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Post by eithne on Apr 7, 2008 21:05:33 GMT
Why do new soaps not work?
Night and Day, Family Affairs, Breakers and the return of Crossroads... all have one thing in common, the fact that they all failed. Now Neighbours is to be replaced with a new soap called Out of the Blue (for more info see the "Surf's Up" board).
I don't want this to turn into a thread focusing on one particular soap, but want to know what you guys think the cause behind the above soaps failing is. Could it be poor writing, bad casting, poor production values or a saturation of soaps on our screens?
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Apr 7, 2008 21:32:42 GMT
Because everything's been done to death already?
Patsy
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Post by sallywebster on Apr 7, 2008 22:42:38 GMT
The other soaps have an audience base as have been on air for years. In this age of digital tv people just arent interested in watching new soaps unless its something amazing.
Also disagree that Family Affairs failed - any soap which fails runs for less than 5 years IMO. FA was on air for nearly 9. It didnt get brilliant ratings granted, but considering it was on a new and smaller channel it didnt do to bad. It lasted for the best part of a decade so like Brookside was axed simply because it run its course.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on Apr 7, 2008 22:50:46 GMT
Nonsense. The TV companies blame satellite but look at what there is there? Umpteen channels on the same thing. No real variety. There was more variety before digital was introduced in 1998. We've had satellite for 19 years so have seen how that's developed while terrestial lost the plot and gave up trying, thinking more eps of soaps were the answer to their shortcomings. Then there's merging the ITV regions which has actually been a bad thing. No one competes so these great shows are no longer made. As a result of churning out dross no one watches, they blame satellite rather than look to themselves. The real problem is people are fed up with soaps. There's too many eps. Everything's been done. They all copy each other. TV channels no longer give programmes a chance. Only Fools and Horses and Minder both were what would be classed as flops and didnt pick up until a few series in. That would never happen now. They want an instant hit or it's axed. A new soap won't last for that very reason.
Patsy
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Post by eithne on Apr 8, 2008 21:58:03 GMT
But even when they try to be original they don't do well - Night and Day being an example. It tried something very different from the typical soap opera in that it had music, dream sequences and a major mystery running right through all its storylines. Ironically Hollyoaks has become quite similiar to N&D in recent years with its dream sequences and the like.
And even Family Affairs did try to be different at the beginning by being set outside London and being focused mainly on one family (the Harts), but even that didn't work. Then they tried to make it like the other soaps and sometimes that worked, but other times it didn't hence the very changeable ratings and umpteen revamps over the nine years.
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Post by eithne on May 10, 2008 19:09:45 GMT
Well with Out of the Blue being moved to BBC2 it looks like another failed soap.
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Post by CG Wendy on May 25, 2008 23:58:41 GMT
Because audiences today are a lot pickier than they were 20 odd years ago.
But the main reason and the biggest is the fact that the writers are clueless in knowing what the audience wants out of a soap. Take Brookside for instance. When it first started it was a brilliant concept having a whole new set of houses built and we got to meet the residents one by one. But towards the end it was complete rubbish. If it had been given a reprieve I think Brookside would still be with us today.
If Brookside came back today then I think it would be a hit because everyone knows where it went wrong.
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Post by RitaLittlewood on May 26, 2008 21:30:37 GMT
I disagree. Brookside was groundbreaking in its day but then came along EE and not only stole its ideas, but also its thunder. Rather than stick to what they knew best, they upped the stakes until by the mid-90s things had become ridiculous. Viewing habits have changed in those times and it wouldn't work today. People now expect too much from their soaps and, as it did before, it would have to compete and go OTT. Carlton's Crossroads failed because it wasn't Crossroads. Brookside in the 00s wouldn't be Brookside. Like Crossroads it will be a name, similar setting, maybe the odd past character to please the fans but the essence would be missing.
Patsy
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