Although social realism contributes to the popularity of soap opera, this can be problematic as viewers should be in no doubt that soaps are only 'realistic' to a certain extent in that they do not portray a 'window on the world' because "more dramatic things happen more often in soaps than in 'real life'. However, soaps allow us to be entertained, to look and laugh, as well as think about life" (Brunsdon 1984:86).
"When I sit down to watch, I belong to the family in a way...I can enter into all the characters because they're so familiar" (Ang 1985:57). This comment from a person interviewed by Ang, clearly shows how viewers gain pleasure from forming an active 'parasocial relationship' (Livingstone 1990:52) with soap opera characters. Indeed, it can be argued that soap opera owes part of its popularity to the fact that its viewers enjoy forming this kind of participatory 'relationship' with the characters, and also like to identify themselves with the plots and characters. In fact, regular viewers of long-running soaps may have already experienced the gratifications of forming parasocial relations with the characters, and in doing so, have allowed them to become almost 'real' friends and family, as this man illustrates: "I know that after a while the characters do become real people and we are concerned for their well-being just as we are for our own friends and colleagues" (Livingstone 1990:57).
It is due to this formation of parasocial relationships, that enables soap opera viewers to gain pleasure from being able to understand how a certain character feels or behaves in particular circumstances, due to themselves having been in a similar situation, or having knowledge about the subject in hand. For instance, here is an example of such a parasocial relationship between a viewer and a character from the American soap opera, Dynasty: 'I really understand her [Claudia's] situation because there are so many mentally ill people here in Denmark nowadays..no-one can feel absolutely safe' (Schroder 1988:71).
Furthermore, this parasocial relationship can be recognised in its extreme form when a viewer puts himself so deeply into a character, that he can feel the same emotions and experience the same events as the character is supposed to feel (Brunsdon 1984:72). Notably, this deep identification with a character can be seen when a viewer cries at a soap wedding or funeral, or similarly at a birth or marital break-up. The viewer appears to enjoy this 'roller-coaster ride' of different emotions when watching their favourite soaps; "...you can experience a full range of emotions from anger to despair, to sheer joy, excitement and relief" (Livingstone 1990:60).
Yet another point of identification which the viewer enjoys forming with the characters, is that of self or personal identity. Based on personal experience, it is evident that viewers often use the behaviour of a character in order to justify their behaviour in a similar situation. An example of this became clear to me during an episode of EastEnders on 30/11/97 on BBC1 which was being viewed by the tenants in my house. I observed that when the character Joe Wicks decided to solidify his relationship with a girl whom he was seeing behind his fiancee's back, all of us were disgusted with his behaviour and immediately started to comment on how sympathetic we felt for Sarah Hills. However, all of us except for one male student took this attitude as he himself took pleasure in presenting his argument that he saw nothing wrong with the character's actions, because he had been in a similar position and had acted in the same way. Clearly in this particular case, the viewer liked to identify himself with the character in confirming his own model of behaviour, ( McQuail 1987:Lecture 3).
On the other hand, many viewers gain pleasure from watching soaps because they enjoy identifying themselves as a particular character, for example, "I wish I looked like her/him" or, "I wish I was..." Although it seems that viewers like to identify themselves with, or as soap characters, the problem remains of how we can identify ourselves with the American soap opera characters in Dallas and Dynasty who live in luxury and represent the world of the rich and powerful oil tycoons (Livingstone 1990:115). Although the point made here may refer to the British and Australian soaps more than the American ones due to their element of ' realism,' the argument is that the viewer can still identify with the characters in American soaps such as these because their feelings and behaviour can be identified with separately from how wealthy they are and how lavish their lifestyle is.
Indeed, the popularity of soap opera here stems from the pleasures offered by the points of identification offered by the characters. We want to watch and discover what happens to those specific characters locked into that specific network of relationships (Glaesner 1990:117).
Soap opera is also popular due to its continuity, regularity and familiarity. Soap opera has been labelled as a 'ritual pleasure' which offers reassurance in its familiarity and longevity, its predictable familiarity of life being the main force which pulls us in (Brunsdon 1984:86). Indeed, the theme tune which is a familiar sound to our ears, makes the viewer aware that an episode is about to begin, and also confirms the setting of the soap. The familiar theme tune played on the piano reminds us of London where EastEnders is set, and likewise the nostalgic sound of the cornet playing the Coronation Street theme reminds us of the famous brass bands we associate with the North of England. Also, due to the soap being solely based in one place geographically, and portraying the lives of the same characters in each episode, we can be assured of familiarity and continuity. Additionally, in certain soaps, the viewer is aware of where a character is, or what he or she is doing if absent from a particular episode. To illustrate this:
In EastEnders where characters are not featured in an episode, their absence is nearly always referred to and explained; it's rare for more than 1 or 2 characters to disappear at any one time. (Buckingham 1987:55).
This also establishes the familiarity and continuity of soap opera in making this genre so popular with the viewing public.
