Annoyingly unrealistic things in soap operas

[Floogal]

Ones I've noticed are:
People frequenting cafés and pubs, especially when the characters are supposed to be skint (I'm not skint thankfully, but I can't afford to do that).

People who seem to earn a good wage working for the local family firm or start up.

In the case of doctors, GPs that are caring and read between the lines and chase up patients. Oh and the reception staff rehearsing for a dance competition

And never any mess or preparation of baby food or nappy changing or sick down you (not that I want to see this)

@Eastie77Returns:

I'm trying really hard not to imagine exactly what that talent might be... bleugh! 🤢

I read that there's a reason why you never hear 'Happy Birthday' sung in full on a TV show, and it's to do with copyright - but a few years ago it was ruled to be in the public domain, so maybe they're just playing safe.🤔

Yes, the number of eavesdropping incidents on Corrie has become something of a drinking game in our house - sometimes several times in one episode!

The other night Gail heard Stephen’s entire phone conversation from the other side of the road, while he had his back to her - and this is a man who whispers everything even when he’s talking to someone face to face!

Children often do not need babysitters. When people are having a date night, they go to the pub they go to all the time. Parents do not spend v much time on playdates/ running to after school stuff/ ferrying children to clubs/ endless birthday parties etc.

Isn't he now married to Sally Webster? Not seen the show for a decade.

And nobody appears tired or sleep deprived when they’ve just had a baby, unless there is a PND storyline in the offing.

Yes now you come to mention it, I think I remember something about copyright too.

Gail could be like me, a hearing aid wearer. I wear hearing aids. Unlike the hearing aids of old, they are small and discrete. Gail is about the right age for hearing loss to kick in…With her mop of hair you’d never know she was wearing them.
They bring People Watching to a whole other level. Especially if they are connected to blue tooth with the settings controlled via mobile phone. A gift to nosy Parker’s everywhere.

An overhearing aid rather than a hearing aid!

Nobody ever seems to walk into a room, forget why they went in there and as soon as they leave the room, remember and go back

Ordinary, supposedly skint people can rustle up amazing professional-quality fancy dress costumes at the drop of a hat.

Yep

And somehow manage to go out for dinner every other night and to the pub

They always seem to get the job on the spot and start the next day.
Hello what about induction and start dates, reference checks, arranging child care, experience etc

(I'm at a job interview waiting to go in and this just came to mind lol)

Also, if you leave a job in soapland, it is mandatory to do it with no notice and the words 'You can stick your rotten job!' flung over your shoulder as you storm out.

Feisty Yes, so true and also those who are settled, renting homes and paying bills etc can have a massive fall-out with someone and just get in a taxi and leave the next day with only a suitcase of clothes, never to return.

Lawyers seemingly specialising in all areas of the Law.

If you absolutely don’t want a baby, you’ll get pregnant from one session - probably to the most inappropriate person possible. Despite the fact that this has the potential to ruin your life, you still won’t have an abortion. On the rare occasions someone in this scenario does have an abortion, they instantly regret it and suddenly want a baby more than anything else in the world, either having a nervous breakdown and trying to steal a baby, or going for tests and discovering there were “complications” with their abortion and they are now infertile.

But don’t worry - infertility is rarely forever. Just ask the women who actually do want to get pregnant. They invariably can’t and turn to surrogacy (or buy a baby from someone on the same street who is unhappily pregnant), only to discover they are pregnant with a “miracle” baby right in the middle of a custody battle with their surrogate.

Returning to the unhappily pregnant, if you give your baby up for adoption and later regret it, don’t worry - the adoptive parents will be conveniently killed in a car crash/fire/terrorist attack/alien invasion a few years later, and you’ll be awarded custody.

They have minimum wage jobs that are often part time (if that) yet live in houses they couldn't possibly afford.

They spend no time at all commuting, mostly because nobody ever seems to leave the Village or the Square for work.

None of the younger generation appears to go to school or college.

No parking issues.

If you absolutely don’t want a baby, you’ll get pregnant from one session - probably to the most inappropriate person possible.

Oh yes. Any illicit or ill advised (such as with your best friend’s single dad) sex will result in pregnancy.

In soaps everyone is self employed, has their own business or works for a character who has their own business. Nobody works in the public sector apart from the very occasional healthcare worker. And social mobility is zero, nobody goes to university even if they have previously been portrayed as bright/doing well at school.

Businesses never just tick along - they’re either booming and the owner is the token rich person, or they’re on the brink of collapse. Underworld in Corrie is the most extreme example. It’s been one lost order away from ruin for 25 years now.

And as I said earlier in the thread, they seem to just be able to migrate to America with no visa application (which takes up to a year) no longer winded interviews at the U.S. embassy, they just get on a plane and go and Homeland Security seem to be fine with it. As someone who has been through this process I find it laughable.

I remember that surrogacy story from Brookside 😂