Salatut elämät

This TV-show it's like the Bold & The Beautiful soap-operas, but in Finnish. It caught a lot of attention in Finland when one of the characters started to sell drugs, and the fact that one of the character is gay...

"Salatut Elämät" is a high-rated finish soap opera about a bunch of young and older people sharing house in Helsinki, Finland. Over the years the show has changed a lot. Many of the original cast members have left the series to become film stars in their country. From the critical point of view the subjects here are formulaic, but due to the lack of competitors it has gained its success over the years. In the early days of the show it dealed with such controversial issues like homo-sexuality, drugs and teen-pregnancy, but during the last couple of years it has become more of a traditional drama concentrating on human relationships.

'Salatut Elämät' has entertained Finns for many years from now. Many faces have been changed during the years and it seems that there's just very little of continuity present. Some of the characters, like Seppo, Ulla, Elina and Ismo, have remained for long but these character have not developed but are instead facing similar problems in their lives again and again. This makes 'Salatut Elämät' a bit irritating viewing as it all turns out to be very superficial and self repetitive.

In present time 'Salatut Elämät' lacks all the starlets it had in the first years. None of the younger promising actors have remained in the serial for long, except for Elina, and this has killed much of the original interest towards the whole product. When some of these younger actors wants to quit the serial, he/she is then quickly replaced with some distant cousin and it takes not a long time before you find that newest addition starring the whole program only to quit the show for some better job.

You may find the serial interesting only if you have just recently gotten into it. Older fans will eventually meet the deja vu phenomenon at least then, when you discover for the tenth time the kissing couple being watched by some jealous eyes.

I am really amazed because this has been on production for over 15 yrs! Probably because it is so easy to follow and people can find themselves and their acquaintance in this series.

I was taking care of their video tape recorders up to 2001 and I know that these are made really fast. They don't have time to shoot many takes but it usually is recorded as fast as possible. One take and that's it. This is why I give two stars because I admire the actors and actresses who can do this in such stressful environment.

Some of the people are professionals but there are many young persons just appearing the series and if he/she does it well enough, the magazines are telling all about these people making them familiar to those who watch this. So this series is served strongly to the ordinary Finnish people.

Some are very over acting; usually Police, doctors or authorities. These are very annoying to see because the Finnish Police etc. are very professional and do not act so arrogantly or passionate but are calm and very professional.

Hyvä sarja loppujen lopuksi, vaikkakin nykyään alkaa olla jo tylsistymässä. vanhat salkkarit on kultaa, ja on ne nykysetki ihan okei, vaikka tuntuu että salkkarit on tullu liian kauan.. annan kasin koska nykyset salkkarit on laskenu tasoo. kyllä mä silti tästä sarjasta tykkään :) / in the end, it's a good show, even though it's getting a bit boring. the old "salkkarit" is fire, and the recent is okay, but it feels like it has aired for eternity.. i'm giving it an 8 because it's not as good as before, "the good old days". but i still like this show.