Supercouple: Difference between revisions
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*[[Frisco Jones and Felicia Cummings|Frisco and Felicia]], ''[[General Hospital]]'' [http://www.filmbug.com/db/344249] |
*[[Frisco Jones and Felicia Cummings|Frisco and Felicia]], ''[[General Hospital]]'' [http://www.filmbug.com/db/344249] |
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*[[Luke Spencer and Laura Webber|Luke and Laura]], ''[[General Hospital]]'' [http://www.tvfanonline.com/index.php?module=Pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=2&pid=80] |
*[[Luke Spencer and Laura Webber|Luke and Laura]], ''[[General Hospital]]'' [http://www.tvfanonline.com/index.php?module=Pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=2&pid=80] |
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*[[Sonny and Carly Corinthos|Sonny and Carly]], ''[[General Hospital]]'' [http://generalhospital.about.com/cs/recaps/a/pointofview1_2.htm] |
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*[[Josh Lewis and Reva Shayne|Josh and Reva]], ''[[Guiding Light]]'' [http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/64420/the_rise_and_fall_of_the_supercouple.html&] |
*[[Josh Lewis and Reva Shayne|Josh and Reva]], ''[[Guiding Light]]'' [http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/64420/the_rise_and_fall_of_the_supercouple.html&] |
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*[[Quint Chamberlain and Nola Reardon|Quint and Nola]], ''[[Guiding Light]]'' [http://soaps.about.com/library/prm/nosearch/blsubscribers_news4.htm] |
*[[Quint Chamberlain and Nola Reardon|Quint and Nola]], ''[[Guiding Light]]'' [http://soaps.about.com/library/prm/nosearch/blsubscribers_news4.htm] |
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*[[Todd Manning and Blair Cramer|Todd and Blair]], ''[[One Life to Live]]'' [http://onelifetolive.about.com/library/prm/blpkwaddle_012902.htm] |
*[[Todd Manning and Blair Cramer|Todd and Blair]], ''[[One Life to Live]]'' [http://onelifetolive.about.com/library/prm/blpkwaddle_012902.htm] |
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*[[Victor Newman and Nikki Reed|Victor and Nikki]], ''[[The Young and the Restless]]'' [http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA%2FMGArticle%2FLNA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149189641462&path=!burg] |
*[[Victor Newman and Nikki Reed|Victor and Nikki]], ''[[The Young and the Restless]]'' [http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA%2FMGArticle%2FLNA_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149189641462&path=!burg] |
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*[[Nicholas Newman and Sharon Collins|Nick and Sharon]], ''[[The Young and the Restless]]'' [http://www.soapoperadigest.com/soapstarstats/sharoncasebio/] |
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==Primetime== |
==Primetime== |
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Revision as of 05:39, 15 June 2007
The term supercouple in American soap opera, having derived back in the early 1980's as a neologism for popular pairings seemingly super in union, has two distinctive meanings: The first is a romantic pairing on a program that becomes extremely popular with fans, captivates the audience's attention, exceeds the network's expectations and transcends the normal pairings on the show. Often, this pair will become a de facto symbol for the show itself, granting them the title of either elite, popular, or true supercouple. The second type of soap opera supercouple, while encompassing the same factor of fighting through turmoil for years and finding their way back together in the end as an elite supercouple would, do not have a significant pull on television ratings, therefore this type of couple is referred to as a regular supercouple. [1]
Being quite apparent within primetime dramas as well, though usually not as elaborate, the supercouple factor is not limited within soap operas. Extremely popular romances in film often naturally contribute to the supercouple angle as well [2], sometimes producing memorable catch phrases in which can be cited as "Here's looking at you, kid"..."Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn"..."You had me at hello"...etc. Certain celebrity couples may also carry the supercouple title. However, despite supercouples existing in other forms of media, it can be argued that the success of the term was greatly due to the soap opera genre.
