Romance On A Soap Opera & Social Distancing

[Soaper15]

I can't wait for new episodes to start airing but I am concerned about how it will change the look and feel of a "soap opera". I watch soap operas because I like to be entertained and go into a land of make believe for about an hour but I especially like watching soap operas because I like watching romances play out on the screen. How are they going to portray a romance through social distancing? How is that going to work?

What are your thoughts/opinions?

[Jessi]

I love Bollywood movies. They are great in creating romance. In one movie a few up years ago, I watched two characters - almost never touching throughout the movie - as the movie progressed...they went from just having met, disliking each other, running through the changing difficulties of getting to know each other as they worked through outside problems and then the realization that they were falling in love. It wasn’t until close to the end of the movie that they finally have a very sweet kiss. These two actors blew those scenes out of the water. Some of the most powerful ones ever and with no doubt as to the depth of their charactres’ love, etc.

GH, tv and film can do it. There are definitely challenges. GH has phenomenal actors. The writing has to change a bit for this, but hopefully, they can fit it all together.

[Wendall Wilcox]

I love Bollywood movies. They are great in creating romance. In one movie a few up years ago, I watched two characters - almost never touching throughout the movie - as the movie progressed...they went from just having met, disliking each other, running through the changing difficulties of getting to know each other as they worked through outside problems and then the realization that they were falling in love. It wasn’t until close to the end of the movie that they finally have a very sweet kiss. These two actors blew those scenes out of the water. Some of the most powerful ones ever and with no doubt as to the depth of their charactres’ love, etc.

GH, tv and film can do it. There are definitely challenges. GH has phenomenal actors. The writing has to change a bit for this, but hopefully, they can fit it all together.

Fellow Bollywood super fan

Yes they make wonderful stories without the kissing/Sex alot of the time but they get those great musical numbers. What Film were you describing ?

[Jessi]

Yes! another Bollywood fan!

Their musical numbers are fantastic...acting, singing, dancing and outstanding choreography. Some of those numbers are HUGE. I enjoy all of them, especially with some traditional dress and movements.

Oh my, I hope I am remembering this right. It starred Hrithik Roshan (great eyes and jaw dropping dancer) and Aishwarya Rai Buchchan. Movie...was about an alliance between Moghul Emperor and Rajput Princess........Jodhaa Akbar.

[believeinme246]

Some of the love stories that touched us the deepest didn't have much canoodling.

When L&L went on the run, she was married to Scotty. There was no kissing. She made him sleep in the bathtub, until they came up with the rope down the center of the bed with the sheet over it. Well there was the dance at Wyndham's and the rape, but this is once they were in Beacher's Corners.

Maxie and Nathan were another. She was dating the weirrd grassroots guy from her Live Pray Love Journey and was subletting her house to him. They shared shy smiles and they smouldered.

In older movies, like the Sound of Music, they didn't touch minus the dance to teach the son, but fell deeply in love.

I think that we could definitely tell old fashioned love stories with social distancing. It will make the heart grow fonder.

[sonyab1974]

When L&L went on the run, she was married to Scotty. There was no kissing. She made him sleep in the bathtub, until they came up with the rope down the center of the bed with the sheet over it.

Yes and no sex too, until I think it was the night before they went back home. Then she felt really guilty because she was still married to Scotty.

Maxie and Nathan were another. She was dating the weirrd grassroots guy from her Live Pray Love Journey and was subletting her house to him.

LEVI! Hahahahhahahaha! I hated him, until the truth of who he really was came out! Then he got interesting!!

[Chris]

I hated what Levi became, but hear me out. It seems like every single time someone comes on a soap who is pure of heart and wants to do right by the environment or by humankind, it's all just a big lie. Such people do exist, and I'd very much like to see some on soaps.

[MeTyme]

I’m fine with them keeping distance. We understand the situation. Do scenes Outside sitting across a spread out picnic blanket. Someone on a bench talking to someone out for a jog. Jogger stops and talks from their spot. Talking on the docks 6 feet apart. I don’t watch for the intimate bedroom scenes So it wont bother me at all.

[dancingqueen12]

When was the last time we truly saw love scenes?
I want to say Jax and Nina? No clue but there hasn’t been much intimacy forever - very little physical affection too.

I am ok without intimacy /physical touch. I would assume everyone would be Checked/tested each day they arrive to work on some capacity.

