Why are Soap Operas so Popular?

I havent watched soaps for many years. I just like one or two and it was mostly for the characters in them they were interesting. I guess they could have been a sort of escape, but that didnt last long lolz

Honestly, I don't watch soap operas. I just can't stand watching them. I don't really understand why some people enjoy them, but that's just me. I'm not saying they shouldn't enjoy them. I'm just saying I don't enjoy them, I don't get the point of it, it's not my cup of tea.

I used to believe that there were two kinds of people who watched soaps in the U.S. By that I mean the ones made in the States, because I've heard other things about the "Mexican" soap operas. So, the two kinds are those who watch them because their lives are so empty and they find them a big joke. The other kind are the ones watching them because their lives are so bad that the soaps are the only things that are worse. If they watch them with someone else, they watch them in all seriousness. I never could get into them. Honestly, there is always a book to read or some better way to spend my time.

I used to be hooked on All my children..one life to live..then i decided i need a life..so i quit watching them and then they went of the air..sad..

I think the soaps are expert at the cliff hanger and keep people coming back to learn what happens next. I used to watch soaps when younger but now I want the realities which are my type of soaps.

I think it's called 'living vicariously': you choose a character that's a lot like you, and get to see how they/you would live if you make the wild choices THEY make. I sort of think of Rob Lowe's character in the upcoming series The Closer. He plays an actor who played the role of a hard-hitting lawyer on television (while his brother (played by Fred The Wonder Years Savage) and his father became REAL lawyers). The show gets canceled, and he moves back in with his dad and brother and--through his fame from the now-canceled show--attempts to become a hard-hitting lawyer IRL. (And it's a comedy, so you know it's not a smooth transition from fake court to real court )

I don't watch soap operas any more. But when I did it was because there were certain actors or actresses that I liked and enjoyed following their career. Also, the developing story line kept me interested. After a while though, they became boring to me. I could have kept up because there were women at work who would bring a TV set and take lunch breaks when the episodes came on. But watching TV at work never worked for me. Even if it was lunch time.

Years ago, I watched "All My Children" with my Mom. Then, when I got married, I started watching "Days Of Our Lives". I watched them because I liked the stories at the time. One thing about soaps is , their story lines take so long to go through that I can take months of a break from watching it and come back and still not have missed too much.

I suppose that you correctly listed the main reasons why people watch soap operas. I know that my Mom watches them.

I used to watch soap operas religiously when I was younger and before I became a Christian. I felt convicted about watching them after I gave my life to Jesus and I have never turned back. I watched them because I was unhappy with life period! Now I have Jesus in my life and don't need that emotional fix that soap opera's gave me.

I haven't watched soap operas since my kids were babies and they are grown with families of their own. I guess I watched them at that time because I didn't feel like I had a life outside of my kids. Their father and I were going through a difficult time.

I kinda love watching soap operas, as much for the characters but for the plots also. There surely are a few substancial tv shows which are worth watching. I do agree on the escaping part.. sometimes these can bring some cheer and excitement to our lives.

I never really watched them, but you may be on to something there.

I think they are a guilty pleasure for some. Sometimes it's fun to watch other people's drama.

Your discussion is based on the soap operas which are screened in your country. It seems that at your place good soap operas are being aired which keep the elderly people glued to TV sets. May be in soap operas they show a character which look like a real one. I also feel that many people are addicted to soap operas as these are one of the best ways to spend their time. However, on Indian TV channels soap operas which are aired are far from reality, they show unrealistic stories. They have same plots and similar characters (and sometimes similar dialogues). Most of them show adultery, extra marital affairs, rape, kidnapping and accidents etc. The character are always immaculately dressed (even when they are sleeping or waking up or working in kitchen) nicely and decked up. I do not like to see unrealistic soap operas, instead I prefer watching reality shows.

I don't watch soap operas i can't stand them. I'm not much of a TV watcher anyways.

When I was small my grandmother and my mother would both watch a few different daytime soap operas. They always talked about the people in those soap operas as if they were real people. Strange. But I know now the daytime soaps are not as popular as they once were, and for good reason. The internet. More younger people are not into them and I don't blame them. They are boring and just keep going on and on.

sorry to say but I have never watched one episode of any soap tv show and I don't feel as if i have missed out on anything

i dont know .there probably good

I used to watch soap operas when I was younger but not anymore. I cannot find the time to watch because I take care of the kids and do homework and all chores. In case where I really want to watch, I opt to watch it in youtube even though it is months delay