6 hours ago, All My Shadows said:

Yes, this would have been a great experience, especially when I'm sure many members here have more time to read now. I'm glad my copied made it here so quickly.

I've read the first three chapters, and I'm hooked. I'll discuss more if/when others get the book, but the first two chapters, focusing on the transition of soaps from radio to TV, have been particularly interesting. They solidify my long-held belief that soaps have been shat on by the TV community-at-large since day one. There was hesitance at even bringing soaps to TV because they somehow had represented the lowest of what radio had to offer and would only taint this new and sophisticated entertainment medium. There are great passages on how the early TV soap PTB made efforts to distance their shows from the aging radio serials as well as how they laid the groundwork for some of the major visual conventions of soaps (for example, tight close-ups, as staid as they seem now, were super exciting at a time when people were used to NOT seeing faces at all).

 

The feminist aspect is actually pretty interesting, too. She argues that much of the disparagement soaps received on radio and in the early days of TV was rooted in misogyny towards "women's entertainment," and apparently housewives who watched TV soaps in the early 50s were characterized as lazy because they couldn't do household chores while watching as opposed to when they just had to listen to their soaps. She also explores theories on why women watched soaps, connections with the works of people like Betty Friedan, and how TPTB's perception of who was watching influenced their storywriting.

 

@DramatistDreamer It definitely gives me Ken Burns vibes, especially with Country Music still fresh in my mind. Nothing has been overlooked, and plenty of soaps are called out specifically to support the claims being made.

Very cool. We touched on a bit of this stuff in the thread about soaps and what they’d be if they were critically respected.

Anyone who is interested in purchasing the book (I'm on the fence since my budget is very tight and I'm currently looking at purchasing some half-priced software), I just came across this. It's until May 1st so I may be able to catch the last days of the sale.

 

Support our authors whose events have been cancelled this spring. Purchase books by @me1odiousone , @mattbrimnyc , @alexispauline , @ehl , @hystericalblkns from us for 50% off with coupon SPRING50 or order from your favorite bookstore.https://t.co/QNTHWuqgrf pic.twitter.com/uL3JkBZcvO

— Duke University Press (@DukePress) March 31, 2020

Even though I am posting this, I admit, I have yet to read it but I intend to when time permits.

 

Mark Shanahan: Soaps were the stories of my youth https://t.co/5xknNaIOgg

— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) June 19, 2020