BABE-BOLYAI UNIVERSITY, CLUJ-NAPOCA

FACULTY OF LETTERS
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

BRITISH AND AMERICAN SOAPS

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BETWEEN FAMILY AFFAIRS AND PASSION

STUDENT:

ASSIGNMENT ADVISER:

TUNYOGI ANDREA

PROF. DR. MIRCEA ZDRENGHEA

MA BRITISH CULTURAL STUDIES

1ST YEAR

CLUJ NAPOCA JULY 2015

TABLE OF CONTENT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Introduction: The brief history of soap operas..3

Soap operas in general...5
A short presentation of the British soap Family Affairs7
A short presentation of the America soap Passion..10
A comparative analysis between Family Affairs and Passion.13
Conclusion...17
Reference.18

INTRODUCTION: THE BRIEF HISTORY OF SOAP OPERAS

The term soap opera recalls various reactions from the people who hear it. Many of them
consider it a waste of time, a never ending story, something dedicated exclusively for
women, useless as a bubble of soap and the list may continue with these slightly negative
opinions about this genre. Opinions are mostly conclusions based on different experiences and
feelings about a certain topic. They may vary according to the person who formulates it. When
analysing soap operas and attempting to formulate general conclusions, it is essential to focus on
facts rather than opinions. Focusing on facts means firstly to look back to the origins of this
genre, observing how and why was it created. The aim of this introduction thus is to go back to
the origins of the soap operas before attempting to analyse and compare two actual productions.
There are two questions in focus: why and how. What was the purpose of these soap
operas and how was it possible to create them? Initially, soap operas were broadcast on radio and
not on TV. In the 1920s, the radio industry searched for sponsors to increase their profit. The
businesses that sponsored the radio products were mainly those selling household goods. They
sponsored short, 15 minutes radio serials and in return, they had the possibility to advertise their
products during the shows. The most significant sponsor in the history of the soap operas was
Procter & Gambles Oxydol soap powder.1 Consequently, the name soap opera is coined after
this soap producer started to sponsor the short radio programmes.

These radio serials were exclusively dedicated to women. Why is this so? It is generally known,
that women did the housework and were home all day. Consequently, both serials and
1 http://soaps.about.com/od/listsandtrivia/a/Soaps_Name.htm
3

advertisements were dedicated to them. The first radio series called a soap opera was Painted
Dreams debuted in 1930.2
Soap operas have gradually evolved from their short 15 minutes productions. A major change
occurred in 1952, when the television started to broadcast a soap opera which was running on
radio. The Guiding Light was the first soap opera broadcast by American televisions and also
represented the transition of soaps from radio to television.3 Together with this transition, the
length of the episodes started to increase up to 25-50 minutes, and the radios were no longer
broadcasting soap operas. It became exclusively the matter of the TV.
The popularity of the soap operas started to grow. These were called daytime soaps because they
were broadcast during the day, and as it has been pointed out, to women who were mostly at
home and did the housework. However, after 1980, another major shift has occurred in the life of
soap operas. More and more women were no longer working at home and this fact caused a
significant decrease in the viewing rates. The focus was then turned to the prime time soaps
which were broadcast in the evening, offering the possibility to be watched after work. The first
prime time soap was Peyton Place broadcast on ABC, between 1964 and 1969.4 Consequently,
prime time soaps became more popular than daytime soaps after 1980.
This brief history of the soap operas meant to present how and why did they appear, who were
the main audience and how did they evolve from a short 15 minutes radio programmes to 50
minutes TV series. Before actually comparing two soap operas to highlight the differences and
similarities between a British production and an American one, it is necessary to point out those
typical features that characterize a soap opera. The list contains the most important features that
are usually applicable to all soaps, be it British or American or of other origin. The particular
differences between the British and the American soaps are going to be highlighted when
comparing and analysing the British soap entitled Family Affairs and the American soap entitled
Passion.

