Soap Opera Archetypes

[Paul Raven]

The final archetype presented in the book:

The old-fashioned villian

Willis AW

Dorian OLTL

Cameron GH

Paul TD

Ray LOL

Roger RH

Tyrone AMC

John ATWT

Jay ATWT

As Hamlet long ago discovered, practically anyone can be, or turn out to be, a villian. However, not everyone can be the kind of villian we love to hate. That distinction belongs to what is sometimes called the old-fahioned villian or totally black character. (It seems there are so few black characters in the usual sense of the word that 'black' can still be understood to mean 'villian'). What is delightful about the totally black character is that we do not feel bad for hating him; he's just too bad. He allows us the pleasure of hating without the usual penalties of guilt. What do these characters do to warrant duch a response? They intentionally hurt people, they set in motion evil and preposturous plots,they play upon the vulnerable with lies and blackmail. And they show themselves to be guilty of soap's most Unpardonable Sin, which is pure and premeditated selfishness. Though some soaps take pains to explain the villian and others go so far as to rehabilitate him, in most cases the character is discredited and ostracized. The old-fashioned villian remains one of the more popular of soap opera characters. But he is a disappearing type. In fact, we've only been able to find five who really meet the the test. Others are in a fair way of establishing some viewer sympathy, because they've been punished for their black deds (John Dixon, Jay Stallings) or because they did it all for love (Roger Coleridge).

[DRW50]

Not too long after this was written Willis was also redeemed.

I'm surprised they didn't have Alan Spaulding on the list.

[Paul Raven]

This book was from 76-Alan came on in 77.