Reasons Soap was a groundbreaking show worth watching again
There are a lot of great shows that stand out in my mind as favorites from my childhood: Magnum P.I., Simon and Simon, Cheers, Quantum Leap. They all paved the way for future shows in some form, but the one that was truly groundbreaking is Soap.
For those of you who are generationally challenged by this post and have no idea what I am talking about, Soap was a sitcom — sort of — that aired from 1977 to 1981, a pitifully short time for the originality that it oozed. What was so special about Soap?
1. It was essentially the first time we saw Billy Crystal
And what a role: a very gay man who fathers a child and is in a custody battle for her. And toward the end of the series, he is somehow hypnotized into thinking he is an old Jewish man, probably where Billy’s famous schtick originated.
2. Soap explored very controversial topics for its time
Homosexuality and gay parenting, interracial marriage, impotence, cheating spouses and of course we can’t forget the demon possession (see number 7).
3. Not quite a sitcom, definitely not a drama
Soap was a perfect tongue-in-cheek parody of daytime soap operas complete with serial story from week-to-week. I love that Soap was one of the first shows to transcend a category.
4. Katherine Helmond as Jessica Tate
OK, she was great as Mona on Who’s the Boss, but you can’t appreciate her if you haven’t seen Soap. She brought such tenderness to the role of Jessica Tate, sometimes flaky and shallow, but always generous and feeling.
5. Richard Mulligan as Burt Campbell
Again, he had a career before Empty Nest, you know. As Burt Campbell, his most challenging plot line was his mental illness, and he played the role with such a loving goofiness. Such a wide range of facial expressions conveyed his struggles.
6. Robert Guillaume as Benson the butler
Insolent, sarcastic Benson, who had the running gag of asking one of his employers to get the door every time the doorbell would ring. He was confidante to Jessica and really her very best friend, which was such a touching relationship that ignored social standing, race, and all other potential barriers. Robert Guillaume’s role was so popular, he got his own spin-off, Benson.
7. Hilariously absurd story lines
Soap may have had its share of controversial story lines, but the brilliance came because those were interwoven with the absurd. Demon possession, a character that is a ventriloquist’s dummy (he talks for the psychologically damaged ventriloquist), a cult, and alien abduction are the ones that come to mind.
8. The introduction and conclusion of each episode
The narrator — Rod Roddy — was priceless. As a recap at the beginning of each show, he’d voice-over the scenes with tongue-in-cheek descriptions of what happened. At the end, he’d posit “dramatic” questions as to what might happen next. “Confused? You won’t be after this episode of Soap.” I put videos of these at the conclusion of the post: you’ve got to see them if you never have.
9. Incredibly well played dramatic moments
Yes, it’s a farce, but don’t for a moment think that Soap is somehow sub-par. The writing is top-notch and the acting is above and beyond what you’d find on the typical sitcom or soap opera. When a serious scene is called for, it is played with dignity and honesty.
So if you’ve never seen Soap, or are now jonesing to see it again, rejoice with me in the fact that the entire series will be released on DVD on June 10. Amazon is taking preorders!
Amber Benson Biography
Pretty blonde performer Amber Benson racked up numerous film and television credits before rising to fame on the popular supernatural series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”. Born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, Benson moved with her family to Los Angeles at age fourteen in 1991. By 1993 she had made the first of three “Jack Reed” TV-movies, “Jack Reed: Badge of Honor”, appearing as the daughter of the titular Chicago cop in this NBC entry as well as its 1994 and 1996 follow-ups. 1993 also saw the actress make her big-screen debut with featured roles in the teen thriller “The Crush” and Steven Soderbergh’s coming-of-age drama “King of the Hill”. Her relatively small but memorable parts in these very different features helped to launch the young performer’s career.
The following year she was featured in Anthony Drazan’s period drama “Imaginary Crimes” and had a pivotal supporting role in the social satire “S.F.W.”. Playing determined, pure-hearted and somewhat wise characters seemed to come easy to Benson, who brought a palpable intelligence to her powerful performances. She essayed the charmingly innocent daughter of divorced dad Randy Quaid in “Bye Bye, Love” (1995) and guest starred on an episode of the Fox series “Partners” the following year. Though her role as ‘Stoned Girl’ in the teen comedy “Can’t Hardly Wait” was drastically cut to earn a PG-13 rating, Benson soon became a familiar presence to the film’s target audience when she began appearing on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (The WB) the following year. Her 1999-2001 recurring role as the good witch who becomes more than just a friend to fellow enchantress Willow (Alyson Hannigan) saw the actress taking on controversial topics and earning the esteem of the notoriously hard-to-please “Buffy” fan base. When the series moved to UPN in 2001, Benson’s role was upgraded to that of a regular.
In connection with “Buffy”, the actress sought to broaden the scope of her talents, co-writing with novelist Christopher Golden the comic book WannaBlessedBe, based on her character on the supernatural series. Back on the big screen, Benson was featured in the festival-screened, controversy-plagued “Don’s Plum” (2001; filmed 1995-96) which was barred from domestic release as per a legal agreement mandated by the film’s stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, who allege the project was misrepresented. Taking over her own project, Benson proved a multitalented filmmaker and avid do-it-yourselfer as writer, producer, director and prime financer of “Chance” (lensed 2001), a dark comedy in which she also starred.