World Cup Tournament Coming Soon - The World Cup Of Soap Operas

[Karin Schill]

I have not watched a single episode of Skilda Världar. I think it has become famous since Alexander Skarsgård more or less started his career on it!

It was a Swedish daytime soap.

I think the three most significant Swedish soaps were:
Varuhuset (1987-1989)
Rederiet (1992-2002)
Tre Kronor (1994-1999)

All primetime. Rederiet was exported to several countries and most successful.

Also shouldn't the rest of the world at least get 6 shows, why only 2?

 

[Willie Oleson]

Forum members will select the soaps from the Rest of the World

But how many participants (mostly from US or UK) have watched the Scandinavian, German or Dutch soaps? Nobody's going to vote for those.
Rederiet is not going to win this World Cup.

Gran Hotel is Netflix and available to everyone.

 

[Emelee]

I have not watched a single episode of Skilda Världar. I think it has become famous since Alexander Skarsgård more or less started his career on it!

Alexander Skarsgård was on Vita Lögner (TV3). Rebecca Ferguson and Tuva Novotny got their careers started on Skilda Världar. Alicia Vikander on Andra Avenyn.

 

[Emelee]

What about Skilda Varldar? I read it was one of the most popular Swedish soaps of all time. Based on the Australian series Sons and Daughters.

It was popular, but not as popular as Rederiet. Rederiet was the #1 soap in Sweden. Primetime, quality actors, big ratings.

 

[stevew]

@stevew - well yes I know, thank you!

(Isn't she??! Sooooooooo beautiful )

If this were a soap opera beauty contest Sue Ellen would win hands down, game over, no reason to start. Poise, grace, beauty - sober or drunk.

 

[Angela Channing]

But how many participants (mostly from US or UK) have watched the Scandinavian, German or Dutch soaps? Nobody's going to vote for those.
Rederiet is not going to win this World Cup.

Gran Hotel is Netflix and available to everyone.

You raise a good point and there isn't a short answer to it so bear with me while I give a long answer.

When I was planning this World Cup I initially did consider just including UK and USA soap operas, or just soap operas in the English language, but I felt that there may be forum members who are particularly fond of a non-English show and because I didn't want anyone to feel excluded, I decided to include a small number (two) of soaps from "the rest of the world".

So anyone will be able to nominate any soap they like and everyone will then vote on which ones go through to the main contest. Presumably, soaps that a reasonable number of people are familiar with will have the best chance to succeed. Therefore, if you're correct about Gran Hotel and it is nominated in the qualification round, it may well have a better chance than Rederiet of going through to the main tournament.

I've also thought about if obscure soaps or soaps in a non-English language will have any chance of winning matches in the knock out stages. For example, if Rederiet is up against Dallas I would guess it would struggle but if it was up against say A country Practice or Eldorado it might have a chance, even though it would be up against soaps in English.

With 32 soaps in the main contest, there will inevitably be some that forum members will not have seen. Therefore, in every round I will be providing a brief description of all the soaps involved in the matches to help forum members decide how to vote. Anybody can also post any relevant information to promote their favourite soaps.

So for example, if Rederiet was up against Dark Shadows, I haven't seen either soap so I would have to rely on any information given to help choose who to vote for so Rederiet would have just as much chance of getting my vote as would Dark Shadows.

I will explain how everything will work in more detail as we go along. It won't be as complicated as I have just described it!

 

[Willie Oleson]

A country Practice or Eldorado

And you also have a very good point, Angela because I've never watched any of the UK soaps (except for Howards' Way), so in that case there's no difference between Eldorado and Rederiet.
I did watch Chateauvallon and Das Erbe Der Guldenburgs - incidentally, both series are on YouTube now but without Dutch or English sub-titles.

 

[Victoriafan3]

Oh so exciting! Return to Eden, S&D, the Young Drs, Neighbours, Prisoner, ACP, the Aussie list goes on! Yay! Thank you so much for doing all this and the time you put in @Angela Channing. It’s a big effort on your part and so fun and enjoyable. Really grand of you to do

 

[Angela Channing]

Also shouldn't the rest of the world at least get 6 shows, why only 2?

