History Main / Soaperizing

* In interviews before the premiere of Series/{{Angel}}, Creator/JossWhedon said the spin-off ''Angel'' would be a "case of the week"-type show, and not a soap opera like ''Buffy''. It ended up becoming a '''bigger''' soap opera, with multiple love triangles, {{Shot Reverse Shot}}s of people standing around in rooms and rehashing [[YoyoPlotPoint old plot points]], Angel's son going from a baby to teenager and [[spoiler:sleeping with Cordelia]], etc.

%%%%%* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration,''

%%* ProfessionalWrestling has often been called "Soap Operas for guys."

%%%%* ''Comicbook/IncredibleHulk'', especially in TheSeventies and early Eighties.

%%%%* Also ''Series/MyHero''. He performs heroics, but never on camera.

-->-- '''Bode Locke''' from ''ComicBook/LockeAndKey''

It's not uncommon for such series to [[{{Filler}} "take a break"]] from the normal heroics to have an episode of pure characterization (ComicBook fans have long nicknamed these "baseball issues") or to eschew the heroics/doctoring/detecting entirely in favor of other soap opera staples like the SoapWheel and FourLinesAllWaiting. In the case of superheroes, part of the drama will derive from separating hero and civilian identities with romantic complications. Anime {{beach episode}}s, when not entirely devoted to {{Fanservice}}, can be a form of this trope.

-->--'''Bode Locke''' from ''ComicBook/LockeAndKey''

* ProfessionalWrestling has often [[FanNickname been called]] "Soap Operas for guys."

* ''Anime/RinneNoLagrange'' is definitely more about the relationship between Madoka, Lan and Muginami than about outright mecha action.

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[[folder: Comic Books ]]

[[folder: Fan Fiction ]]

* Pokemon fanfic 'Fanfic/OlivineRomance'. The usual Pokemon and Pokemon battles are relegated to subplot status while the human's drama and romances take center stage.

[[folder: Film ]]

* The ''Film/{{Scream}}'' series is notable for this in the {{slasher|Movie}} genre, with a heavy focus on the characters, their relationships, and their backstories. [[Film/{{Scream 1996}} The first film]] actually saw ExecutiveMeddling to add a death to the middle of the film, as outside the two opening kills, there were no deaths for the first hour in the original script.

[[folder: Literature ]]

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

* ''Series/LoisAndClark: The New Adventures of {{Superman}}'' caught a lot of flack in its day for being more like "''Series/{{Moonlighting}}'' with superheroes" than other Superman shows, which were traditionally more action-oriented.
* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' has always focused on interpersonal drama to a bit higher degree than, say, ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', in later seasons the story-to-angst balance was tipped ''far'' towards angst, even after [[LoveTriangle Lana]] was PutOnABus.

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%%[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* ComicBook/GreenLanterns devotes one issue to Simon telling his mom he's a superhero, and another to detailing Jessica's everyday struggle with anxiety.

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

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* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' has always focused on interpersonal drama to a bit higher degree than, say, ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', in later seasons the story-to-sitting-around-{{wangst}}ing balance was tipped ''far'' in the wrong direction, even after [[RomanticPlotTumor Lana]] was PutOnABus.

* ''Series/TheOfficeUS'' had this especially during Season4 and early Season 9 what with the drama over Jim and Pam and the Dwight-Angela-Andy LoveTriangle. Season 9 also leaned heavily in this direction, with the Halpert marriage becoming rocky, Angela becoming TheBeard for a gay politician, Dwight suspecting he's the father of Angela's child, and Andy deciding to break into show business.

* ''Series/TheOfficeUS'' had this especially during season four and early season five what with the drama over Jim and Pam and the Dwight-Angela-Andy LoveTriangle.

** Some would say yes. ''Anime/EurekaSeven'''s first half certainly thinks so, and the middle section of ''Anime/RahXephon'' also has these traits.
** ''Anime/RinneNoLagrange'' is definitely more about the relationship between Madoka, Lan and Muginami than about outright mecha action.

* A lot of Anime fit this description. ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'' comes to mind, quite a few episodes of the Anime had no action at all.
* ''Manga/RozenMaiden''. Given that this is pretty much a {{Moe}} series, it's not surprising.

%%* ''Manga/GunslingerGirl'' is somewhat like this.

