Soap Opera Conventions

Conventions of a soap opera

All Soap Operas follow the same conventions in order to be successful and capture the audience’s interest.

• Every soap has an iconic setting and theme tune which allows the audience to recognise it when it is starting. For example with Eastenders you see a shot of the square along with a memorable theme tune; and Coronation Street with the shot of the street alongside the brass band like theme tune.
• All soaps have key, core cast members that the audience are familiar with which enables them to feel as though they know the characters and connected with them.
• For a soap to be successful and apply to a wide audience there needs to be a variety in the age, gender, race, and sexuality of the characters.
• Many characters within soaps conform to dominant stereotypes so that the audience feels comfortable; although there will be those that break the stereotype too.
• There is always more than one narrative going on in a soap which enables it to appeal and interest a wider audience.
• The lack of permanent closure allows the soap to grow and adapt with time, and allows for a long life on television.
• The passing of time is acknowledged in the narrative which means that the next episode does not necessarily have to pick up straight after where it was left at the end of the last one. This also allows for a sense of future.
• The use of cliff hangers keeps the audience interested and makes certain that they will watch the next episode so that they can find out what happens.
• In all soaps there is always a certain meeting place where the characters gather where they share gossip and small talk, and have fights. This is clear in the three main soaps on television today; in Eastenders there is The Queen Vic and the café; in Coronation Street there is Roy’s café and The Rovers; and in Emmerdale there is The Woolpack.
• The soaps have their festivals and seasons at the same time as we do in real life.
• There is always a sense of realism in soaps with the costumes, and locations but not so much with the language and way the characters speak so fluently all the time.
• Soaps are the ideal way to tackle social issues such as drug use (which has recently been seen in Eastenders and Emmerdale), crime, rape, sexuality and incest.
• Personal relationships are the main focus of narrative within soaps which allows for the audience to know what is going on in the characters lives ‘behind closed doors’.

Brown 1997

Brown stated that most soap operas are directed primarily at a female audience, even though males enjoy watching the soaps as well. He stated that they all have certain characteristics in common.

• Multiple characters
• Multiple storylines
• Action paralleling real time
• Simple cuts between narrative strands
• The emphasis placed on conversations and problem solving rather than action
• The male characters are often portrayed as being ‘sensitive’ in order to appeal more to females because they like men to have a sensitive side and unafraid to show it.
• The female characters are often shown to be strong, independent and influential women, as females enjoy being in control of their lives.
• They are all done in a serial format with no closure at the end of an episode.

Geraghty 1991

Christine Geraghty states that there are four elements which explain the appeal of soap operas.

• The emphasis is placed on a central female character which the audience are invited to support. This also enables the primary target audience of soaps (females) to relate to the character if she is going through a particularly difficult situation.
• There is a diversion between the public and private sphere, with women controlling the private space. This is significant as women like to be in control of their lives and in some respects their significant other and children e.g. keeping them healthy and making sure they don’t spend too much money.
• An emphasis is placed on building and maintaining relationships
• There is an element of fantasy where things such as love and relationships take priority. In real life this is not always the case and females (particularly single) will be able to keep that dream of finding love and holding onto it.

Shannon, Scott, Hawa