Do You Think 'Soap' Was A Little Too Groundbreaking For Its Time? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 09-18-2010, 04:00 PM

Gloriously strange and over the top, Soap isn’t for everyone, but in its willingness to do anything for a joke, it’s easy to see the groundwork being laid for fast-paced shows to come like Arrested Development and 30 Rock.

Susan Harris (who would later create The Golden Girls) created and ran Soap, another broad soap opera satire. Though Lear did not produce it, Harris brought Lear’s appreciation for social satire to the show, the first American series to feature a gay character prominently (though the character, played by Billy Crystal, seems a dated stereotype now). Harris also took Lear’s love of broad comedy to its logical extreme. Soap nearly invented the gag-a-second pace that would become the hallmark of later Lear-inspired shows like Arrested Development and remains blisteringly funny to this day, though its satire can seem scattershot.

likewow · 06-04-2011, 01:49 PM

[QUOTE=Brian Damage]Gloriously strange and over the top, Soap isn’t for everyone, but in its willingness to do anything for a joke, it’s easy to see the groundwork being laid for fast-paced shows to come like Arrested Development and 30 Rock.QUOTE]

Yeah that's true, I hadn't thought of the show's impact in that way!

But, one of the reasons I'm so fond of Soap is because the characters and situations had some grounding in reality, rather than being too over the top.

Except in season four

But yes, for its time, the show was very wild and unlike other sitcoms!

09-18-2010, 04:00 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	Do You Think 'Soap' Was A Little Too Groundbreaking For Its Time? Gloriously strange and over the top, Soap isn’t for everyone, but in its willingness to do anything for a joke, it’s easy to see the groundwork being laid for fast-paced shows to come like Arrested Development and 30 Rock. Susan Harris (who would later create The Golden Girls) created and ran Soap, another broad soap opera satire. Though Lear did not produce it, Harris brought Lear’s appreciation for social satire to the show, the first American series to feature a gay character prominently (though the character, played by Billy Crystal, seems a dated stereotype now). Harris also took Lear’s love of broad comedy to its logical extreme. Soap nearly invented the gag-a-second pace that would become the hallmark of later Lear-inspired shows like Arrested Development and remains blisteringly funny to this day, though its satire can seem scattershot. Attached Images
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06-04-2011, 01:49 PM	#2
likewow Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 28, 2003 Posts: 217	[QUOTE=Brian Damage]Gloriously strange and over the top, Soap isn’t for everyone, but in its willingness to do anything for a joke, it’s easy to see the groundwork being laid for fast-paced shows to come like Arrested Development and 30 Rock.QUOTE] Yeah that's true, I hadn't thought of the show's impact in that way! But, one of the reasons I'm so fond of Soap is because the characters and situations had some grounding in reality, rather than being too over the top. Except in season four But yes, for its time, the show was very wild and unlike other sitcoms!