Saving Soaps: Old Soap Intros.

T.V. was my babysitter growing up. And that wasn't a bad thing because there were good quality shows for children back then. Did I watch any of those types of shows? Nope. I watched soap operas! I used to have a soap for every hour and even tape them so I could watch them when I got home. I can actually trace pivotal moments in my life by what happened on various soaps. My hardest cry ever was when Jessica died on One Life to Live. I cried for (I kid you not) two full hours. And I honestly feel like when I watch soaps, I escape into this alternate world where the people are real. Even now, my mom and I will have actual discussions about The Young and The Restless and discuss the story lines and characters as if they were real. Or we will go out, but have to get back by 4 because "Y&R is on and it's getting good. Victor knows where Adam is".

Soaps have long been an integral part of my life. Sadly, I don't really watch them as much as I should (save for Y&R) because..well..they haven't really been all that good. What makes things sadder is that any thing that was actually good has been canceled and are now a part of my distant path (GL, AW, Passions). As I watch the landscape of daytime soaps being replaced with trashy talk shows, I wonder what it is that is not connecting viewers with the program?

Sure, there is the case that women work and don't have time. But there are a great number of viewers that are at home like SAHM's, mat leave women, women home sick, unemployed, seniors etc. So why are they not watching anymore?

This week I am going to explore what is happening and what we can do to save our soaps.

The biggest theme that I will have is that soaps today have lost their connection with the past. In the rush to be modern and current, they have strayed so far from what it is that we LOVED about soaps. We loved soaps when they were connected with the past; when family connections mattered. When the world around us buzzed on fast and furiously around us, we could trust that our soaps would be there with the familiar. Anytime you mess with the familiar to cater to the fickle, you alienate those that actually care.

The first sign I noticed when soaps were moving away from their roots was when they started messing with Intros. Intros are the hook. They are the song you hear when you are in another room that is so familiar, you stop what you are doing to watch. Say what you will, but there is something to be said for the simple intro with the classic music.

Here is an example. Let's look at All My Children. For decades, the intro was this great musical intro with a simple sound. The view was of a family album. You could imagine that a grandma was sitting there looking at pics of her family and that for the next hour, you the viewer would be welcomed into their little world to view their family. Have a look.



Stunning isn't it. Doesn't the music evoke some sort of passion? Now let's flash forward to the latest intro (which is one of dozens of changes they have made since they dropped the above, which goes to show they just can't find the right tone to lure a viewer in).



This epileptic graphic vomit of an intro has pictures falling interspersed with what I assume to be the auditions for America's Next Top Model. WTH? Like what is that? It's in your face, not inviting, non-familiar. There is nothing that makes this intro stand out from the other flashy shows in the same time slot.

I think that those that make soaps should take a long hard look at their Intros and try to figure out what message they are conveying. Warm and inviting goes a long way.

Punk & Me: Reality Train Wrecks.

My lovely and animated friend mocked me for not updating my blog. She is a total punk. And why not use my blog to call her a punk. Punkity punk punk.

To protect her privacy, i will call her punk.

Putting aside my juvinile behaviour for a second, I thought I would end the week with some random t.v. inspired drivel. Because if there is one thing punk and I share, it's our mutual love of t.v. stuff. I would like to say that we are highbrow, sophisticated friends when it comes to the television program we watch and talk about. Oh no sirree. The more low-brow, the better is our motto. Well not really, but we like train wrecks. Makes for an interesting life. Specifically, we like reality train wrecks.

Big Brother. Oh. Dear. Lord. Will this show ever stop? And will we ever truly stop watching this trainwreck. Here is our usual BB routine. First, we claim after the trainwreck of the last season that we will never watch it again. Then someone will casually mention when the new season starts and we will reiterate our claims of not following the show. Then the show will start and we will watch it just to remind ourselves how horrible it is. Then punk will say she refuses to watch it and will only follow the spoiler feeds, and then proceeds to secretly watch it. I will confess that I've watched every episode. Around week 2, we e-mail each other our top 4 picks. Then we will proceed to read the spoiler feeds between each show and e-mail each other our theories. About 3/4 of the way into the season, we will get annoyed because one of our faves will be evicted and we will claim that we are over with the show. But we then secretly follow the rest of the season and continue to chat about it. At the end of the season, we will lament how awful it is and make new claims about never watching the show again.

The Biggest Loser. I will confess that this is a show that I mostly watch. In fact, my blog is peppered with comments about this show. In theory, it is a train wreck. Fat people put through the paces and competing to be less fat. But I love it. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. And I know that punk watches it too. She may claim that she doesn't, but I know that she secretly does. We don't really talk about this show but then it will randomly pop up in our conversations and we will both immediately lament our own weight loss struggles and wish that we had a BL Canada. If they ever did and we would be able to compete as "couples", I think punk and I would go. And be very cutthroat about it too.

America's Next Top Model. We both fiercely love this show. Every year, we watch, discuss during commercial break, pick our favourites, and mock the stick creatures. So. Much. Fun.

A Shot At Love/ Rock of Love etc. I will confess. I don't really watch this show. But I have seen it. It's one of those if there is nothing else on, I will watch it. Punk on the other hand quite enjoys the show. So I will at the very least show an interest in her discussion about it. However, when she does discuss it, I often wonder why I don't watch it? It sounds like quality trash and I should ride that train.

The Bachelorette. On the other hand, if she has A Shot At Love, I have the Bachelorette. God, I hate this show. Why. Can't. I. Stop. Watching? Punk probably mocks me about this, but she always seems to know what's going on with the show...hmmm. Doth she protest too much?

So You Think You Can Dance/American Idol. We so love these shows. She follows AI a bit more than I do, but we both watch SYTYCD.

So I ask you..what trash shows do you and your friends share in that you are willing to confess? Does anyone else watch the above shows? Just so you know, there are way more trashy stuff we watch...this is but the tip of the iceberg.