* [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker]] was the original poster-boy of this, apt considering he's probably the tropemaker.

* ''ComicBook/{{Empowered}}'' and ''Ultra'' come to mind.
* ''ComicBook/NobleCauses'' is a SoapOpera where the characters just happen to have super powers.
* ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}''. Yes, the plot really is the driving force, but we wouldn't have the whole Nico/Karolina/Xavin subplot if it wasn't at all Soaperheroes.

* ''Young Heroes in Love'', a short-lived DC Comic.
* Exemplified by Creator/ChrisClaremont's work on the ''ComicBook/XMen''.
* Likewise, Creator/MarvWolfman's work on ''ComicBook/TeenTitans'', especially in the 80s.

* ''Comicbook/IncredibleHulk'', especially in TheSeventies and early Eighties.
* Done regularly in ''ComicBook/StrikeforceMorituri'', given the character-driven nature of the series.
* ''ComicBook/ScottPilgrim'' has a lot of character drama for a mostly action series.

* ''Series/{{Soap}}'' of course.
* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', at first anyway. The third season so far seems to be focusing almost entirely on superheroics.
* Also ''Series/MyHero''. He performs heroics, but never on camera.
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration,'' though it's usually NegativeSpaceWedgie [[MonsterOfTheWeek Of The Week]].

* ''Series/StargateUniverse'' is sometimes accused of this (and, tellingly, is also accused at times of being a ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'' ripoff).

** Though ''Series/{{Smallville}}'' has always focused on interpersonal drama to a bit higher degree than, say, ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'', in later seasons the story-to-sitting-around-{{wangst}}ing balance was tipped ''far'' in the wrong direction, even after [[RomanticPlotTumor Lana]] was PutOnABus.

* The complaint of soaperization was frequently levied at ''Series/TheOfficeUS'', especially during season four and early season five (what with the drama over Jim and Pam and the Dwight-Angela-Andy LoveTriangle).

* On ''Series/{{JAG}}'', this trend began to accelerate in the second and third seasons.
* ''Series/NoHeroics''. The clue's in the title.

* Techincally, this is part game mechanic for ''Franchise/ShinMegamiTensei'' ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' as the player not only goes through an EasternRPG with DatingSim elements. And it's become a CashCowFranchise and brought Atlus into the mainstream English videogame market.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', though not precisely superheroes, a mix of {{Deconstruction}}, parody, soaperheroics and BlackComedy.

* Techincally, this is part game mechanic for ''ShinMegamiTensei'' ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' as the player not only goes through an EasternRPG with DatingSim elements. And it's become a CashCowFranchise and brought Atlus into the mainstream English videogame market.

* The ''Franchise/{{Scream}}'' series is notable for this in the {{slasher|Movie}} genre, with a heavy focus on the characters, their relationships, and their backstories. [[Film/{{Scream 1996}} The first film]] actually saw ExecutiveMeddling to add a death to the middle of the film, as outside the two opening kills, there were no deaths for the first hour in the original script.

* [[Franchise/SpiderMan Peter Parker]] is the posterboy of this, apt considering he's probably the tropemaker.

* Techincally, this is part game mechanic for ''ShinMegamiTensei'' ''VideoGame/{{Persona 3}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Persona 4}}'' as the player not only goes through an EasternRPG with DatingSim elements. And it's become a CashCowFranchise and brought Atlus into the mainstream english videogame market.

* ''Manga/GunslingerGirl'' is somewhat like this.

* While ''Series/TheTick'' was more of a sitcom-type than a soap-type, it rarely showed the superheroes fighting, instead throwing them in plots like "meeting new heroes in an abusive relationship" or "suing the magazine that displayed naked pictures of Captain Liberty".

%%* ''Liteture/WildCards'', in places.

* [[{{Spider-Man}} Peter Parker]] is the posterboy of this, apt considering he's probably the tropemaker.

* ''InterviewingLeather'' focuses primarily on the interview of the supervillainess rather than seeing her in action.

* While ''Series/TheTick'' was more of a sitcom-type than a soap-type, it rarely showed the superheroes fighting, instead throwing them in plots like "meeting new heroes in an abusive relationship" or "suing the magazine that displayed [[FetishFuel naked pictures of Captain Liberty]]".

* Exemplified by Creator/ChrisClaremont's work on the ''ComicBook/{{X-Men}}''.