Which dramatic genre purports to be serious but, in fact, deals with human issues on only the most superficial level, embellished with spectacular staging, flamboyant dialogue, and highly suspenseful and contrived plotting?

Melodrama

Explanation:

Melodrama is a theatrical genre that began to develop in the 18th century, influencing the dramatic arts to the present day. Its specificity is the use of music and dramatic action (spoken dialogues), but different from opera, for using incidental music to express the emotional charge of the characters and the situations in which they are immersed.