History Main / DaytimeDramaQueen

It's possible that this trope will [[DeadHorseGenre die]] out in America and become a ForgottenTrope in the next decade. Five of the nine American daytime serials airing have been canceled since 2007 (''{{Passions}}'', ''GuidingLight'', ''Series/AsTheWorldTurns'', ''AllMyChildren'', and ''OneLifeToLive''). Only ''Series/DaysOfOurLives,'' ''Series/TheYoungAndTheRestless,'' ''Series/TheBoldAndTheBeautiful,'' and ''GeneralHospital'' remain, and many say they're on their last legs anyway.

* On episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' featured the Autobots watching ''[[http://www.tfwiki.net/wiki/As_the_Kitchen_Sinks As The Kitchen Sinks]]'' while off-duty.

* On episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' featured the Autobots watching ''[[http://www.tfwiki.net/wiki/As_The_Kitchen_Sinks As The Kitchen Sinks]]'' while off-duty.

* On episode of ''WesternAnimation/TheTransformers'' featured the Autobots watching ''As The Kitchen Sinks'' when off-duty.

* ''Magazine/SportsIllustrated'' once did an article on athletes coping with boredom while recovering from season-ending injuries, and at least one mentioned watching soap operas.
** One particular example is Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Rice, who actually mentioned his fandom of TheYoungAndTheRestless in his Hall of Fame speech!
* This probably applies to anyone who's ever found themselves at home for a long period due to illness/injury or unemployment and doesn't have a working internet connection or access to cable or satellite TV.

In Britain, watching soaps is more acceptable, and since the better-quality soaps tend to be broadcast during {{primetime}}, daytime drama queens just don't show up so often on the European side of ThePond. On the other hand, they've now got an entire television channel (called "Dave") that fills nearly the same role, a fact regularly mocked on ''TopGear'' and the various BBC PanelShows it repeats ''ad nauseum''.

See also ExplainingTheSoap. Compare and contrast the {{Hikikomori}}, who has similar social connotations of being a loser, but is usually more [[{{Otaku}} addicted]] to SciFi and other {{Geek}} stuff than to soap operas. Compare and contrast GirlShowGhetto.

It's possible that this trope will [[DeadHorseGenre die]] out in America and become a ForgottenTrope in the next decade. Five of the nine American daytime serials airing have been canceled since 2007 (''{{Passions}}'', ''GuidingLight'', ''Series/AsTheWorldTurns'', ''AllMyChildren'', and ''OneLifeToLive''). Only ''Series/DaysOfOurLives,'' ''Series/TheYoungAndTheRestless,'' ''TheBoldAndTheBeautiful,'' and ''GeneralHospital'' remain, and many say they're on their last legs anyway.

In Britain, watching soaps is more acceptable, and since the better-quality soaps tend to be broadcast during {{primetime}}, daytime drama queens just don't show up so often on the European side of ThePond. On the other hand, we've now got an entire television channel (called "Dave") that fills nearly the same role, a fact regularly mocked on ''TopGear'' and the various BBC PanelShows it repeats ''ad nauseum''.

The Daytime Drama Queen is a predominantly American trope. If you want to show a character as sad, pathetic and in dire need of a life, show him watching and caring about the events of a SoapOpera. The most popular soap to care about seems to be ''DaysOfOurLives'', though a [[SoapWithinAShow fictional, parodic soap]] works just as well.

It's possible that this trope will [[DeadHorseGenre die]] out in America and become a ForgottenTrope in the next decade. Five of the nine American daytime serials airing have been canceled since 2007 (''{{Passions}}'', ''GuidingLight'', ''Series/AsTheWorldTurns'', ''AllMyChildren'', and ''OneLifeToLive''). Only ''DaysOfOurLives,'' ''Series/TheYoungAndTheRestless,'' ''TheBoldAndTheBeautiful,'' and ''GeneralHospital'' remain, and many say they're on their last legs anyway.

* In ''CrocodileDundee II'', it becomes obvious that Mick needs to get out and have some new adventures when he reveals that he actually cares what happens in ''DaysOfOurLives''.

* In ''CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind'', Roy Neary has ''Days of our Lives'' on when he's building the model of Devil's Tower in his living room, though he doesn't seem to really be watching it.

In Britain, watching soaps is more acceptable, and since soaps tend to be broadcast during {{primetime}}, daytime drama queens just don't show up so often on the European side of ThePond. On the other hand, we've now got an entire television channel (called "Dave") that fills nearly the same role, a fact regularly mocked on ''TopGear'' and the various BBC PanelShows it repeats ''ad nauseum''.

* Series/{{House}} claims to be an ardent fan of the series' ShowWithinAShow, ''Prescription: Passion''. Since the show is a MedicalDrama, he probably watches it for [[CowboyBebopAtHisComputer the unintentional comedy]]. [[hottip:*:How very self-aware of them...]]

