff, from the mid-90s era. And here are some links for DAYS 80s and 90s.

http://www.youtube.com/user/johnmarlena#p/u

http://www.youtube.com/user/madelinehawaii#p/u

[BadBoy93]

To Enjoy The Soaps More

Hope Kirkwood Brings Back Another Past Character As Well As New Characters. New Family / Villian etc

Emmerdale to shake itself up and return to Its 2004 Dynasty Style

Hollyoaks to have longer stories and don't ditch them in the middle

[Skylover]

Thanks, that means a lot. Thanks also for the channels and links you've posted, I look forward to watching those!

As for old Australian soaps, one I'd reccommend which isn't on anymore is Number 96. It's a very controversial soap which featured rather a lot of nudity and bare skin for the time it was produced (although that's not the reason I watch[ed] it ) I just admired the teams efforts to push the boat out. This show was the first soap or tv show in Australia (and possibly even the world) to portray a gay couple which was entirely inegrated into the community and treated as normal. From what I know this show was based on Coronation Street.

I'm not sure of any other cancelled Aussie shows I'd reccommend. I'm only really a fan of the soaps which have a long history and have been running for 15+ years, and many of the old Aussie soaps last about 5 or 6 years.

As for Neighbours, I don't think I really have a favourite era, I love the show so much I can put on an episode from any era and enjoy it thoroughly. But 86-88, 92-94, 97, and 2003-2007 would probably come out on top. The mid-Noughties was a fantastic era, mainly due to wonderful characters like Sky Mangel, the Bishops, the Timmins, Izzy. Julie Martin is my favourite character of all time and her exit is heartbreaking:

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[DRW50]

That was such a sad scene, beautifully done, very understated. How long was Julie around?

So that's Helen Daniels, the older woman? I've never seen her, just read about her.

I think there are some Number 96 clips on Youtube, although they might be edited. I'll have to look for them. I've heard a little about that show. Is that the one that had a woman car bombed or was that the one with the big serial killer? Or I might be thinking of something else.

I guess Australia probably won't ever create new soaps. The last new one was Out of the Blue, wasn't it? I wonder why they gave up on that so fast.

[Skylover]

But would you consider Australia to be the only country which won't produce a new soap again? I don't think that idea is exclusive to Australia. This topic of discussion often crosses my mind, and I often come to the conclusion that the fact there are so many channels out there now almost makes it impossible for a soap to establish itself a dedicated audience, as that is what soaps need. When you only had about 4 channels, 20 million+ were exposed to these soaps, so shows like Neighbours and Home and Away live off their reputation nowadays, especially in England.

As for Out of the Blue, yes, that was the last Oz soap to be created. It was commissioned by the BBC as a replacement for Neighbours which it lost to Channel 5, but the ratings were pretty poor from the outset, and when they kept shifting the timeslot it had no hope. It was extremely unfortunate that OOTB never worked out, because it had brilliant production values from what I could see, and was nothing like the other 2 main Oz soaps. Unfortunately I'm not sure whether Number 96 is the show you're talking about, as I literally have only had access to 2 or 3 months worth of episodes towards the end of its run, but I've always been keen to see its earier stuff. I do know that it had a lot of mystery/whodunit stories so it does sound like that.

Julie Martin from Neighbours was in the show in 1985 played by Vikki Blanche, then returned in 1992 with her family now played by Julie Mullins. She died in 1994. Yes, the older lady is Helen, she was a much-loved character, and one of the true matriarchs. Actress Anne Haddy who played her was dedicated to the show, and played her for 12 years, but due to increasing health problems she was forced to give up her role. Her husband (I forget his name) who was also an actor and featured as her love interest in 85 and 95, has said in many interviews that Anne intended to stay in the role for as long as she was alive. Things have never really been the same on the show since she left, as the writers have failed to fill the void that she left, and no other matriarchal figures have filled her shoes.

[DRW50]

What did you think of Madge on Neighbours? She didn't fill that role? I guess some might say Susan does now but I think she's not that type of character, she's a little too self-righteous.

I don't mean that only Australia no longer produces new soaps, I was just mentioning it since we were talking about Australian soaps.

I actually think that it should be easier than ever today to produce a new soap opera. Soaps don't need big budgets, and a soap can be tailored to appeal to a niche audience.

[Skylover]

I see where you're coming from, I just think that most of the audience which a new soap could appeal to, are probably already watching other soaps so may not be willing to invest in a new soap, especially as soaps do require a certain amount of dedication.

