Women and their love of soap watching

Mars Bar

I don't actively watch them but my Mam does. I have an idea of what's going on in all of them even if I have little to no interest in them...

yeppydeppy

What I find funny are the people who say "Oh I don't really watch the soaps" and yet they are glued to them every night! One person in particular comes to mind, is know to say "I don't mind what we watch" but you're taking your life in your hands if you dare switch the telly.

Snoopy1

I hate soaps never watch any of them. Im not a reality show fan either
Why would you spend most of your night watching rubbish, when you could watch something better.
If your other half is moaning I can understand why.
If you cant bear to even give up one soap then watch them in another room

rannerap

I only watch one soap, and I dont even watch it constantly. I would often miss a few episodes. I think most people just watch out of habit.

eviltwin

I watch Eastenders but I don't make a point to watch it, if I miss it then its no big deal. My husband watches it too Don't watch any others, in fact would go so far as to run to turn to another channel when I hear most of their theme tunes

Posy

I watch Emmerdale from time to time and Corrie if there's a 'big' storyline, like Tyrone getting beaten by his wife. But if I'm not in the mood/on boards/at work/on holiday/the storylines get crap again, I won't watch and then get out of the habit of looking at either for a while.

My uncle watches Eastenders and Coronation Street and I work with a guy who watches Eastenders and used to work with a fella who was mad about Emmerdale, so it's not just a girl thing.
Maybe women are just better at admitting to watching the soaps?! My friend's dad has to 'endure' the soaps because his wife watches them, but strangely enough if she isn't there when they're on he looks at them anyway, hmmm..

anniehoo

I'll admit im an Emmerdale fan and will watch the others (Corrie and EE) if there's nothing else on but im generally not home in time to see them most nights so if i catch the odd episode during the week that does.

After being on the go for 12hrs straight, i have to say switching the brain off for half an hour at the end of the day is why i watch them.:p

Kooli

I absolutely hate soaps, and I know very few people who watch them. However, all the people I do know who watch them are women. Not saying that makes it fact or anything, but it is interesting...

I wouldn't go so far as to say I don't see the attraction though, because I can see why people would enjoy them, and it's nothing to do with the quality of the programme itself! I think it's definitely the ritual of it!

Like for instance, I love this time of year when I have a couple of TV shows I love that are on, and I look forward to the regularity of the evening that they're on. There's something about the ritual of it that is more enjoyable than, say, a boxset or watching online.
So I can see the attraction of having 'your show' that's on every day or however often it is that soaps are on (more than once a week anyhow). i know that when I lived with two housemates who both watched Home and Away, I kind of got into the ritual of having a show that we all watched every day, and I enjoyed that part of it even if I never actually enjoyed the show, and I stopped watching it the minute they moved out.

mackg

Lia_lia wrote: »

No. Hate soaps. I don't watch any tv actually.

I remember in second year of college I was living in a house with 8 other people and I was the only one that didn't watch Home And Away

Home and Away is a college thing. I met huge amounts of students who were mad for it. Especially with students who moved up from the small towns and the country (like me).

The Big Red Button

I don't watch any soaps. Used to watch Home & Away in college, but like some other posters, that was just a college thing. Wouldn't have been bothered if I'd missed it.

OP, simple solution to your problem. If cost is the problem, and you're the only one who watches TV, why not take on full responsibility for the TV bills?

If that's not an option, then I can understand where he's coming from - having to hand over money every month for something that's really not essential.

texas star

Oh me and the hubby love the soaps hes into The bill all repeats Neighbours,Home and Away.We both watch Faircity,Eastenders and Corry and I never miss Hollyoaks.There always on the planner and we look forward to switching off from our world and watching other peoples misery lol

carolinespring

I don't watch all the soaps but I do like Corrie and try to watch it. I think as much as anything it reminds me of happy times in my life as a kids watching it with my family and a old lady who lived beside us. I also enjoy most of the story lines. Not a big deal if I miss it.

The odd time if Fair City is on I wont change over. I never watch Eastenders or any of the others.

Aglomerado

I don't watch any at the moment, but up to about 10 years ago I watched Corry and Fair City. Loved Corrie for the funny bits. Since I stopped watching (living in a house with no TV for a year does that) I don't miss them and can tolerate most of them, (except Eastenders - grim!) if they are on in someone else's house, however I get annoyed by conversations like this:
X: Oh did you hear, (insert name)'s pregnant and her husband is still beating her!
Me: Em, who's (insert name)? Is she a neighbour of yours- I don't remember you mentioning her before.
X: She's in Eastenders.
Me: __and then___:mad:

kylith

The only soap in my house is Dove. It does my head in when my mother's over and insists on watching Corrie and Eastenders. Schadenfreude isn't really my thing.

Teyla Emmagan

I don't, and have never, watched the soaps, bar Home & Away for a bit when I was about 14. I wouldn't dream of watching them actually. That said, I don't have a TV, so I never got into the habit of sitting down and watching whatever dribble happens to be on. I guess that's how a lot of people end up following these things anyway. Most of my friends would not watch them either.

redappple

Home & Away was a big one in college. The College Student's Bible. We would use the 1.30 episode on RTE1 as our alarm to get up!

