Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome
Encyclopedia
Soap Opera Rapid Aging Syndrome (SORAS) is a term used to describe the practice of accelerating the age of a television character (usually a child or teenager) in conflict with the timeline of a series and/or the real-world progression of time. Characters unseen on screen for a time might reappear portrayed by an actor several years older than the original. Usually coinciding with a recast, rapid aging is typically done to open up the character to a wider range of storylines, and to attract younger viewers. The process originated in (and is most commonly used in) daytime soap opera
s. It is also often used in prime time
series. SORAS generally refers to cases in which a character's rapid aging happens off-screen without any explanation, rather than to storylines in science fiction
and fantasy
in which a character ages rapidly due to technology, magic, or non-human biology. At least one whimsy effort has been made to describe the SORAS effect as time dilation due to "soap opera physics".
Coined by Soap Opera Weekly
founding editor-in-chief Mimi Torchin in the early days of the magazine, the term is now widely used in the soap opera media. Torchin has jokingly called it "my one greatest contribution to the world of soap operas."
, Tom Hughes was born on screen in 1961. By 1970 he had been to college and fought in the Vietnam War
. Subsequent recasting kept him in his 30s for 20 years, with Tom hitting his 40s in the 1990s. Dan Stewart, born onscreen on As the World Turns in 1958, reappeared as a 26-year-old doctor in 1966.
On the situation comedy
Growing Pains
, Chrissy Seaver was born on the show in late 1988. She remained a toddler for the remainder of that season and the season after, but in 1990 the character was aged to five with role being recast with Ashley Johnson
.
A 1993 secret history
storyline on All My Children
established that lead character Erica Kane
had been raped immediately prior to the series' 1970 debut. In this retcon
, Erica represses all memory of the rape until 16-year-old Kendall Hart
, a child produced by it and put up for adoption, appears in 1993. Viewer reaction to the discrepancy created by Erica having a 16-year-old daughter as the product of a 24-year-old rape prompted the series to immediately adjust Kendall's age to 23.
On The Young and the Restless
, Billy Abbott was born in 1993 but was aged 16 by 1999.
The children of Casualty
is a frequent example of SORAS. In particular, Charlie Fairhead's son Louis
with wife Baz Fairhead. Louis is born in the 11th Series of the show, late 1996, and correctly we see him in 1999 as a 3 year old toddler. Yet 2 or 3 years later the boy, who should be approximately 6 when the character returned for a later storyline, was certainly no younger than 8 based on appearance and intelligence of the actor playing him. In 2010 the character of Louis again returns, who should in theory be 13 years old. Played by actor Gregory Foreman, born in 1988 - the actor himself was 20, whilst the character he was playing was in his late teens, having got his girlfriend pregnant, certainly not 13.
Another soap where SORAS is a common condition is Neighbours
. In 2001, newlyweds Libby Kennedy
and Drew Kirk
are lucky enough to give birth to son Ben. Ben later returns in 2007 as an 8 year old. The primary reason for this was because another child actor playing the part of Micky, aged 11 at the time, had a younger brother who they also wanted to cast in the show - alongside this, it was much easier for the writers to writer storylines for an 8 year old boy than a 6 year old boy - now, when referenced, the show states than Ben's D.O.B is 1999.
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
s. It is also often used in prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
series. SORAS generally refers to cases in which a character's rapid aging happens off-screen without any explanation, rather than to storylines in science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasy
Fantasy television
Fantasy television is a genre of television programming featuring elements of the fantastic, often including magic, supernatural forces, or exotic fantasy worlds. Fantasy television programs are often based on tales from mythology and folklore, or are adapted from fantasy stories in other media...
in which a character ages rapidly due to technology, magic, or non-human biology. At least one whimsy effort has been made to describe the SORAS effect as time dilation due to "soap opera physics".
Coined by Soap Opera Weekly
Soap Opera Weekly
Soap Opera Weekly is a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It features onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional information...
founding editor-in-chief Mimi Torchin in the early days of the magazine, the term is now widely used in the soap opera media. Torchin has jokingly called it "my one greatest contribution to the world of soap operas."
Examples
The practice of rapidly aging characters dates back to the early years of television soap opera. In As the World TurnsAs the World Turns
As the World Turns is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS from April 2, 1956 to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created As the World Turns as a sister show to her other soap opera Guiding Light...
