Soap - Season 1 [1977] (3 discs)
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Composer:

George Aliceson Tipton

Length:	609 minutes (10 hours 9 minutes)
MPAA Rating:	UR
Sorting Category:	TV Show

IMDB Rating:	7.5/10
Amazon Rating:	5.0/5 stars
User rating sites like above are subject to change
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Classifications:

Comedy
Family
Drama

Available Formats:

VHS	DVD
HD DVD	Blu-ray
3D Blu-ray	Digital

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Synopsis: The soap-operish antics of two families: the Campbells and the Tates.

Reaction: Funny show, though, as with all experimental concepts like this, it can be a bit hit and miss.

Personal Rating: 7/10

Select Guest Cast

Alan Oppenheimer	=>	Mr. Kirby ^{(Episode #1.7)}
Bernard Fox	=>	Randolph ^{(Episode #1.15)}
Susan Harris	=>	Babette ^{(Episode #1.15)}
Cooper Neal	=>	Hello Man ^{(Episode #1.22)}
Dick McGarvin	=>	Dr. Resnick ^{(Episode #1.22)}
Fred Iwasaki	=>	The Chef ^{(Episode #1.22)}
Doris Roberts	=>	Flo Flotsky ^{(Episode #1.23)}
Luis Avalos	=>	The Doctor ^{(Episode #1.23)}
Eric Mason	=>	Johnny Dallas ^{(Episode #1.9)}
Harold Gould	=>	Barney Gerber ^{(Episode #1.9)}
Udana Power	=>	Nurse Nancy Darwin ^{(Episode #1.9)}
Ian Wolfe	=>	Monsignor / Father Juniper ^{(Episode #1.6)}
Jerry Houser	=>	The Robber ^{(Episode #1.11)}
Jonathan Terry	=>	Foreman (as Jon Terry) ^{(Episode #1.25)}
Judith-Marie Bergan	=>	Marilyn McCallam ^{(Episode #1.14)}
Lee Weaver	=>	Sergeant ^{(Episode #1.17)}
Pierrino Mascarino	=>	Henchman ^{(Episode #1.17)}
Sorrell Booke	=>	Charles Lefkowitz ^{(Episode #1.17)}
Lupe Ontiveros	=>	Lady in Airport ^{(Episode #1.18)}
Marianne Bunch	=>	Pigeon ^{(Episode #1.4)}
Olivia Barash	=>	Molly ^{(Episode #1.4)}
Marvin Braverman	=>	The Messenger ^{(Episode #1.19)}
Milt Oberman	=>	Man in Hotel ^{(Episode #1.20)}
Shelley Morrison	=>	The Maid ^{(Episode #1.12)}
Stephen Mendillo	=>	Sheldon ^{(Episode #1.2)}
Tim Rossovich	=>	Elaine's Bodyguard ^{(Episode #1.21)}
William Daniels	=>	Heinrich Himmel ^{(Episode #1.16)}

Select Cast and Crew

Jay Sandrich	=>	Director
Susan Harris	=>	Writer / Creator
Tony Lang	=>	Writer
George Aliceson Tipton	=>	Composer
Arthur Peterson	=>	The Major
Billy Crystal	=>	Jodie Dallas
Bob Seagren	=>	Dennis Phillips
Byron Webster	=>	Dr. Medlow
Cathryn Damon	=>	Mary Campbell
Charles Lane	=>	Judge Petrillo
Diana Canova	=>	Corinne Tate-Flotsky
Dinah Manoff	=>	Elaine Lefkowitz
Edward Winter	=>	Congressman Walter McCallam
Eugene Roche	=>	E. Ronald Mallu
Gordon Jump	=>	Chief of Police Tinkler
Howard Hesseman	=>	Mr. Franklin
Inga Swenson	=>	Ingrid Svenson
Jay Johnson	=>	Bob Campbell
Jennifer Salt	=>	Eunice Tate
Jimmy Baio	=>	Billy Tate
Katherine Helmond	=>	Jessica Tate
Kathryn Reynolds	=>	Claire
Nita Talbot	=>	Mrs. Fine
Rebecca Balding	=>	Carol David
Richard Libertini	=>	The Godfather
Richard Mulligan	=>	Burt Campbell
Robert Guillaume	=>	Benson DuBois
Robert Mandan	=>	Chester Tate
Robert Urich	=>	Peter 'The Tennis Player'
Rod Roddy	=>	Announcer
Sal Viscuso	=>	Father Timothy Flotsky
Ted Wass	=>	Danny Dallas

