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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not understand the appeal of soaps?

56 replies

ChaosTulyReigns · 12/04/2011 22:10

They just seem miserable and completely contrived.

Obviously I'm probably not one to properly comment as I haven't ever watched one for longer than a microsecond, but am already turned off after that period of time, so my comments are not founded from extensive research.

What are the plus points?

OP posts:
DontGoCurly · 12/04/2011 22:14

I can't watch them. I just don't get it.

The worst is when someone asks '..do you watch eastenders?' and you say no. But they still proceed to try to tell you what happened, describing each character as though they are someone you are supposed to know Confused

The explanation of the plot is usually even worse than actually having to sit through it. Confused

YouaretooniceNOT · 12/04/2011 22:16

It's just a puppet soap! Something to laugh at watch in the lonley evenings. Gets ojn my nerves and bores me sometimes.

AgentZigzag · 12/04/2011 22:22

I don't get them now, but have done in the past, even neighbours Shock

Once they've given the hook (ie something you have to tune into to find out what happens) it's very difficult not to watch.

It's easy to justify the time watching as well if you fit it in with your routine as a time when you can sit down/switch off.

I stopped watching when I started to get annoyed with the storylines being repeated, after a long time like, but I found things I wanted to do more.

What I don't like however, is people looking down on someone just because they watch them, it's not doing any harm and if it's entertainment for you that's good.

MN is better, I've found, than any soap opera Grin

YouaretooniceNOT · 12/04/2011 22:24

I went for years without watching soaps until i had my son.

OldLadyKnowsNothing · 12/04/2011 22:27

As my DSs grew older, and my telly was increasingly showing sport in all of it's glorious forms (though, unfortunately, not any that engages me), my DC decided that I should take up watching Corrie as guaranteed "mum telly time". I got hooked.

Now we have BTVision (for which I pay) and "mum telly time" has become, "We're recording it..."

So I have late night binge sessions of Corrie-watching. Grin

FunnysInTheGarden · 12/04/2011 22:29

I hate soaps. YANBU. Inane twaddle for folk who have nothing else to fill their lives IMHO. Except the Archers of course

FetchezLaVache · 12/04/2011 22:29

YADNBU! And Don'tGoCurly, that's my MIL you're talking about. She waits until we're in a not-easily-escapable situation, like in a car doing 60, then brings me up to speed with Corrie. Or Emmerdale. Graaargh!!!

usualsuspect · 12/04/2011 22:32

Its just escapism ...I hate tv snobs more than soaps tbh

MaisyMooCow · 12/04/2011 22:32

I haven't watched Eastenders for many years. Of all the soaps I found this to be the most depressing and I cannot understand why anyone would want to watch it. There is absolutely no comedy in it at all. I watch soaps because after a day at the office I just want to switch off, stare at the screen and not have to think too much!

I quite like Emmerdale, it's an easy watch, escapism to the countryside!

Corrie can be quite funny at times, I get their humour.

I do find that the storylines move too quickly and become repetitive, probably because they're on so often they have to keep churning out new stuff.

YouaretooniceNOT · 12/04/2011 22:35

There must be 1,000's of Archers listeners whom also watch soaps!!!

DontGoCurly · 12/04/2011 22:36

Oh dear God Fetchez. I feel your pain.

Although I do admit although I don't watch Soaps I do get hypnotised by rubbish 'reality' tv like;

Come Dine With Me
Coach Trip
Supernanny Blush (i know but it's like a carcrash, I can't look away)
Wifeswop (yes even the shit American staged ones)
Toddlers and Tiaras Blush (moments of extreme weakness)
Four Weddings (Whhhhhhhhhhaaat? its funny)

etc etc

So I can't exactly claim to be 'high brow' in my tastes!

YouaretooniceNOT · 12/04/2011 22:41

Come Dine With Me
Coach Trip
Supernanny blush (i know but it's like a carcrash, I can't look away)
Wifeswop (yes even the shit American staged ones)
Toddlers and Tiaras blush (moments of extreme weakness)
Four Weddings (Whhhhhhhhhhaaat? its funny)

etc etc

NOPE cannot stand any of those progs.

Big Fat Gypsy Wedding
Neighbourhood Watched
Who Do You Think You Are?

The Neil Morrisey documentary about his time growing up in care was interesting and moving.

lilolilmanchester · 12/04/2011 22:42

"Inane twaddle for folk who have nothing else to fill their lives" ... that's one (fairly snobby) viewpoint.... or, conversely, half an hour of switch-off time for people who have hugely full lives and wouldn't get any down time otherwise. Soaps attract all sorts of viewers, from all walks of life, for many different reasons. That's why they are still going.

FunnysInTheGarden · 12/04/2011 22:44

I am a snob and proud.............and soaps are shite

YouaretooniceNOT · 12/04/2011 22:45

I watch Eastenders and Corrie only. I do find it "Inane twaddle" too, but it relaxes me after hard day. i like to think they have it worst than i, ashe/she has had this happen etc... Happens when you are a single Mother, makes one feel less lonley. Sad i know. i like to read and can get through a good book ina few days also.

NotShortImHotCrossBunSized · 12/04/2011 22:46
YouaretooniceNOT · 12/04/2011 22:47

bacteria killing? eh? who said that?

mamas12 · 12/04/2011 22:56

Corrie is known as the modern day equivalent of Dickins.

Nuff sed

mamas12 · 12/04/2011 22:56

all sp mistakes meant!

Newgolddream · 12/04/2011 23:02

I dont understand why people feel the need to criticise other peoples viewing choices tbh, surely we all like different things because we are individuals. People who do for example think people who watch soaps have "empty lifes" are judgmental and have limited mental capibility to think that others may not like the same things as them. Its ok to say you dont like something without critising people who do.

Bellagio · 12/04/2011 23:09

I don't watch any soaps now but have followed EE and Corry in the past. They are what they are, light easy entertainment, for when your head's tired at the end of the day and you haven't got the energy for anything gutsy.
I do find that you can snap back into them quite easily though. It only takes EE to be on in the background for a couple of episodes and I find myself thinking "when did she have a baby?" or somesuch.

AgentZigzag · 12/04/2011 23:13

NotShort was talking about the soap in the title I think youaretoonice.

I thought soap just washed the germs off rather then killing them though?

YouaretooniceNOT · 12/04/2011 23:20

OOOH DOH! Typical soap watcher not washer here obviously...

Olifin · 12/04/2011 23:24

What FunnysInTheGarden said.

lilolilmanchester · 12/04/2011 23:38

further to my previous post, I don't think OP is being ureasonable for not understanding the appeal of soaps.. - tho I do think it's unreasonable to form such a solid opinion on less than a micro-second's experience... but I do think those posters who suggest that people who watch soaps have empty lives/aren't intelligent.. are just showing their own ignorance... some of the biggest soap fans I know include an MP; CIO; CEO and many professionals who just like to escape and probably "get" some of the more subtle intelligent bits of the script that those knocking soap viewers don't.

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