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| Definitions | |
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Supercouples are defined as popular or financially wealthy pairings that are widely admired in an intense or obsessive fashion and influence society's expectations of what a great love story or relationship should be; they may or may not be romantic or high-profile,[1][13][14] but are often culturally significant.[1][2][7][15] Their existence takes form in various incarnations, and interest in the pairings is usually due to a combination of chemistry, physical attractiveness, and a seemingly "meant-to-be" union, the latter of which often provides the public with a love story to live vicariously through.[1]
The term first appeared in 1981, with the wedding of General Hospital's Luke and Laura.[16] 30 million viewers tuned into the event,[5][6] and the widespread media attention it received from prominent newspapers and magazines set the pairing up as "the model" for soap opera supercouples.[2][17][4] The "model" Luke and Laura originally followed consisted of action stories, romance, and obstacles for the couple to overcome.[2][3][17] This paradigm subsequently became ideal of fictional soap opera supercouples in America, and extended to other genres. In Queer TV: Framing Sexualities On US Television, Nancy Martin says, "Actively desiring heterosexual pairs not bent on reproduction became a required advertising device and a narratological mainstay on daytime and primetime."[16] In Russian Television Today, David MacFadyen concludes, "Even the busiest, most rambling soap operas are often neatly and conclusively distilled in the public's mind by a 'supercouple' or tiny, central pair of protagonists."[18] Luke and Laura's popularity resulted in fictional supercouples generally being regarded as soulmates.[2] The pairings have typically overcome numerous obstacles or significant strife in order to be together.[1][2]
Though a successful model, the term has been criticized for hindering the growth of characters' relationships with other love interests; this has resulted in alternate definitions for the concept. In her essay criticism of the term, The Siren Call of the Super Couple (ed. Suzanne Frentz, 1992), Diana Reep describes the love of a supercouple as "so perfect that they are incapable of having romantic feelings for anyone else under any circumstances. In addition, the two have no personal flaws or idiosyncrasies that could interfere with their perfect love. Only an evil, outside force could disturb their relationship".[2]
Celebrity couples may also be regarded as supercouples. Celebrity pairings who fascinate and inspire intense interest are commonly termed "supercouples" or "power couples".[10][19][20][21] Interest in the pairings ranges from media and public obsession to calculation of the couples' combined finances.[19][21]
Not all supercouples inspire positive influence. The "dangerous love" of Depression-era gangsters Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker (popularly known as Bonnie and Clyde) has maintained an enduring international popularity in film, television, music and poetry. In 1967, a film based on their relationship was released and cemented the duo's impact on popular culture. Their romance was tragic, with a graphic death. This and "their ceaseless appeal" resulted in the couple's status as an American legend.[7][22] Writer Joseph Geringer, in his article Bonnie and Clyde: Romeo and Juliet in a Getaway Car, explained part of their appeal to the public then, and their enduring legend now. "Americans thrilled to their 'Robin Hood' adventures," he said. "The presence of a female, Bonnie, escalated the sincerity of their intentions to make them something unique and individual—even at times heroic."[22]
[edit] Tags:Fictional,Soap Opera,General Hospital,Popular Culture,Primetime,Celebrity,Edit,Physical Attractiveness,Paradigm,Narratological,Soulmates,Depression-era,Clyde Barrow And Bonnie Parker,A Film Based On Their Relationship,Romeo And Juliet,Robin Hood,Time, | |
| Internet and media trends | |
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Fans often use portmanteaux to refer to their favorite couples on online message boards, a significant aspect of the "shipping fandom". The "shipping fandom" scene, whose name is derived from the word "relationship", is a general term for fans' emotional or intellectual involvement with the ongoing development of romance in a work of fiction. Though technically applicable to any such involvement, it refers chiefly to various related social dynamics observable on the Internet, and is seldom used outside of that context. "Shipping" can involve virtually any kind of relationship — from the well-known and established, to the ambiguous or those undergoing development, and even to the highly improbable and the blatantly impossible. People involved in shipping (or shippers) assert that the relationship does exist, will exist, or simply that they would like it to exist.
