If you talk to any American and ask them about their favorite soap opera more often than none the answer is going to be One Life to Live. This program debuted on
ABC on July 15th 1968 and has since aired over 10,000 episodes. This show was created by Agnes Nixon; she is also the creator of the very popular soap opera All My Children. Currently each episode of this show is 60 minutes long, this is double that what it originally started with. The show features the talents of Frank Valentini who serves as executive producer and Ron Carlivati who is currently the head writer. Another interesting thing to consider is that this was one of the first shows to even attempt having a racially diverse cast. Before One Life to Live most soap operas were set in an all white world.
This soap is set in a fictional suburb of Philadelphia named Llanview. When the show first started out it centered on the lives of a Jewish family, a white family, and a black family. This lent a whole new aspect to day time television because now viewers from all ethnic groups had something in common with at least one of the characters from the show.
This show has not gone without its fare share of blunders. For example in 2002 they marketed a rag doll of one of their characters Todd Manning. Of course this did not sit well with many viewers because in the show Todd is a convicted rapist. In addition to that another character commits double homicide to cover up the fact that he is gay, and as you can expect this also did not sit well with a lot of equal rights groups.
I never really cared much for soap operas, I would much rather work than spend my days in front of a television; but I've got to say One Life to Live is pretty entertaining. Of course just like any other daytime drama this show is filled with sex, drugs, violence, and tons of other objectionable things so if you have children this may not be the best thing to let them watch. Other than that I give One Life to Live a 8/10 they have definitely earned their many awards and millions of viewers. If you have time to spare head over to
ABC and check out this program, or you can log onto their website and watch full length episodes, check cast info, or talk with other viewers whenever you get the time.
