Its so interesting how people all over the globe get so invested into any TV show they're watching. I have watched countless novelas/dramas/TV shows from countries all over the globe and love it when people like the things I like or make a connection with past events or things I know about. Fans all over the world make music videos (also called MVs in short form) on YouTube and post it. I have viewed many, many MVs and its amazing and mind boggling how some MVs are in multiple languages and made by people from countries I haven't even heard of.
This phenomenon makes me wonder: What about these novelas make so many people from all over the globe come together in this huge fandom?
I think that the answer lies in the content of these TV shows. Most telenovelas share some of the key ingredients like romance, intrigue, economic issues and other relatable themes. The biggest target for Latin American telenovelas are women and "Almost half of the 90 million people in the region's female headed households live in poverty" (Isben). Not just women, but people of any ages seem to find at-least some things that they can relate to in these novelas and I think that that is what brings all these fans from around the globe together.
Citations
Ibsen, Martinez. "Romancing the Globe." ELC at UGA. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2017.
I think that I agree with you about what makes people so crazy about Telenovelas. It's so much like an outlet. I would almost say it's what people want their lives to be like. These telenovelas tend to include so much of what we want from our own lives (hopefully minus all the killing). They present things that are so, so appealing to the eye and the mind and they are brought to fruition. More specifically, I think the idea of having someone fight for you, or love you regardless of your economic standing or ethnic background really gets people. Even if you can't experience it for yourself, being able to watch it unfold on your TV screen is just as good. Being able to experience something with a character, real or not makes fans so die-hard because everything a character goes through the fans go through, and I can definitely attest to that.
ReplyDeleteThe telenovela I think is an outlet for people. It can show that life isn't always all bad and at times, it can show that even the situations we think are horrible aren't as bad as we think because there's always someone that is going through worse. That factor I believe is part of the hook of telenovelas. I also think the ability to experience a different culture through a love story is also part of the hook. For example, the comparisons of different adaptions of "Ugly Betty" was so interesting and "Jane the Virgin" too.
ReplyDeleteThis class has really opened my eyes as to how much telenovelas have spread across the globe. As you pointed out, they are so popular that almost everywhere they are broadcasted they have the prime TV time which is after dinner when families can gather to watch them. I think that is so cool that you actually grew up watching Hindi soap operas with your family. I am sure that made it easy to relate to the structure of telenovelas and the importance of not missing an episode. My family never really had a TV show that we all loved to sit down and watch so it was hard for me to relate to the idea of families finding a commonality in telenovelas. I also agree with you about the reason why telenovelas are so popular. it is extremely easy for women to relate to telenovelas because producers make them extremely realistic which is why they are so intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI too think telenovelas have had a huge impact while sweeping global audiences! I've been reeled into the emotional drama and seducing characters in telenovelas! I love how just for a few hours, you can forget your own personal problems by escaping into a world of intense romance and an alluring Cinderella story! The globalization of telenovelas mean that although Hollywood seems to be dominating right now, telenovelas are captivating audiences across the world and I can't wait.
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