Watching The Soap

I never thought much about soap operas in general; they're a tradition here. At night, people come back from work, have dinner and turn on the telly to watch the news and then the 9 o'clock soap. You just do it. Like Nike. My family had always gravitated around the soap (except for my dad, with his books and classical music), so I gravitated with them.

At 19, I went to live on my own. And in my bedroom, a new tv set. But without my family gravitating around it, it just seemed to lose its meaning. Though I continued watching all the sitcoms, hospital series and rich teenagers' dramas available ("welcome to O.C., bitch!"), I neglected the soaps. And Big Brother too, thank you very much. I went to college, and I had no idea what people were talking about; I read gossip magazines headlines, and knew not a single one of those names. It felt sooooo good! And for 6 years, I paid attention only to my books.

One day, however, I came back home to find Roomie sitting on the couch, completely focused on whatever it was she was watching. I was surprised: she's the only one person I know who actually watches no tv whatsoever. I looked at her, big-eyed, and when she noticed me, she was positively beaming: "B., you gotta watch this! This is priceless!"

It was, of course, the 9 o'clock soap. I could not believe my eyes. I sat down next to her, gobsmacked.

But in 10 minutes I totally got her point: that was amazing!

The current 9 o'clock soap is "Viver a Vida": To Live Life. Poetic, huh? 

Our protagonist is Helen, a beautiful top model who gives up her career to marry Mark, a rich-30-years-older-than-her executive. She marries him for love, though  - she was already rich herself...  but one of Mark's daughters, Lucy (also a model, and the exact same age as her new stepmom), hates Helen, for... oh, god knows what reason. As if it really mattered! Helen's younger sister, Sandy, is in love with a drug dealer, and gives up the good easy life she leads at her mother's inn to live with her true love in the slums. Oh, love!...

Lucy's boyfriend is George, a serious young architect - who's got a non-evil twin brother, Mike, a bubbly happy-go-lucky kinda doctor. Mike's girlfriend, Renny, is a wannabe model who struggles with her drinking problem. Mike has simply become every girl's ideal husband around here, btw! You know, like Brandon Walsh from "Beverly Hills 90210" in the 90's. (Oh, the 90's!...)

Helen and Lucy go to Jordan for a fashion show. They meet Bruno, an extremely handsome Brazilian photographer; he and Lucy have a one night-stand (poor serious young architect George!), though he's really in love with Helen, who remains loyal to her wedding vows. 

The same, however, cannot be said about her husband Mark, who has a 2-day affair with Doris, this beautiful single mom who had once saved Helen's life.

Lucy has a terrible accident in Jordan, and ends up quadriplegic! They come back to Brazil, and bubbly Dr. Mike is now in charge of saving her from the fate of never walking again. The photographer Bruno comes back to Brazil as well, and we learn he is actually Mark's ilegitimate son! And he's in love with his stepmother! Oedipus would've been so proud!

Single mom Doris comes to Rio de Janeiro (where it all takes place, as in any 9 o'clock soap), pregnant, running away from her ex, who's trying to blackmail her! As soon as Mark sees her, they resume their affair; at the same time, Helen starts missing the modeling days, and plans to go back to working - but her chauvinist prejudiced husband won't hear of it. Their marriage starts to fall apart, while both Bruno and Doris hang around, just waiting.

Meanwhile, Lucy and Mike fall in love - but they have a dilemma to face: Mike's girlfriend is not only an alcoholic, but also Lucy's friend. And Lucy's boyfriend is Mike's brother! What to do, what to do?!

This week, everything I've been waiting for finally happened: Lucy and Mike finally kiss, after ending their relationships. To forget his heartbreak, George is now dating a prostitute! Helen's finally filed for divorce and has the courage to hug Bruno, while having this conversation:

Helen: Can you feel my heart?

Bruno: Yes. It's beating oh so fast!

Helen: It's anxious.

Bruno: Can you feel mine?

Helen: Yes, it's beating so fast too!

Wow. This is quality tv alright!

Other than that, everybody knows Helen's sister Sandy and her criminal lover will die, leaving their baby to be raised by our favorite prime-time top model! Eventually, Doris will walk out on Mark as well, and the jerkish womanizer executive will be not only all alone, but also completely bankrupt. Yes!

I watch it with Roomie everynight - it's our bonding time, since we rarely see each other during the day. And there's not a single scene we do not mock. 

But we have to admit: we love Mike. He beats every E.R., Grey's Anatomy and House doctor! Oh, Mike!... And we hate Helen, she annoys the crap out of us. She suffers too much. And then, there are all those people traveling short distances by helicopter, living in ridiculously big and fancy penthouses in front of the beach, and angry women throwing whisky glasses at mirrors.

How can anyone not love this amazingly complex and utterly down-to-earth plot?!