Random Trivia For This Title:

A number of big-ticket advertisers boycotted the early episodes of the show after advance word of its controversial nature reached the media. One of the few items to actually be advertised on the premiere was a then-new product called Slim Fast.
One of the first American TV series to feature an openly gay character as a regular cast member (Billy Crystal as Jodie Dallas).
[Soap] was actually the working title for the show, while the producers tried to come up with a better name, and was used all through preproduction. No better name was ever decided upon, so "Soap" became the formal title when the show went into production.

Episode List:
Episode Name	Disc	Disc Order	Directors	Writers	Synopsis	Reaction	IMDB	Personal Rating
Episode #1.1	1	01	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	This satirical soap opera introduces the Campbells and the Tates: two suburban families of unequal prosperity but equal lunacy and a similar zest for the foibles which make us all human.	An odd intro to an odd series.	7.3	7
Episode #1.2	1	02	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	In order to leave the mob, Danny is ordered to kill his father's killer; Chester is blackmailed by his secretary; and the identity of Burt's long lost son is a shock in more ways than one.	There are definitely some stereotypical "soap opera" type storylines at play here, dealt with in a decidedly un-soap-opera way.	7.1	7
Episode #1.3	1	03	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Jessica fails to confess her infidelity; Mary fails to terminate Burt's impotence; and Danny learns the identity of the man he must terminate.	Things start to boil here in this episode.	6.7	6
Episode #1.4	1	04	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris Tony Lang	Jessica resolves to end her affair with Peter; Claire ends Chester's affair with Pigeon; and Danny tries to end Burt's life.	It's interesting to see Jessica's very selective memory at times.	6.6	7
Episode #1.5	1	05	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris Tony Lang	Jodie tells his family about his planned sex-change operation; Burt and mary tell a psychiatrist about their problem; Corinne tells Father Tim she loves him; and Jessica can't tell Corinne anything.	Aaaand now they bring a priest into the mix.	6.4	6
Episode #1.6	1	06	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Corinne moves out of the Tate house; Burt announces the return of his son Chuck, the ventriloquist; and Danny gets one last chance to kill Burt.	A fair episode. Not bad.	6.5	6
Episode #1.7	1	07	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris Tony Lang	The Major kidnaps a neighbor; Claire fails to convince Jessica that Chester is cheating; Burt's son Chuck, the schizophrenic ventriloquist, arrives; and Danny traps Burt in a cabin with the intent to kill.	The addition of the dummy puts this clearly in the farce realm as opposed to standard soap opera fare.	6.9	7
Episode #1.8	1	08	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris Tony Lang	Unable to bring himself to kill Burt, Danny goes into hiding from the mob; Bob, the ventriloquist's dummy, continues to make life horrible for the Campbells and Tates.	I really like the whole bit in the Cabin.<br><br>"Hey, Danny, gimme a break. Either take my money or kill me. One or the other."	6.7	7
Episode #1.9	1	09	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris Tony Lang	Jodie goes to the hospital for his sex change operation; Dr. Medlow cures Burt's impotence; and Jessica finally witnesses Chester's infidelity.	A fair amount of the 'dramatic' in this episode.	6.9	6
Episode #1.10	1	10	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris Tony Lang	The Godfather visits mary; Danny visits in disguise; Mary spurns Burt's advances; Corinne visits Father Tim; and Dennis has bad news for Jodie.	This one is the second seriously dramatic ending in a row. And it's actually a quite well written one at that.	6.6	7
Episode Name	Disc	Disc Order	Directors	Writers	Synopsis	Reaction	IMDB	Personal Rating
Episode #1.11	2	01	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Learning of Jodie's suicide attempt, the Campbells rush to the hospital bedside. Corinne and Jessica confront their men about their respective infidelities.	Again playing up a bit of the drama in the show, but not bad.	6.9	6
