Soap Opera Miniseries

[ClassyCo]

There's a lot of television miniseries that have aired over the years that could easily be slid into the soap opera genre. When the prime time soaps were at their zenith in the 1980s, there were a host of miniseries that aired to quite obviously "cash in" on the genre.

Here's some that come to mind:

Hollywood Wives
Bare Essence
Malibu
​

Yes, there were others. And yes, I am well aware that Bare Essence evolved into a short-lived prime time series, just as Paper Dolls did a couple of years later.

Any thoughts on these shows?

 

[Daniel Avery]

An aside: When I was in the eleventh grade, our teacher assigned us to write a book report. We got to choose the book, her only stipulation being that the book had to be more than 200 pages. I could not stand that woman, and just like most teenagers I enjoyed pushing the envelope. With that in mind, I chose to do my book report on Hollywood Wives, which was out in paperback but had not been turned into a TV miniseries yet. She grumbled and made the occasional snide remark, but I got a B+ on that book report. I saved it for years as a "trophy" of my civil disobedience. The best part was that I was 99% sure she had not read the book, so I could have (in theory) made the whole thing up and probably gotten away with it. But when you have Jackie Collins as your source material, who needs to embellish?

I never saw either, but Rich Man, Poor Man was originally a miniseries that became a "regular" TV series (short-lived, though it was).

 

[Willie Oleson]

Funny, my book report was Valley Of The Dolls.

But yes, we must keep in mind that most of these mini-series were televised versions of novels, they weren't written for television like the soap operas.
They often ended up looking like Dynasty because that's what looked good at that time.

But even shows like Murder She Wrote adapted that style.

The mini-series became a genre in itself, but there were soap opera influences - although I think the soaps were also influenced by the popular mini-series.
The whole Moldavia affair feels very Judith Krantz/Barbara Taylor Bradford.

Soapy opening credits:

 

[James from London]

Rich Man, Poor Man was originally a miniseries

I think the soaps were also influenced by the popular mini-series.

I could be wrong, but I don't think there would have been a Dallas had it not been for the success of Rich Man Poor Man and Roots. Aren't they what convinced the powers that be that a prime time audience would keep tuning in for a continuing drama? And of course, Dallas was first presented as a mini-series (or even a mini mini-series).

 

[Willie Oleson]

I believe some of the 1990s mini-series were produced with the idea of it being a mini-soap e.g. Trade Winds and The Secret Of Lake Success.

Revenge would have been a great mini-series but it failed to be a soap because it had this one big outrageous plotline that had to be stalled and altered to keep it alive.
Maybe it could have worked if that "mission" storyline had been gradually integrated with the soap.

The Slasher mini-series are great guilty pleasures. You didn't think it would work but it does.
And I'd love to see a continuing drama remake of Sylvester Stallone's Cop Land. Sort of a Sopranos meets Knots Landing.

 

[Toni]

I just found this on YT and thought that some of you might need something of this kind during the lockdown! I know it´s quite lame but well, Lisa Hartman is in it!

 

[Toni]

And, well, if @Alexis wants to work out throwing things at the TV set, here is "The Stepford Wives", starring Francesca SuperSlut Colby...

 

[Alexis Colby Carrington]

Lace was a fantastic 80s miniseries, I think that could have easily developed into a prime time soap.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I just found this on YT

Wow, so glad you found it! One of the few mini-series I haven't watched yet.
I don't expect it to be as good as the movie, but that's OK. I love this story.

On the one hand I feel I should watch it a.s.a.p. because these things come and go on YT, on the other hand I don't think I can tear myself away from Breaking Bad.
What a terrible dilemma!

 

[Alexis]

I know it´s quite lame but well, Lisa Hartman is in it!

But like, does she die and then come back as a different person who's name is weirdly like the name of the first person she was? Because that's what I have come to know and love? Is that how this goes?

 

[GillesDenver]

But like, does she die and then come back as a different person who's name is weirdly like the name of the first person she was? Because that's what I have come to know and love? Is that how this goes?

No but she is wearing some AWFUL red wig that can provide some good laugh.

 

[Crimson]

THE TWO MRS. GRENVILLES is possibly my favorite thing to come out of 80s TV; shame no primetime soap ever aimed for -- let alone achieved -- that level of sophisticated, stylish melodrama.

 

[Willie Oleson]

shame no primetime soap ever aimed for -- let alone achieved -- that level of sophisticated, stylish melodrama.

Oh, I don't know about that.
And making a good soap opera is more difficult than making a good mini-series (and that's without considering the budgetary reasons), and TTMG was also based on a true story, like the Barbara Hutton Story and Little Gloria...Happy At Last (one of my favourites).

 

[Willie Oleson]

I don't expect it to be as good as the movie, but that's OK. I love this story.

After skimming through the video posted here I've decided to give it a miss. It looks like a painfully stretched, uninspired and watered-down version of the colourful cult-classic.

 

[bmasters9]

Funny, my book report was Valley Of The Dolls.

