"Who shot J.R." and "Who killed Laura Palmer" were the two biggies.

Bobby Ewing reveal in the shower on Dallas was so controversial and stupid that even Damon Lindelof had to say "what the fuck is this shit?"

Can't forget Dark Shadows.

Outside of my ability to make a proper poll, you don't think those two shows are versions of a soap opera?

I always said that 24 was a soap opera for guys.

I think both Lost and The Walking Dead have soap opera elements, but neither would be on a list of the first 100 shows people think of when thinking of prime-time soaps. Given the question at hand, listing those as the only two options along with other is kind of funny. It sounds like you just want to know what show people like more, Lost or Walking Dead.

That depends. What defines a soap opera?

I'd say that the most important story point of a soap opera is the personality conflicts; that the viewers know exactly and in detail how every character feels about every other character; and that nothing ever gets resolved.

I think Lost would be characterized more accurately as a science fiction mystery/drama with a deep ensemble cast. Most soap operas are firmly grounded in the utter mundane reality of emotional relationships and how they push the story. What drives a series at its core is probably the best way to place its genre.

There were a few soapy elements in Lost but pretty much any long-running show will pick that up.

Well, in this instance, you can. DS was a daytime soap, not a prime time one.

I never make threads and I guess I felt a rare urge to basically call out the two shows. I felt dirty after investing in Lost. If it wasn't for the internet hype I would have just stopped watching. I assumed there would be a payoff. Looking back? Soap.

Walking dead is doing the same thing. I get there is a huge comic fan base that will never die (get it?), but it's basically going to be AMC milking the hell out of their cash cow. I understand it's about adapting and how react to an 'apocalypse' and not the zombies themselves. For some reason zombies piques human interest. For whatever reason. So the entertainment industry will feed on it.

I am sure I will get attacked for this.

I thought Professional Wrestling was the soap opera for guys (not all guys, of course).

Never ending seasons (that just go from one to the next), cyclical stories, good guys turning bad and back again all the time, clear motivations so that even the kids know who they're supposed to cheer for, and if you took the time to write out even a year's worth of plotline, it makes absolutely no sense.

Wrestling is defiantly a soap opera for guys. It depends on if you are at an impressionable age and or in a particular demographic.


I was sucked in as a kid but grew out of it.

Well, George A. Romero called The Walking Dead a soap opera with an occasional zombie.

So, maybe that's where it came from?

There was a prime time version in the 90s... hardly notable, though.

So is pretty much every comic book ever .

Wonder if the same can be said of a show like "COPS".

I remember that version. I was a kid when it came out and my mom and sister watched it. Chiller has aired it in the past. I didn't think it was that bad.

The now defunct WB made a pilot in 2003 or 2004 for a new Dark Shadows show. The network passed, but the pilot was shown at Dark Shadows fan festivals.

Does "The Californians count ?

In the 80s, it was Dallas and Dynasty.

In the 90s, it was Melrose Place and 90210, and Dawson's Creek to a lesser extent.

In the 00s, it was Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy (which is still on!), and currently Empire is ruling the roost.

The Walking Dead I could more easily buy as a soap-like series since AMC had to slow plot developments greatly down due to budget constraints and their desire to keep it running forever. Though The Walking Dead examines emotions far removed from normal life.

EMPIRE bitches.