Soaps - Now I Get it

I never quite got to understand why were they called Soaps. I am not talking detergent and hand washing stuff here. I am talking the non-stopping, always lasting sagas of what we call a type of TV programs.

It was only recently that somebody told me that they were named Soaps from the Soap Opera concept where these shows seemed they would never end. Stage dramas seemed endless with all the singing or so called singing sounding like crying musicals in the medieval times.

I have managed to stay away from them, well away and had managed to keep my family (read wife) away from them as well until last year. We started getting an Indian channel on Nilesat and if its an Indian Channel its gotta play soap, right?

The desperate housewives that most UAE wives become naturally tend to get glued to anything on TV. In our case with the limited options available on TV, it had to happen sooner or later. Welcome into the house "Jyoti", "Bandini" and what not. OH yeah "Rakhee ka Soyemwar"... heheh... yes SOYEMwar was intentional :). We are already awaiting the beginning of "Rahul BHaiyya Dulhaniya Lay Jayengay..."

When DISH came into Karachi in our younger years, and star plus (now Star World) started, there were 2 shows which always left me confused. "Santa Barbara" & "Bold & The Beautiful". Considering its been about 17-18 years since then and we still get to see the never-ending story and the never-aging people, its pretty crazy. How can they call this entertainment? Does anybody even watch that show anymore?

I think whatever the reason may have been to call these programs Soaps. They are nothing but 30-minute broken into 5 minute drama, 10-minute recap & yet to come and 15 minute advertisements programs

We see so many soap advertisements but they always drive one message. Yes now, I am speaking about the hand-washing and dish-washing stuff. I remember many advertisements indicating how their brand of soap,

"...kabhi nahi ghulta... hamesha chalta hay..."

Translated to,

"Never dissolves... keeps going on forever..."

Now, I get it. I get those advertisements now and why these programs are called Soaps. Its all coming crystal clear for me now. Its definitely not because they are clean or keep things clean.