[Big Cheddar1]

I was thinking about that too, and I think the surprise hookup between Julian and Britt might've been the last one. To be honest, I think they can get away with the no sex scenes for awhile, because I can't think of any new couples who are at that point, and when was the last time we saw an established couple have a love scene? The only couple that's sorta constantly physical with each other (ie - kissing and holding each other) are Liz and Franco. When was the last time we saw Sonny and Carly kiss? I think the scenes where people are yelling at each other, which would probably involve some droplet spray, might be the harder ones. It would be really weird to see confrontations happen from across the room or no fistfights.

[Soaper15]

I don't care if I see a sex scene but I would like to see kissing and hugging....It would be disappointing if there was no hugging or kissing anymore.....

[MeTyme]

It’s not forever.

[parker joe]

Yeah, they could build actual romance vs. convenient hooking up. Radical idea.

[stopthefall]

Kissing and sex scenes are one thing. They could be put off. Being 6 feet apart and not touching? I’m sorry but that’s no way to tell a soap opera story it’s gonna be hard enough for any story, Primetime, movies too. I just don’t think that’s gonna work. I have heard they might test and quarantine groups together this is a soap opera wise, I’m sure they could do the same thing with all the mediums. So the groups that have been tested and are free of the virus work together and therefore can touch each other I guess is the theory.

I would question how the studios could get a hold of that many tests? Accurate tests at that. Ultimately to get back to normal for all businesses a vaccine is going to have to be available and they aren’t there yet. Though I don’t doubt that they will eventually have one.

[OLTL'69]

THere has to be a line between being six feet apart and sticking tongues down throats. I thin that for a lot of things that we are going back to that there is no way we can always be six feet apart but we can be careful about washing hands and eating, along with being super careful about not showing up for work like a trooper when ill.
Basketball payers are very close to each other and they are going tp play

[december rose]

Some of the love stories that touched us the deepest didn't have much canoodling.
Maxie and Nathan were another. She was dating the weirrd grassroots guy from her Live Pray Love Journey and was subletting her house to him. They shared shy smiles and they smouldered.

I think that we could definitely tell old fashioned love stories with social distancing. It will make the heart grow fonder.

Dante and Lulu were another couple that had a long romance

[soapgirl9]

Yep, Dante and Lulu! It took FOREVER before they even had sex the first time. They would always get close and then someone would call or drop by and kill the mood.

[heddalee]

In general, I would be/will be relieved to not have actors right up in each other's faces all the time. It feels ickstery.

[Forgiveness_Man]

Forget love scenes. Soaps by their very nature require their actors to interact. All television does, for the most part. At some point, they're going to need to sort of drop the social distancing thing. We've been a little too legalistic about that anyway. They'll probably just need to monitor the temps of the cast and crew and treat them as if they are in each other's bubble. Maybe fewer guest cast/extras, keep the same actors in the same scenes for a time. But they're not going to be able to social distance for very long. It's impractical, just as it is in real life sometimes.

[Forgiveness_Man]

Well, considering we'd be talking about the cast and crew of this show, I am not sure if we are implying the cast and crew would try to circumvent temperature checks? Or that the businesses that are currently open likely still have employees circumventing the temp check and thus we've essentially been exposed to covid19 at our essential store of choice?

Either way, they are going to need to think of something. And this goes for television in general. Actors will at some point either need to assume the risk like everyone else going to work these days, or the shows will have to wait until "it's safe." Because you are not going to be able to film every single television show and film without actors getting within 6 feet of each other. It just isn't practical.

[december rose]

No, I am not saying that the cast and crew would try to circumvent safety measures. Nor was I saying that ALL essential workers do or did it.

I was just saying something that was exposed and that the temperature check by itself is not a foolproof measure for safety. Sometimes people are desperate for a paycheck and may not think clearly about their own and others' safety.

[Forgiveness_Man]

That's the reality we have to deal with, though. It is part of why I do not really buy a lot of the safety measures.

[wfreshie2130]

I thought I read somewhere filming..not soaps specifically but love sex scenes will be done with cgi special effects

[LovingLiz]

I can't wait for new episodes to start airing but I am concerned about how it will change the look and feel of a "soap opera". I watch soap operas because I like to be entertained and go into a land of make believe for about an hour but I especially like watching soap operas because I like watching romances play out on the screen. How are they going to portray a romance through social distancing? How is that going to work?

What are your thoughts/opinions?

Well go back to Liason, they built their romance slowly over time via conversations that took place while she paced a room and laid on a couch, then while standing 6 feet apart having conversations on a dock, then on a bridge. Traditional soap direction and the romance that comes form looks and longing.