107 The term soap opera originated from radio dramas being sponsored by soap manufacturers. They trace their roots to the early days of radio in the 1920s when they were simply called serial dramas or radio dramas because of their recurring nature. Sometimes new series are created as spinoffs, meant to indicate a substantial change in the original narrative viewpoint of the storyline, which now becomes the central or main storyline of the new sub-series. comedic timing: tempi comici laugh tracks: risate registrate come se ci fosse un pubblico reale witty: brillante, arguto TV SERIES Television is the greatest storyteller ever, suggesting lifestyles to decode everyday life, changes in society, and helping to build individual and collective identityframing. This is also done through TV series, which have played a very remarkable role since the Eighties. A bit of history The 1980s marked the beginning of a new era for television drama and saw the emergence of shows such as Dallas and Dynasty. These new drama series began to explore social and personal themes in greater depth, attracting a sophisticated adult audience by offering compelling stories full of twists and turns, often set in familiar or mundane contexts day after day, and following the so-called Hollywood model: preludepresentation-clarification-point of no return-climax-resolution. In parallel, soap operas became extremely popular too. This era saw soaps evolve beyond their traditional housewife audience, attracting working professionals and college students who gathered to watch episodes communally. Soap operas vs TV series Soap operas and TV series have some key differences. Soap operas are ongoing, often daily dramas that focus on emotional, personal, and family conflicts. They tend to have exaggerated drama, long-running storylines, and a slower pace, thriving on never-ending suspense and emotional storytelling, with a melodramatic tone, and aired frequently with open-ended storytelling. TV series are more structured, with seasons and episodes that follow a clear arc. They cover a variety of 242 BIG AnD sMAll sCREEn genres and tend to have higher production values. They usually have stronger and tighter narratives, allowing for richer themes and varied storytelling techniques . TV series: genres TV series come in many forms, each designed to capture different types of storytelling and audiences. Here are some of the main types: Drama: character-driven stories that focus on emotional and intense narratives; Comedy: lighthearted and humorous shows, ranging from sitcoms to satire; Procedural: episodes that follow a case-of-the-week format, common in crime and medical dramas. New millennium, new genres The 21st century is defined by TV series. This format continues to evolve blending genres and creating fresh storytelling experiences. Some emerging genres and trends include: dramality: a mix of drama and reality TV, where scripted elements blend with real-life situations; micro-series: extremely short-form storytelling, often designed for streaming or social media platforms; hyper-realistic sci-fi: sci-fi with a strong emphasis on realism and grounded storytelling; post-apocalyptic psychological thrillers: shows that focus on survival and deep character studies.