"Portmanteaux first came about with Lewis Carroll" as a way to blend words, stated Jonathan Gabay, author of the Copywriter's Compendium — a reference guide to the English language.[9] Gabay added that people blend words in this fashion because sometimes there are words an individual wants, but those words do not actually exist. "There's a feeling you are trying to get out," he said.[9] For fictional pairings, examples showcase themselves as Logan and Veronica (Veronica Mars) becomes "LoVe," Josh and Reva (Guiding Light) becomes "Jeva," Jack and Kate (Lost) becomes "Jate," Michael and Sara (Prison Break) becomes "MiSa," and so on. Some couples are given more complex portmanteaux; on (How I Met Your Mother), the pairing of Barney and Robin is referred to as "BROTP", incorporating their initials, their platonic status as "bros", and the popular fandom term OTP. Seth Cohen of the show The O.C. parodied name-blending trends when he talked about real couples' overexposure to one another; he wondered whether or not his pairing with Summer Roberts would be called "Summereth" or "Sethummer".[23]
Gabay said portmanteaux "...giv[e] people an essence of who they are within the same name. In double-barrelled names, the hyphen is almost pushing one name away from the other. Meshing says 'I am you and you are me', which is rather romantic".[9] Occasionally, even anti-fans come up with names for couples, such as General Hospital's Sonny Corinthos and Emily Quartermaine. The unpopular pairing of the mob boss and his enforcer's sweet younger sister became known as "Soily".[24] Similarly, name-blending exists with celebrities' first names. Said to be a sign of commitment and togetherness, meshing is also seen by some as an attempt to banish what might be considered a "sexist" tradition of a woman taking her husband's name when she marries.[9]
In other Internet trends, fans often take part in making fan videos (also referred to as fanvids, a compilation of favorite scenes stylishly intercut as music videos or other various forms of entertainment) and writing fanfiction (alternative endings and stories to the original story's outcome) for their favorite pairings. Sites such as YouTube and Fanfiction.net help to facilitate this.[25][26]
[edit] Tags:Portmanteaux,Message Boards,Shipping Fandom,Lewis Carroll,Logan,Veronica,Veronica Mars,Josh And Reva,Guiding Light,Jack,Kate,Lost,Michael,Sara,Prison Break,How I Met Your Mother,Fandom,Seth Cohen,The O.c.,Summer Roberts,Anti-fans,Sonny Corinthos,Emily Quartermaine,Fan Videos,Music Videos,Fanfiction,Youtube,Fanfiction.net,People, | |
| Origins | |
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See also: List of soap opera supercouples
According to American soap opera writer and romance novelist Leah Laiman, soap operas are most well known and remembered for romance.[27] The romances in daytime dramas are significantly characterized by bringing couples together, splitting them up, and starting the cycle over again to ensure that viewers remain invested in the pairings if popular. This is a strategy that often succeeds within the medium.[27] A supercouple storyline is typically detailed by the couple facing seemingly insurmountable challenges, such as a difference in social class, strong family interference, simple disagreements, marriages to other people, children with other people, etc.[2][28]
Two characters comprising a supercouple will usually reunite and marry,[2][28] while the most significant obstacle for the pairing is the soap opera genre itself; as soap operas typically continue for decades, there is no closure for the pairing unless both characters leave the show together or one of them dies. It is because of this, that after the usual fairytale wedding, if the supercouple remains on the series, writers do not allow the item to live happily ever after as a couple in a fairy tale would but rather subject them to a continual cycle of being separated and reunited. This factor has contributed to two characters of a supercouple normally divorcing and re-marrying each other a few or several times.[2][28] Author Diana Reep argues that the supercouple phenomenon creates "serious storyline problems" for producers and writers due to characters being destined for only one lover:
The problem supercouples create for storytellers is that, as characters, therefore, they are unchanging in a narrative form that emphasizes evolving characters and relationships... and as ideals, supercouples bring closure to a relationship in a world that is based in continuing expectations of change.[2]
Creators within the medium generally focus more on the benefits of supercouples rather than the potential problems the pairings can produce. Former One Life to Live co-head writer Josh Griffith said, "What's key to the success of a show is passionate, romantic storytelling and pairings, and that's what creates a supercouple."[15] He added that supercouples embody love and passion.[15]
[edit] Tags:Romance Novelist,Leah Laiman,Social Class,Fairy Tale,One Life To Live,Josh Griffith, | |
| Legends | |
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Though the term was not coined until the early 1980s, and early supercouples could be noted as Jeff Baker and Penny Hughes[29] and Bob and Lisa Hughes on As the World Turns, the first supercouple is primarily considered to be Doug Williams and Julie Olson from Days of our Lives.[30] From 1970 until 1976, Doug and Julie's relationship wavers between love and hate. The chemistry the portrayers exhibited became evident offscreen; the real-life couple, Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth, were married in 1974.[31] This set off a commotion among thousands of fans, who wrote endless letters to the show asking that the couple also be allowed to marry in the story. Since the actors were already married, they felt this was a valid request.[31] NBC worked the tension and lengthened the anticipation of the wedding but eventually caved into the audience's pressure. Doug and Julie are married in October 1976 within the series.[31] They are the first soap opera characters to appear on the cover of Time magazine.[32][33]