, Tom Hughes was born on screen in 1961. By 1970 he had been to college and fought in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Subsequent recasting kept him in his 30s for 20 years, with Tom hitting his 40s in the 1990s. Dan Stewart, born onscreen on As the World Turns in 1958, reappeared as a 26-year-old doctor in 1966.
On the situation comedy
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
Growing Pains
Growing Pains
Growing Pains is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, New York, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.-Synopsis:The show's premise is based...
, Chrissy Seaver was born on the show in late 1988. She remained a toddler for the remainder of that season and the season after, but in 1990 the character was aged to five with role being recast with Ashley Johnson
Ashley Johnson
Ashley Suzanne Johnson is an American actress, best known for her two-season role as Chrissy Seaver in the TV show Growing Pains, and for her voice work in television series such as Teen Titans and Ben 10 Alien Force....
.
A 1993 secret history
Secret history
A secret history is a revisionist interpretation of either fictional or real history which is claimed to have been deliberately suppressed, forgotten, or ignored by established scholars.-Secret histories of the real world:...
storyline on All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
established that lead character Erica Kane
Erica Kane
Erica Kane is a fictional character from the American daytime drama All My Children.The character has been portrayed by actress Susan Lucci since the show first aired in January 1970, until the last broadcast television episode aired in September 2011. Erica is considered to be the most popular...
had been raped immediately prior to the series' 1970 debut. In this retcon
Retcon
Retroactive continuity is the alteration of previously established facts in a fictional work. Retcons are done for many reasons, including the accommodation of sequels or further derivative works in a series, wherein newer authors or creators want to revise the in-story history to allow a course...
, Erica represses all memory of the rape until 16-year-old Kendall Hart
Kendall Hart
Kendall Hart Slater is a fictional character from the American daytime drama All My Children. The character was portrayed by Sarah Michelle Gellar from 1993 to 1995, and by Alicia Minshew from 2002 to 2011....
, a child produced by it and put up for adoption, appears in 1993. Viewer reaction to the discrepancy created by Erica having a 16-year-old daughter as the product of a 24-year-old rape prompted the series to immediately adjust Kendall's age to 23.
On The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless
The Young and the Restless is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in a fictional Wisconsin town called Genoa City, which is unlike and unrelated to the real life village of the same name, Genoa City, Wisconsin...
, Billy Abbott was born in 1993 but was aged 16 by 1999.
The children of Casualty
Casualty (TV series)
Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
is a frequent example of SORAS. In particular, Charlie Fairhead's son Louis
Louis
-Surname:* Arthur Louis , British musician whose surname is pronounced 'Lewis'* Thomas Louis , British naval officer* Pierre Louÿs , French writer* Spyridon Louis , Greek runner...
with wife Baz Fairhead. Louis is born in the 11th Series of the show, late 1996, and correctly we see him in 1999 as a 3 year old toddler. Yet 2 or 3 years later the boy, who should be approximately 6 when the character returned for a later storyline, was certainly no younger than 8 based on appearance and intelligence of the actor playing him. In 2010 the character of Louis again returns, who should in theory be 13 years old. Played by actor Gregory Foreman, born in 1988 - the actor himself was 20, whilst the character he was playing was in his late teens, having got his girlfriend pregnant, certainly not 13.
Another soap where SORAS is a common condition is Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
. In 2001, newlyweds Libby Kennedy
Libby Kennedy
Elizabeth Grace "Libby" Kennedy is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Kym Valentine. She made her first on-screen appearance on 3 October 1994 and departed in 2004, before returning on 12 November 2007. Libby is the only daughter of Karl and Susan Kennedy...
and Drew Kirk
Drew Kirk
Andrew "Drew" Kirk is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Dan Paris. He made his first on-screen appearance on 27 March 1998. Drew departed on 13 September 2002...
are lucky enough to give birth to son Ben. Ben later returns in 2007 as an 8 year old. The primary reason for this was because another child actor playing the part of Micky, aged 11 at the time, had a younger brother who they also wanted to cast in the show - alongside this, it was much easier for the writers to writer storylines for an 8 year old boy than a 6 year old boy - now, when referenced, the show states than Ben's D.O.B is 1999.