Since the age of 7 when my summer babysitter would provide me with the option of taking a nap or quietly sitting with her as she watched her afternoon soap operas, the drama and excitement of the storylines combined with the familiarity of characters across a continuous narrative have inspired an amazing sense of loyalty to General Hospital even twenty years later. While watching a new “wrinkle” unfold over the last several months, I realized that soap operas like General Hospital are not only filled with game theory, but that the “famous” prisoner’s dilemma in many ways is an essential building block for the television genre.
For instance, several months ago, “Man A” (pictured above) uncovered a secret that would potentially destroy his wife “Woman A,” (also pictured) threatening not only her health but also the life of their unborn child. At the same time, “Woman B” discovered that same secret; in her case, the surfacing of the secret could result in the potential mob killing of her current boyfriend “Man B.” Through a series of events, Man A and Woman B realized that they both were keeping the same secret. At this point, they were faced with a prisoner’s dilemma. In both cases, a tremendous amount of damage would be created if they both revealed the secret to their loved ones; however, if their loved ones learned of the secret from the other knowing party rather than their trusted loved one, the individuals would be in an even worse position as the initial forecasted damage could happen with the addition of greater harm to themselves. (For example, if Woman A learns the secret from Woman B rather than her own husband, not only will her and her child’s lives be in jeopardy but she may never trust her husband again.) If, however, they both choose not to tell, then they must live with the guilt, which also may threaten to destroy their relationships. While the Nash equilibrium is that both should tell, the two secret holders realize that they can avoid a great deal of the danger and risk if they both continue to keep the secret. Therefore, in this particular instance, Man A and Woman B attempted to cooperate together to cover-up the life-changing secret rather than playing their dominant strategies. (See the game table below)
| | | Man A | |
| | | Tell | Don’t Tell |
| Woman B | Tell | -10, -10 | -3, -15 |
| Don’t Tell | -15, -3 | -5, -5 | |
While cooperation in real-life is extremely difficult, “attempted cooperation” is an essential element to the longevity of soap operas as this is the element that allows shows like General Hospital to extend their storylines. The cooperation enables the show to tryout new wrinkles while building more suspense around the “secret-reveal moment.” For instance, for this example the loved ones of Man A and Woman B began to suspect that they were having an affair as they were spending a great deal of time with one another while covering up the secret. It also reduces the workload of the writing staff as they would have to produce exponentially more storylines should every secret be revealed at the time of discovery. Finally, it also allows for more “opportune” reveal moments in story lines adding the essential element of drama for which soap operas are known.
Looking briefly at the cooperation break-down factor, soap operas do also illustrate the difficulty in maintaining cooperation between parties. In the months prior to the secret being revealed, audiences see both Woman B and Man A considering breaking down and telling their loved ones the truth. The situation also demonstrates the debilitating effect that the entry of a third player can have on cooperation. In this case, a third party (Woman A’s son who woke up from a coma and remembered a bedside confession regarding the secret) entered the game and made the secret public. Woman B then let slip to the astonished town that Man A had known for months, resulting in Woman A declaring her intention to leave her husband (right before she goes into labor and is kidnapped by the mob.)
While some may debate the educational component of soap opera content, this avid supporter is impressed by the real-world game-theory connections that can be found if one only looks beyond the surface.
For a preview of the next strategic game in store now that Woman A has been kidnapped, watch the following promo:
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