Small Town State of Mind

Even on a strong soap like Y&R one has to wonder just how powerful Newman enterprises and Jabot are. Are they only competing with each other in the small market of that state? I mean, they must be because trust me when I say that African-American hair care and facial products are sold nationwide and that orchid or no orchid, they wouldn't stand to make in even a dimple in the competition. Just how much is on the line when these companies war besides Victor's ego and Jack's pride? When Glow by Jabot had their summer season web cameras (and such a sleeping inducing story might I add), I always had to wonder who would even bother to look? I know kids can stumble onto websites and make them popular, but enough that it would add to Jabot's profits in the state let alone out of it? I don't think the love story of Billy and Mac would prevent any kid from not just buying all their clothes and makeup at the mall. Also, if people were really this busy, really this powerful, really in such urban-like surroundings, then they wouldn't have time to get worked up about things like Gina's being set on fire. A close circle of friends of hers' might react, but not friends and enemies! In a small town, a well-known local eatery burns down or an infamous resident is killed, and everyone reacts. In a bigger town, only those close to the people involved would even be made aware of it. And I suppose soaps can keep on pretending they are bigger towns when it fits whatever story they want to tell. But it could also strain the lines of believability to the extent that it might risk whether the viewer gets invested in the story.

Sure, from a creative and storyline viewpoint, I simply prefer keeping focused on who is on the canvas and what kind of town the show is trying to portray. But I also think it can really effect which stories click with viewers and which don't when you stray too far away from that original focus. The atmosphere of a soap is something I know is taken for granted by today's, ahem, "creative" teams. No one seems to realize that far more people get hooked to a soap's atmosphere than any particular story or couple. Whether it is that

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