Soap opera
Becoming a supercouple
Usually, a supercouple storyline will involve the initial courtship of the couple, with the couple facing seemingly insurmountable challenges via plot devices such as differing socio-economic backgrounds, family opposition, simple misunderstandings, marriages to other people, children with other people, etc. In the end, though, the two characters that make up the supercouple will usually reunite and marry. However, since the soap opera genre is neverending, there can be no happy ending unless both characters leave the show together. As a result, after the usual fairytale wedding, if the supercouple remains on the show, they cannot live happily ever after as a couple in a fairytale would, but rather they are subjected to a continual cycle of being separated and reunited. This often leads to two characters of a supercouple divorcing and re-marrying each other several times.
Notable supercouples
While the term was not coined until the early 1980s, the first soap opera supercouple was Doug Williams and Julie Olson on Days of our Lives. [3] From 1970 until 1976, the two characters wavered between love and animosity. The chemistry that the two actors exhibited became evident off-screen: the portrayers, Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth were married in 1974. Fans became emotionally invested in the possible couple. The characters were married in October 1976. Doug and Julie were also the first soap characters to grace the cover of Time Magazine. [4]
Perhaps the most famous supercouple is that of Luke Spencer and Laura Webber, played by Anthony Geary and Genie Francis on General Hospital. Their romance enthralled viewers, and, when they wed on November 16, 1981, daytime television
recorded its highest-ever ratings, with 30 million people tuning in to watch them say "I do". [5] As a result, Luke and Laura have arguably become daytime's quintessential and most iconic couple.
Supercouple Golden Age: The 1980s
The 1980s is known as the "Golden Age" of supercouples and shows such as All My Children (AMC), As The World Turns (ATWT) 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 particularly large amount of them, starting with Roman Brady and Marlena Evans, and continuing with - Bo and Hope, Shane and Kimberly, Steve and Kayla, and later Jack and Jennifer, the last supercouple of the golden era - all going on at roughly the same time.
All My Children was represented by Cliff and Nina, Greg and Jenny and Jesse and Angie, the first African-American supercouple.
As the World Turns had the immensely popular couples Craig and Sierra, Tom and Margo, and Steve and Betsy, with Betsy Stewart being played by future star Meg Ryan.
Along with Luke and Laura, General Hospital also boasted Alan and Monica and Frisco and Felicia.
The phenomenon even spread to foreign shores around this time, with Scott Robinson, played by Jason Donovan and Charlene Ramsay played by Kylie Minogue on the Australian soap Neighbours and "Dirty" Den and Angie Watts played by Leslie Grantham and Anita Dobson on the British soap Eastenders generating an audience response similar to that of the supercouples on American soaps. Den and Angie are renowned as arguably Britans most iconic soap couple, having broken the record for episode ratings to 30.1 million viewers on the episode of their divorce, a record that remains unbeaten by any British soap episode. [6]
Supercouples today
While there are many popular couplings on soap operas today, very few earn the right to be called a supercouple by fans and the soap media alike. Usually, the term is reminiscient of the 1970s and 1980s. As such, the few supercouples that are still on serials today were from the 1980s, or at the latest, the early 1990s. After that the supercouple phenomenon slowly faded and the nature of soaps today allows few characters and couples to truly define the nature of the show anymore, as the original supercouples once did.[7] Shows have attempted to revive the success of the supercouples through modern couples, but only a few such as Zach and Kendall (All My Children), J.R. and Babe (All My Children), Will and Gwen (As the World Turns), Lucas and Sami (Days of our Lives), Shawn and Belle (Days of our Lives), Lucky and Elizabeth (General Hospital), Rafe and Alison (Port Charles), have resonated with fans. Though these couples are popular with fans, they have yet to reach true "supercouple status." The case for couples such as Ethan and Theresa and Luis and Sheridan leaves their status as supercouples in doubt, as the soap opera on which they appear, Passions, didn't exist during the "supercouple era." However, the inordinate emphasis placed on them in the show, as well as their overwhelming popularity, suggests that (by at least Passions standards) they are supercouples.