Madge was definitely a strong character, but I think in the same way as Susan she didn't fulfil the role that Helen did. Harold would obviously be the character who represented the moral nature of the show, and I felt that Helen was his female counterpart.

Have there been any soaps created in America in the last ten years or so? I guess the most recent popular soap opera to be made in England is Doctors.

[DRW50]

The last new soap in the 5 days a week format was Passions, in 1999.

I see what you mean, but I think that there's a way to get people into soaps who don't currently watch them, and there's a way to tinker with the format - less episodes a week, more online-only content, more ways to interact and change results, and shows that might tap into a certain audience.

Who is that in your avatar? Marilyn?

[Skylover]

Very interesting reading your opinions, Carl.m Thanks for the info re Passions. I have heard of that show IIRC, it is no longer on air, is it? What do you mean by 'ways to interact and change results'?

I hadn't thought about changing the format, you may have a point. I wonder why networks seem so wary about creating new soaps these days? I think that, especially in America, a new 30-minute soap could be successful. I think it's a shame Neighbours never took off in America.

My avatar is Marilyn Chambers, from Home and Away. She's a brilliant character, very funny, although the witers haven't been working to her strengths since her 2010 return. You can see her return below:

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[DRW50]

I've seen a little of Marilyn. Is she still dying of cancer? I mostly know her from Emmerdale, where she played Louise (with one of the most bewildering exits ever -- she became Miss Mining Australia and stayed there in order to do PR appearances...her boyfriend went with her and came back after he got in a fight with a man in a kangaroo outfit who hit on her).

I mean things like some stories they could leave open-ended and fans could vote on an outcome, or characters could be tentatively brought in and fan reaction could say whether they'd stay or go. Fans could suggest clothes and set design and their suggestions would be taken, like the old Katy Keene comics. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katy_Keene

The networks don't think a soap is worth the cost. I think that soaps can be produced with a minimal budget and talented unknowns, with ultimately not that much more than the cost of talk shows and game shows where you have the prizes and the "name" hosts and guests, but no one wants to take the risk.

[Skylover]

That exit from Emmerdale does sound bizarre. I've never really been a fan of Emmerdale, though Ive seen a few scenes of Louise's. Marilyn isn't dying of cancer anymore. Her friend Mitzy who is a fortune teller told Marilyn that she had had visions of Marilyn dying, and knew of her end date. Mitzy ended up dying before Marilyn and when Marilyn's end date arrived, she saved a baby from drowning and her heart stopped - so technically she did die. Basically the writers created a load of crap for the character, but I'm happy to watch it because Emily is such a brilliant actress. I'm currently watching 1989 episodes via torrents and Marilyn's arrival is due to air in a few weeks so I can't wait!

I've just read that The old and the Beautiful is the most-watched soap opera in the world

[DRW50]

Yeah B&B is huge -- the actors on there do appearances on Dancing With the Stars/Strictly Come Dancing shows in various countries, and they are, or were for some time, mobbed by throngs of fans.

Thanks for the update on Marilyn. That does sound odd but I'm glad she's still around. What is she doing now?

Louise had a lot of not all that great stories. The best was when she killed a man in self-defense, her abusive boyfriend, and covered up his death. Then when a similar man wooed her, broke up her relationship with a good man, and dumped her, she started to become unhinged, cut up his clothes, was convinced he was out to get her. She finally said she had experience with men like him and began to reach for a butcher knife or scissors or something, until she stopped herself. Very good scene. Emily Symons was involved with the guy in this story, the one who used and dumped Louise; they dated for several years.

The whole Miss Western Mining Australia thing happened when Emily left the show due to, i think, having an ill relative in Australia, which led her back to H&A.

The funny thing is that the guy who played on Neighbours as - there was a Joe Mangel on Neighbours right? - anyway, he was on Emmerdale for a few weeks, as her agent/representative of the pageant, or something, and he was also her ex-love, I think.

Her last boyfriend on the show is now Lee Hunter on Hollyoaks (do you get Hollyoaks?).

[Skylover]

It's weird that B&B isn't shown in England! Yeah, I don't watch Hollyoaks though, I've never been a fan of the concept of the show. Unlike the other soaps, which have a niche, Hollyoaks IMO doesn't have anything unique about it, it's mainly just about hot people, isn't it? Though I am keen on Bart McQueen. Hypocrite?

Marilyn's end date is pretty much the last thing she has done before the 2010 season break, which, by the way, is causing me to have withdrawal symptoms! Yeah, Joe was Sky Mangel's adoptive father. He is one of the best character's in the show's history! Joe Mangel playing Marilyn Chambers agent