The strong debut of ABC’s “Desperate
Housewives” last Sunday has been hailed by some as the return of the primetime soap
opera.
That's not exactly so. The soap opera never actually left primetime.
True, we haven’t seen a full-blown, “Dallas”-like nighttime
sudser since “Melrose Place” ended in 1999. Yet the soap opera has been a heavy
influence on scripted primetime shows for more than two decades. And indeed a lot of the
most popular shows are soaps. We just don't call them that.
HBO's “The Sopranos” is essentially a soap opera. So is
“Six Feet Under.” To some extent, so was “Sex and the City.”
When you think about it, nearly every successful dramatic series in the last
20 years was distinguished by certain attributes of the soap opera. There are four.
A classic theme or a classic conflict.
With “Dallas,” it was the Ewings against the Barneses, with
true love (in the form of Bobby and Pam) trying to win out over bitter family rivalries.
That’s straight out of the Capulet/Montague feud that originated in “Romeo and
Juliet.”
With “The Sopranos,” you have the world of the New Jersey mob (a
soap opera in and of itself), coupled with the anxiety Tony Soprano faces every day as he
tries to cater to both his professional family as well as his personal one.
In the case of “Six Feet Under,” you have the Fisher brothers
coping with death, dysfunction and existential issues as they try to keep their family and
business together following the tragic death of their father.
With “Desperate Housewives,” it’s the notion that beneath the
surface of even the most pristine existence, there’s still a bag of dirty laundry.
That was one of the themes of “American Beauty,” from which
“Housewives” is a loose descendant. The use
of story arcs, as opposed to self-contained stories.
Except for police procedurals such as “CSI” and “Law
& Order,” most dramas on TV today have plotlines that are designed to play out
over several weeks. That’s an element lifted from the likes of “Dallas.”
Steven Bochco implemented that into “Hill Street Blues,” and later
into “NYPD Blue.” Stephen J. Cannell used story arcs masterfully in
“Wiseguy,” as do David Chase in “The Sopranos,” Alan Ball in “Six
Feet Under,” and Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran in “24.”
While none of these dramas were designed as “soaps” per se, their
use of extended story arcs makes them, in essence, soap operas.
Even reality shows such as “Survivor” and “The
Apprentice” are deliberately structured so that the main story—the quest for the
prize—plays out over 13 or so weeks.
“Housewives,” of course, like its predecessors in soap, has already
introduced a number of juicy plots that should be fun to watch as the season progresses.
An exotic locale or over-the-top characters …
preferably both.
“Dallas” certainly had both. At the time the show premiered in
1978, Dallas was the home of the Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys (“America’s
Team,” as they were known throughout the ‘70s), giving that city a prestige it
might not ordinarily have. And as far as characters go, Larry Hagman as J.R. Ewing was
definitely larger than life.
“Dallas” was unapologetically outlandish in its storytelling, to
the point where Hagman once likened it to a live-action cartoon.
Then again, that outlandishness is what made “Dallas” fun.
That’s also what makes “The Sopranos” fun.
New Jersey is hardly glamorous, but the moral complexity of Tony Soprano
makes him, like J.R., one of television’s truly great creations. Surrounding Tony
with equally colorful characters such as Ralphie Cifaretto, Christopher Moltisanti, Uncle
Junior, Paulie Walnuts and Tony’s irrepressible mother, Livia Soprano, adds to the
fun of the show.
“Housewives,” like “Dallas,” appears to have both. The
fact that all four leads (Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Eva Longoria and Marcia Cross)
are knockouts elevates the suburban setting in the same way the women of “Knots
Landing” did 20 years ago.
Plus, you could argue that “Desperate Housewives” has already
secured its place in soap opera lore on the strength of its title alone.
Finally, there’s the cliffhanger.
“Dallas,” of course, made this a staple in television back in 1980
by virtue of “Who Shot J.R.?” Ever since, not only has every other prime time
soap ended its season with a cliffhanger, so have most other dramas.
Every season of “The Sopranos,” for example, raises the inevitable
question: “Who’s gonna get whacked?” Last year, it was Adriana. The year
before that, it was Ralphie.
“Six Feet Under” ended its fourth season last month with several
questions in the air, including Ruth’s future with George, and Brenda’s future
with Nate and Maya.
The cliffhanger is also an integral part of reality competitions, with
interest building from week to week regarding which contestant will be eliminated next.
Even sitcoms have used this device to great effect, with
“Friends,” “Frasier” and “Sex and the City” among the more
prominent examples.
Right now, the only cliffhanger as far as “Housewives” is concerned
is whether it can build on the success of its premiere come Sunday night.
Regardless of how “Housewives” fares, though, the enduring elements
of soap opera will keep the genre alive, one way or another.
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