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_opera#Evolution_of_the_daytime_serial
3 http://onelifetolive.about.com/od/articles/a/A-Brief-Overview-And-List-Of-The-Most-PopularDaytime-Soaps.htm
4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_opera#Evolution_of_the_daytime_serial
4

SOAP OPERAS IN GENERAL

Every TV or radio production has a purpose. Generally, there are two major categories in
which almost every programme can be fitted. TV programmes can inform the viewer or it can
entertain them. Usually news, sport, weather forecast, etc. are meant to inform the viewer,
whereas films, quizzes, reality shows, etc. are meant to entertain. The major purpose of TV
productions is entertainment. People seek relaxation in these programmes after a long day of
work, and as so, these entertaining programmes must be formed in the way to fulfil this need.
Therefore, they shouldnt require intellectual effort to be understood, and should convey
information that are interesting and also relaxing at the same time. Soap operas are included in
the category of entertainment, and form a part of the popular culture, meaning that they are
addressed to the mass rather than to a certain closed group of people. The popular culture
somehow has a negative connotation, whether it is a book that belongs to that category or a film
or a soap. However, it is very popular among people as its name shows, and brings much profit
to the producers.
Consequently, housewives, who were doing the housework every day, sought
entertainment in the short radio series and after that in the soap operas broadcast on TV. In order
for these programmes to entertain, they had to be created in such ways to achieve this aim.
Moreover, the maintenance of the viewing rates was also a crucial aim, so the producers had to
focus on different tactics to maintain the viewers curiosity. As so, there are some major
characteristics of the soap operas that are somehow essential for the maintenance of this genre.
First of all, the most important feature of a soap opera is the open narrative form.5 This
means that every episode ends with an unsolved problem (cliffhanger), making the viewer
curious of the next episode, to find out the solution to the particular problem. It also means, that
there are more than one story lines that run at the same time. Each storyline is shown for a few
minutes, then the story, the setting, the characters change, and another story is presented. After
these sequences, the initial storyline is resumed and the cycle continues on and on. As Albert
Moran says: that form of television that works with a continuous open narrative. Each episode
ends with a promise that the storyline is to be continued in another episode.6
5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_opera
6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_opera
5

Another essential characteristic of the soap opera is its topic or theme. Usually, it presents
very familiar themes, ones that can be found in everyday life. It focuses on family issues,
everyday troubles at home or at work, love affairs, successes, deceptions, consequently, all those
issues that a human can experience in his/her own life. It is very probable that the explanation
considering the topics would be that people like to see those things on screen that happen to them
every day because they can associate their own life with it. However, it is quite paradoxical that
people seek entertainment and relaxation in viewing on screen the everyday routine of the
characters, when logically this wouldnt entertain them. Consequently, soap opera producers
must have a deep knowledge of the human psyche, not just to build up situations which are
interesting enough, but to build up the characters in the most authentic way.
Speaking of characters, this is the third pivotal feature of the soap operas. These characters are
built as to reflect the actions and the mentality of everyday people, but they are highly
stereotyped. Character development is almost totally absent, which means that the negative
characters, as well as the positive ones remain like that from the beginning to the end. Some
stereotypical characters would be: the good girl, the decent husband, the villain, the loving
mother, the unfaithful husband, the bastard, etc. It is very essential to observe the way of
characterization. The viewers draw conclusions based exclusively on the characters actions, and
rarely on other characters comments. There isnt a narrator that may describe the characters as in
books for example. Moreover, the viewers draw these conclusions immediately after a few
minutes of watching the episodes. A simple gesture at the very beginning of the first episode can
indicate that the particular character is a positive or a negative one. Some characters are
appealing, others are not. Some of them grow up in front of the cameras, while others age and
die. It is just like in real life.
Another key word in the world of soap operas is the plot. This aspect must be constructed
as carefully as the characters. These two features intertwine, making a successful outcome.
Actually, the whole soap opera is based on the plot. Due to the fact that it has many episodes, the
plot runs in a wider space and time than in case of the films. Thats why it mustnt get flat. The
producers always have to come up with new ideas to develop the events, to add new conflicts,
new situations and new problems to be solved.

