Hysterical And Screaming Women In Soaps

[steveromagnino]

Romagnino. As you said most things in the world are biased to someway. This is Thailand not The United States of North America.

I have a question though.

What percentage of Thai women do you estimate to be housewives and for how many years of their lives they can be classified as such?

J

Housewives aye. Well, non working women who spend their days at home married and with kids for the most part; not so old as to be ritired and obviuosly not still at school or minors er.... dunno 3-8m people at a total guess?

Can be classified as this as long as they are by occupation housewives (ie. staying at home looking after the house/kids) I guess. It was more a general description than anything else.

There would be some <deleted> subsegment to the housewife section no doubt.

[majenta]

I want to watch the soaps only because to learn Thai but it really frustrates me when the woman starts

screaming and acting hysterical, I wouldnt mind it if they did it one or twice in the episose but it appears

that it occurs every 5-10 mins that it is very jarring to the ears... I really can't bear it... I don't understand

why people like to watch people screaming all the time... My thoughts are that it is to cover up the lack of storyline and bad acting...

[micksterbs]

Agree with a lot of the above. When the dramas start, it's time for me to stand up, <deleted> off and log on. Can still hear it though. The screeching, the whining, even the slapping. After half an hour or so, I wander back into the living room to find TW fast asleep on the sofa. If I turn off the box, you can bet your life she'll wake-up and say "I was watching that!" So I just turn it down gradually over a 15 minute period until all I can hear is very faint screeching, whining, slapping etc plus some contented snores. Peace settles over this small corner of Isaan.

Incidentally, talking of life imitating art and vice-versa:

Do the women in BKK actually talk in that nasal whine? I was actually going to post this very question but seems a bit daft now that we're so close.

Also, although I would be the last person to defend British soaps (can't stand them either), at least they are unique in that they usually portray the protagonists in reasonably lifelike scenarios. No really, think about it. Think of any non-British soap and what do you have? The lives of the rich and powerful, never wearing the same clothes twice, jetting around the world, living our "fantasy" lives. What do you get in the UK? Eastenders, Corrie, Brookside, Emmerdale... See my point? With the possible exception of Neighbours, this is something that only the Brits seem to do. In fact, it's notable that the only time we tried to follow the "world pattern" and put out Eldorado, it completely bombed. Mind you, that could have been because it was utter <deleted>...

[meadish_sweetball]

Agree with a lot of the above. When the dramas start, it's time for me to stand up, <deleted> off and log on.

I don't enjoy them either.

Do the women in BKK actually talk in that nasal whine? I was actually going to post this very question but seems a bit daft now that we're so close.

Broadly I think it's fair to say formal Central Thai tends to be more stretched out, more sugary and less curt and blunt than Isaan or Northern Thai, and not as rapid and chopped off as Southern Thai. As for nasal, it seems to me like it's more of an individual thing, found in speakers of all dialects.

Also, although I would be the last person to defend British soaps (can't stand them either), at least they are unique in that they usually portray the protagonists in reasonably lifelike scenarios. No really, think about it. Think of any non-British soap and what do you have?

More a matter of what shows are exported I reckon. If the British public would be more interested in watching 'foreign language' TV you'd see the foggy isles are by no means alone in making TV series and films that attempt to portray everyday life.

Still, the most commercially successful TV shows on a global scale are produced in the US, and for some reason they don't seem to produce anything that is close to reality - at least nothing that gets exported.

I guess the bottom line is that the majority of people in the world do not turn on their telly to get a dose of more reality - unless it is manipulated like Big Brother et al.

[ade100]

Wow I thought I was the only Expat in Thailand that had to endure the screaming soapies every night. I assumed everyone else would have cable or satellite.

My theory is that to cut costs in Thai acting schools, the actresses are only taught to do two emotions: Anger and Jealousy. The “Saying it all with a Look” class is not really necessary, neither is the “subtlety and understatement class”.

[Boo]

Then again Jackass is the funniest thing I've been watching for years.

last night they had a jackass episode called "the spermathon" they all went to a sperm bank & had to provide a sample, they were timed at how long it took to produce, then it was tested for mobility (Jonny Knoxville had the slowest) & they measured how much they produced. Was funny as <deleted>. Sorry off topic a bit I know but my god, funny isn't even close to covering it.

As for thai soaps, all a load of crap imo Load of silly women screaming & squeeling, they all need a good kick.

