Websoaps: Are we apathetic or are they just bad?

[beebs]

THIS.

I could deal with bad audio and low budgets from anywhere, daytime, or indie online, provided the stories were interesting and the dialogue grabbed me. I must admit, I took Khan's advice and watched "Misadventures Of An Awkward Black Girl", and I am seriously impressed. VERY good show that more of you guys should check out. It's not soap opera, but it's very good. So there ARE good ones out there, but the webSOAPS need to step it up, IMO.

[frequentsoapfan]

See I'm not judging them compared to the soap operas on tv. I'm judging them compared to the other web shows I've seen. I've seen groups of young people produce better looking web shows. I agree some of the websoaps seem more about cramming as many "big" names into the roles as possible than anything else.

[MissLlanviewPA]

So basically, they're following the current Y&R model set by MAB.

[DRW50]

Now that's just cruel.

[MissLlanviewPA]

Yes, but there's a grain of truth in that, isn't there?

[DRW50]

I think it's gone on for a long time with soaps, although MAB is the worst practitioner.

[beebs]

More than a grain, I'd say it's closer to a beach at this point.

[frequentsoapfan]

Yeah DAYS and GH have been doing that crap for years.

[Antoyne]

I watched an episode of one and honestly my friends and I did better camerawork in our high school video class.

[VirginiaHamilton]

I watch that show religiously as well.

[marceline]

I'm not sure if it counts more as a soap or a comedy but I think ABG is pretty good evidence that the web series is a viable genre.

[beebs]

Absolutely. And apologies for misappropriating that ABG comment, Marceline. I think I was half-asleep or drunk (both?).

It's absolutely more a comedy, but I love that the characters are so viable and relateable. They work so well with their limited budget, and it's sharp, witty dialogue. LOVE it.

[marceline]

You didn't misappropriate anything. We're good. The thing about ABG is that even though it's funny, it has a lot of soapy elements to it. I was on another board at the end of last season and we were totally dissecting the triangle between J/Fred/W. Jay.

I think one of the problems with websoaps is that the people behind them are trying to take what stopped working on TV and just shift it to the web in the hopes that traditional soap fans will move with it. Issa Rae (ABG's creator) has done a great job of connecting with and cultivating her fanbase by touring colleges and maintaining a presence on Facebook and Twitter. IMO, for any websoap to become successful it will have to start from scratch and stop trying to be a smaller version of dead TV soaps but I think they can be successful.

BTW, another comedy web soap I really liked was "Steamboat." The GL peeps clearly had a fun time making that.