This short overview of the most important features of soap operas meant to introduce the
aspects which are going to be analysed when comparing the two soaps. As a conclusion, the
focus
is going to fall on the open narrative form, topic, characters and the plot. The next part of the
essay focuses on the presentation of the British soap entitled Family Affairs.
FAMILY AFFAIRS7
(SHORT PRESENTATION)

Family Affairs is a British soap opera that debuted in 1997 and its final episode was broadcast in
2005. The running time of each episode was 30 minutes, which included the adverts too. It was
aired on Channel 5, and produced by Thames Television. The total number of the episodes was
2285. The setting is a fictional outer London suburb, and the main characters that represent the
nucleus of the series, are the Hart and Gates families.

7 The information about this soap are provided from the following website:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183068/
8 Image provided from the following website:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/11296183@N00/2898692607
7

Most of the action takes place in the middle-class suburb houses of the characters. But these are
not the only scenes. Typical soap opera locations are bars and restaurants where the characters
meet and discuss with each other their problems. In this soap, the characters meet in the bar
restaurant called The Lock.
The characters can be categorized in some typical stereotypes: the parents (Chris and Annie), the
24-year-old virgin (Holly), the police (Melanie), the schoolboy (Jamie), the conservative (Elsa
Gates), the drinking partners (Tim, Roy), the villain (Pete), the bisexual (Susie Ross), the
troublesome teenage son (Liam), the meddling gossiper (Sadie), the shameless wife (Cat), the
strident local owner (Dusty McHugh), the mouthy daughter (Yasmin), the conscientious son
(Benji), the gay (Clive), etc.
In 1998, Brian Park, who was the producer of Coronation Street, was appointed as the new
producer of Family Affairs, and due to this, some major characters were written out, those who
formed the members of the Hart and Gates families, and were the basis of this serial.
In 2000, the previous location had also changed. The focus fell on Stanley Street, a
fictional district in West-London. Moving to Stanley Street, the characters started to live busy
outdoor life. The external settings grew, as they often visited shops, terraces, internet cafs, minimarkets. The initial meeting place, The Lock was sold, in favour of an old-fashioned pub. This
meant that a certain stage in the serial was brought to an end. The main meeting place was now
The Black Swan, Petes pub.
As it has been pointed out above, the soap operas have multiple storylines, which present
separate stories that run at the same time. Each storyline is presented for a few minutes, then
there is a shift to the next one, and then the first one is resumed. In Family Affairs, after the
setting is brought to Stanley Street, new storylines appear. The Warrington family brings new
issues to the serial. Many storylines are around Peter Callan, the villain, and his affairs and
murders, but the new ones focus on the Warrington family issues such as: marriage problems,
family scandals, love affairs. In 2002, a new character joined the crew, Ben Galloway, who
starter to work at the internet caf, and later revealed that he was gay. It is recorded, that Ben was
the first actor who kissed another man in a British daytime programme.
In 2003, with the arrival of the new producer, Alison Davis, other major changes have
occurred in the serial. Not only the old characters were cast out, but also one of the meeting
places, the internet caf, was set on fire. Shortly after its destruction, a new restaurant was built
8

