The essential themes that circulate around soap operas contain a strong focus on family life, personal relationships, sexual insecurity, emotional and moral decision making. Here and there maybe some topical issues will be sprinkled into the plot. Soap operas are usually set in generic domestic interior settings with rare visits into new settings. Fitting in with these characteristics, most soap operas follow the lives of one group of characters who live or work in a particular place or maybe they’ll sometimes focus on a large extended family. The storylines follow the day-to-day activities and personal relationships of these characters. Lust and true hatred have been hot topics for many soap opera plotlines throughout the years. Daytime serials in the US often use romance and hatred as the main base for conflict. This allows the plot to weave intricate storylines using adultery to keep the audiences hooked in on the story, wanting to know more. Suspense is key, but so is love. With soap operas, it is most likely that the romantic suspense is what will always leave the audience at the edges of their seats.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=modmKqfuUDo
In many soap operas, particularly daytime soap operas in the US, the characters are usually more on the attractive side. They are seductive scandalous, gorgeous and rich. Soap operas from the UK and Australia seem to focus more on the working class. These storylines involve domestic situations such as dysfunctional families, financial issues and other social realist kinds of stories. Being a part of their nature, however, British and Australian serials always involve comedic relief.
Sources: (Wikipedia, Youtube)
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