Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve been watching soap operas off and on since I was in high school. I used to be a big fan of All My Children and General Hospital. Over the last twelve years, I’ve been an avid watcher of The Young And The Restless. However, you’ll notice that I said I watched them off and on. The reason I can’t keep watching soap operas for extended periods of time is because, although I enjoy some of the story lines, the concept of reality slowly sinks into my brain and I think the stories are stupid! Really! Most soap operas have the following types of story lines in common, which can get tired and old after awhile:
1. Infidelity
2. The Evil Twin(or a variation of this).
3. Coming back from the dead.
4. Changing the history of past events, or inventing “new” history to support a storyline.
5. Multiple marriages.
The infidelity is a kicker! My goodness! Somebody is alway sleeping with somebody else’s husband or wife! The marriage will then end, and that’ll lead to the one I listed as number five! When you look at these soaps, after awhile you discover that certain characters have been married to half the town, and sometimes the ex-wives and ex-husbands of the same spouse can become good friends, the fact that they’ve been married to the same person is not a deterrent from the friendship.
The Evil Twin…that one is definately unbelievable! I’ve seen this used a number of times with a soap opera. Sometimes the two are actually twins, and other times, they are related but look so much alike that they can pass for twins. Other times, it just so happens, that there’s another person out there, lurking, who looks just like one of the characters on the soap opera! Also, this new look-a-like is evil….hmmm….
Coming back from the dead! Whew! I thought that cats were the only ones that had nine lives! Whoever made up that saying certainly never saw a soap opera! I mean, come on, coming back from the dead? In soap opera land, when people die, it’s common for them to NOT have a body for the funeral! And this scenario can sometimes lead number 2(or maybe I should call it, the unevil twin?) where it’s believed that someone has come back from the dead, and it’s discovered that there is a relative, or someone lurking out there, that looks just like said dead person, but this new lookalike could be good or evil…hmmm.
Sometimes, when I watch a soap opera, all I want to do is clean it up! How about, a Christian soap opera? You can have infidelity, murder(forgot to mention number six up at the top. You’ll eventually have somebody murdered, then you’ll have to slug through the trial very slowly, while the wrong person is being tried, and then finally, the truth comes out!), evil twins, but my soap opera would have a faith element. How do these cast of charcters get past these obstacles…through their faith in God, that’s how. I would show how a woman has to forgive the “other” woman for sleeping with her husband. I’ll have to show how a woman has to forgive her husband for sleeping with his mistress. I’ll have to show husband begging wife for mercy, renewing his covenant with God and starting afresh with his wife while they put the past behind them and learn to lean on God, and seek Him for answers to their problems!
I’ve noticed that in the soaps I’ve watched, they don’t really mention God or going to church much. It’s mentioned some, but sparingly. The only time I recall a soap opera having a man of the faith on regularly was Father Jim Vocheck(?sp) on the now defunct soap called Loving. Since I haven’t watched every single soap opera out there, I’m wondering if there are others that I’m not aware of?
These are the soap opera musings that were twirling through my head as I give The Young And The Restless a break for awhile. They even have the “twin” scenario with a twist, somebody had plastic surgery to look like one of the characters…hmm. Also, somebody who was murdered (number six on my list) has a cousin who comes to town, who looks just like the murder victim. Hmmm. Ever see identical twin ‘cousins’ as opposed to identical twin sisters….???
Cecelia Dowdy
www.ceceliadowdy.com
Celia,
I just read your blog on Christian Soap Operas and was amazed. There is one in the making as we speak. Parkville, which will host all of the intriguing elements required for good television but show how there are those who seek God’s guidance and even though as Christians we have our own drama, we are tried in our faith and sometimes decide to take matters into our own hands.
See more about what the company is doing at http://www.merreweather.com
Anonymous, thanks for posting your comment. I browsed through the merreweather.com website. Please keep me posted as to when the Christian Soap Opera, Parkville, will air. I’ll be sure to let other bloggers know about it.
Cecelia Dowdy
For years I have had the thoughts of making a Christian Soap opera, but need the funds to produce one. (Ever since graduating with a degree in Television)
I have been focusing on some project ideas, and came across your blog. Yes I do believe there is a market out there for a Christian soap opera. One that will be of the same production caliber and standards of secular daytime programming. Just a little more Jesus and GOD in the mixture. God bless
I too watched AMC, OLTL, and GH. Started in college in between classes, and carried it into my single years. When my life got busy, daytime soap operas got lost. But then there was Dallas, Dynasty, and any number of other evening soaps. Soap operas, originally designed as platforms for selling soap (a la Procter & Gamble) come in many forms.
I could see Christian soap operas. I mean they’re really just serialized dramas about families and communities. So I would consider the recent show, 7th Heaven, a Christian soap opera. What hasn’t been done, I think, is a daytime soap based on Christian values with faith-themed plotlines.
As a former Guiding Light Viewer who is now passionately devoted to Y&R, I have prayed that the Lord would either take mydesire for them away or give me a Christian alternative. I am a homemaker, freelance writer who would love to help you create the Christian soap you described. As apreacher’s wife, Ithink everything should be used to the glory of God even soaps. BTW, Guiding Light started out (on Radio)with the sermons of the fictional Rev. Rutledge. It once glorified God and I believe all TV shows still should. If GL had developed the plot line where Joshua Lewis became a minister and clung to the show Christian roots it would not have been canceled!
