ABC Daytime Soap Operas

By: Alice Langholt

ABC daytime soap operas are legendary and long-running shows with thousands of fans across the world, spanning multiple generations. Grandmothers, mothers and daughters grew up watching ABC soap operas, sharing tidbits about the same characters, gossiping about the plotlines and guessing at what would happen next.

The writers of the shows have kept people watching by introducing tangled plots, dramatic twists and romantic scandals, along with villains and backbiting connivers to keep the story interesting. Web sites abound with forums for the latest General Hospital news, as well as episode recaps, character bios and information on the actors for all the favorite ABC soaps. Three dominant soaps, All My Children, General Hospital and One Life to Live are mainstays of the ABC daytime schedule.

All My Children
All My Children has been around for a generation. It began airing in January 1970. The soap centers on the people who live in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. Among its longest-running characters is the scandalous Erica Kane, played by Susan Lucci. Romance, medical emergencies, tangled relationships and babies that are mysteriously missing comprise a normal day's episode for this dramatic series.

General Hospital
General Hospital first graced the TV scene in 1963. Set in the fictional town of Port Charles, residents and hospital staff interact, fall in love, tangle with mobsters and cheat on one another. Soap opera's most famous couple, Luke and Laura, came from this series, which remains one of the most popular American soap operas of all time.

One Life to Live
In 1968, One Life to Live came on the scene, taking place in Llanview, Pennsylvania, also near Philadelphia. This series surrounds the Manning and Buchanan families and their interactions. Love entanglements are rampant, along with plots to get pregnant, find love, manipulate each other and keep secrets. Viewers will love the emotionally over-the-top situations.

It's possible to join forums, comment, read spoilers, get the inside scoop and even leave messages for the writers on forums related to the daytime soaps. ABC loves hearing from viewers, and the actors and writers have been known to respond to forum comments from time to time. 

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