Dh and I are avid listeners of the Radio Soap ' The Archers.' We even tuned into it while on holiday in Australia, a few years ago. Over the years it has changed, no longer just the story of every day country folk, but a bit more the drama of the more exciting soaps.
I take it as it comes, a story. But Dh often get quite passionate about it, saying the script writers should be shot, when the story line seemingly gets right off the 'quiet kind of country folk lives!'
The latest story line is around Alice (daughter of Jenny, nee Archer and Brian Aldridge) During lockdown her partying became a bit more than an occasional drink and she became an alcoholic. I've looked up how people become alcoholics and it is suggested that it is a combination of reasons, genetics, (her grandfather was an alcoholic) physiological, psychological and social factors.
Lately several things have happened to Alice; her mother died; she met someone, Harry who appeared to just right for her, but it turned out he too was an alcoholic. And Alice being the sort of person she is, has tried to help him, forgetting her own needs, disaster!
She had been to rehab and got her life back on track, as she had a baby, named Martha, although she and her had husband split up. But now she has fallen right off the wagon and things are going horribly wrong. We are on tender hooks as she has been involved in a car accident, so Monday night's episode could be the end of Alice, or is it?
Dh's comments, 'Why are the script writers doing this, they're spoiling Alice's character?'
Me... ' It's so we'll tune in and listen,'
Dh..'But why? We were going to listen anyway!'
Me,,'It's only a story!'
Well it is only a story... but I remember when I was a Saturday girl as a teenager, older people coming into the veg shop, where I worked, saying, had we heard of the dreadful accident about some one, who had been killed in a barn fire trying to rescue her horse? Yes it was Christine Archer from the very same programme in 1955!
Even my other Aunt, Aunty Glad's sister phoned me to come to her aid, as the neighbours' boys were stealing her milk! I drove from Billericay to here in Porthcawl 223 miles, to sort it out. Listening to her and the Home Help, we realised it had happened on Coronation Street and in her confusion she thought it was happening to her!
Is it the acting, or what, that makes people think its real life? I watch Eastenders and never once have I thought it was real. Too daft to be real, but I still watch and really like it and hate to miss an episode.
What do you think?
Chrisxx
14 comments:
I can relate as my friend and I have watched an American soap opera (General Hospital)on TV for eons. She has watched since its inception in 1963 while I picked it up in the 80's. It sometimes becomes very hard to realize that it is just a "story" written by television writers, as we get so caught up in the plot. Every now and then, one or the other of us has to remind the other that it isn't REAL.
Sadly, I am not a soap fan so can't really relate to what you said but I do remember the Archers from visiting my Nanna and she always had it on. xx
I like the Archers and my husband hates it, so I turn it off if he's in the room with me. People get caught up in their soaps and can't differentiate between them and real life. It's escapism.
Can't stand any soaps - even the Archers which I occasionally listened to while doing the school uniform ironing on a Sunday morning.
I used to watch soaps with my grandmother and carried it into adult life. However, I haven't watched on in a long time. They are getting fewer and fewer. "Realty" shows seem to have taken their place.
Fact or fiction, there is a fine line to separate them. I used to like Crossroads, and Brookside, they were entertainment. But now the soaps seem to get their ideas for storylines from real life. I stopped watching them years ago. Actors are nothing special, they are just doing a job.
My grandparents in the sixties watched a soap opera in the afternoon. They always asked if it was real and wouldn’t miss an episode. They were shocked and glued to the tv.
I'm no longer a soap fan but I know many are.
The Archers has been going so many years now hasn't it.
In fact I just checked it out it started in 1951 ...
All the best Jan
I watched Eastenders for the first year it was on but gave it up after that. I'm not a huge fan of soaps but know lots of people enjoy them both on TV and radio. It is a case of being reminded that they are still just a story and not reality.
My mum enjoyed The Archers and I think she also watched Payton Place which didn't last long.
I used to listen regularly to The Archers but I must be like your husband, getting fed up when it got too Eastender-ish. I've heard bits recently and had gathered that Alice was drinking again.
Sorry to be a nerd but it was Grace Archer who died in the fire.
Christine is still alive and kicking. x
Thank you yellow shoes, you're correct, it was Grace!
My mother used to love watching a particular soap opera and she and her sister used to talk about the characters as if they were real people. I was never a fan of soap operas or sit-coms, so, couldn't really relate. :)
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