Sorry, Karen I overlooked your question although I did partly address it in my reply to Willie.

The reason why I decided only to have 2 soaps from the rest of the world in the main game was:

1. This forum is in the English language so I think it's right that the World Cup should mainly focus on soaps in the English language.

2. Many forum members will not be familiar with many of the soaps that were made in a language other than English.

3. If I included more soaps from the rest of the world I would have to reduced the number of soaps from the UK, USA and Australia. I think more people would be disappointed if I included Lindenstraße from Germany over Dynasty from the USA, for example.

4. If I increased the total number of soaps in the knock out stages of the World Cup to include more from other countries, the game would go on for far too long (it currently will take a few months to finish as it is).

5. When planning this game, I looked at which soaps were previously discussed on Soapchat and I only found maybe about 10 posts in total (on Mount Royal, Tre Kronor and Grand Hotel) from the rest of the world, compared with a couple of hundred on Australian soaps and several thousand each of UK and USA soaps. It seemed right to reflect this in how many soaps from each region to include in the game.

6. Including 2 soaps from rest of the world was a compromise in recognition that some forum members might have favourite soaps from different countries. I originally had planned only to include UK and USA soap operas.

7. Whatever I decided on some people would be happy and some wouldn't so I had to make a decision which I hope game participants will accept and understand I have tried to be as fair as possible to everybody wherever they are from.

 

[Angela Channing]

Oh so exciting! Return to Eden, S&D, the Young Drs, Neighbours, Prisoner, ACP, the Aussie list goes on! Yay! Thank you so much for doing all this and the time you put in @Angela Channing. It’s a big effort on your part and so fun and enjoyable. Really grand of you to do

You may not remember, but I did promise that I would feature some Australian soaps in a future World Cup. This is what I said at the start of the World Cup of Prime Time Soap Characters:

It would have been great to have had Stephanie Harper and Jilly Cooper in the game but if would have meant leaving out characters like Bobby Ewing and Fallon Carrington. I will find a way to feature Return To Eden in a future World Cup.

 

[Angela Channing]

did watch Chateauvallon and Das Erbe Der Guldenburgs - incidentally, both series are on YouTube now but without Dutch or English sub-titles.

I have fond memories of watching Chateauvallon when it was screened in the UK many years ago. I tried watching it again on YouTube but sadly my French isn't good enough and I could only understand less than half of it so I gave up.

 

[Victoriafan3]

You may not remember, but I did promise that I would feature some Australian soaps in a future World Cup. This is what I said at the start of the World Cup of Prime Time Soap Characters:

I do remember you saying that and I am very grateful and excited you have found a way to include them. Thank you

 

[Steven Wayne]

I wish I could spell the one that Linda and Larry appeared briefly in in Germany in the early 90s. I could say it but I can't spell it...

Are you referring to EIN SCHLOSS AM WÖRTHERSEE?

 

[Angela Channing]

As previously mentioned, the finals will be between 12 UK, 12 USA and 6 Australian soaps, half of which will be selected by me for automatic qualification. The remaining half, together with 2 soaps from the rest of the world, will be selected by forum members by means of a vote.

The following are the soaps that have automatically qualified:

USA

Dallas, Peyton Place, Falcon Crest, General Hospital, Dynasty, Knots Landing

UK

Coronation Street, Brookside, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Crossroads, Hollyoaks

Australia

Return To Eden, Sons & Daughters, Neighbours

In choosing the soaps for automatic qualification, I have taken into account general popularity of the show, how often they have been discussed on Soapchat and the longevity of the soap. I have also tried to include a mix of old and current, and daytime and prime time.

If your favourite soap hasn't automatically qualified for the knockout rounds, don't worry, it could still be voted through in the qualification stages of the competition.

The first qualification round will begin tomorrow.

 

[Sarah]

Are you referring to EIN SCHLOSS AM WÖRTHERSEE?

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS! Thank you!!!!!! I can sing it but can't spell it. Thanks so much for that!!!!!

 

[Sarah]

If this were a soap opera beauty contest Sue Ellen would win hands down, game over, no reason to start. Poise, grace, beauty - sober or drunk.

I absolutely have to agree. She's the most beautiful to me.