In today's medium, there are couples which come close to gaining supercouple status in terms of popularity. Although these pairings have explosive chemistry and immense potential, the couple's story is cut short often due to the actors leaving to pursue jobs outside of soaps. These wildly popular couples simply don't last long enough on-screen to garner the long history of a true supercouple. Such couples include Leo and Greenlee (All My Children), Ryan and Gillian (All My Children), Dusty and Lucy (As The World Turns), Simon and Katie (As the World Turns), Jonathan and Tammy (Guiding Light) and Cristian Vega and Evangeline Williamson (One Life to Live). These couples were extremely popular with critics and fans and with time they arguably would have become beloved supercouples.
Soap opera supercouples
Below is a list of regarded past and present American soap opera supercouples:
- Cliff and Nina, All My Children [1]
- Greg and Jenny, All My Children [2]
- Jesse and Angie, All My Children [3]
- Tad and Dixie, All My Children [4]
- Craig and Sierra, As the World Turns [5]
- Holden and Lily, As the World Turns [6]
- Jack and Carly, As the World Turns [7]
- Steve and Betsy, As the World Turns [8]
- Tom and Margo, As the World Turns [9]
- Bo and Hope, Days of our Lives [10]
- Doug and Julie, Days of our Lives [11]
- Jack and Jennifer, Days of our Lives [12]
- John and Marlena, Days of our Lives [13]
- Shane and Kimberly, Days of our Lives [14]
- Steve and Kayla, Days of our Lives [15]
- Shawn and Belle,Days of our Lives
- Alan and Monica, General Hospital [16]
- Frisco and Felicia, General Hospital [17]
- Luke and Laura, General Hospital [18]
- Sonny and Carly, General Hospital [19]
- Josh and Reva, Guiding Light [20]
- Quint and Nola, Guiding Light [21]
- Roger and Holly, Guiding Light [22]
- Clint and Viki, One Life to Live [23]
- Todd and Blair, One Life to Live [24]
- Victor and Nikki, The Young and the Restless [25]
- Nick and Sharon, The Young and the Restless [26]
Primetime
Primetime supercouples, although at first combination might not seem to follow a formulaic road of courtship, often tend to have a paradigm as well, in which sometimes spins the occasional tragic love story. One such love story was that of Buffy and Angel, from the show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Voted Number 2 on IGN's list of top ten favorite television couples, the tear-jerker of a romance was described in all of its gloomy angst:
Buffy and Angel were the ultimate star crossed lovers. After all, when you're a Vampire Slayer, it hardly seems like the appropriate person to fall for would be a Vampire. But fall for Angel Buffy did, setting up one of the most involving and tragic love stories we can remember on TV. After all, it's pretty rare for one half of a great couple to go from gentle and caring to sadistic and murderous in the course of a single night…and spurred on by having sex with the girl he loves no less.
Of course, not all shows are apt for the telling of a tragic love story. For comedies, there's often the mismatched couple approach, and for dramas, there tends to be the will-they-won't-they setup. Cinemablend states, "There’s two general formulas for a will-they-wont-they setup. The first one is when one person pursues the other, then finally gives up and dates someone else, and the other scenario is when the two characters are so different and often do not get along with one another, they fight and argue constantly...but then one thing or a series of 'things' happen and they are forced to put up with each other," citing such popular couples as Buffy and Spike (of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Ross and Rachel (of the show Friends), Logan and Veronica (of the show Veronica Mars), etc. [10]
One of the greatest will-they-won't-they setups, arguably, was of the sexual-tension induced relationship of Agent Fox Mulder and Agent Dana Scully, from the show The X-Files. [11] [12] Mulder and Scully, two FBI agents investigating cases that involve the paranormal, bordered on the line of subtle hints of romance throughout the entire series, without ever being heavily romantically paired. While the excitement was there with waiting for Mulder and Scully to romantically commit to each other, when the two finally kissed in the year of 1999 after seven seasons of buildup, some viewers couldn't help but feel that the show waited too long for such an event, and were left wondering where to go from there. [13] [14] In this case, if a series goes on too long with sexual tension, the downside can be that when the couple finally begins their romance, the best part of watching that pair was all of the years of their will-they-won't-they game. Although, there are some viewers who will love such a situation under any circumstance.
With some fictional supercouples, soap opera or primetime, the couple might have either started out as unexpected, therefore not necessarily following a certain paradigm, but due to viewers citing the chemistry of the two, the show decides to pair the unlikely lovers.
