Soap opera meaning - Soap opera effect

In addition to commonly referring to telenovelas with the American colloquialism Spanish soap opera, many of them share some stylistic and thematic similarities with soap operas popular in English-speaking countries.

By 1975, both Number 96 and The Box, perhaps as a reaction to declining ratings for both shows, de-emphasised the sex and nudity shifting more towards comedic plots.

Until the 1990s, these series listed only a few of the principal actors at the end of the episode in certain episodes airing on Monday through Thursdays.

Several shows during the 1990s and 2000s incorporated supernatural and science fiction elements into their storylines in an attempt to boost their ratings.