Soap

Drama

Satire

Surreal Humor

Diana Canova

Billy Crystal

Cathryn Damon

Robert Guillaume

Katherine Helmond

Jay Johnson

Robert Mandan

Dinah Manoff

Richard Mulligan

Arthur Peterson

Donnelly Rhodes

Jennifer Salt

Inga Swenson

Robert Urich

Sal Viscuso

Ted Wass

***Soap*** is an American sitcom television series that originally ran on ABC from September 13, 1977, until April 20, 1981 and serves as the parent show to *Benson.*

The show was created, written, and executive produced by Susan Harris, and also executive produced by Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas, as a night-time parody of daytime soap operas, presented as a weekly half-hour prime time comedy. Similar to a soap opera, the show's story was presented in a serial format, and featured melodramatic plotlines including alien abduction, demonic possession, extramarital affairs, murder, kidnapping, unknown diseases, amnesia, cults, organized crime warfare, a communist revolution and teacher-student relationships.

The show aired 85 episodes over the course of four seasons. Eight of these (including the final four) aired as one-hour episodes during the original run on ABC. These hour-long episodes were later split in two, yielding 93 half-hour episodes for syndication on broadcast TV and Cable.

In 2007 it was listed as one of *Time* magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-*TIME*", and in 2010, the Tates and the Campbells ranked at number 17 in *TV Guide*'s list of "TV's Top Families".

## Synopsis

Set in the fictional town of Dunn's River, Connecticut, the show focuses on the lives of two matriarchal sisters; the wealthy Jessica Tate (Katherine Helmond) and the less affluent, Mary Campbell (Cathryn Damon), and the misfortunes of murder, romance, adultery, exorcisms, alien invasions, and general conflictual family dysfunction within the two respective households.

Following a serialized storyline hovering over smaller story arcs, the plot is spread throughout 4 Seasons and 85 Episodes.

## Spin-off

The wealthy Tate family had an employed sarcastic butler/cook named Benson (Robert Guillaume). Benson, known for his dismissiveness, wisecracks, and catchphrases, "You want me to get that?" and "Get it yourself", became a popular character. In 1979, Benson left the Tates' employ to work for Jessica's cousin, the newly elected Governor Gene Gatling on *Benson*. The set-up of Benson's departure was depicted in *Soap's* 90 minute Season 2 retrospective which aired two weeks prior to the *Benson* premiere. It featured an emotional goodbye between Benson and Jessica Tate.

## *Benson* Connections to *Soap*

### In Story Connections

* In the *Benson* pilot episode, "Change", Benson describes the Governor's mansion as 'crazier than the place he just left', in reference to the Tate's household. Jessica Tate is also directly mentioned twice; once by Benson himself, and another by the Governor's executive secretary, Marcy Hill (Caroline McWilliams).
* Gene often tells stories about the absurd experiences he's encountered while growing up around his family; keeping in theme of him still being a relative of the highly dysfunctional Tate, Campbell families.
* In the fourth episode of the series, "Benson in Love", Senator Wade states that Governor Gatling had inherited a lot of problems, with Benson replying sarcastically, "You know the family?" in reference to his past job with the Tate family.
* The eighth episode of *Benson*, titled "Jessica", features the first appearance of Jessica Tate on *Benson*, and the first appearance of Jessica Tate outside of *Soap*. The episode revolves around a controversial press run on Jessica allegedly having an affair with a visiting baron. Things take a turn however, when the baron incidentally dies in Jessica's presence, causing Benson and Jessica to sneak the dead body out of the hotel to avoid a scandal.
	+ Additionally, when Jessica meets Gretchen Kraus (Inga Swenson), she states that she thinks she's very sweet. This could be a tongue in cheek reference to the fact that Inga Swenson previously played one of Jessica's adversaries, Ingrid Svenson, on *Soap* prior to taking on the role of Kraus.
	+ The episode also marks the only crossover between the two shows during both of their run.

* At the end of the Season 1 episode, "Takin' it to the Streets", the phone in the kitchen starts ringing while Benson drinks a cup of coffee. As the phone keeps ringing, the staff slowly turns to look at Benson as he asks, "You want me to get that?" Gene then replies with "If you wouldn't mind" in the same fashion of his cousin, Jessica on the parent series.
* In the Season 4 episode, "Close Encounters on the Third Hole", Governor Gatling allegedly spots a UFO, much to the disbelief of the press, the staff, and Benson himself. The parent series, *Soap,* also featured a notable story arch of a UFO capturing the character Burt Campbell, with both UFO's using the same sound effects in both series. Canonically speaking, Burt would be the cousin in law of Governor Gatling.
* The Season 5 episode, "God, I Need This Job", features the second, and final canonical appearance, of Jessica Tate. The episode follows the ghost of Jessica allegedly visiting a politically distraught Benson following the Tates declaring her legally dead. Mishaps arise when only Benson can see her however, causing the staff to believe Benson is talking to himself.
	+ The Season 4 finale of *Soap* is referenced by the Governor and Jessica herself.
	+ The episode also reveals the possibility that Jessica didn't die in the *Soap* finale, as she states at the end of the episode that she was "positively not dead" and in a coma.
	+ An excerpt of the *Soap* theme song is played during the emotional final scene of the episode.
* In the Season 6 episode, "Hello, We Must Be Going", Benson is looking to hire an assistant after he becomes Lt. Governor. One of his appointments is with a political yuppie, Yale Whitney (Steven Peterman), who gives Benson a rundown of his own life; at one point mentioning that he was "butler for the Tate family".
* In the Season 6 episode,"The Reunion", Katie Gatling (Missy Gold), Gene's daughter and Jessica's cousin, tells Benson he's lucky that he has family he wants to see. Benson asks what's wrong with her family with Katie replying, "Are you kidding? They're weird!" Gene, following initial dismissiveness, admits to this saying "We do have some *weird* relatives", with Benson sarcastically replying "You? No." An indirect reference to the various stories of the Governor, along with the dysfunction of the Tate and Campbell families.
	+ This in itself would mark the final canonical reference to *Soap*, marked 1984; seven years following the premiere of *Soap* and three years following the cancellation of the series.

### Behind the Scene Connections

* Actors, Inga Swenson, Caroline McWilliams, Harrison Paige, Kene Holiday, Lynne Moody, Wendell Wright, and Roscoe Lee Brown all made appearances on both, *Benson* and *Soap*.
	+ Other actors also made smaller appearances on both series.
* The set for Sally's (Caroline McWilliams) apartment, from *Soap*, was slightly remodeled and turned into Benson's temporary apartment for Seasons 2 -3.
	+ An additional note; Marcy's daughter by marriage on *Benson* was also named Sally; a mere coincidence or possible tongue in cheek reference to her previous role.
* A lot of the filmed transitional videos, specifically for the prison and hospital, were re-used on *Benson*.
* Katherine Helmond would direct three episodes of *Benson* from Seasons 5 to 6.
* Though not direct connections, both shows ended on cliffhangers, and both shows coincidentally earned the same amount of Emmy Nominations.

## Gallery

*Soap* Main Cast*Soap* Pilot PhotoRobert Guillaume and Inga Swenson Pre-*Benson*Caroline as Sally Pre-*Benson*Inga and Caroline Pre-*Benson*Katherine, Robert, and Show Creator, Susan Harris (Right)Benson's Last *Soap* Appearance
## External Links

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soap\_(TV\_series)