Any Idea how I might get CBS or any other network to listen to my idea of a Christian soap based on GL called Cross Creak featuring Rev Josh Lewis and his wife Reva who can really relato sinners because she was one. As those who follow GL know Josh Lewis late of Lewis construction was only in the ministry for approximately one year and Reva has looked for love in all the wrong places not it is time she looked in the right place Jesus! Surely I can’t be the only one who feels this way help!
Preacherswife205, thanks for commenting. Your soap opera idea does indeed sound interesting. However, I have no idea how one would go about contacting CBS, ABC, or any of the other major networks. Are there any small local cable networks that you could approach? I don’t really know how one would go about pursuing their dream of making their soap opera script into a TV show. Anybody reading this post have any tips for preacherswife205?
I do write, but I’m a novelist. I have books out by major publishers. Check out my website and blog preacherswife205! My books are wholesome reading, too. So if you have teenaged daughters who enjoy Christian love stories, then you should tell them to try mine!
Have a blessed day!
Cecilia,
Thanks so much for taking the time to read my ideas I have a dream of writing fiction, but have never been published. My only published work has been in a local Magazine called West Alabama Life. My novel is a work in progress. BTW Missed today’s episode of Y&R because I was writing. thank the Lord I wrote something God Bless
Today’s episode of Y & R contained too much profanity and Victor shouldn’t have raked his own son over the coals in Restless Style (an Abbott magazine) Can you imagine? in the article Victor made reference to Adam’s sainted mother Hope.
She was the best thing on the show. Her spirit should visit Adam in visions and staighten him out. These visits should come in answer to prayers not seances.
Christians don’t need psychics we have Jesus who gives us words of wisdom words of knowledge through the Holy Spirit.
7th Heaven was a wonderful Christian drama that was almost like a soap, but it would be neat to have a new show that aired original episodes in daytime & tackeled all the issues 7th Heaven did and tougher ones too Didn’t CBN attempt a Christian soap years ago called Another Life?
Hi Preacher’s Wife. I don’t really watch the Y&R very much anymore. I don’t think I’ve watched regularly in a few years. I also blogged about soap operas again here, fairly recently:
http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2009/09/offended-cast-of-characters-for-sins-of.html
I know what you mean about getting sick of the characters and their actions. I stopped watching Y&R shortly after I posted this blog post because the characters and situations were so stupid.
It’s funny that you mention Hope. I wrote a story about a blind man that wants to bring his occult-practicing coworker/friend to Christ. I’m searching for a publisher for this story now. Please pray that I find one!
Yes, I’ve seen the use of seances(sp?) in soaps and other shows. I haven’t seen any of the episodes on Y&R with Adam Junior as an adult. I might try to watch it on the Soap Opera Network channel on cable, I believe they show reruns. I don’t record it anymore.
After today’s performance Victor Newman could sprout horns & a tail. How dare he go after his on son like that? The only reason Adam is messed up is because Victor wasn’t there to help raise him. I emailed CBS today to ask if it is still possible to take the Neilsen survey for Y&R will let you know what they say.
Preacherswife205, I really enjoy your comments about the soap! You can continue to comment here if you like, or, you can email me directly! My email address is dowdywriter @ aol . com (without the spaces). I wanted to ask you a few questions about the show. I watched it for the first time in a couple of years on the soap opera network last weekend. Are Sharon, Ashley and Jack living in the main house on Victor’s property. Ashley has a baby? Whose baby is it? Victor’s? Nick is still married to Phyllis? Is Sharon involved with anybody. Feel free to email me!
Preacher’s Wife, I’m currently hosting a book giveaway now. You should enter if you want to read some good, clean, wholesome Christian fiction. Here’s the link:
http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2010/02/february-book-giveaway.html
I’ll be drawing the winner near the end of February 2010.
I couldn’t get merreweather.com to pull up, but I found an old press release about Parkville It sounded like a good idea, but couldn’t find out anymore about it and the press release was dated 2007. BTW Ralf Waite (Daddy Walton) is playing a priest on Days of Our Lives. Also,I found some great script writing software by typing the phrase “How to write a Soap Opera” into Bing (Microsoft’s search engine)couldn’t wait to try it out.
Then, tonight at church our pastor preached on hungering for God and leaving off worldly things such as soap operas he mentioned soaps by name, so pray that I will no how to handle this situation. of course I want more of God, but I also believe in the concept of a Christian soap opera. Please pray and provide feedback thanks.
Preacherswife, I gave up soap operas because my time is very limited, plus, as you’ve suggested, I also got sick of the characters. I’d love to write a script for a Christian soap opera, though! It sounds like fun! Don’t know how to go about seeing my script being played out on the TV screen, though! I have no Hollywood connections, and I’d assume that there are others out there with TV scripts begging for a home! As long as you admit that soap operas are just entertainment, and don’t look at them as reality, I think you’re okay! I mean, look at some of the movies and TV shows out there…I’m sure Christians watch them and those things are no better or worse than soap operas!