For those of us who watch the soap operas, once the citadel of escapism, it is clear that we are living in an age in which even such places as Oakdale, Pine Valley, Henderson, Bay City and Somerset—all soap opera locales—can no longer remain completely aloof from the forces at work in our society…. But the question is: Just how far have we come?

Unfortunately, a closer look at the situation reveals that, despite some creeping social relevance, the soaps have yet to come to grips with reality in any meaningful way; that for too long they have been the perpetuators of outworn beliefs and values, reflecting a generally conservative bias; and that the networks presenting these shows still live in another world in which they have yet to fully appreciate their responsibilities.

All too often, attempts made in the general direction of relevance have been...