in that place by the Boulter family. It is important to note how symbolic these public places are.
Their destruction and rebuilding symbolize the renewal of the storyline, the new directions that
are taken in order to refresh the whole story. This is an essential tactic of the soap opera
producers. As it has been mentioned above, the stories must be renewed, to maintain the viewers
attentions. It is also important to present contemporary problems and issues. In case of soaps that
run for year like this one, the issues must be up to date, because in eight years the world goes
through many changes and peoples interests also change. In the latest storylines (from 2004 to
2005), the inclusion of modern problems and issues are visibly outstanding compared to the
beginning of the serial in 1997.These are: murder, rape, prostitution, suicide, blackmail, drug
use, brother-sister relationship, etc. Another attempt to renew the storyline was the plan of Sean
O Connor, the new producer of the film, after Alison Davis. However, Channel 5 announced,
that they would not renew the series for 2006, consequently, on 30 December 2005, the final
episode of Family Affair was broadcast on TV.
In 2005, the serial won the British Soap Awards and was praised of the way it illustrates such
groups as lesbians, gays, paedophiles. One viewers comment about this soap is: Family Affairs
is without a doubt the best of all the UK soaps. Why? Take the quality of the production first There is a cinematic style to all the camera work, using jibs and dollies - keeping the cameras
moving, all these things add up to a "professional" production []. Secondly, the show's writers
keep the plot lines within semi-believable boundaries, choosing to deal with everyday characters
and situations []. Last, but certainly not least, is the superb cast who interact superbly. Actors
like David Easter (Pete Callan) and Nicola Duffet (Cat Matthews) have an absolutely brilliant
"natural" on screen friction.9

9 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183068/
9

10

PASSIONS11
(SHORT PRESENTATION)

10 Image provided from the following website: http://www.snipview.com/q/Family%20Affairs

%20characters
11 The information about this soap are provided from the following website:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192917/
10

Passion is an American soap opera, debuted in 1999, the last episode being broadcast in
2008. The running time of each episode was 60 minutes, and it was broadcast on NBC (from
1999 to 2007), and on The 101 Network (from 2007 to 2008). It was produced by NBC Studios,
NBC Universal Television Studio and Universal Media Studios.
The central setting of this serial is a fictional town called Harmony. It is essential to note at the
very beginning that the plot is highly mixed with paranormal events. There is a character, Tabitha
Lenox, who is a witch, and the other character, Grace, who represents the good, constantly has
visions of an angel girl who warns her about the evil.
However, the main nucleus of this soap opera is the life of four families, each one being very
different from one another: the Cranes (rich white family), the Bennetts (middle-class white
family), the Russells (Afro-American family) and the Lopez-Fitzgeralds (half-Mexican, halfIrish family). This variety shows that in case of this soap, there is a mixture among different
cultures and this leads to the assumption that the storyline is going to be very complex with
many conflicts and problematic situations. Similar to soaps, it has a multitude of storylines that
12 Image provided from the following website: http://maddiecarroll.blog.cz/1111
11

run simultaneously, like the love triangle among Gwen, Ethan and Theresa, the good vs evil fight
between the witch and Grace, love affairs, betrayal, illness, poverty, etc. Some stereotypes are
also found in this production: the powerful rich man (Julian Crane), the poor girl falling in love
with the rich boy (Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald), the innocent virgin girl (Charity Bennett), the love
triangle (Gwen-Ethan-Theresa), the evil witch and her sidekick (Tabitha and Timmy).
The scenes are shot in various locations. Mostly they are shot is one of the familys
houses, on the beach, in forests, in dungeons and hidden corridors, in carnivals, etc. This shows
that the settings are very varied and the action is not limited to one specific setting. Besides
these, there are extravagant scenes shot outside Harmony, where unbelievable things use to
happen like: shipwreck, visions, unpredictable marriages, amnesia, tsunami, murder, sacrifice,
etc. The locations outside Harmony are: Bermuda, Mexico, Rome. There are also a set of motifs
and allusions to other works (films, books) that are incorporated into the storyline of this soap
opera. These are: Gone with the Wind, Carrie, Titanic, I Dream of Jeannie, Brokeback Mountain,
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Wizard of Oz, The Da Vinci
Code, The Little Mermaid and Wicked.
Besides these allusions, there are some motifs around which the story is constructed. One
of them is the strong Catholicism which is typically connected to the Mexican culture. As it has
been mentioned before, one of the core families are Mexican, therefore the serial highlights this
cultural aspect by creating strongly faithful characters like Pilar Lopez-Fitzgerald, who is often
seen praying with a rosary. Another core motif in this soap is a strong believe in destiny and in
soul mates. From the very beginning, there are characters that are meant to be together and they
finally marry after fighting many obstacles and many cultural impediments (like Theresa and
Ethan).
This soap operates with a notable technique. The characters are often remembering past
events and analyse them over and over again. Much time of the episodes is dedicated to these
recurring events and those daydreams that seem real, confusing the viewer, and leading him in
error until it finally reveals the truth. All these element demonstrate how complex this soap opera
is, fascinating, confusing, manipulating the viewer.
Due to the fall of the viewers rate, the NBC cancelled the continuation of the show in
2007. The last episode was broadcast on August 7 2008. The following viewers opinion may
indicate why it got to this end: I used to really enjoy this soap when it started out in 1999. The
12