Soap operas are broadcasted during the week at varied times; some are broadcast every week, several days a week, or every day like the Australian soaps Home & Away and Neighbours. Their popularity in this case lies with their regularity. Sometimes, if a viewer is unfortunate enough to miss an episode of a particular soap, there will be a repeated episode at a later time or date, and often, particularly in the case of EastEnders, there is an omnibus episode containing all the week's episodes at the weekend. Due to the regularity of broadcasting, the viewer is offered at least two chances to watch their favourite show without the fear of missing out. Similarly, for the non-viewers, they are regularly offered the chance to watch these soaps at different times and, "the better one comes to know a soap opera and its characters, the greater reason one has wanting to watch every day" (Allen 1992:113).
Nevertheless, despite the familiarity and longevity of soap opera contributing to its success, it has been ridiculed for being too familiar and too uneventful to watch; "..one would have to have a passion for sameness amounting to mania if after 6 years of viewing Coronation Street, one still looked forward to the next episode" (Himmelweit,Swift & Jaeger 1980 in Livingstone 1990:54). Surely for the regular viewer though, this is not true as the familiarity of the soap simply adds to its enjoyment and popularity. Likewise, this does not mean that soaps are boring and indifferent because as Geraghty argues, "if the presence of well-established characters leads to value familiarity and predictability, the audience is also invited to relish change and disruption" (Geraghty 1991:15).
Despite this criticism of soap popularity with its viewers, the soap opera remains successful partly due to its element of familiarity and longevity and in doing so, "becomes a part of a family's shared history" (Brown 1994:85).
Notably, there is also the argument that it is due to the multiplicity of characters and plotlines that mainly interests the viewer, thus making soap opera such a popular genre.
Remarkably, there is a large number of different characters who all take an equal role in the soaps, although during one episode one may find particular focus on one or two specific characters, it is not usually for too long, before the camera focuses on another character. In this way, the viewer cannot become bored with certain characters and their problems. For example, during EasEnders from 10-14/11/97 on BBC 1, the character that was centered on was Ian Beale because he had flown to Italy to find his wife and children who had run away. However, Phil and Grant Mitchell who had also travelled to Italy to help Ian in his quest, were also focused on at times discussing their marriages, a new character was introduced as Ian's private detective Ros, and we were also invited to focus on Ian's wife Cindy Beale, in discovering how she had changed, and what kind of life she had made for herself.
The popularity of soap opera then, also lies in the fact that there is a multiplicity of different plotlines incorporated into the text which is explored by the characters. This in turn, provides the audience with multiple pleasures in watching. The viewer cannot get bored because no sooner has she understood and empathized with one character's reaction to an event, than the focus changes and she's required to shift her experiential knowledge to another character (Fiske 1987:194). Notably also, this gives plenty of variety for the audience, because if a viewer does not enjoy one storyline, they are sure to find one they do like due to the wide selection (Buckingham 1987:60).
In the Australian soap Home & Away broadcast on 4/11/97 on HTV, the viewer was faced with the on-going plot of a rapist (Brad) trying to frighten his victim (Chloe) into thinking he still had power over her from prison, a new character was introduced at the Caravan Park, Steven Mattheson received and attempted to conceal a fax from a mysterious woman, and we were given a hint of a romance blossoming between the local doctor and the policewoman.
This is an example to show how soap opera constantly interweaves new storylines with previous ones in ensuring a wide and entertained audience.
The distinct popularity of soap opera can also be attributed to its 'openness' in that it is an open text with no start, middle or end; it is continuous, consistent and open-ended following onto the next episode. In this way, the viewer has to arrive at his or her own conclusions in resolving the problems of the characters instead of being told through the text; "the viewer is presented with a range of conflicting viewpoints - interest rests on the juxtaposition of them, in that there's no single answer, and he has to resolve the issue himself" (Livingstone 1990:60). The text is unanswered until the next episode, and in so doing, a variety of conflicting opinions are presented about forthcoming events amongst the family and with friends, therefore the openness of soap opera gives the viewer an active role: "the complexity and multiplicity of the text invites the viewer to impose order or closure according to his/her notion of what is likely or desirable to happen. The resolutions are left open to viewers' interpretation," and this is what the viewer enjoys (Livingstone 1990:52).
As we have already seen, this active role for the viewer undoubtedly involves prediction and speculation about future events, and this is what the viewer likes to be involved in. It is this excitement and pleasure that attracts and engages the viewer, which inevitably adds to soap opera's popularity. Viewers enjoy airing their views on unanswered questions such as, will she or won't she? and they like to feel proud of themselves when their predictions come true. For example, it is evident that from watching Dynasty, the viewer engages in a jigsaw puzzle, thus experiencing gratification when he or she succeeds, and this game of rewarding leads to a weekly reconstruction of self-confidence for the viewer (Schroder 1988:63).
