I have a “thing” about serial drama. All the good American ones are dead and buried, but they are going strong in the UK. And, of course, there’s the whole telanovela phenomenon.

I’m mad about several British soaps. ITV’s Emmerdale is my daily go-to followed by Channel 4’s Hollyoaks. I sporadically watch ITV’s venerable Coronation Street and the Beeb’s East Enders.

One of the best storylines recently is referred to below in a cut from Nitin Ganatra’s interview with Digital Spy. You couldn’t even contemplate the Christian and Syed plot in a U.S. series. It was breathtakingly nuanced and layered. Fearless performances by all involved.

Marketers can learn a lot from a serial plot line. When you learn how an audience reacts to your product/institution/point-of-view/school over time, you have a better knowledge base from whence to draw inspiration for your next campaign.

from Digital Spy UK post, 07-03-2012:

Our readers are still very passionate about Christian and Syed. Can we expect to see them interacting with the family more?
“I don’t know for sure, but I think they’re working on a story for them at the moment, so I think there will be more of them interacting with the family.

“Zainab and Masood have accepted Christian now, as we saw in the scene where they all sat round the dinner table and did a toast. So I think the animosity has gone and the story has developed. I haven’t seen any scripts yet, but I hope the Masoods will be much more of a big family with a delinquent uncle, gay son and their gay son’s boyfriend. A typical Asian household in Albert Square!”

‘EastEnders’ Nitin Ganatra talks AJ arrival, Masood future – interview – EastEnders Interview – Soaps – Digital Spy.