ALL: Are You Ready for the Minute-Long Soap?

[DramatistDreamer]

Over the last few years, I have seen ads for these very short form dramas, but I thought they were some sort of spinoff of Korean dramas. It will be interesting to see whether this takes off in the U.S. and whether brands sign on for advertising, which we all know has been critical to most soaps that air on broadcast television.

What are your thoughts about this?

Minute-Long Soap Operas Are Here. Is America Ready?

 

[AMCOLTLLover]

This reminds me of the old days from daytime royalty site and their own created soaps lol

It’s a cool idea though. A minute soap

[Maxim]

Not for me.

[DRW50]

It's not a bad idea, although it's nothing new. Over in the UK they had a soap parody that ran for years to tell washing detergent, featuring many former UK soap actors. Having one that is meant to be taken seriously is newer, although Soapnet did this briefly.

 

[SteelCity]

Didn't Soap Net do this for a while?

[AbcNbc247]

Yeah 

Please register in order to view this content

 

[SteelCity]

Back when SoapNet was about soaps!

[DRW50]

2013? Probably closer to 2003. 

[te.]

We've had similar on-going commercials here that essentially have a running storyline.

 

With that said - if they're going to invest in something I'd rather have the 10-15 minute format back. Something that you can watch on your coffee break, essentially.

[Khan]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Quibi was foolish not to develop a 10-to-15 minute soap opera.

[Soaplovers]

Taster Choice/Nescafe in the late 80s/early had commercials that were very soapy.

They were 3 minutes at most and always left you wanting more.  

I wouldn't mind if they did something like that again.

[BeeLol]

So in a way, the term "soap opera" eventually went full circle. Just in case this is unfamiliar to someone reading this, the "soap" part of the term was originally coined because early U.S. soaps, especially those on the radio, were often sponsored by the makers of cleaning products for the home (https://www.soapcentral.com/soapcentral/news/2005/0509-historyofsoaps_01.php and more other sources than I care to count). And now I find out (many thanks, DRW50!) that there was a soap opera parody to advertise laundry detergent in the UK. (For UK viewers' sake, hopefully it wasn't aired during actual soaps.

Please register in order to view this content

)

 

 

[te.]

Yes, and it seems like such a no-brainer to do. The issue is that Quibi seemed to think they could also cut these things into full movies / 45 minute episodes, which of course meant that they couldn't utilise the strength of the 10-15 minute format. Like @All My Shadows said about the recently resurfaced 1957 Secret Storm episode - it showed off the strength of the format and it breezed quickly by without dragging, while at the same time being easy to watch for a first time viewer. 

But if you're writing these things with the intention of later pasting them together as a full movie or episode, you just end up with parts. And who the hell is interested in watching 15 minutes of a movie each day for a week? It's awkward.

Edited February 3, 2024 by te.

[Wendy]

If one counts old '80s commercials, a micro soap (i.e. about 30 seconds to a minute long) has already happened!

Taster's Choice coffee had commercials/"episodes" with this couple surrounding coffee.

Ditto Country Crock and another couple (although all we saw of them was their hands as they buttered stuff in between their drama!).

Yes, I'm old.

[Errol]

I actually watched that wretched "A Secret Billionaire Heiress."

For one, it was horribly acted and written, but at the same time I was highly engaged and enraged by the lead male and what he was doing to his "secret heiress" wife. Demanding she give her blood at the drop of a hat for his lover. DISGUSTED! I wanted to murder him. I also wanted to see them fall in love in the end. HAHA.

So, I think it did its job.

Also, there's this Korean actress who stars in all of these paid commercial-type movies where she is always hawking some type of makeup/health kit. Movies are so stupid but I can't help but laugh when she brings out that red kit...

And again, I can't help but want to see the lead male and her fall in love. Plus, when he defends her against the other office workers, I see butterflies. LMFAO!