Remembering 90's Quality TV Shows: From The Cemara Family To Si Doel A Schoolboy

JAKARTA - Perhaps the era of the 1990s was a storehouse of quality soap operas. As entertainment, soap operas are not only interesting, but also filled with exemplary and educational values. The series of soap operas appeared in titles such as Keluarga Cemara (1996), Pepesan Blank (1993), and Si Doel Anak Sekolahan (1994).

All three are proof that television shows can bring benefits. At least that narrative survives to this day. The presence of television has transformed into the most loved media by various levels of society.

Like a storehouse of entertainment, television can provide a variety of shows. There are music shows, quizzes, news, and soap operas. The presence of this soap opera then raises two sides. Sometimes soap operas that are broadcast contain the principle of benefit.

Sometimes it also brings with it negative effects. Which, this effect can cause a shift in values that have long been held by society. Behind the many soap operas that are not educative, there are also soap operas that have a positive charge.

The Cemara family for example. Soap operas that have been broadcast on television since 1996 do not show any luxury at all, do not rely on good-looking actors, intrigue, and conflicts that are too far-fetched.

The concoction is the reason the show written by a senior journalist, Arswendo Atmowiloto, is so popular with the public. Moreover, because of the author's ability to slip the content of the importance of education and honesty in the family.

“There are very few educational films and soap operas. Indonesian soap operas often fight as campaigners for materialism and a free lifestyle. The cypress family is one of the few soap operas that doesn't sell luxury, promiscuity, eroticism, and ghosts. Soap operas are fictional stories (not real). But is it too much to take viewers into an imaginary world so they don't step on the earth?” said Kun Sri Budiasih in the book Dare to Reject TV (2005).

In the era of the 1990s, television shows with a Betawi cultural background broke the small screen. The emergence of Empty Messages and Si Doel, a schoolboy, became the estuary. The two shows brought Betawi culture to the surface a lot.

As a result, the Betawi language moved very expansively throughout the archipelago. At the same time, Betawi's lenong art – moreover the artists – has also been promoted. In the hands of the director, Ali Shahab, Pepesan Blank who raised the Betawi comedy genre played many roles in bringing lenong artists to the small screen.

The fruit, the names of Malih Tong Tong (H. Malih) and Bolot Budek (Muhammad Sulaeman Harsono) are famous. Soap operas that tell about daily activities in a village called Kampung Bengek then quickly win the hearts of Indonesian entertainment connoisseurs.

Bolot Budek's action, which is often disconnected when spoken to the lurah or hansip, played by Malih Tong Tong is legendary enough to stick in the audience's memory. It was this antics that became the reason the two Betawi lenong artists were selling well, after Pepesan Blank

They even get high pay for each role. “Many people think that one day people will get tired of lenong soap operas on television. Regarding that assessment, SM Ardan (a Betawi figure) stated that this completely depends on those who polish it," said Alwi Shahab in his book Robinhood Betawi (2001).

“Like Ali Shahab and Putu Widjaya, said SM Ardan, who directed several of the Betawi comedy soap operas. Ali himself when asked whether (Neo) Pepesan Blank, which has now entered its 300th episode, will still be continued, according to him, depending on the rating. Besides, of course, the Indonesian Education Television (TPI) broadcast it," he added.

However, the explosive popularity of Betawi culture in the archipelago was due to a legendary artist, Benjamin Sueb with his soap opera Si Doel Anak Sekolahan in 1994. Although Bang Ben (as he is affectionately known), did not act as a director, his presence in the soap opera was vital.

The presence of Bang Ben in the romantic comedy series makes Si Doel a soap opera that is liked by 70 percent of the people of Jakarta. The popularity arose because Benjamin always seemed idealistic in competing roles. In fact, Bang Ben dared to break the taboo with something new. Whether it's in the form of fresh ideas or the courage to slip criticism after criticism.

Therefore, the simple life of the Betawi family is found in the soap opera Si Doel. Because of his life, many Betawi dialects are popular throughout the archipelago. Even until there was a fear from one of the Indonesian language experts, if the Indonesian language would be replaced by the Betawi language, as Bang Ben was very important in the map of the Indonesian entertainment industry.

“But the strongest breaking force came from singer and comedian Benjamin Sueb, who started his career in the 1960s, then from the soap opera Si Doel in the late 1990s. He doesn't hesitate to express all Betawi expressions in his songs, from the problem of nginjek, to the story of being hit by a car again. Nothing is taboo in Benjamin's eyes, everything is broken. People then feel liberated, so that the supporters of the Betawi language are getting wider,” wrote Ridwan Saidi in the book Ketoprak Jakarta (2001).

Betawi culturalist, Masykur Isnan sees the success of Betawi soap operas, especially Si Doel as a form of collective work. In a sense, everyone in the production of soap operas plays a major role in the success of a soap opera in presenting a reflection of Betawi society.

On the one hand, the soap opera Si Doel is the most capable of displaying the values and local wisdom of Betawi. Among them is the Betawi people's perspective on openness, simplicity, honesty, and love for their homeland.

On the other hand, it is clearly illustrated how the problems faced by the Betawi community are starting to be marginalized because of the desire for development. This problem then led to other problems such as the massive pace of urbanism, the lack of job opportunities for indigenous Betawis, the decline in the education sector, and the absence of the state for these various problems.

“Si Doel is a form of criticism of the condition of the Betawi people at that time, and seems to be still relevant today. One of them still clearly remembers how rampant the takeover of Betawi people's land in the name of development that was carried out unfairly. This problem makes the Betawi people feel like they have been thrown out of their own homes,” said Masykur Isnan to VOI, Friday, June 4.

Masykur Isnan added that soap operas in the 1990s could be said to be the best. Unlike new soap operas that appear without showing a clear narrative. Even tend without the principle of benefit. He also gave an example that the owner of the soap opera recently only thought about the rating.

Therefore, in order to get a good rating, things that smell negative and have a bad influence are considered to be mediocre mixed in an entertainment product. In fact, Indonesia already has a history of having good soap operas such as the Cemara Family, Pepesan Blank, and Si Doel Anak Sekolahan.

“Unlike today's soap operas, which are not rich in moral values, they tend to be immoral and have no value. Most only talk about infidelity and love. In fact, the community can actually be presented with a much better and educational view. That there is something more important than ratings, namely education," concluded Masykur Isnan.

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