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5. The Primetime Feel
Dodger, Theresa and his sister Sienna. They both want him. Photo courtesy Lime Pictures/Channel 4
In the United States we are used to our soaps looking like soaps. They are brightly lit, with questionable sets, camera angles and techniques that you really wouldn’t see in any other form of entertainment but nevertheless we just let it go because we care about the characters and their relationships more than we do the actual ‘look’ of the show.
On Hollyoaks, visuals are one of the main highlights of its presentation. Calling the look flawless would be an understatement. Immediately you’ll notice the stark difference in quality versus American soaps. Hollyoaks uses real outdoor sets, is consistently shooting on location while effortlessly and seamlessly integrating those shots with the studio scenes so that the show looks the same no matter where the scenes were actually filmed.
The Bold and the Beautiful is the best looking US soap for a reason, learning from Guiding Light’s production missteps in later years and perfecting it. Maybe they can look to the UK for further inspiration.
It sounds so good, but I’ve already got too much to watch with Days, GH, and Coronation Street!