Jump to content
Email System Update

Elections and politics on Soaps

ReddFoxx

Recommended Posts

  • Members
ReddFoxx Rising Star

ReddFoxx

Posted
  • Members
Posted

Since election day is near I thought this would be a fun topic. Which soaps have had political story lines or had main characters hold office? I know some, but I'm curious about others.

 

Y&R - Jack and Nikki ran for Wisconsin State Senate (which was a poorly written story line, IMO)

OLTL - Dorian and Viki were Mayor of Llanview. Dorian was a Senator.

DAYS - Abe was the Mayor of Salem

 

Primetime

Dynasty: Blake and Alexis ran against each other for Governor of Colorado

Falcon Crest: Chase ran for Board of Supervisors and beat Angela's candidate (the direction in the scene were the results come in and Angela is listening is stunning)

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 21
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members
Khan Grand Master

Khan

Posted
  • Members
Posted

Wasn't there a storyline on LOVE IS A MANY SPLENDORED THING that drew on politics (candidates running for Senate), paternity secrets and (I think) secret tapes?

 

Also:

 

Please register in order to view this content

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
Khan Grand Master

Khan

Posted
  • Members
Posted

 

That storyline displayed a clear lack of understanding of Nikki as a character.  Who in their right mind would think Nikki Newman becoming involved in politics is a GOOD idea?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
Gray Bunny Mentor

Gray Bunny

Posted
  • Members
Posted

If they're going to go there (politics), go all the way. The thing I find the most obnoxious is that they'll never specify which political party they're running under. Everything is so vague, just like soap businesses (save for Y&R who gets the corporate lingo down).  

 

GL's Jeffrey O'Neil and Blake Marler ran against each other for something around 2006. In the end, Blake was somehow in a coma for months but nobody in Springfield really cared because Liz Kiefer was only recurring at that point. Ugh, that show was so bad in its final years... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
ReddFoxx Rising Star

ReddFoxx

Posted
  • Author
  • Members
Posted

That Opal campaign ad was hilarious, especially that song.

 

I do think that having Nikki run for office was not a good writing choice for that particular character. That would have been a better fit for someone like Jill who is more of a power character.

 

And I do agree that not mentioning anything about political party is ridiculous. All television shows do that and I don't like it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
DramatistDreamer Grand Master

DramatistDreamer

Posted
  • Members
Posted

ATWT deciding to do a storyline on Tom Hughes' run for District Attorney, complete with a televised debate seemed, on its face, to be a strange choice because most people don't know who their D.A.s are.

 

What made this story so interesting was the storyline focused on managing the campaign from the inside.  I wish there were more episodes on You Tube because the way the story was told had an interesting dynamic. 

 

If you forget about the fact that the race was to elect District Attorney, the story itself was well written.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
Pine Charles Enthusiast

Pine Charles

Posted
  • Members
Posted



I love what she says to the people:

''I love to see a short person with a dog.''

''Hey, sir.  You look Irish, but I'm not going to hold it against ya.''

''Hey there, big fella.  You're never gonna have to worry about your food stamps if you put me in office.''

''Hey, man.  I love chop suey!!''

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
DramatistDreamer Grand Master

DramatistDreamer

Posted
  • Members
Posted

I didn't mention Capitol because I thought it was a given and we were discussing specific storylines on soap operas.  I guess I thought that Capitol was kind of a cheat since that was ostensibly what the entire series was supposed to have been about. 

And I repeat supposed to have been, lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
applcin Collaborator

applcin

Posted
  • Members
Posted

GH - Luke became mayor of PC in the early 80s during the period Laura was presumed dead. They reunited in front of the mayor's mansion.

GL had Ross Marler running for the Senate.

One of Ryan's Hope's ongoing storylines since it debuted was Frank's political aspirations and campaigns.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
titan1978 Veteran

titan1978

Posted
  • Members
Posted

Wasn’t Lee Baldwin running against him?  And Scotty was doing some underhanded things for his father that Lee did not approve of?

 

Speaking of Scotty-  were there scenes between Scotty and Laura when she came back from the dead (Cassadine Island)?  I know they shared a couple when he interrupted their wedding before she left, and they had scenes together when L&L returned in the 1990’s.  I just don’t recall Scotty seeing her alive again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.


