Regular soap opera viewers who have followed a particular soap for
years, according to Clark ‘acquire an expertise and a fund of archival
knowledge, which enable them to experience the programs more fully, and more
enjoyably’. So, they understand the personalities, strengths and weaknesses of
the characters in the soap, and will often know exactly how a particular
character would act in a particular situation. For them, this makes soaps more
pleasurable. The romantic interest in the soap holds many viewers. Who will fall
in love? Who will have an affair? Who will get married? At the time of writing,
in Coronation Street the viewing public are wondering what will become of Fiona
and Steve’s relationship. Marriages in soaps bring record viewing figures. I’ve
already mentioned the controversial storylines in soaps; these are another
pleasure. EastEnders in particular is overtly controversial which is why their
ratings are so high. Such storylines allow the viewer to have fun arguing
his/her side of the case, or accepting the side presented by the writer.
Brookside has covered incest, euthanasia, drugs, surrogacy, and a body under the
patio. According to Phil Redman (creator of Brookside) “the more challenging the
storyline the more the audience appreciate it”. These storylines are beneficial
to society because they increase social awareness of issues such as aids (Mark
Fowler in EastEnders), and alcoholism (Phil Mitchell in EastEnders). They can
also help people who are exposed to, or tackling, these issues in their own
lives, because they see how the characters in the soaps deal with the
situations. The high quality of the acting is another of the pleasures derived
from viewing soaps. Both EastEnders and Coronation Street are renowned for their
good acting. In February 1998, Patsy Palmer who plays Bianca Butcher was
nominated, along with Miranda Richardson and Sinead Cusack, for the best actress
award by the Royal Television Society.
These awards are not based on ratings, or
viewers’ opinions, and this is the first time the society has proposed a soap
star for the coveted trophy. She was nominated for her performance as a
devastated young mother who discovered her unborn baby was suffering from spina
bifida and brain damage. Interestingly, this storyline won EastEnders some of
its highest ratings. Soaps can be enjoyed as a ‘primary cultural activity’
(according to Fiske). The viewer sits down and watches without interruption.
After a long hard day at work, there is nothing better than sitting with a cup
of tea or coffee, switching off from the problems of the day, relaxing and
watching a soap. But they can also be enjoyed as a ‘secondary cultural activity’
whereby the viewer watches or listens whilst doing something else. This too
makes soaps pleasurable because they can be incorporated in to daily life, but
not dominate it or control it. Ironing, homework, paperwork, and cleaning can
all be done whilst watching a soap, because they are not too demanding to watch.
People derive pleasure from talking about soap operas. It’s a double pleasure;
having had the pleasure of watching them, they then enjoy talking about them
with their friends and work mates, discussing the issues and what they think
will happen next. Katz and Liebes state that in discussing soaps, people are
discussing and evaluating the issues in their own lives. Certainly if we discuss
Emmerdale or Home and Away with friends we have a sense of belonging or social
identity. Storylines are not only discussed by the viewers, but also reported in
the press. The newspapers’ obsession with soap operas was apparent in 1983 when
Deirdre Barlow (wife of Ken) had an affair with Mike Baldwin.