Luke Spencer and Laura Webber, portrayed by Anthony Geary and Genie Francis from General Hospital, are considered the most famous soap opera supercouple. Their romance enthralled viewers; when they wed on November 16, 1981, American daytime television recorded its highest-ever ratings, with 30 million people tuning in to watch them say "I do."[5] Elizabeth Taylor made a cameo appearance during the wedding,[3][34][35][5] and Princess Diana reportedly sent champagne.[5] The couple were featured on the covers of People and Newsweek and credited with having brought "legitimacy to daytime serials" and its fans by crossing boundaries and becoming celebrities in the mainstream media.[3] As a result, Luke and Laura have become regarded as daytime television's quintessential and most iconic couple.[1] While Guiding Light has the smallest number of supercouples, the series still had prominent pairings, notably Quint and Nola,[36] as well as Josh and Reva, one of the central supercouples from the 1980s onward.[15] In 1982, All My Children's Jesse and Angie became the first African American supercouple.[37][38][39][40]
"Dirty" Den and Angie Watts, portrayed by Leslie Grantham and Anita Dobson on the British soap opera EastEnders, generated an audience response similar to Luke and Laura's. Den and Angie are renowned as arguably Britain's most iconic soap opera couple, having broken the record for episode ratings to 30.1 million viewers in 1986 on the episode of their divorce, a record that remains unbeaten by any British soap opera episode today.[41]
[edit] Tags:Luke Spencer And Laura Webber,Mainstream,Bob And Lisa Hughes,As The World Turns,Doug Williams And Julie Olson,Days Of Our Lives,Bill Hayes,Susan Seaforth,Nbc,Anthony Geary,Genie Francis,Elizabeth Taylor,Cameo Appearance,Princess Diana,Newsweek,Iconic, | |
| Golden Age: 1980s | |
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The 1980s is known as the "Golden Age" of supercouples.[42] Shows such as All My Children, As the World Turns and along with the aforementioned General Hospital and Days of our Lives were well known for their supercouples. Days of our Lives in particular had a significant number of supercouples — Bo and Hope,[15] Shane and Kimberly,[43] Steve and Kayla[15] and Jack and Jennifer all going on at roughly the same time. The show soon featured John and Marlena.[44] All My Children was represented by Cliff and Nina,[45] Greg and Jenny,[46] Jesse and Angie,[37][38][39][40] and later by Tad and Dixie.[47]
As the World Turns had the popular couples Holden and Lily,[13] Craig and Sierra, Tom and Margo,[48] and Steve and Betsy with Betsy Stewart being portrayed by future star Meg Ryan.[49] Along with Luke and Laura, General Hospital also boasted Alan and Monica and Frisco and Felicia.[2] At the same time, Santa Barbara introduced another supercouple, Eden and Cruz Castillo.[15]
The supercouple phenomenon spread to foreign shores, with Scott and Charlene, portrayed by Jason Donovan and Kylie Minogue on the Australian soap opera Neighbours.[50] The success of their romance prompted a fellow Australian daytime drama Home and Away to shelve out their own supercouple, Shane and Angel,[50] and Den and Angie from EastEnders emerged as Britain's most famous soap opera couple.[41]
Sheraton Kalouria, NBC's Vice President of Daytime Programming, said she believes in the "it" factor regarding fictional couples. "It's hard to imagine Bo and Hope as a supercouple and divorce that from the magnetic chemistry of Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso," she stated.[15] "Or Cruz and Eden from Santa Barbara days and A Martinez and Marcy Walker. Or McKenzie Westmore as Sheridan and Galen Gering as Luis, if I might be so bold as to dub them a supercouple. Actors bring a huge excitement to [their pairing]."[15]
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| Popular, traditional, and altered setups | |
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Popular couplings on soap operas exist today, but there are few termed "supercouples" by fans or the soap opera media.[15] Usually, the term is reminiscent of the 1970s and 1980s. As such, supercouples that are still on serials today are mostly from the 1980s, or at the latest, the early 1990s. After the mid-1990s, the supercouple phenomenon slowly faded and the nature of soap operas today allows few couples to define the nature of the show anymore as original supercouples once did.[15]
Days of our Lives executive producer Ken Corday said that while he feels that "love in the afternoon" is still important to the genre, he takes exception with the supercouple title. "It disappeared from my vocabulary when Al Rabin left the show," he said.[15] Rabin, Corday's former supervising producer, had continually credited the word as the secret to the show's success.[15] "By definition, supercouple excludes others on the show," said Corday. "Every time they walk into a room, every other character, no matter how important, becomes window dressing, I've never believed in it. Either people are involved in a good story or they're not. They're an interesting couple or they're not."[15] All My Children and One Life to Live creator Agnes Nixon argued, "It is still a vital component whenever possible."[15] She stressed the importance of creating "young love [stories], the Romeo and Juliet" of tomorrow.[15]
