Conventions and Characters of a Soap

Soaps usually have the certain conventions:

• Serialised Drama
• Continuous storylines/narratives
• Well known theme tune
• Focus on a smaller number of characters
• Plots are open-ended and often interlinked in an episode
• Often set around a small, central area(e.g The Square in Eastenders)
• At Christmas/Millenium they focus on long-departed characters
• British soaps often feature working class characters
• British soaps are realistic
• Episodes often begin with a hook
• They have a multi-stranded narrative

Characters
There seem to be certain types of characters that are common in many soaps:

• The Grandparent figure
• The strong woman
• Jack - the - Lad
• Young couple
• Feisty young female
• Troublesome oldie
• The boss figure