What will the Soaps do?

[Doingtheboxerbeat]

Apologies if there is another weirdo out there that's thought this before me,
But how will the Soaps respond to this in their storylines? Things happen all around the globe all the time but Soaps can convincingly gloss over them - a bit like your ignorant friend or family member that takes no interest in current events - but this is different. This is the one thing that is effecting each and every one of us, will it be in future storylines?
I don't watch Soaps ever, but I am bored and musing over ridiculous stuff.
Please don't be a smart arse and tell me I need to get out more.

So far no mention of it on the soaps I watch and I know they’ve stopped filming now so I don’t reckon they will mention it at all now.

It’s strange watching the soaps seeing them all sitting in the pub etc when we can’t go out

Good question. I've no idea.

How far ahead do they film I wonder? I presume they can't film at the minute anyway.

Unless they're classed as an 'essential service'

There might need to be a gap as they won't be able to film during lockdown will they? Unless they write a script for actors facetiming each other

Many moons ago before everyone had access to amazing telly, Soaps used to film 6 weeks in advance, obviously they don't anymore.

Corrie have started showing less episodes per week. They have enough filmed to take us up to August I think the email said. No mention of Corona obvs. And the timing doesnt always work now (eg April fools jokes were in an episode after April 1st so didnt make much sense).

I guess if they run out of episodes we will all find something else to watch.

I don’t think they will mention it in the storylines at all.
There may be a gap if they run out of episodes to show as they are not currently filming but I think it would be too insensitive for them to have storylines based around it.

The Archers will continue with remote recording. They’ll have a lot of inner monologues

Scary Geoff mentioned 20 second handwashing to Yasmeen the other day. We all looked at each other and assumed they'd squeezed it in! Unless it was another example of his controlling behavioir

EE is down to twice a week to space them out. I’m two weeks behind, so I haven’t seen anything out of context yet, but I suppose things like Easter will be weeks after and obviously nobody will be talking about CV.

It’s really quite jarring to see people in pubs, hugging, going about their business. More so than anything else I’ve watched.

@Chosennone apparently that was a complete coincidence!

Holby edited in a reference very early on.

I think they’ll all emerge from lockdown, reference staying indoors a bit, and just carry on.

They ought to start repeating the older ones. I haven't watched soaps for years but would definitely watch those again. Channel 4 could repeat Brookside from the start. That would be fab.

It would be a great time for classic soaps

neighbours did an extra(I assume added on) scene where the fires were mentioned a while back.

I'm surprised Eastenders haven't mentioned it. In the past, they've added extra scenes to mention Barrack Obama being voted in, Michael Jackson's death, Princess Charlotte's birth and election results. As well as having an episode where the Square were watching Harry and Meghan's wedding.

Trouble is, they can't mention it without then acting on it so it would look odd. I heard that Corrie was filming without the older members of the cast before we went into lockdown as they were told to self isolate so we'll probably start to see episodes without them in a few weeks.

The Archers have cut the number of episodes per week to eke out what was already recorded, and plan to cover Covid from May, with the episodes being more a series of monologues (easier to record at home, presumably, as well as reflecting self-isolation). They normally respond to big news stories by adding bits of topical stuff to the pre-recorded stuff, I think, but this was too big and too fast-changing for them to have a hope - they'd have had to abandon much of the current storyline.

If Covid19 wiped out the whole of Albert Square, some of us would cheer.

I hope they have it in. I have a list for corrie (fizz!) And eastenders

I thought that this was an interesting solution

www.digitalspy.com/soaps/neighbours/a32004605/neighbours-coronavirus-flashback-episodes/

The Drama channel (20 on free view) show classic Eastenders, Holby and Casualty... I'm on maternity leave and discovered this whilst pinned to the sofa breastfeeding a while ago 😂

Also, I used to highlight things for my nan in her telly guide, she would watch old episodes of corrie and emmerdale on itv3 (10 on free view) not sure that's still a thing though.

@rockbird

Channel 4 could repeat Brookside from the start. That would be fab.

God yes x

That would be amazing if they showed brookside!!!!

Another one in favour of Brookside from the start. Do you think we should start a petition?!