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Love in Fast Forward - Why Instant Love Sucks!!
by Mandy
Editorial time...let me get my soap box. Today, ladies and gents, I want to talk to you about the soap disease referred to here as instant love. For those of you who are wondering what I am talking about - here is a rundown. Boy and girl meet. Boy and girl kiss. Boy and girl decide they are madly in love. Boy and girl marry - all within the span of a month. Let the head spinning begin!
While I don't deny that there is love at first sight, I am writer first. And the writer in me thinks the quickest way to kill a couple is to have them fall all over each other truly madly deeply in love. Why? Because you are skipping the juicy middle and depriving readers of seeing the steps the couple takes to get that great reward. When I was an avid soap watcher, I used to love the big tease - how a couple seemed to dance around each other - flirting, kissing, almost going there but stopping at the last moment. By the time the pair actually finally made it into bed, I was desperate for a cigarette of my own. And after watching them struggle with their feelings for months the moment the "I love you's" were exchanged I was clapping for joy! Yes! It's about damn time my couple realized the truth!
Somewhere along the way writers of both the soap world and the rpg world decided to fast forward the middle or even worse skip it all together. Miss a few episodes or a few posts and you may find yourself witnessing a wedding and wondering what the hell happened. And where can a couple go after this? Well, since they didn't have to fight to be together and are already living in bliss there really isn't a lot to do but tear them down - because let's face it, the soap world thrives on drama. Bring on the miscarriage. Or the infidelity. Let's throw the couple through the wringer to make up for the fact that up until now they haven't had a single bit of angst. And why should I care? Last week, they weren't even really together - who cares if one of them is worried their love will be shattered forever? At this rate, they'll be divorced and remarried in a few weeks anyway!
Folks, I need the middle. I need to see a couple fight to be together. I need to see the first dates, the awkward kisses, the push and pull attraction...whatever these two people need to do before they realize they are in love. Without it, I won't feel the connection that is so important to making a soap couple work. If I make that connection, when they struggle (because it's a soap, they have to struggle), I'll be right there rooting for the two crazy kids to pull through.
Please, don't fast forward the middle. Just say no to instant love!!
(Hey, it's my opinion - like it or love it, I'm just speaking for myself here!)
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