Primetime supercouples
A list of some of the most notable supercouples in primetime follows:
- Archie and Edith Bunker from All in the Family [27]
- Dylan and Brenda from Beverly Hills 90210 [28]
- David and Donna from Beverly Hills 90210 [29]
- Booth and Bones from Bones [30]
- Cory Matthews and Topanga from Boy Meets World [31]
- Buffy and Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer [32]
- Sam and Diane from Cheers [33]
- Dharma and Greg from Dharma & Greg [34]
- Dawson and Joey from Dawson's Creek [35]
- Pacey and Joey from Dawson's Creek [36]
- Mike and Susan from Desperate Housewives [37]
- Ross and Rachel from Friends [38]
- Chandler Bing and Monica Geller from Friends [39]
- Luke and Lorelai from Gilmore Girls [40]
- James and Florida Evans from Good Times [41]
- Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd and Meredith from Grey's Anatomy [42]
- Ricky and Lucy from I Love Lucy [43]
- InuYasha and Kagome from InuYasha [44]
- Clark Kent and Lois Lane from Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman [45]
- Al and Peggy Bundy from Married...With Children [46]
- David Addison and Maddie Hayes from Moonlighting [47]
- Roseanne and Dan Conner from Roseanne [48]
- Zach and Kelly from Saved by the Bell [49]
- Homer and Marge Simpson from The Simpsons [50]
- Red and Kitty Forman from That '70s Show [51]
- Cliff and Clair Huxtable from The Cosby Show [52]
- Gerorge and Louise from the Jeffersons [53]
- Seth and Summer from The O.C. [54]
- Jim and Pam from The Office [55]
- Kevin and Winnie from The Wonder Years [56]
- Mulder and Scully from The X-Files [57]
- Logan and Veronica from Veronica Mars [58]
Non-romantic
- Felix and Oscar from The Odd Couple [59]
- Will and Grace from Will & Grace [60]
Film
Given that films inherently have a shorter amount of time in carrying out storylines, the task of convincing the audience that the two main lovers within that film are of true love can be somewhat daunting. With films, if not enough of the plot is focused on the buildup of the two lovers interacting with each other, then the love story can come off as more so contrived than a soap opera or a primtime drama putting together a quick romantic union, but naturally having more time to eventually win over its audience, if at all possible.
Film love stories will often resort to the fairy-tale notion that romance is a solution to life's problems, tapping into the audience's need for love to conquer all [15], as even in tales of doomed romance, the underlying concept may be that the love story was cut short, but that the love itself was not.
Just as within soap operas or primetime dramas, not all romances will have an impact on observers, but on occasion there are two lovers within a film that manage to captivate their audience in such a way that the two are launched into supercouple status, ultimately standing far above any of the deemed average couples.
Film supercouples
- Nickie Ferrante and Terry McKay from An Affair to Remember [61]
- Zack Mayo and Paula Pokrifi from An Officer and a Gentleman [62]
- Belle and The Beast from the 1991 animated film Beauty and the Beast [63]
- Bonny and Clyde from the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde [64]
- Jack and Ennis from Brokeback Mountain [65]
- Rick and Ilsa from Casablanca [66] [67]
- Johnny Castle and Frances "Baby" Houseman from Dirty Dancing [68]
- Sam and Molly from Ghost [69]
- Rhett and Scarlett from Gone with the Wind [70]
- Jerry Maguire and Dorothy from Jerry Maguire [71]
- Shrek and Fiona from the film Shrek [72]
- Han Solo andPrincess Leia from Star Wars [73]
- Edward and Vivian from Pretty Woman [74]
- Prince Eric and Ariel from The Little Mermaid [75]
- Noah and Allie from The Notebook [76]
- Westley and Buttercup from The Princess Bride [77]
- Jack and Rose from Titanic [78]
- Tony and Maria from West Side Story [79]
The films An Affair to Remember, An Officer and a Gentleman, Beauty and the Beast, Casablanca, Dirty Dancing, Ghost, Gone with the Wind, Jerry Maguire, The Little Mermaid, The Princess Bride, Titanic, and West Side Story were all featured in AFI's list of 100 Years...100 Passions...100 Greatest Love Stories Of All Time. [16]
Celebrity
The best description of a celebrity supercouple may be of what sofeminine.co.uk reports.
