The soap opera genre first began in America in the 1930’s. It received its name due to soap powder companies sponsoring the soaps. Like many television genres, the soap opera is a genre originally drawn from radio rather than film.
Television soap operas are long running serials usually concerned with everyday life. A serial is completely different to a series. In a serial at least one storyline is carried over from one episode to the next. A series is advertised as having a specific number of episodes, but serials are potentially endless.
Successful soaps may continue for many years, new viewers are able to join in at any time of the serial. In serials, the passage of time also appears to reflect ‘real time’ for the viewers, the characters age as the viewers do.
Television soap operas are long running serials usually concerned with everyday life. A serial is completely different to a series. In a serial at least one storyline is carried over from one episode to the next. A series is advertised as having a specific number of episodes, but serials are potentially endless.
Successful soaps may continue for many years, new viewers are able to join in at any time of the serial. In serials, the passage of time also appears to reflect ‘real time’ for the viewers, the characters age as the viewers do.