story lines and characters were interesting, intricate and refreshing. But after about 3-4years, the
plot just went downhill. The soap was using the exact story lines when it began, the constant
same struggles of the truth comes out, oh no it doesn't, and here is comes, and again no it didn't,
and it goes on. The dialog and plot is repetitious, there is essentially no development in the
characters, they make the same mistakes over and over, and over, they remain in the dimension
that they were first portrayed or they become senseless characters that lack any senses.13
After presenting the two soap operas separately, it is time to make a comparative analysis,
between the two, highlighting the differences and the similarities, focusing mainly on the British
and American aspect.

14

Original cast of Passions

FAMILY AFFAIRS AND PASSION
(A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS)

13 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192917/
14 Image provided from the following website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passions
13

Soap operas have some common features that make them belong to this genre, but after a
closer analysis, it becomes obvious that they have a few distinctive features considering the
country where it was produced. In the following comparative analysis, the focus is going to fall
on the differences and similarities between the British and the American soaps. Two productions
are going to be analysed comparatively, the British soap Family Affairs and the American soap
Passion.
Firstly, Family Affairs is produced in the UK by Thames Television, while Passion was
produced in the US by NBC and Universal Media Studios. There is a difference between the
running time of the two soaps. Family Affairs runs for 30 minutes including adverts, whereas
Passion runs for 60 minutes. It can be concluded, that the American soaps have longer episodes
than the British soaps. Both productions are nearly broadcast in the same period, Family Affairs
between 1997 and 2005, and Passion between 1999 and 2008.
Besides those similarities that were highlighted in the chapter dedicated to the
presentation of the general characteristics of soaps, there are some major differences that must be
pointed out considering the British and the American soaps. It is not surprising that these
differences occur because every country interprets things differently even if the root is common.
It is not possible for an American soap to build up the characters or to construct a plot with
exactly the same elements or with the same style as the British soap does and vice versa. Thats
why these productions bear the marks of their specific mentality and style.
One of the major differences is the issue considering fiction and reality. British soaps tend
to focus more on reality, and try to present an atmosphere where the viewer has the impression
that he/she is actually watching real events. On the other hand, the American soaps focus more
on the fictional, fantastic side of the events, trying to fascinate the viewer, often confusing them,
and leading them in error. This typical feature is clearly visible in the two soaps in question.
Family Affairs, though presenting a fictional suburb of London, it tends to be as realistic as
possible, with street names (Stanley Street), restaurant names and clearly defined geographical
places. Passions on the other hand present a town called Harmony and does not indicate the
exact location of this town. Even its name suggests that it is symbolical and its purpose is not to
create the sense of reality. What can demonstrate more the reality vs fantasy duality than the plot
of each soap. In Family Affairs the plot is constructed as to spread a sense of reality. The
characters, their actions, their problems and solutions reflect real actions, problems and solutions.
14