But yes, we must keep in mind that most of these mini-series were televised versions of novels, they weren't written for television like the soap operas.
They often ended up looking like Dynasty because that's what looked good at that time.

And here's one of those mini-series adapted from a novel-- Once an Eagle, 1976 NBC miniseries adapted from the 1968 book of the same name by the late Anton Myrer.

Original book:


Timeless Media release of the 1976 NBC miniseries:

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

There's a lot of television miniseries that have aired over the years that could easily be slid into the soap opera genre. When the prime time soaps were at their zenith in the 1980s, there were a host of miniseries that aired to quite obviously "cash in" on the genre.

Here's some that come to mind:

Hollywood Wives ​

Bare Essence ​

Malibu ​

​

Yes, there were others. And yes, I am well aware that Bare Essence evolved into a short-lived prime time series, just as Paper Dolls did a couple of years later.

Any thoughts on these shows?

My feeling about the 80's miniseries that I've watched so far, is that they never quite lived up to the hype. Or at least to the hype in my head. I haven't read Hollywood Wives yet and while I enjoyed the miniseries, it felt somewhat miscast or maybe the cast didn't gel but it felt a bit off to me. Joan Collins Sins on the other hand had a great cast but the story was a mess although their location shoots looked sublime. Bare Essence didn't grab me either. I've a feeling I'd enjoy North and South if I got into it and based on below, I'm overdue a viewing of The Two Mrs Grenvilles.

THE TWO MRS. GRENVILLES is possibly my favorite thing to come out of 80s TV; shame no primetime soap ever aimed for -- let alone achieved -- that level of sophisticated, stylish melodrama.

I'm unsure as to why I've never watched this before but based on that description alone, I'll make it my business to do so ASAP.

After skimming through the video posted here I've decided to give it a miss. It looks like a painfully stretched, uninspired and watered-down version of the colourful cult-classic.

I felt the same when I watched it. It kind of left me wondering "why did they bother making this?". It had none of the bite of the original film.

 

[Willie Oleson]

My feeling about the 80's miniseries that I've watched so far, is that they never quite lived up to the hype.

At that time I enjoyed most of it and some of them have aged very well. I guess the popularity of the mini-series format encouraged everyone to jump on the bandwagon, and there are indeed quite a few stinkers. MALIBU (1983) is torture, and not in a so-bad-it's-good way (like Jacqueline Susann's "Once Is Not Enough").

I haven't read Hollywood Wives yet and while I enjoyed the miniseries, it felt somewhat miscast

Based on the novel itself I think they all looked the part but at the same time it looks like a Special Guest Star galore.
And without the sordid and raunchy details from the novel it just looks pretty and nothing else. But still a very 80s TV time capsule, and it's always fun to watch Mary Crosby slut-and-slither.

Joan Collins Sins on the other hand had a great cast but the story was a mess

It's exactly like the novel although I'm not 100% sure that the novel came first. But there was something very "out of sync" about it, as if the big momentums happened too soon or too late. And the ending (how she managed to defeat her enemy) was simply too lame for words. It also had that terrible faux power bitch theme going on.
But apart from that, it looks great. I mean, there's also MONTE CARLO *shudders*

I've a feeling I'd enjoy North and South if I got into it

You've never seen it? It's very entertaining. Terri Garber and Kirstie Alley really sink their teeth into it, and overall it's a very likeable cast.
The only miscasts are Philip Casnoff (too pretty and hammy for the role) and it's really really weird to see Morgan Fairchild in a period drama.

BEULAH LAND (sort of a mini-North & South) is delightfully melodramatic with lots of bitch slaps.
Speaking of Lesley Ann Warren, I'd love to rewatch EVERGREEN (co-starring mini-series household name Armand Assante) it's one of those rags-to-riches generations dramas. I couldn't get enough of that stuff.
CAPTAINS AND THE KINGS is also great, starring Patty Duke as the drunken bitch wife.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

It's exactly like the novel although I'm not 100% sure that the novel came first. But there was something very "out of sync" about it, as if the big momentums happened too soon or too late. And the ending (how she managed to defeat her enemy) was simply too lame for words. It also had that terrible faux power bitch theme going on.
But apart from that, it looks great. I mean, there's also MONTE CARLO *shudders*

The Sins novel came first but I've never read it. It's years since I've watched the miniseries but the one thing that sticks in my head is the Arielle Dombasle character. She appeared consistently enough throughout the episodes, that I figured she would wind up being Joan & Timothy Dalton's long lost sister that they'd been mentioning but that came to nothing. I had to read up on Wikipedia to remind myself of how it ended and in doing so, I see that Sally Spectra doppelganger and Euro nightclub queen Régine is among the cast, something that I missed when I watched originally.

 

[DallasFanForever]

I remember not being allowed to watch Hollywood Wives. I really wanted to see it but I had no say in the matter. Was it really that risqué? I still haven’t watched it to this day. Evergreen was terrific but SO sad. That was one I saw but regretted it