The viewer likes to speculate and be kept in suspense about an event, whether it is for the duration of a short commercial, or from the end of an episode until the next episode. This feeling of having to solve a mystery makes soaps seem all the more exciting to the audience. To illustrate this point, commercial breaks are instances where tension and speculation can arise, and provide opportunities to reassess previous text information and formulate expectations (Fiske 1987:183). Additionally, soaps occasionally use the 'cliffhanger' in creating a lingering moment of intrigue and suspense which the viewer takes an active role in, in predicting what will happen next. An example of this can be seen in an episode of EastEnders on 13/11/97, when there is a close-up shot of Ian Beale's face when Cindy arrives in Albert Square after he has brought his children home from Italy without his wife's consent. She is a despised woman, and the tension is not only created by the close-up of Ian's face, but also because the atmosphere changes dramatically as she walks in. This one minute of mystery and suspense leaves the viewers wanting to watch the next episode.
"Talking about television programmes and what has happened in them is essential to making a programme popular" (Livingstone 1990:167). As illustrated here, programmes are popular if viewers enjoy talking about them. Notably, soap opera brings family and friends together at viewing times and also into conversation about the programme, either during or after the broadcast. Dorothy Hobson in 1982 interviewed female office workers in Birmingham, and found that their conversation was based on the soaps (Brown 1994:74). They watched them because they had discovered how central soaps were to lunchtime discussions, and some admitted they started watching them because they felt left out of conversations. Additionally, it has been argued that discussing soaps can be seen to be very therapeutic, as there is some evidence to prove that viewers talk about certain issues in the soaps as a way of discussing their own problems with friends and family. For example, we can look to soaps for possible solutions to our problems: Jack Barton of Crossroads once said, "..with some of the serious issues we've dealt with, they were carefully researched and they have had positive results in the community" (Hobson 1982 in Livingstone 1990:56).
On the other hand, it is argued that soap opera's popularity is due to the fact that it has been labelled as the 'women's genre' because of its lasting popularity with women. The reasons for this assertion are that soap opera was originally aimed at housewives at home during the day, and the soaps' everyday concern with the domestic sphere and the world of gossip and scandal is generally associated with women. Also, the women portrayed in soaps, particularly in the 'realist' soaps are remarkably strong willed and positive thinking (Fiske 1987:184).
This is illustrated in Coronation Street by Dyer:
Asked to name the important characters in Coronation Street, people would certainly put Ena Sharples, Annie Walker, Elsie Tanner and Hilda Ogden near the top of the list. One would need to add Rita, Mavis, Betty and Bet before considering any men.
(Dyer 1981:32)
Some critics have looked at further possible explanations for soap opera's popularity with women, including some psychoanalytic theories. Brown (1994:2) has asserted that soaps give women a voice in a patriarchal society, and even show and celebrate the sexuality of the middle aged woman (Geraghty 1981 quoted by Fiske 1987:184). Seiter et al. (Fiske 1981:181) says that soaps are popular with women because they enjoy seeing the patriarchal order being disrupted by divorce and love affairs;" women enthusiastically admitted their delight in following soap operas as 'stories' as female transgressions which destroy the priority and sacredness of the family." Due to soap opera containing these events that portray patriarchy as subordinate, this can be seen to show women as superior and thus give them self-esteem, as Dyer (1981:51) points out that "this validation and self assertion of women must go some way to account for its lasting popularity."
Despite soap opera being popular because it is centered on women, there is some evidence to show more recently that soaps are focusing more on storylines outside the domestic feminine sphere and concentrating on more 'masculinised' plots such as crime (for example, Billy in EastEnders was kidnapped by a gang of robbers, and in Coronation Street, Don Brennan attempted murder and commited arson). Additionally, the storylines have recently focused on male characters, as in EastEnders where Ian Beale has fought to get his children back, and in Coronation Street where Jim McDonald has had to face the consequences of breaking up a wedding because of his love for the bride, Fiona Middleton.
Finally, other possible reasons for soap opera's popularity could be escapism or relaxation; at the end of the day, the viewer can sit down, relax and watch an episode of their chosen soap, and escape from the problems of reality, and think about a character's problems instead. Similarly, magazines may also contribute to soap's popularity as whenever a birth or death happens, it always appears in the press, and in doing so, entices people to watch by making the articles interesting or doing popular cover stories on a soap star.
In conclusion then, it is clear that there is no single answer to the question, Why are soap operas so popular? There are many reasons, and all are an important contribution to the genre's lasting popularity with it's viewers. Social realism, the ability to identify with characters and plots, the viewer's active role, and its, "openness, familiarity and longevity all enhance viewers' personal involvement and loyalty to a soap opera" (Rubin 1985;Taylor & Mullan 1986 in Livingstone 1990:60). Finally, I would like to conclude that although I have endeavoured to suggest the possible reasons why soaps are so popular, there appears to be no proof that these reasons are correct. According to Schroder, there is little conclusive evidence that determines what causes the viewing public to watch soaps, as viewers have no awareness of the source of their needs, only of specific impulses to watch one programme rather than another (Schroder 1988:67). Nevertheless, soap opera still reigns as the most popular form of entertainment on our television sets, day in day out.
