2900 Happiness - Aarhus Universitet
2900 Happiness - Aarhus Universitet
2900 Happiness - Aarhus Universitet
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spørgsmålet om, hvem der skød J.R. Ewing i Dallas. Det var en cliff-hanger, der blev brugt i<br />
slutningen af en sæson, så publikum skulle vente på forløsning, mens den næste sæson blev<br />
produceret. 66<br />
Soap operaen – en genredefinition i bevægelse<br />
Som nævnt indledningsvis i dette afsnit om soap operaen som genre, så er definitionen på en genre<br />
ikke en konstant form, men en form som kan ændre sig igennem tiden. Dette pointerer Hobson også<br />
i sin bog Soap opera fra 2002 ”Definitions of the soap opera have changed historically as the form<br />
has evolved. What was an adequate definition in 1982 needs to be refined to reflect the changes in<br />
the genre which have taken place during the last twenty years.” 67<br />
I 1982 definerede Hobson selv genren således: ”Soap opera has a specific location and core set of<br />
characters around whose lives the main storylines are woven. There are additional characters who<br />
may come and go and whose lives in some way touch those of the main characters. Each episode<br />
has a number of themes and stories running through it and there is a cliffhanger at the end of the<br />
episode to hold the audience in suspense until the next episode, and to encourage them to watch<br />
again.” 68<br />
Dette er definition, som er meget passende i forhold til det der indtil videre er blevet gennemgået i<br />
dette afsnit som soap opera som genre. Det er dog en lidt vag definition, som derved kommer til at<br />
dække over mange serier, som måske i dag ikke normalt vil opfatte som værende en soap opera.<br />
Hobson revurderer og reformulerer i 2002 sin egen definition af soap operaen som genre fra 1982,<br />
og i Soap Opera lyder den således: “Soap opera is a radio or television drama in series form, which<br />
has a core set of characters and locations. It is transmitted at least three times a week, for fity-two<br />
weeks of a year. The drama creates the illusion that life continues in the fictional world even when<br />
viewers are not watching. The narrative progress in a linear form through peaks and troughs of<br />
action and emotion. It is a continuous from with recurring catastasis as its dominant narrative<br />
structure. It is based on fictional realism and explores and celebrates the domestic, personal and<br />
everyday in all its guises. It works because the audience has intimate familiarity with the characters<br />
66 Hobson, Dorathy: op.cit., s.13<br />
67 ibid s.33<br />
68 ibid<br />
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