Shows have attempted to revive the success of supercouples through modern couples. There are instances where a character becomes a part of two popular pairings, where both couples which include the character develop the same or close to the same amount of positive fan reaction from viewers. This causes a certain rivalry between the two couples, with both vying for the title of supercouple. An example of this was especially evident with the mid 1990s storyline of General Hospital's Sonny Corinthos, Brenda Barrett, and Jasper "Jax" Jacks, often referred to as "the hottest love triangle in soap opera history" by the soap opera media.[51] The couple combinations within the love triangle were equally in demand, and which of the two is the "actual supercouple" remains in dispute. Though debated, both couples are referenced and listed as supercouples by the soap opera medium.[52][53][54] Yahoo! TV stated that "...Vanessa Marcil’s coupling with Benard, gave 'GH' its first legitimate heir to the 'Luke and Laura' throne of soap coupledom". The article commented that Marcil’s Brenda Barrett character, "a spoiled, troubled beauty drawn to danger and dangerous men" created "... explosive sparks" with Corinthos, who was rumored to be involved in crime. The Yahoo article argued that this type of supercouple "... has not been seen on daytime television in some time — if ever", and that, "along with the return of Luke and Laura after a decade-long absence", it created a "second golden age" for soaps as "the daytime appointment television".[55] The Sonny character eventually acquired second supercouple status in the pairing of Sonny and Carly, becoming a part of two successful on-screen romances.[56]
In other instances, a character is part of two equally popular couplings, but the storyline does not lend itself to the scenario being referred to as a love triangle. Samantha "Sami" Brady of the soap opera Days of our Lives is romantically desired by the two men, Lucas Roberts and EJ Wells. However, she was not considered to be actively involved in a love triangle, and both couples (Lucas and Sami and EJ and Sami) resonate with fans and appear to be at least equal in comparison and popularity.[57]
In today's soap opera medium, there are couples which come close to gaining supercouple status in terms of popularity. Although these pairings have perceived chemistry and potential, the couple's story is cut short, often due to the actors leaving to pursue jobs outside of soap operas or due to the writers changing direction in a storyline. These couples do not last long enough onscreen to garner the long history of what is often considered a genuine supercouple. Such couples include Leo and Greenlee (All My Children),[58] Ryan and Gillian (All My Children),[59] Dusty and Lucy (As the World Turns), Simon and Katie (As the World Turns),[15] Robin and Stone (General Hospital), Jonathan and Tammy (Guiding Light), and Todd and Téa (One Life to Live).[60][61]
Soap opera columnist Carolyn Aspenson stated that the "supercouple formula" should be redefined. She argued that tragic couples such as Leo and Greenlee are a better love story than if they had stayed together with a "boring" everyday life.[62] "A super couple shouldn’t be designed to be a couple that beats the odds and sticks it out no matter what," she said.[62] "We’re left with nothing on those terms. Instead, try redefining a super couple by the intensity of their love, their loss and their ability to move on without their other half. It leaves us frustrated, heartbroken and yearning for more. To me, that is the definition of a super couple."[62]
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| Gay and lesbian | |
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Soap operas traditionally featured only heterosexual romance and true love. For American soap opera, this began to change with characters Bianca Montgomery, Lena Kundera, and Maggie Stone from All My Children.[63][64] Bianca's unveiling as a lesbian marked uncharted territory for daytime television. By being a core character and the daughter of legendary diva Erica Kane, "the show initiated an innovative discourse about the possibility, location, and representation of lesbian and gay characters in a television genre historically predicated on the celebration of heterosexual courtship, romance, and family life".[65]
In 2003, Bianca's relationship with Lena resulted in American daytime's first lesbian kiss.[66][63][67] The two became American daytime's first lesbian couple, and received significant press.[63][66] Though Lena and Bianca's romance was well-received, popular, and the couple became responsible for several historic moments within daytime television,[63] it was Bianca's relationship with close confidante Maggie that thoroughly captivated viewers.[64] The romance was considered especially unique due to the show's insistence that Maggie was not gay; the show's insistence did not deter viewers from wanting the two romantically paired, and they often wrote in to the network (ABC) pleading and demanding that Bianca and Maggie become an official item.[68][69] Eventually, hints that Maggie might not be heterosexual started to appear throughout the series, complicated by Maggie insisting that she is not gay but is rather "into guys" and only guys. The audience saw this as a case of a woman in denial of her sexual orientation. Fan mail for the Bianca and Maggie pairing was prominent.[64] The show continued to tease the audience with subtext that implied that the two romantically desired each other, which included friendly and intimate kisses between the two characters. Bianca and Maggie's scenes were often written so that the pair would be on the verge of becoming a couple, even with declarations of clear romantic love from one to the other, but never quite making it there.
Bianca and Maggie in a promotional commercial used to entice viewers during the couple's reign of ambiguity.
This coy approach by the writers infuriated viewers, but they remained entranced by the pairing. The couple's popularity grew beyond soap opera press, as newspapers and television magazines became fascinat Tags: | |
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