Happy families

Soapie writers have a lot to think about when it comes to bringing in new characters.

- Genevieve Terblanche

New characters are the lifeblood of soapies – they expose unexpected aspects of existing characters and allow our local soapies to showcase different cultures and languages. They give us someone new to watch and can even balance out racial, social and financial imbalances that have developed in shows. And above all, they prevent character fatigue. After a favourite character has been shot, abducted, drug addicted, undergone religious conversion, cheated, had six children, eight weddings and been possessed by the devil, we do start to wonder how on Earth they can still be standing. But there’s nothing quite as risky in a soapie as bringing in a new family and nothing more likely to make viewers ask, “Who do you think you are? Get lost!” New characters steal attention from old favourites and if writers get the balance wrong, they can dilute the “flavour” of the soapie. It takes a lot of thought to create the perfect introduction.