[steveromagnino]

Korean Soaps are far higher quality story line wise than most other countries.

a question oft posed what is life without a little excitement can best be answered by watching any of the soaps from the UK you suggested. Still, obviously some people like them. While many many soaps are indeed real life based, most are based on something a little exciting - a law firm, hiso rich people, hospital, etc. Only the UK soaps seem to go so hard on promoting how great life is as a lower class pleb going to the pub every night. Even the so called reality shows are all at least somewhat larger than life.

Re voice....nasal speaking primarily the dtua echars and so on; actually pretty common. And a fair bit of the behaviour in the soaps is typical of affluent rich kids/brats behaviour; the over the top gay actors are actually almost all exactly like how they play in real life. The nang ek usually is the softly spoken nice intonation one. It is just coincidence that a fair few of the current crop of nang eks have particularly annoying nasal voices...bring on Kalamare to play one and let's send it right over the top.

Having been in channel 7 lakorns, I was expressly told to really ham it up and over exagerate everything. To be honest, I assume that is what the people in the provinces want to watch; a crazy over the top reflection of what life in a city must be.

Kind of like when I watch pro wrestling; I don't actually think that this is real.

But it probably is.

If only Thai soap operas had the creativity of those geniuses shooting MTV rap videos; as a friend once said after having to edit the drivel the latest Scorcese wannabe had churned out for MC such'n'such, having inserted the obligatory women half naked grinding, 45 degree upshot of a slow turning chrome wheel on a tuned SUV, inserted staunch shots of rapper entourage sending up props to their peeps, and some yelling at the camera preferably looking hard and throwing up hands in bizarre fashion....what could possibly send this video right to the edge????

Super creative - more hos

Somewhat creative - pseudo celeb sending mad props e.g. Douche bag Piven from (ironically) entourage

Not creative - getting in or out of car with pitbull or body guard looking type person

Bonus footage

Sitting in limo gesturing at camera with the girlies

nodding head in time to rhythm

Old school

Shocks to make the car go up and down

Crowd dancing getting jiggy with it scenes

Let's face it - almost everything on the idiot box and in movie theatres these days is rubbish.

Except Mr Show, Family Guy, reruns of Yes Prime Minister. And possibly some of the arthouse Huge Grant stuff.

[Heng]

Buddhist teachings, like all religions are just suggestions and guidelines. The more one strays, the more one distances oneself from mediocrity.

Heng, clearly you nothing about Christianity.

Clearly.

[Heng]

Buddhist teachings, like all religions are just suggestions and guidelines. The more one strays, the more one distances oneself from mediocrity.

Are you suggesting that religion is primarily used to keep the general population in line?

Edit: That is my take on it anyway.

It may have been at one time, but it's so entrenched now that people use it to keep themselves in line on autopilot (often without anyone at the controls).

[Heng]

Wish we could get some DirectTV and/or Dish birds over Thailand so we can get some real "quality" television. Know just the crew over in Ban Moh Plaza ready to hack it as well so we can all enjoy it at a less than $400 a month (which is what it costs me stateside).

[soundman]

Then again Jackass is the funniest thing I've been watching for years.

last night they had a jackass episode called "the spermathon" they all went to a sperm bank & had to provide a sample, they were timed at how long it took to produce, then it was tested for mobility (Jonny Knoxville had the slowest) & they measured how much they produced. Was funny as <deleted>. Sorry off topic a bit I know but my god, funny isn't even close to covering it.

As for thai soaps, all a load of crap imo Load of silly women screaming & squeeling, they all need a good kick.

It is not hard to imagine why he had the slowest with all the knocks to the gonads.

[Boo]

god I know, after the spermathon (which btw they all dressed in sports suits & spandex for) they then spent ages getting a professional boxer to punch them in the gut as hard as he could. I know it shouldn't be funny but it just is.

[lomatopo]

One can gauge the relative brains of a nation from its TV, so with that, it doesn't leave much scope/hope for the Thais............ and aussies for that matter

Americans would have to be bottom of the pile then - Baywatch, Walk Texas Ranger, Rikki Lake, Jerry Springer. Sure Australia has Neighbours etc, but it also has classic Aussie fare such as....er.... yeah - I agree on the Aussie bit. Am I correct to therefore think that Korea would rank top of your little brain study then with their soaps?

blah blah blah

Statements such as these only serve to illustrate your complete ignorance of the state of television programming in the U.S.A., and quite frankly, call in to question most of your critical comments in this thread.

