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Soaperizing: Difference between revisions
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{{trope}}
A non-[[Soap Opera]] narrative with special interest in the relationships of the characters rather than their heroic exploits. This trope can apply to any work of fiction: a [[Vampire Detective Series]], a [[Humongous Mecha]] [[Anime]], a [[Historical Fiction|historical]] [[Thriller]], or what-have-you. Movies and television which invent all-new superheroes quite often take this route (either that or they go the "realistic" route, [[Not Wearing Tights|without costumes]]). Usually it has a [[Lighter and Fluffier|"softer"]] feel and much more screen time devoted to getting to know the characters and their individual strengths and foibles and on their "civilian" activities. Relationships change and develop over time, and much of the show's driving force comes not from plot but <s>[[Melodrama]]</s> simple interactions.
It's not uncommon for such series to [[Filler|"take a break"]] from the normal heroics to have an episode of pure characterization ([[Comic Book]] fans have long nicknamed these "baseball issues") or to eschew the heroics/doctoring/detecting entirely in favor of other soap opera staples like the [[Soap Wheel]] and [[Four Lines, All Waiting]]. In the case of <s>soaperheroes</s> superheroes, part of the drama will derive from separating hero and civilian identities with [[You Cannot Please Everyone|romantic complications.]] Anime [[Beach Episode|beach episodes]], when not entirely devoted to [[Fan Service]], can be a form of this trope.
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== [[Comic Books]] ==
* [[Captain America (comics)]] tends to get all angsty about young sidekicks (particularly regarding Rick Jones) because Bucky "died" (Winter Soldier is a long story for another time) while his sidekick. This also explains his early animosity towards the [[Young Avengers]]. Similarly, Cap's own comic book made commentary on '40s vs. "modern" (whatever time period we're in) American values.
* [[Spider-Man|Peter Parker]] is the posterboy of this, apt considering he's probably the tropemaker.
* ''[[Empowered]]'' and ''[[Ultra]]'' come to mind.
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== [[Live Action TV]] ==
* ''[[Soap]]'' of course.
* ''[[Heroes (TV series)|Heroes]]'', at first anyway. The third season so far seems to be focusing almost entirely on superheroics.
* ''[[No Heroics]]'' is a British comedy about a group of four B-list superhero friends who hang out at a superhero pub. No heroics are ever seen onscreen, with petty larceny being far more common.
** The pub specifically has a "No Powers" rule.
** Also ''[[My Hero (TV)]]''. He performs heroics, but never on camera.
* ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]],'' though it's usually [[Negative Space Wedgie]] [[Monster of the Week|Of The Week]].
* ''[[Battlestar Galactica Reimagined]]'': Half of its plots revolve around interpersonal relationships, [[Executive Meddling|though they went overboard with it in the latter half of season two and third quarter of season three.]] They pulled a few superb conclusions to those seasons to make up for the dip in form luckily enough, and the show was at its best mixing genres and usually had the balance right.
** Its prequel/spin-off series, ''[[Caprica]]'', shifts even further in the direction of soap opera / family-based drama, while retaining a penchant for larger dramatic themes. The result is a very different show.
* ''[[Stargate Universe]]'' is sometimes accused of this (and, tellingly, is also accused at times of being a ''[[Battlestar Galactica]]'' ripoff).
* While ''[[The Tick (animation)]]'' was more of a sitcom-type then 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 [[Fetish Fuel|naked pictures of Captain Liberty]]".
* ''[[24]]''. Whenever there's a couple real-time minutes to fill between Jack's latest action scene or torture technique? You can bet someone in either CTU in the White House be interrupting all their important business to talk about a coworker's feelings.
* ''[[Lois and Clark]]: The New Adventures of [[Superman]]'' caught a lot of flack in its day for being more like "''[[Moonlighting]]'' with superheroes" than other Superman shows, which were traditionally more action-oriented.
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