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VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Soap
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This groundbreaking television series made headlines as
one of the most controversial new titles in 1977-78, dubbed by critics as
the "season of sex." Yet of all the entries that arrived that
year -- including Three's Company -- Soap was the one that
was before its time. First and foremost a satire of daytime dramas, the
show ironically went on to become a soap opera itself, drawing devoted followers
who genuinely cared about its characters, due largely to the talents of
its strong cast. The story centered on two sisters: Jessica (Katherine Helmond)
was matriarch of the well-to-do Tates, and Mary (Cathryn Damon) was head
of the working-class Campbells. The show drew the ire of many religious
groups, mostly for its introduction of television's first gay character,
Jodie Dallas (played by Billy Crystal) and story lines that are still bold
by today's standards. On the first season, Jodie almost underwent a sex-change
operation to be with his football star boyfriend, but after getting dumped
in the hospital, Jodie attempts suicide. Gutsy stuff for a prime-time sitcom,
huh? After five seasons, including a whopper in which Jessica's baby was
possessed by the devil, the show bowed out. And while soaps have borrowed
a few ideas from this classic over the years -- including demon possession
-- it's somewhat sad that more than 25 years later, daytime dramas have
yet to be as daring or as fun. Good luck trying to get George Aliceson Tipton's
catchy theme music out of your head.