Episode #1.12	2	02	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Jodie leaves the hospital and prepares for his first date with a woman; Jessica and Corinne are furious with Peter for cheating on Corinne; and peter is in for a surprise in his bath.	Here we start the big storyline that takes up the rest of the season.	6.6	7
Episode #1.13	2	03	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Burt plans a party to celebrate his victory over impotency, but a tragic discovery leaves him in no mood for merrymaking.	Gotta loveGordon Jump as the Piece of Chaliffe Tinkler.	7.5	8
Episode #1.14	2	04	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Every member of the Campbell and Tate households seems to be a suspect in Peter's murder, but Sheriff Tinkler finally announces the name of the culprit.	It's interesting how they can twine comedy and drama together so easily. Varrying degrees of success, but it's interesting.	7.0	7
Episode #1.15	2	05	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris Tony Lang	Danny takes drastic steps to keep from being killed, and a mysterious woman arrives at Tinkler's jail with a startling announcement.	Definite soap opera hijinks, but Ingrid Svenson kinda bugs me.	6.7	6
Episode #1.16	2	06	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	After receiving some shocking news, Corinne is released from jail�and Jessica is arrested.	I enjoy Heinrich Himmel though it is a little bit over the top at times.	7.0	7
Episode #1.17	2	07	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	After gloating over Jessica's arrest, Ingrid pays a threatening visit to the Campbells. Eunice and the Congressman receive a blackmail note and Lefkowitz agrees to let Danny live�on one condition.	The blackmail kinda comes out of nowhere then isn't heard of for a bit.	6.4	7
Episode #1.18	2	08	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	The Campbells consider having Burt committed while Father Tim pays Corinne a farewell visit and Chester fires Claire.	And thus starts the whole Burt-can-turn-invisible subplot. Odd and funny.	6.4	6
Episode #1.19	2	09	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Mary finally gets Burt to see a doctor. Jessica tries to make peace with Corinne, and Eunice finds herself locked out on a hotel window ledge in the rain.	I really enjoy the scene where they interview the family for character witnesses.	6.4	8
Episode #1.20	2	10	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Eunice and Walter race to recover some incriminating evidence, and Jessica and Chester receive a few shocks from their first meeting with the prosecutor and the judge.	Not my favorite but okay.	7.3	7
Episode Name	Disc	Disc Order	Directors	Writers	Synopsis	Reaction	IMDB	Personal Rating
Episode #1.21	3	01	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Jessica's astonishing behavior on the first day of her trial for the murder of tennis pro Peter Campbell causes pandemonium in the courtroom.	A little weird in the court room scene. Sometimes Jessica's cluelessness is a little hard to watch.	6.2	6
Episode #1.22	3	02	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Jessica and Chester Tate wreak havoc on the judicial system along with their sarcastic butler, Benson, when the three testify in Jessica's trial.	The scene when Danny brings his fiance to meet his family is interesting as well as the courtroom scene.	5.7	7
Episode #1.23	3	03	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Jessica Tate may be at the end of her rope when a surprise witness is brought into the courtroom to present startling and intriguing evidence against Jessica.	Okay, yeah. I really don't particularly care for Ingrid Svenson. And the drama is really picking up as the season draws to a close.	6.4	6
Episode #1.24	3	04	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Jodie's friendship with Carol takes a confusing turn, while Jessica awaits the jury's verdict in her trial.	After Burt's confession to Mary in the last episode, this one gets rather dramatic as well. Okay, but not as fun as I usually want. And Jessica continues to be one of the more simple, uncynical characters you've ever seen.	5.7	7
Episode #1.25	3	05	Jay Sandrich	Susan Harris	Lefkowitz's threat to kill the entire Campbell clan and startling announcements by Father Tim and Mr. Mallu are temporarily overshadowed by the return of a verdict for Jessica.	A whole lot of build up for a frustrating payoff. If you hate cliffhangers and don't have access to the second season episodes, acoid this one.	6.6	7

Soap - Season 1 [1977] (3 discs)Pick a Random Episode

Soap - Season 1 [1977] (3 discs)
Pick a Random Episode