Watching drama for the adrenaline
When I was a child I was always confused about why adults liked to watch soap operas that much, my family have always watch the ones their aired on TV. They were for me very bad and boring, poor acting and script. As I grew up I started to understand why they watch them so intensely.
When adult life hits you, life can get boring and full of stress, anxiety and preoccupation. Watching that kind of drama gives you the adrenaline you dream to have, the interesting life that you could have but without all the bad parts because after all, you're just an observer. Also, you can laugh with friends or family while make fun of the crazy and absurd plots, so I get it, watching intense dramas are fun.
I watch them now, not so often, but I watch them when my life needs that kind of emotion. Real life drama it's exhausting, but in the TV you can watch it, feel it, and forget about it.