Soap, which aired on ABC from 1977 to 1981, wasn’t your average sitcom. Created by Susan Harris, this program took the conventions of daytime soap operas and turned them on their head with a heavy dose of satire. The show centered around two families, the wealthy Tates and the working-class Campbells, and their various entanglements, which were often absurd and over the top. The writing was sharp, the performances were broad, and the situations were frequently hilarious, but it also didn’t shy away from tackling some serious social issues.
From the very beginning, Soap established itself as something different. It dared to poke fun at everything, from religion and sexuality to class and mental health. The series reveled in its absurdity and didn’t seem to care about boundaries, which made it a target for both praise and criticism. It was a sitcom that pushed the envelope and challenged the television landscape of the time. The show wasn’t afraid to present characters with deep flaws and have them do things that would make the average viewer raise an eyebrow. In a way it was ahead of its time.
The cast was crucial to the success of the show and each of the actors brought something special to the table. Katherine Helmond played the ditzy Jessica Tate, a woman seemingly oblivious to the chaos around her, with effortless charm. Cathryn Damon was perfectly cast as her grounded sister, Mary Campbell, who often tried (and failed) to make sense of the bizarre situations that frequently engulfed her family. Richard Mulligan portrayed Burt Campbell, Mary’s husband, a man with an unhealthy dose of paranoia and a penchant for odd behavior. Robert Guillaume played Benson, the Tate’s sardonic butler, who often had the best lines and became a fan favorite. And of course, Billy Crystal was Jodie Dallas, one of the first openly gay characters in a primetime television series, which at the time was quite something.
The show was a master class in comedic timing and character development. Characters’ story arcs, no matter how ridiculous, always felt grounded in some sort of emotional truth. Soap was able to find the humor in the darker aspects of life and it often did this by making light of the characters’ misfortunes.
Soap was produced by Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions for ABC.
Years ran: 1977-1981
Number of Episodes: 85
Creators: Susan Harris
Cast: Katherine Helmond, Cathryn Damon, Richard Mulligan, Robert Guillaume, Billy Crystal.