Forgetting about PBS, and I can't wait to see Thai PBS (replacing TiTV), I think you'd be hard-pressed to find better shows than "The Wire", The Sopranos", "Dexter", "Weeds", Sex and the City", "Deadwood", "Rescue Me", The Shield", "Brotherhood", "Big Love", "Daily Show", "Colbert Report", "The Simpsons", "The Tudors", "Curb Your Enthusiasm", "Californication", "This American Life", "Queer as Folk", "Big Love", "Entourage", "Rome", "Six Feet Under", "The L Word", Nip/Tuck", "The Riches" to name just a few which I am familiar with. But then you seem to be about 20 years behind the curve.

In my opinion Thai TV Dramas are more a reflection of the current state of the Thai entertainment industry, and the people who work in that industry. All emotions are exaggerated to make up for the poor writing, sh*tty (over-)acting, shoddy production and crappy direction. and the audience doesn't have much choice. You have to admit though that some of the Thai period, costume dramas are extremely funny, albeit unintentionally. At least the acting in the Korean soaps, shown here, is good. The good news is that, having reached the nadir, things can only get better.

[monkeyclub]

Who cares what their babbling about, the chicks look great, particularly in the new show about the airline trollies ..

However, I do agree that young luk krungs should be highly embbarrassed about the other half of their blood lines watching the mind numbing brainless rubbish on thai tv.

[toptuan]

Post deleted

Edited January 17, 2008 by toptuan

[BigSnake]

It's the norm for Thai Soap. They love and I for one find it fun to watch SOMETIME.

[micksterbs]

Wow I thought I was the only Expat in Thailand that had to endure the screaming soapies every night. I assumed everyone else would have cable or satellite.

My theory is that to cut costs in Thai acting schools, the actresses are only taught to do two emotions: Anger and Jealousy. The "Saying it all with a Look" class is not really necessary, neither is the "subtlety and understatement class".

True, but I think you're forgetting "Petulant, pouting spoilt brat". They're pretty good at that. They've got the foot-stamping off to a T.

[tom yum goong]

There was a soap that i was subjected to a few weeks ago, i think it was on channel 3, in which the lead male character (phra-ek) rapes the lead female character (nang-ek), who is actually his step mother. this is soon after the father/husband has died.

What i found quite worrying is that the show doesn't really put this in a bad light, and its OK in the end as they eventually fall in love etc. So we have a popular primetime soap basically condoning rape. <deleted>??

[micksterbs]

There was a soap that i was subjected to a few weeks ago, i think it was on channel 3, in which the lead male character (phra-ek) rapes the lead female character (nang-ek), who is actually his step mother. this is soon after the father/husband has died.

What i found quite worrying is that the show doesn't really put this in a bad light, and its OK in the end as they eventually fall in love etc. So we have a popular primetime soap basically condoning rape. <deleted>??

Well, try looking at it from the point of view of the boys in brown. She's a woman, she was probably asking for it, she basically got what she deserved. No problem sir, that'll be B1000, thank you very much.

Or am I just being cynical?

[steveromagnino]

Statements such as these only serve to illustrate your complete ignorance of the state of television programming in the U.S.A., and quite frankly, call in to question most of your critical comments in this thread.

Forgetting about PBS, and I can't wait to see Thai PBS (replacing TiTV), I think you'd be hard-pressed to find better shows than "The Wire", The Sopranos", "Dexter", "Weeds", Sex and the City", "Deadwood", "Rescue Me", The Shield", "Brotherhood", "Big Love", "Daily Show", "Colbert Report", "The Simpsons", "The Tudors", "Curb Your Enthusiasm", "Californication", "This American Life", "Queer as Folk", "Big Love", "Entourage", "Rome", "Six Feet Under", "The L Word", Nip/Tuck", "The Riches" to name just a few which I am familiar with. But then you seem to be about 20 years behind the curve.

Many of the shows you've named are not free to air, and are on HBO right, so would be on par with UBC programming in Thailand right? Some of them I've torrented, some i haven't seen...will definitely add the names to my list of things to watch; the shows I know most of them I like on your list....good taste I think you have;-)

Many aren't on TV anymore though neither innit...just like Baywatch...

