Members John Posted July 9, 2014 Members Share Posted July 9, 2014 So I have been watching a lot of Ryan's Hope on You tube and I miss that kind of soap. Daytime soap fans, would you watch a family centric soap like Ryan's Hope in 2014? Would you see this type of soap being successful? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members marceline Posted July 9, 2014 Members Share Posted July 9, 2014 There's always good stories to tell about family (think Dallas) but I think that pop culture has moved on to ensembles that are "families of choice." One of the issues I used to bang on about with soaps was the obsession with bloodlines and the "core." That's how we end up with these insanely incestuous clusterfucks where every member of one family has slept with at least three members of another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cheap21 Posted July 9, 2014 Members Share Posted July 9, 2014 Probably not. The closest we have to something like that is B&B and IMO, Im not a fan of them focusing primarily on just 2 families. I didn't like Dallas reboot the first 2 seasons bc it was all about the Ewings, and only thought it got good this past season when they expanded beyond that. I prefer the variety and mixing people up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members All My Shadows Posted July 10, 2014 Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 I would definitely watch a soap about a family, but it would have to be multiple generations and multiple parts of the family, with each character having their own storylines, or all the kids have to be adults with their own stories. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members John Posted July 10, 2014 Author Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 Yeah I agree like Ryan's Hope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amybrickwallace Posted July 10, 2014 Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 I would, even if it was a primetime show along the lines of Family and even Eight is Enough. The former, especially, had two strong parental figures in Kate and Doug Lawrence (played by the late, great actors Sada Thompson and James Broderick - yes, Matthew's RL father). They had grown kids who made multiple mistakes in life and love (Nancy and Willie), and a teenager trying to figure out the world around her (Leticia, better known to all as "Buddy"). Plus, that show won numerous Emmys back when the award actually meant something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JtSmarts Posted July 10, 2014 Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 Agree 100%, I honestly watch soaps more for the convoluted family drama rather than triangles etc. One of my favorite all time stories is the long term relationship between Sami and Jarlena on Dool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members allmc2008 Posted July 10, 2014 Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 Why can't soaps just end it's obsession with love? If soaps has a balance of stories instead of it being centered on love I do think family-based soaps would work. Also, if they keep insisting on plots over character they should end love totally because nobody can connect with plot-driven love affairs in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SFK Posted July 10, 2014 Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 My initial reaction was, "What kind of question is that!?" It's hard for me to wrap my brain around the concept of soap opera without the family element. I certainly would and I'd want something like AMS described. I have tons of cousins and I'd like to see that dynamic explored... how such close relatives can so greatly differ from one household to the next, the bonds, the rivalries, the "half" siblings, the aunts/uncles who are really siblings or cousins, cousins hooking up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BKuzak Posted July 10, 2014 Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 Well my answer is yes and no. You see putting on a soap now on television would be a disaster. The only reason Passions stayed on as long as it did was because it went to exteme lengths with the most bizzare storylines ever on soaps. I didn't like it but a lot of people did. and sadly i even know people who don't like soaps because the only soap they've ever seen was Passions and they think all soaps are like that. I think a soap about just one family would not work. not now. Even Ryan's hope ventured out in it's later years with the Kirklands and others. My other answer is, yes i would watch. depends on who's in the cast. I loved that primetime show "Brothers and sisters" it was just all about Nora Walker and her four grown children. All the drama and stories came from them and it lasted five seasons and i know it could have lasted more if ABC gave it a chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members YRfan23 Posted July 10, 2014 Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 It all depends if the writing was good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members allmc2008 Posted July 10, 2014 Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 YES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members All My Shadows Posted July 10, 2014 Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 I'm still one who truly believes in the two-family set-up for a soap. The two families don't have to constantly be paired up, but they have to be closely related in their personal lives. I loved loved loved the description our program guide had for ATWT a few years: "Affections bind and conflicts threaten three closely related families." The families are close, but there are still other people with whom they associate. IDK if I would be particularly interested in a soap about one nuclear family. Something like "Family," absolutely. I love those types of shows. But as a full-blown soap? Nah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members amybrickwallace Posted July 10, 2014 Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 Santa Barbara, especially once Jed Allan joined the cast, had a dynamite family in the Capwells. Yes, all the kids had their own romantic interests and other individual dramas, and CC and Sophia were constantly fighting their way back into each other's orbits, but when the chips were down, they all had each other's backs. Mason and Eden especially had a fascinating sibling dynamic. Familiarity breeds contempt, and those two were so alike (not to mention bullheaded) that is was no wonder they were constantly at each other's throats. Yet, at the same time, there was never any doubt that they loved each other. They also had to deal with corporate intrigue, blackmail (when Gina withheld the tape that proved that Kelly killed Dylan Hartley in self-defense and not deliberately), and CC's dealing with the fact that not only was his beloved Channing not his son at all, and the son of not only his beloved Sophia and his mortal enemy Lionel Lockridge - but that Channing wasn't even the real Channing!! (Brick Wallace was.) Everyone in the house loved little Brandon despite their disdain for his adoptive mother, Gina - Mason in his business suit would give his laid-back, cheerful brother Ted noogies, and Eden and Kelly would often just get together to gossip and have fun. No offense to any of the actors who replaced the original Capwell kids (Eden was the only one not to be recast) - but to me, Lane Davies, Marcy Walker, Robin Wright and Todd McKee were and are the "Fab Four" of SB. Also, to me, that's when SB was at its finest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cuzIsaySo Posted July 10, 2014 Members Share Posted July 10, 2014 I think the only Capwell kid recast that was successful was Kellyy when she was played by carrington garland. But back on topic, i like how you mention the Capwell from SB. I started watching soaps due to SB so the Capwells are in my mind the genesis of what a soap family is supposed to be, part of the reason why i like the Qs so much on GH when i first start watching that show. The first seasons of Brothers and sisters are also a good exemple of one family driving the show and being successful imho. I find it hard to believe that soap viewers wouldnt be willing to watch a show about family which to me is the original concept of daytime drama to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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