  • Recent Posts

    • P.J.
      Guiding Light Discussion Thread

      By P.J. · Posted

      So, on rewatch....did Rick and Mindy never have sex? 
    • Vee
      BTG: May 2025 Discussion Thread

      By Vee · Posted

      Cady had a fairly posh accent or manner as Rosanna - the character was a 180 from Dixie when she went to ATWT, and it was a huge success initially. As someone mostly only familiar with the nagging, miserable or clueless Dixie of the mid-late '90s and early 2000s it was what convinced me Cady could act. I thought she was incredible in her first run. Later, in future stints, her hair and story and performances were all over the place but a lot of that was down to the show for me. She brought some of Rosanna back with her to Dixie in her ill-fated return and a lot of people didn't like it, which I understood but I did think the character needed some change. I think she's had a little bit of the same persona and arch performance in every role she's played since, including Jennifer Horton at DAYS or Kelly at Y&R, who later became a maniac and was easily the worst work I've ever seen Cady do. It has kind of infected her overall mannerisms, I'll allow that, but I do think she brought Dixie back together as herself while still evolving the character when she returned to AMC again in 2012-13. Nonetheless, for me the upshot is that this is a character where Cady's kookier recent performance style suits the role. But I can understand it grating for people.
    • Wendy
      RIP: In Memoriam Thread

      By Wendy · Posted

      Yeah, Loretta Swit's passing stings. My late dad LOVED the show (he died last November) and watched it religiously. In first run and repeats.  And I was literally born the day after the show's premiere, so I grew up with it! I know many loved later, softer Margaret, but I loved Early Hot Lips. In real life, I'm all for less misogyny, but to me, the early years of M*A*S*H were just funnier. May Loretta Swit rest in peace. Thanks for all the memories connected to my dad!
    • JAS0N47
      Ratings from the 70's

      By JAS0N47 · Posted

      FROM THE VAULT: WEEKLY DAYTIME NIELSEN RATINGS: WEEKS OF 10/29/73-11/2/73 & 11/5/73-11/9/73:  

      Please register in order to view this content

    • Gatecrashers
      BTG: May 2025 Discussion Thread

      By Gatecrashers · Posted

      I agree that she isn't Dixie or Rosanna and shouldn't be acting like either. I just found it strange that she had a naive Southern character and a wealthy urbane character in the past and didn't experiment with accents before (unless I missed it, correct me if I'm wrong). She used to do improv characters on YouTube. She's probably doing something similar here.

      Please register in order to view this content

       
    • Vee
      The Pilot Thread

      By Vee · Posted

      And here I thought I'd never think about Lauren Tewes again after her brief appearance in Twin Peaks Season 3.
    • Vee
      BTG: May 2025 Discussion Thread

      By Vee · Posted

      I may be the single person who does not mind Transatlantic Campy Pamela. I think it perfectly suits this sort of Absolutely Fabulous-esque supporting character she's playing much more than it did when Cady tried weird and often broad stuff at AMC* or Y&R, or later stints at ATWT. She's not Dixie and she's not trying to be. I will freely admit some of the other chances she took at other shows often came off stiff, hammy or downright mortifying (Kelly Andrews, come on down). (* - and I say that as one of the few who was somewhat into Cady trying to make Dixie more cosmopolitan in the Rosanna Cabot mold in mid-2000s AMC, just to liven the character up again)
    • Ryanc2
      Y&R: May 2025 Discussion Thread

      By Ryanc2 · Posted

      There’s absolutely nothing exciting happening storyline wise but I’m always happy to see the vets on my screen so I’ll take what I can get. It’s also just nice to see them all dressed up in the same room, it always gives classic Y&R vibes. The best part? No Phyllis. 
    • Gatecrashers
      BTG: May 2025 Discussion Thread

      By Gatecrashers · Posted

      Please register in order to view this content

       
    • Paul Raven
      Y&R: May 2025 Discussion Thread

      By Paul Raven · Posted

      Well now we had Ashley's reaction-and weren't we all gasping when she appeared to hate it-but she was just joking!! She loved it. Now we have to see Abby's reaction, and maybe Mamie could come back to say she loves it. How about Jill via Zoom giving her opinion (she'll love it) and bring in a day player to play Mrs Martinez to say she loves it also... I feel bad to keep dumping on this show (not really) but when the choices they make are so inane, it's the only entertainment value the show has. Let's unpack the Nikki birthday story. So Claire wants to throw her Nana a birthday bash as away of endearing Kyle to Victor. Don't quite get the logic there,but OK. She hires a party planner who makes ridiculous suggestions. Slightly annoyed that Y&R are hiring someone for this role for 5 episodes when we never see doctors, co- workers etc. But OK to that to. With all the talk we are expecting something special. What we get is the Jazz Lounge hideously decorated with some ugly tablecloths and a few tacky decorations. They needed a planner for this? Then the guest list consists of family members (no grandchildren)and a few others. Hardly a party. As usual the costuming is pretty awful. A red and black theme ? And our guest of honor is sporting a do that looks like a cross between Cameron Diaz in Something about Mary and Marie from Roxette. They should have had an intimate dinner and ditched all the fanfare. Would have been way more believable.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

  I accept