Soap (TV series)

Did You Know?

• British actress Catherine Tate changed her surname from Ford based on the character Jessica Tate.
• Two of the 90-minute season retrospectives were released on VHS in 1994 but not included on any DVD collections.
• After the series ended, Lynne Moody appeared in a recurring role on Knots Landing, which also starred Ted Shackelford, who had a guest appearance on Soap.

Plot

The series is set in the fictional town of Dunn's River, Connecticut, and follows two sisters: Jessica Tate and Mary Campbell. The Tates live in a wealthy neighborhood, and Jessica and her husband Chester are unfaithful, leading to family mishaps including the murder of Mary's stepson Peter Campbell. Jessica initially dismisses rumors of Chester's affairs until she sees him with his secretary Claire. The Tate family employs a sarcastic butler/cook named Benson, who dislikes Chester but cares for the son Billy and gets along with daughter Corinne and Jessica, though he initially does not speak to daughter Eunice. Benson became popular and left in 1979 for a spin-off series, replaced by a more formal butler named Saunders.

Pre-production

Richard Mulligan was initially considered for Chester Tate, but director Jay Sandrich thought Mulligan better suited for Burt Campbell and suggested Robert Mandan for Tate. The actress cast as Mary Campbell in the initial pilot was deemed too neurotic alongside Mulligan, so Fred Silverman authorized re-shooting with Cathryn Damon. In March 1977, ABC screened the first two episodes for affiliate executives, some of whom found the show raunchy and unfit for television. A June 1977 Newsweek preview by Harry F. Waters panned the show, incorrectly claiming it included a scene of a priest seduced in a confessional and calling it a sex farce, though Waters had not seen the pilot.

Premiere and critical reception

Soap premiered on Tuesday, September 13, 1977, at 9:30 p.m. with a disclaimer advising viewer discretion, which remained through the first season. Fueled by pre-show protests and a strong lead-in from Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, and Three's Company, the first episode achieved a 25.6 rating and 39% audience share. ABC received hundreds of calls after the premiere, with more in favor than in protest; a University of Richmond poll found 74% of viewers found it inoffensive. Initial reviews were mixed: the Los Angeles Times called it a prolonged dirty joke, Variety found it forced and derivative, while Time praised the cast but noted nastiness. TV Guide gave a positive review, calling it funny. The National PTA later declared Soap one of the ten worst shows, yet it ranked #13 for the 1977–78 season and gained positive reviews over its run.

Later seasons and cancellation

After the premiere, Soap continued to draw criticism for its depictions of homosexuals, racial and ethnic minorities, the mentally ill, and taboo topics including incest, rape, and student–teacher relationships. The openly gay character Jodie Dallas, played by Billy Crystal, was a major focus; some conservatives opposed him on religious grounds, while some gay rights activists objected to storylines like his desire for a sex change operation. Before season two, ABC aired a 90-minute retrospective clip show called Who Killed Peter? to recap season one. At the start of season three, another retrospective aired to help launch the spin-off Benson. A third retrospective, Jessica's Wonderful Life, aired at the start of season four, featuring Jessica in heaven with an angel played by Bea Arthur.