The viewer can easily identify himself/herself with one character and may act the same way in
the same situation. Family problems, fights, forbidden relationships, even murder, rape or more
extreme situations happen in everyday life as well. On the other hand, Passions clearly passes
the boarders of reality. It is true that the majority of the characters seem real and act as such in
situations that may also be real, but there are many fantastic elements that lead the viewer to a
fictional world, such as witchcraft, dolls came to life, gates leading to Hell, sacrifices, angels,
visions, daydreams, etc.. The locations are also more varied. The characters travel abroad, to
exotic places (Mexico, Bermuda), and they usually end up in extraordinary situations. For
example, Sheridan Crane disappears in Bermuda and when she is found, she has amnesia. On the
other hand, in Family Affairs, the locations are very limited, mostly to the characters house or to
Stanley Street, where they can interact with everyone and meet them in their symbolical meeting
place, firstly The Lock and after that The Black Swan.
All these things demonstrate so far that the American soaps are more complex form every
point of view than the British soaps. They tend to focus on a dreamy world (perhaps this is
related to the concept of The American Dream), to grab out the viewer from the real world and
lead them to a place where everything is possible, whereas the British soaps are much more
down to Earth and present the cruel, problematic, everyday reality that surrounds everybody, be
it a character or a spectator. Here is the opinion of a viewer that highlights the aspects mentioned
above: British soaps are more realistic and working class. [] I think American soaps should
take a lesson from our British soaps. We need more believable characters that look more like our
audience.15 Another viewer also highlights these major differences: It seems that American
soaps are like an escape from the everyday. A life so unlike our real lives that it is refreshing to
see. My only argument against them is everyone on American soaps seems rich. Even when they
say they are poor they still look rich. British soaps however don't seem to have the escapism vibe
of American soaps, for the most part minus kidnapping, baby stealing and murder it depicts life
of everyday brits. It is very true to life. Most Brits lives seem to center around their fave
neighbourhood pub. Most characters are not wealthy like on USA soaps. British soaps has
successful mix of the real life and fantasy.16

15 http://soaps.sheknows.com/youngandrestless/board/478887/page/4/
16 https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100228063316AATJwPj
15

Continuing the idea of the viewers opinion mentioned above, it is important to analyse
the character construction in both British and American soaps, because there are some significant
differences that need to be highlighted. Starting from the idea of extravagance that surrounds the
American soaps, it can be concluded that the characters must also be extravagant. In American
soaps, the physical aspect of the actor has a huge importance. It is enough to have a look at the
pictures inserted above, to observe the attractive appearances of both male and female actors in
Passions. On the other hands, in Family Affairs, the actors are more like ordinary people, with a
nice physical aspect, but not exaggerated. The stereotype of the rich is also a fundamental
element in the American soaps. In Passions, this rich, white and powerful businessman is
represented by the character of Julian Crane, whose family practically controls the town where
they live. In Family Affairs, the difference among the social scales is not so evident. No one
controls the life of other characters as in Passions.
Sarah Lyall also sustains this fact in the following article, written for the New York
Times: While American shows feature fabulously glamorous business tycoons, brilliant heart
surgeons, gorgeous fashion models and rich people who don't seem to have to work, British soap
characters work in gas stations, fish-and-chips shops and corner grocery stores (and are actually
shown working) or who have no jobs and live on the dole. 17 Or they own a restaurant or an
internet caf, as in case of Pete and Roy in Family Affairs. Last, but not least, both in British and
in American soap operas there are those stereotypes in which practically every character can be
categorized.
The last feature that is going to be discussed in this comparative analysis, refers to the
daytime or primetime aspect of the soap operas. As it has been mentioned before, the most
important difference between these two categories is that daytime soaps run during the day and
are mostly dedicated to women that work at home and do the housework, while primetime serials
run in the evening, when most people are at home and watch TV for entertainment and
relaxation. The American soap differs from the British soap in this aspect too. Most of the
American soaps are daytime soaps while the British ones are primetime soaps. This is the case of
Passions and Family Affairs too. While the former is a daytime soap, the latter is a primetime
soap. There are some notable differences between these two types. First of all, the shooting
techniques are not the same. This means that the daytime soaps are recorded on a videotape with
17 http://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/29/arts/on-british-soaps-the-poor-and-the-jobless.html
16

a multi-camera setup, using more than one cameras to capture the images. Due to this, the quality
of the video is lower. On the other hand, the primetime serials use another technique, the single
camera shot, where one camera is used, and the images are shot on film not on videotape.
Consequently, the quality of the image is higher.