Media and public interest in the super-rich, famous and beautiful, and their equally beautiful offspring, is at an all-time high, and mono-monikers are just one sign that the supercouple is becoming a virtual phenomenon of the society we live in. When magazines are prepared to pay millions of dollars just for the first baby pics of your little Suris and Shilohs, and the paparazzi start setting up camp outside your doorstep, you know you've gone from A-listers to fully-fledged supercouple. There's something about a celebrity love match that really captures the imagination and brings out the voyeur in us: when rich, famous and successful meets rich, famous and successful, does it equal a passionate relationship based on mutual understanding and respect, or a showcased play-act lived out in front of the cameras? Let's face it, in the plastic world of stardom it's been known for celebs to fake entire relationships with other celebs just for the tabloid space that's in it.
Celebrity supercouples
Celebrity supercouples of past and present:
- Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson [80]
- Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston [81]
- David and Victoria Beckham [82]
- Sonny and Cher [83]
- Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes [84]
- Beyonce and Jay-Z [85]
- Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie [86]
- Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones [87]
- John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy [88]
- Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman [89]
- Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez [90]
- Sean Penn and Madonna [91]
- Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe [92]
- Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore [93]
- Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne [94]
- Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger [95]
- Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson [96]
- Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith [97]
- Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg [98]
- Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake [99]
- Demi Moore and Bruce Willis [100]
- Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson [101]
Platonic
Literature, mythology, and legends
- Lancelot and Guinevere [106]
- Catherine and Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights [107]
- Tristan and Isolde [108]
- Romeo & Juliet [109]
- Hagbard and Signy [110]
- Pyramus and Thisbe [111]
Toys, video games, and or other
- Ken and Barbie [112]
- Kermit and Miss Piggy from The Muppet Show [113]
Internet and media trends
In the popularity of message boards, fans have used portmanteux for their favorite couples, including supercouples from the past. For example, Steve and Betsy becomes "Stetsy"...Josh and Reva becomes "Jeva," and so on. Seth Cohen of the show The O.C., parodied this 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". [18] Occasionally, even anti-fans come up with names for couples, such as General Hospital's Sonny and Emily. The unpopular pairing of the mob boss and his enforcer's sweet younger sister became known as "Soily."
The press is also known for coining the names of popular and unpopular celebrity pairings, ultimately causing such nicknames to seem inescapable in their usage.
References
- ^ "The "Popular" Supercouple". afterabortion.com. Retrieved June 13.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "How Hollywood Movies skew our view of relationships". afterabortion.com. Retrieved June 13.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Days of our Lives. Like sands through the hourglass". Soap Opera History.com. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Susan Seaforth Hayes". POP tower. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Luke and Laura's Altared State". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "A history of festive soap misery". BBC NEWS. Retrieved June 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "The Rise and Fall of the Supercouple in Soap Operas". Associated Content. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "IGN's Top 10 Favorite TV Couples". IGN. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Sword of Angelus. A hunk of a vampire regained his soul, but lost his life, thanks to a hellish sword wielded by his one true love". scifi.com. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "The Clicker Examines Great TV Romances". Cinemablend. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "The Exquisite Heat of Sexual Tension". likesbook.com. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "The X-Phile Facts". metroactive.com. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "When a Show's in Trouble, Don't Try Sexual Healing". thehoya.com. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Does the End of Sexual Tension Mean the End of Your Favorite TV Show?". sophiecunningham.com. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ ""You don't WANT to be in LOVE...You want to be in LOVE in a MOVIE"". CSW update. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions...100 Greatest Love Stories Of All Time". afi.com. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Spotlight on the celebrity supercouple". sofeminine.co.uk. Retrieved June 12.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "The O.C. Report: FashionClub Looks at the Style & Fashion in the TV show". fashionclub.com. Retrieved June 13.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)