* In DuckTales Fenton Crackshell aka Gizmoduck's mother is this.

[[AC: RealLife]]

* On ''ModernFamily'', Jay Prichett decides to watch a Colombian telenovela with his wife, Gloria, who was born and lived most of her life in that country, grudgingly as an attempt to acclimate to her cultural climate. Jay ends up getting interest in the program while Gloria deals with other matters.

See also ExplainingTheSoap. Compare and contrast the {{Hikikomori}}, who has similar social connotations of being a loser, but is usually more [[{{Otaku}} addicted]] to SciFi and other {{Geek}} stuff than to soap operas.

* In the FostersHomeForImaginaryFriends episode "Berry Scary", most of the house is hooked on ''The Loved and the Loveless'', more notably Terrence, although he hides it from Mac.

* This probably applies to anyone who's ever found themselves at home for a long period due to illness/injury or unemployment and doesn't have a working internet connection.

In Britain, watching soaps is more acceptable, and since soaps tend to be broadcast during {{primetime}}, daytime drama queens just don't show up so often on the European side of ThePond. In Australia, this type of character does appear occasionally, but tends to be shown as addicted to American rather than Australian soaps due to their more over-the-top nature. In Latin America this type of character is virtually absent since soaps are, in most countries, pretty much the only kind of dramatic production locally produced; and given that in Hispanic culture soap operas are so far on the [[SlidingScaleOfSillinessVersusSeriousness serious side of the scale]] that they are SeriousBusiness, such a character would be seen as too aware for his own good, or a shot in the network's foot.

* In ''Film/CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind'', Roy Neary has ''Days of our Lives'' on when he's building the model of Devil's Tower in his living room, though he doesn't seem to really be watching it.

-->-- ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'', "Real Me"

It's possible that this trope will [[DeadHorseGenre die]] out in America and become a ForgottenTrope in the next decade. Five of the nine American daytime serials airing have been canceled since 2007 (''{{Passions}}'', ''GuidingLight'', ''AsTheWorldTurns'', ''AllMyChildren'', and ''OneLifeToLive''). Only ''DaysOfOurLives,'' ''TheYoungAndTheRestless,'' ''TheBoldAndTheBeautiful,'' and ''GeneralHospital'' remain, and many say they're on their last legs anyway.

* When not being a psychotic gunslinger, Revy of ''BlackLagoon'' likes watching soap operas.

* In ''CloseEncountersOfTheThirdKind'', Roy Neary has ''Days of our Lives'' on when he's building the model of Devil's Tower in his living room, though he doesn't seem to really be watching it.

* In an episode of ''[[That70sShow That '70s Show]]'', an out-of-work and depressed Red Foreman becomes obsessed with a soap opera as a symbol of how hard he's having it.

* In ''TheWestWing'' the President was sick and ended up watching a soap, making remarks like "Don't any of these people have jobs?" and "That woman has changed her clothes a lot for one afternoon". When it switched to a Springer/Lake type show, he hopes none of the guests vote.
* In one episode of {{Psych}} "Lights, camera, homicidio" we found out that pretty much everyone is a fan of a daytime drama, a telly novella called 'Explosion Gigantesca de Romance'. Shawn's the only one not addicted, and he ends up starring in it as 'Chad'.
* On ''ThirdRockFromTheSun'', the Big Giant Head finds out about sex from watching a soap opera. ("I want to do that. I want to do what Drake is doing to Amanda's sister.")
* In a rare female example of this trope, Amy Matthews on ''BoyMeetsWorld'' is shown to be one to highlight her boredom with being a housewife. This prompts Eric to convince her to get out and do something. Later in the episode, Cory becomes this after getting fired from the work-study program.

* When a teacher's strike suspends school on ''TheSimpsons'', lowlife bully Jimbo spends the extra time watching the soaps with his mom: "I just can't believe Starr would stoop to that...right in the middle of Montana and Dakota's wedding!"
* In the ''PhineasAndFerb'' episode "Oil On Candace", [[AnimalSuperhero Perry the Platypus]] is shown to sit on the couch, eat snacks, and weep over soaps when his family isn't home.

* In an episode of ''AsToldByGinger,'' Carl and Hoodsie are cleaning a house to earn some extra money. Hoodsie is seen watching a Spanish soap, which Carl turns off.

* ''SportsIllustrated'' once did an article on athletes coping with boredom while recovering from season-ending injuries, and at least one mentioned watching soap operas.

See also ExplainingTheSoap. Compare and contrast {{Hikikomori}}.

See also ExplainingTheSoap.

* Averted with Spike on ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' who was shown enjoying ''{{Passions}}'' on several episodes and it wasn't shown as something he genuinely enjoyed and appreciated, indicating he had liked it before becoming a pathetic, crypt-dweller. Since he's a vampire, daytime soaps may have been like late-night TV for him. Possibly.