18

multi-camera shot

single camera shot

There is a special technique of multi-camera shooting to capture the characters facial

expression which is called close up. This means, that the characters expression is shown for a
few seconds, without any dialogues. This technique is frequently used in daytime soaps, and also
in Passions too. The last scene of each episode ends with close ups.
In a nutshell, these were the major differences between a British soap opera and an
American soap opera. It has been demonstrated that each has its own typical characteristics
besides those common features that are found in every soap opera. Family Affairs bears the
typical marks of a British soap, considering the plot, the topics, the settings, the characters and
the whole impression that leaves in the viewers, whereas Passions is the best example to
illustrate the American fantasy world with exotic places, extravagant characters, complex
storylines and mythical elements, leaving a totally different impression in the viewer.
CONCLUSION
18 Images provided form the following websites: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple-camera_setup,
andhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-camera_setup

17

The aim of this essay was to draw a comparison between a British soap opera and an American
soap opera, highlighting the differences and the similarities between the two types. To illustrate
the differences, two productions were chosen, one British, entitled Family Affairs, and one
American, entitled Passions. Based on the comparative analysis drawn between the two
productions, some general conclusions were formulated, regarding the characteristics of each
type.
Before actually comparing the two productions, some necessary information were
pointed out, referring to soap operas. First of all, it was important to define the term soap opera
and to look back on how and why did it appear. After that, it was necessary to point out the major
characteristics of soap operas in order to make it clear what is going to be analysed further on.
The next step was to actually present each soap separately before attempting to compare them
and draw general conclusions. Finally, the comparative analysis between the two soaps
highlighted the major differences considering each type. The focus fell on the plot, the
characters, the topic, the specific stylistic elements and on the camera settings. It has also been
pointed out that beside these differences, each soap bears the mark of the common characteristics
of this genre. Some viewers opinions have also been included in the analysis to sustain the facts
that were mentioned.
Returning to the idea mentioned in the introduction, that soap operas are a waste of
time, let us contradict this opinion and conclude the essay with the following argument
illustrated on the picture below:

18

19

REFERENCE
http://soaps.about.com/od/listsandtrivia/a/Soaps_Name.htm
2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_opera#Evolution_of_the_daytime_serial

http://onelifetolive.about.com/od/articles/a/A-Brief-Overview-And-List-Of-The-Most-Popular-

Daytime-Soaps.htm
4

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_opera#Evolution_of_the_daytime_serial

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_opera

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap_opera

The information about this soap are provided from the following website:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183068/
8

Image provided from the following website:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/11296183@N00/2898692607
9

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0183068/

10

Image provided from the following website: http://www.snipview.com/q/Family%20Affairs

%20characters
11

The information about this soap are provided from the following website:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192917/
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Image provided from the following website: http://maddiecarroll.blog.cz/1111

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http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0192917/

19 Image provided from the following website: http://mediaburnout.blogspot.ro/2014/09/soapoperas-101.html

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Image provided from the following website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passions

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http://soaps.sheknows.com/youngandrestless/board/478887/page/4/

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https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100228063316AATJwPj

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http://www.nytimes.com/1997/06/29/arts/on-british-soaps-the-poor-and-the-jobless.html

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Images provided form the following websites: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple-

camera_setup, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-camera_setup

19

Image provided from the following website: http://mediaburnout.blogspot.ro/2014/09/soap-

operas-101.html

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