A Taxonomy of Several Popular Soap Operas, as Chronicled in One Edition of TV Week

Michelle Otto

Female Characters
Anna
Katrina
Erica
Laura
Hayley
Bianca
Katie
Barbara
Julia
Lien
Rosie
Stephanie
Amber
Bridget
Sally
Kate
Chloe
Marlena
Nancy
Helena
Skye
Reva
Claire
Cassie
Olivia
Gabrielle
Blair
Alexis
Gina
Viki
Jean (Viki's alter ego)
Melanie
Gwen
Theresa
Kay
Tabitha
Carolyn
Cookie
Lucy
Karen
Rhonda
Sharon
Victoria
Tricia

Male Characters
Gabriel
Leo
Adam
JR
Simon
Jack
Henry
Eric
Deacon
Rick
Abe
Glen
Isaac
J.T. (in utero)
Stefano
Sonny
Tony
Lucas
Stavros (cryogenically frozen)
Edward
Luke
Gus
Richard
Edmund
Blake
Max
Asa
Todd
Bo
Colin (thought to be deceased)
Sam
Ethan
Miguel
Timmy
Frank
Harry
Scott
Kevin
Nick
Matt
Ryan
Paul
Chris

Unable to Determine Sex from Context
Greenlee
Dixie
Morgan
Lexie
Lucky

Occurs in More Than One Show
Kelly
Carly
Ben
Brooke

Doubles as a Noun
Hope
Barb
Charity
Harmony

Inanimate Objects
Ice Princess ring
Nellie (Cookie's computer)

Families
the Kiriakises
the Spencers

Weddings
Barbara to [name not given]
Amber to Rick
Gabrielle (not, as Max thought, Alexis) to Asa
Gwen to Ethan
Kay to Miguel
Charity to Miguel

Locations
Tuscany
Crossroads
Kelly's
Hong Kong

Things in Quotes
"opportunity"
"dead"
"Jean"
"cross the line"

Two Sentences from One Summary Indicating a Healthy Level of Self-Awareness
Timmy's accident creates chaos in Harmony. (So what else is new?)