電視連續(xù)?。═V play series）的別稱叫“肥皂劇”(soap opera), 至今有些國(guó)家仍沿用此名稱。那么，電視連續(xù)劇為什么有這個(gè)別稱呢？

soap opera, 它是指“以家庭問題為題材的廣播或電視連續(xù)劇”，以家庭婦女為主要觀眾，以家庭日用品商家為贊助商，以普通家庭生活環(huán)境為舞臺(tái)。有些人以為soap opera這個(gè)名字是因?yàn)檫@類連續(xù)劇休閑而且冗長(zhǎng)，為了節(jié)省時(shí)間，人們可以邊洗衣服邊看連續(xù)劇而來的。

但事實(shí)上，電視(Television)問世不久，一些肥皂廠商利用電視宣傳，推銷其產(chǎn)品比其它廣告(advertisement)更有效。但是時(shí)間一長(zhǎng)，干巴巴的廣告不僅不能吸引觀眾(audience), 甚至使觀眾感到厭煩。而這些肥皂商又不愿放棄電視廣告，于是出個(gè)新招，給電視臺(tái)(television station)一筆重金，讓其出高價(jià)聘請(qǐng)劇作家(playwright)編寫故事性很強(qiáng)、情節(jié)動(dòng)人的劇本(play), 然后構(gòu)成多集電視劇，逐日在電視節(jié)目(TV program)中播放。播放過程中，再巧妙地把肥皂廣告加進(jìn)去。這樣，觀眾在欣賞電視連續(xù)劇的同時(shí)也看到了廣告。由于這種電視劇中間有肥皂廣告，于是人們就叫它“肥皂劇(soap opera)”。opera本來是指歌??；肥皂劇一般都不是以歌劇形式演出的，之所以稱為opera, 只是援引horse opera一詞的先例：horse opera也不是歌劇，而是牛仔片(cowboy film)的別稱。

肥皂劇一般有日間肥皂劇和晚間肥皂劇之分。

1.日間肥皂劇：以18-49歲的家庭主婦為觀眾，每周白天固定播5集?！捌浣Y(jié)構(gòu)在半個(gè)世紀(jì)以來幾乎是一成不變的——一般說來星期一是呈現(xiàn)部和再現(xiàn)部；每一集中都是幾條敘事線路并存，在一周中由一個(gè)懸念引向一個(gè)動(dòng)人的高潮，在星期五以至少一個(gè)情節(jié)線中的危機(jī)點(diǎn)收尾。如果一個(gè)困境解決了，那么另一個(gè)困境必須制造出來?！薄都哟髮?duì)比度》Days Of Our Life就是其一。

2.晚間肥皂劇：在結(jié)構(gòu)上與日間相似，但卻在晚間黃金時(shí)段以每周一集的頻率播出。成就了晚間肥皂劇的是那部馳名世界的Dallas, 講述了石油富豪愛文一家的恩怨情仇，以后的Dynasty(豪門恩怨)和Falcon Crest(鷹冠莊園)等都是其仿制品。80年代末，晚間肥皂劇漸漸退出了歷史的舞臺(tái)。

除了肥皂劇外，常見的劇集還有Sitcom-Situation Comedy(情景喜劇)和Drama(情節(jié)系列劇)。

Many people like to watch TV. There are all kinds of programs on TV. Soap opera is one of them.

Soap opera was first on radio in the 1920s. Then it started on TV in the 1940s.

Why do so many people like to watch soap operas on TV, especially young people? What makes soap operas popular? Lets find out.

First, whats happening in the soap opera is very different from our lives. Everything is perfect(完美的) in the play. People dont need to worry about almost anything. People dont have money problems.

Second, there are many beautiful girls and handsome boys in the soap opera. They are so cool. They drive young people crazy. They make young people happy.

Third, the story in the soap opera is usually interesting. It makes people relax after a days hard work. Even some old people like to watch it, too.

But some people dont like it. They think the show is too slow and too long.