Checking out the ratings, I see very few of these shows rating highly because most are targeted at niche audiences, and a fair few are well past their useby date; Simpsons for instance. Nip/Tuck showed great promise but like CSI nice effects cover up a fairly basic and increasingly improbable story line. Totally agree there are gems out there, such as Colbert and Daily show....but of course neither of those are soaps which was the whole subject here, so therefore not that relevant either - no more so than wrestling, Rikki Lake type shows, American Idol and so on.

Let's bear in mind, Family Guy and Arrested Development considered gems of the American comedy industry, were both canned due to poor ratings...Family Guy's cult following and DVD sales were enough to save it, Arrested Development is dead. Despite genius David Cross.

I get my own impressions from the TV industry in USA direct from 10+ years in the media industry throughout Asia, and personal contacts with a few actors, producers and a couple of senior video editors one of whom works on a show in your list among others. Almost all agree the US produces, for the most part, complete rubbish, same as everywhere else. One had to quit working on Judge Judy (another popular American show) to maintain his sanity. So I'd like to think

But with a monster amount of output, at least there are some wonderful shows out there. Colbert would be one of the cleverest shows around; Mr Show another great show no longer on. That we can agree is the bit that is most of the time missing over here.

The only reason I posted was in responding to the rather insulting insinuation regarding Thai brain power (as I am part Thai). but as a part Kiwi it is mandatory to stick the boot into Australia whenever possible. The post was meant to be a little tongue in cheek, but if you want to debate 'That America has some really rubbish programming yes even today, and lots of people love watching, and the companies involved love dumping it for almost free all around the world' then let's have it...I get to affirm the motion :-)

Come on...have you not seen some of the reality TV? As for Jacka$$ and the spin off shows..... somehow watching someone get kicked in the nuts like 200 times...does it not eventually get old? A Simple Life? for every Curb your enthusiasm, surely you can admit there is a ton more drivel out there which people seemingly prefer to watch. Other than Seinfeld, most of the top rating shows in USA over the last 10 years are very very average e.g. American Idol (for the last 3 years) and CSI before that. Incidentally, American Idol is simply a british show knock off of Pop Idol BTW, so perhaps you can deny American heritage on that POS.

HOwever....I will certainly admit that the cream of USA is right up there or beyond the cream of everywhere else. You'd hope so...being that it is by far the biggest market and producer. The main problem here in the soap opera industry is the amount of cream (for want of a better word, you can make amusing commentary about the sexual aspect of this word if you want) is minimal to none at present. Especially on Channel 7. But to think there is no choice..... on almost any given night there are VCDs, UBC, Channel 5 and 9 and even Channel 3 to choose from. But the upcountry types....they love Channel 7. They also love TRT, white liquor and a host of other things that we city folk struggle to understand. Kind of same as how it is in USA; despite having the chance to watch pretentious so called insider somewhat witty writings of very try hard shows like Entourage where viewers get to feel they are seeing the inside of how Hollywood works along with uber knob Piven....they still tune in to watch the train wreck of American Idol.

As for your other comment, why are so many soaps such rubbish....other than giving the customer what they want....the bit you forgot is cost. Thai soap operas, an entire 20 part series, can be produced for a similar budget to probably one episode of a show like CSI. That's why they sell regionally, and can afford to handle the airtime purchase issues in Thailand which is rather odd and difficult to tap into. Limited market = limited budget = can't hide bad story line behind technology and beautiful shots. This would be known as the CSI Miami approach where that budget is enough to hide a multitude of sins.

At least Baywatch is to be admired as a quentessential American success story, in its day the most widely watched American show around the world AFAIK, a reflection of how the world perceived California and produced on a showstring thanks to some very innovative production methods. Those photo montages and the string of silicon beauties with no names.....genius.

Edited January 18, 2008 by steveromagnino

[sbk]

We don't have TV. No antenna, no cable, no satellite dish. Makes for a peaceful household

[micksterbs]

Now that, sbk, is a stroke of pure genius! When I moved over here, I just bought a TV so that I could watch DVDs, actually. The first thing TW did was look for the aerial lead (which I'd hurriedly kicked behind the door) and hook it up. Bugger.

Incidentally, have you ever heard women use that sound that they're always making in the soaps whenever they're frustrated/thwarted, that breathless "HOY!" sound? Do you know the one I mean? It drives me around the bloody bend! It just seems to be a part of "Soapworld".