Fans were also very pleased to have been surprised. In a survey of 151 fans, a whooping 91% said they believe that AS THE WORLD turns did the right things by not publicizing the sex scenes in advance. There was also a lot of doubt about whether a magazine, specifically Soap Opera Digest, would have given Nuke a cover, especially since the couple has never appeared on the Digest cover once in two years even when making international headlines.
But we all learn from our mistakes, so if Nuke sex was cover-worthy last week then it certainly is this week with the sex clip already surpassing 300,000 views on various websites. If the story can make the front page of the Huffington Post, surely it can make the front page of the soap magazines.
Hi Roger,
ReplyDeleteThe reason I am upset that Nuke's sex wasn't publicized has to do with fear and homophobia, not soap.
In other words, it appears to me that Telenext made a political decision by not hyping the Deed as opposed to an artistic choice. I have gone on the record as hating spoilers, and still do. BUT, when every other show has a blurb about a heterosexual couple having sex for the first time on a magazine cover, and nothing for Nuke, it seems quite homophobic to me.
Damon, the reason I personally didn't want this spoiled or hyped was the reaction was bound to be a letdown if it was. Imagine Nuke on the cover of magazines or big stories with pictures plastered everywhere in advance.
ReplyDeleteI would bet the level of satisfaction among fans would be less with people saying that it was so hyped there should have been way more or even a whole episode dedicated to it.
I do understand both sides, but I actually agree with this decision. The huge buzz is happening because something different and great happened on the show.
By the way, I don't believe anyone in my survey is part of the Nielsen sample and honestly no one I even know, and I know hundreds, probably thousands, of soap fans. So all the hype in the world may not have changed the Nielsens unless those in the Nielsen sample were the ones receiving it.
Damon's point is well made and well received...but that's also one of the exact reasons I was in favor of Nuke sex being a surprise. I don't want to arm the AFA and their ilk with advanced knowledge to get an early start on their hate campaign before the episode even aired. Is there a double standard? Of course...but that can be used to Nuke's advantage, too. If a less-publicized sex scene leads to way more praise and way less fear-mongered criticism...there's hope for more Nuke sex scenes in the future. Add in Roger's point that the newsworthiness of the story hasn't changed...and I'm all for publicity now. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://gaydaytime.blogspot.com/2009/01/as-world-turns-brief-history-of-nuke.html
ReplyDeleteI agree with George and Roger on this one. though Damon's point is well made as well. Surprise can be a good thing or it can backfire, and in this case it was a very good thing. In some cases viewers were treated to way more then they ever expected to see on screen. I liked the way this played out, much like i enjoyed the surprise of the third kiss back in april. we tuned in to watch one thing, dreading the moment that Noah was kissed by his greencard bride and we got a nice kiss to take away the sting.
ReplyDeletemonday we tuned in knowing that Nuke was going to kiss, and reunite but the full impact of that kiss was definitely a welcome development
I love how this poll shows just how "out of touch" the SoapPpress is when it comes to "what the fans want". Yes, we WANT to be spoiled (in anticipation of what will happen with the stories we love)... yet when we are SURPISED, it's SENSATIONAL! Yes, I get the arguement about "but Nuke lost out on the buzz". However, I think the SURPRISE and the sastifcation from that outweighs that advance buzz. Let the buzz exist AFTER Nuke sex... not before. Let the BUZZ of the "lost opportunity of buzz" be stronger than the backlash and OVER-anticipation of their love scene. I'm ALL BEHIND how things panned out. And as I TRUE FAN of Nuke, I think that matters... THE MOST.
ReplyDeleteYMMV...
So true. I'm glad it was a surprise. I think fans like having spoilers, but still want some surprise in the show.
ReplyDeleteHaving the Nuke sex be a surprise was great, especially since the Nuke fans were starting to set Valentine's Day as a deadline for them to have sex.
Besides, how many people still like the third kiss the best because it was unexpected?