The
question I most frequently get asked about the soaps is “Which is your
favourite?”
The truth
is, it varies.
For the
most part, I think the writing in Coronation Street beats all the others hands
down. The combination of pathos and laugh aloud humour manifests itself both in
big, hard-hitting storylines and also lighter ones.
EastEnders
is not without its laughs, too. Jake Wood, who plays Max, has terrific comic
timing and can also do the heavy stuff (his farewell scenes with Tanya were
among the best the show has ever done). I also like EastEnders for Jack. Oh
yes, Jack. Dark, handsome Jack, who was once handcuffed to a radiator – a
vision that has never left me, even after all these years.
Emmerdale
has some terrific characters, but its recent heavy reliance on drug plots has,
for me, been tedious. I know it’s an important issue; it’s just one that has
never interested me. But they have plenty of animals – and that’s always an
attraction.
Hollyoaks
has an abundance of eye candy and non-stop action these days. Every week brings
another “revelation” or a “blast from the past” for at least one character.
The
Australian soaps cannot match ours for dialogue or plot, but Neighbours has the
divine Dr Karl (whose medical skills know no bounds – is there anything he cannot
treat?), and Home and Away has the hilarious Marilyn.
Personally,
I preferred Home and Away when Summer Bay was exactly that – a Bay, with golden
sand and waves, rather then the gangland breeding ground for sun-worshiping Mafia
types it has become. There is way too much violence now, too many guns, and too
many hospitals with people lying in comas – or recuperating following one of
the show’s ubiquitous car crashes.
I’m a big
fan of American soaps, although the dropping of 90210 has been traumatising.
Still, it became too heavy on promoting the musical careers of its stars
(something to which Australian soaps are also prone), and there are only so
many men in Beverly Hills with whom Naomi could have endured yet another
disastrous relationship.
So, the
answer to which soap is my favourite, is: it varies from day to day, hour to
hour.
But give me
good writing, strong characters and top totty and I’m happy.
CHECK OUT
MY BLOG ABOUT AMERICAN TV ON http://jascisusbox.blogspot.com
AND ALSO .MY
LOS ANGELES BLOG
FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER @welshjaci and
No comments:
Post a Comment