A soap that laughs at itself
By John J. Archibald, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1987	Home   Cette page en Français

Sin and sizzle !... Passion. Power and pain !... The promotion spots for the NBC daytime serial Santa Barbara alliteratively promise all the fun things of life for the harried housewife or the haggard husband. It's this causes viewers to smile. It's all right. This is a soap that takes the greatest risk of all - it dares to laugh at itself.

Susan Lee, an NBC vice president for daytime programming, talked about Santa Barbara (Channel 5, daily at 2 p.m.), which has been shown nationally for three years. The show was introduced to St. Louisans recently. "There is a neat, emotional core to Santa Barbara, but on the other hand there is some wacky humor," Lee said. "It's not a parody of soaps, like Mary Hartman was, but the writers do take several steps toward absurdity sometimes."

Lee recalled a sequence in which members of the powerful Capwell family has decided to give the illusion that the head of the clan, C.C. Capwell had died. "At the funeral parlor, the mourners solemnly viewed the body of C.C.," said the network executive, "but a suspicious enemy stuck him with a hatpin, and he bolted upright in his coffin."

In another episode, Gina Capwell, played by Robin Mattson, showed her contempt for a wedding by watching the ceremony from the roof of the church while eating hot dogs she had cooked there on a hi-batch.

"It's difficult to steal viewers from a soap they've been watching for years," Lee said, "so we knew we had to offer something different. The location is a major switch. Nearly all daytime dramas are situated in imaginary all-American tows in the Midwest. This one is a real city. By choosing southern California, we become associated with a fantasy land where the public pictures surfing, endless sunshine, people getting married 10 times, a go-for-it lifestyle, where every type of pleasure is at your fingertips if you want a new lover or a new tummy, you got it."

The NBC strategy was even more devious. "We light the Santa Barbara sets differently, stressing outdoor shots with people in swimsuits, especially in winter months." Lee said. "If a viewer switches from her regular show during a commercial break, she might contrast the scene with the snow outside and continue to watch for a few minutes. "That's one way of attracting new viewers."

To help would-be watchers become acquainted with the 25 recurring characters in Santa Barbara, Channel 5 has had them introducing themselves in 20-second spots throughout the daytime programming. In a couple of random episode of Santa Barbara watched by the post-dispatch, there were generous portions of sin and sizzle, but only a veteran soaper could judge whether the amount was above average for daytime TV. Some of the dialogue, though, was more fun than expected.

Example. A woman gets back in town sooner than expected and immediately climbs aboard her sleeping boyfriend, Keith, knocking his teddy bear onto the floor. Still groggy, Keith mumbles something that includes the word "Jane". Bad move, because the returned traveler's name is Gina. "Who's Jane ?" she screams, leaping from the couch. "Why... uh, Jane Fonda !", says Keith. "I was playing one of her exercise tape, whipping myself into shape." "I'll whip you into shape !" Gina cries. "Which Jane were you talking to ?" "Jane Austen !", Keith pleads. "I was reading when I fall asleep..." Moments later the aggrieved Gina is threatening Keith with mayhem. "You'd have my blood on your hands," he reminds her. "I never think of you with blood. More like green slime." "Green slime ! Why didn't I think of that !" During a discussion with her subconscious - who appears in a mirror - Gina wonders, "why can't man be faithful ? I've been faithful with Keith. Sometimes to Keith and Alex in the same time ! That's really faithful."

In another episode a couple pretends to be Indian brave ans squaw. "I'll go hunting and catch something for you," he announces. "Don't" she pleads. "That's what I worry about every time you go hunting !"