I don't watch soaps - so much effort! I would hate to try to follow it every single evening! I had a housemate who didn't actually follow the soaps, but if we were all in the sitting room just to choose something platonic, she would go with the soaps. And not one. All four: Home & Away, Emmerdale, Corrie, Eastenders. Used to drive me mad. Nobody knew what was happening.

When I get home from work (if I get home early!!!) my guilty pleasure to relax and unwind is a bit of Jeremy Kyle on TV3

ash23

I don't watch soaps. Although i used to be partial to a bit of "Sunset Beach" when I was in Uni.

My sisters all love the soaps and my gran used to call them her "stories".

They just never floated my boat.

TeletextPear

I never watch soaps, can't see the appeal at all. From what I know of them, it just seems to be the same old births, affairs, fights, jiltings at the altar, big disaster that wipes out half the cast, and then start the cycle all over again. I can see how they'd be a bit of escapism for someone, but to my mind there are countless better tv shows to watch.

I'll watch whatever's on but I don't follow anything on TV.

OP I do sympathise though, I hate it when people criticise other people's pastimes, it's not hurting anybody.

Medu

I would imagine it's similar to guys and sport. I know a number of guys that aren't really into sport but keep a pasting interest so they can be included in the conversation. Soaps, Xfactor and 'Come dine with me'(Or whatever is the fad show at the time) seem to feel similar voids.

Da Shins Kelly

ash23 wrote: »

Although i used to be partial to a bit of "Sunset Beach" when I was in Uni.

Oh my God. You have just triggered a whole load of memories with that sentence. That show was so ridiculous, it was brilliant.

ash23

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Oh my God. You have just triggered a whole load of memories with that sentence. That show was so ridiculous, it was brilliant.

It used to be on in the cafe with the sound turned down so we'd sit and watch and make up our own dialogue. Fun times!

Da Shins Kelly

ash23 wrote: »

It used to be on in the cafe with the sound turned down so we'd sit and watch and make up our own dialogue. Fun times!

I remember there was a whole storyline where one of the women tried to impregnate another one with stolen semen to make it seem like she had cheated on her infertile boyfriend. It was class.

Squ

I think you might get a more positive soap orientated answer in the telly forum.

Putting it in tll is a bit presumptuous..
Try heading it as "a question for those who love soaps"



Oh, and i love watching all star trek series.
Best soap ever!
You dont get photon torpedoes in corrie.

I have the baby trained to say "make it so" before we head off in the car

Lyaiera

I have such good memories of sitting down to watch Star Trek with my Dad. Every weekday after school, 5pm on Sky 1. I keep forgetting about it and suddenly he'll make a Trekkie joke and crack me up.

Squ

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

I remember there was a whole storyline where one of the women tried to impregnate another one with stolen semen to make it seem like she had cheated on her infertile boyfriend. It was class.

Deadly!

Back when i was a boy racer, i got into a very bad crash, so was on my back in traction. The nurses used to come in and put on "days of our lives" for the craic knowing i couldn't turn it off! After a few days i used to be looking forward to my daily fix
Absolutely crazy story line.. Something to do with a woman in a wedding dress haunting them all..

Da Shins Kelly

Squ wrote: »

Deadly!

Back when i was a boy racer, got into a very bad crash, on my back in traction.. The nurses used to come in and put on "days of our lives" for the craic knowing i couldn't turn it off!! After a few days i used to be looking forward to my daily fix!!!
Absolutely crazy story line.. Something to do with a woman in a wedding dress haunting them all..

The American ones are farcical. They're almost cartoonish. I don't know if they realise that when they're making it or not though. It's hilarious stuff either way. I'd nearly rather watch an American one than Eastenders and the like. At least the American ones are funny.

MissFlitworth

Squ wrote: »

Deadly!
The nurses used to come in and put on "days of our lives" for the craic knowing i couldn't turn it off! After a few days i used to be looking forward to my daily fix
Absolutely crazy story line.. Something to do with a woman in a wedding dress haunting them all..

Oh my lord, Days of our Lives! That was on Sky One for an entire summer when I was 12 & I lived for it! Not many soap operas you get someone genuinely possessed by Satan in (glowing red eyes and all).

Squ

Ha, lol.. I used to keep the pretence up, "ah not this crap again!!"







("can you turn it up a bit?")

Rubberlegs

I gave up watching soaps years ago. With small kids I just didn't have the time to keep up with them. Now I despise them, and don't know how I ever watched them. Any time I catch a glimpse at someone else's house, the storylines are so depressing.
I was at a wedding recently, and got talking to 2 other women. They started talking about some storyline in Eastenders, and asked me what I thought about it. Their jaws dropped when I said I didn't watch it, or any of the others, when they asked. They were looking at me like I was some kind of interesting new specimen!
Each to their own, give me a good crime/horror/ supernatural series:)