Poll: Top five most important characters from the history of each soap?

[ER Tosh]

"Important" meaning their influence on the show not if you like them or hate them.

[Paul Raven]

Days - Alice Horton.

The moral center of the show,providing advice and guidance to family and friends for 40 years.

Marlena Evans

Front and center in some of the most recognized stories and romances

Stefano Di Mera

Super villian who never was defeated

Julie Williams

From teen tearaway to matriach

John Black

His tenure probably was the most rewritten of any show

[DRW50]

OLTL:

Viki - There would be no OLTL without her. The show was built around her struggles with her identity and she was a major part of each following decade. No soap heroine has ever had as many bizarre and outrageous stories as Viki and made them seem perfectly understandable. Nine personalities? Of course. Time travel? Makes sense. Going to a Heaven spaceship? Why not. At her best, Viki is a strong and complex woman, ice on the outside and pure fire inside, a good friend or your worst nightmare.

Dorian - Viki and the anti-Viki all rolled into one. At her best, an absolutely awesome character you can gasp at or cry with. Loves her family, detests threats, loves and hates Viki, her demons are always there, mixed with humor, spirit, and sometimes an amazing amount of compassion. Insecure suits often seem threatened by Robin Strasser or the character or both and try to run her off, but even Paul Rauch felt the need to bring Dorian back. While Robin Strasser has been there for most of Dorian's strongest moments, it says something about the character that no matter who has played her, she has been through so many very important stories which have been vital to OLTL's long-term history.

Todd - The character that won't die. For better or worse, Todd Manning has dominated OLTL for nearly 20 years. Rapes, murders, silly stories, a recast on a show which has not exactly excelled at recasts in recent years, it doesn't matter. Give him a parrot, take away a scar, put him in a Patrick wig, have him fake DID, give him a 15 year old 7 year old -- he'll keep coming back for more.

Tina - They may have done a serious hatchet job on Tina since somewhere around 1994, but Tina was a vital part of OLTL's big comeback years. A lot of people will always remember Tina going down the falls and "I take thee...Cord," as a staple of 80s soap. Andrea Evans was the perfect contrast to Erika Slezak and Tina was the perfect love-to-hate/hate-to-love character. She was also wonderful with John Loprieno. Their chemistry was so natural that it was often easily overlooked. She also had fab chemistry with James de Paiva. And in her 2008 return she effortlessly absorbed all of Tina's other relationships which had developed in her absence, showcasing a great rapport with Christopher Cousins. Few things exemplify daytime's decline more than the rough treatment Andrea and Tina got that year.

Clint - Such an underrated character. Without Clint would the Buchanans have ever been popular in Llanview? He was the grounded, solid newspaperman who had to pick up the torch from a dying Joe Riley. We got to care about him before we ever knew of an Asa or a Bo. Clint Ritchie had a gentle humor and a warmth, along with occasional outbursts of pure rage, which made him the perfect screen partner for Erika Slezak. I remember how I used to hear that Clint oppressed Viki, or Clint was archaic, and now Viki could be free. Viki has been written as progressively weaker, whereas in her years with Clint, she was a wonderful mother, friend, sister, a powerful businesswoman, a woman who fought mental illness, various psychopaths, an underground city, time travel, a brain tumor, and kept on thriving. Clint was by Viki's side as she buried a daughter and as she dealt with the horrors of patricide and remembering years of sexual abuse. Clint was also a loving father who shared effortless chemistry with his onscreen kids, all of whom, in a sane soap world, would have continued to blossom and carried the show for years to come. And his scenes with "Pa" were always a treat, some of the funniest, most emotional, most believable father/son dynamics on daytime. When OLTL became "relevant" again in the early 90s, Clint was discarded as some old fossil. While I am sad about how regressive and meatheaded OLTL has become in recent years, the one bright spot is that it showcases just what a truly kind and wonderful man Clint was in contrast to "heroes" like Rex.

While I will always associate Clint Ritchie with Clint, Jerry ver Dorn has done a great job at playing a role which was heavily reliant on the personality of the original portrayer and which has been heavily damaged by ugly rewrites such as Clint and Viki not knowing that Jessica had been molested. JvD has a good platonic chemistry with Erika Slezak, worked wonders with Amanda Setton, and I love when he gets a chance to actually be a father and a friend to Natalie.

[Dion]

General Hospital

Steve Hardy

Along with Jessie Brewer(and if this was a top ten she'd be on my list too) he virtually carried the show during the sixties and remained an important character long after wards as the seventh floor chief and later chief of staff. Even though most of his storylines seem to have had him merely reacting to what the other characters were doing (even back in the 60s when he was front-burner he never seemed to be the one causing drama) he was always the one to come to the rescue (be it Angie Costello with the scars on her face, Jessie needing a pep talk over her miserable marriage to Phil or Audrey with her incessant dramas). Steve was the moral centre of the show and his presence has been missed over the past 14 years. I think Laura put it best at his funeral when she said that when she and Luke ran into Steve at the hospital (when they returned to Port Charles in 1993) it was thefirst time she felt that she was truly home.

Laura Webber

Speaking of Laura, she was already well on her way to becoming one of the most important characters long before Luke arrived. In light of the absolute phenomenon that Luke and Laura became it's easy to forget that it was her teen storylines in 1978 - 1979 (the affair/murder of David Hamilton, romance with Scotty Baldwin) that initially piqued the interest of teens (and other viewers, thus beginning GH's ascent). Of course that interest absolutely exploded once Luke came on the scene, ushering in the era of GH becoming a ratings powerhouse in the eighties. In later years Laura was (despite some slightly dodgy plot decisions that in some ways actually helped show that she was human and not the pinnacle of perfection in the way that she was often portrayed as) well on her way to taking over Steve as the moral centre of the show (for a long period in the 90s for example, if a seemingly bad character had a somewhat good relationship with Laura or at least tried to then it usually meant that they were just misunderstood), although that was cut short by Genie's abrupt exit in 2002. Her returns do always generate some interest amongst fans and media alike though

Luke Spencer

Then there is Luke. Obviously there is the whole Luke and Laura thing, but the character is also important in many other ways. Unlike Steve for example who almost never put a foot wrong, Luke was a drifter, a con artist and of course a rapist, but still managed to save the entire world thus ushering in the era of morally ambiguous characters that still remain on the show today. The fact that Luke is the last of the 80s adventure era characters to be left remaining (despite the fact that he wasn't even there for most of the adventure era) also says a lot for his importance to the show. He's also one of the few characters that the show will occasionally allow Sonny to be in the wrong with.

Robert Scorpio

Its seems that GH has always needed a strong central character (though of course this need has dramatically become more visible over the past decade with you know who) and after Luke and Laura left, this role fell upon Robert Scorpio. For example, the Quartermaines are suspected of murder, but never fear Robert Scorpio will solve it! Anna and Duke are having trouble with the mob, but don't worry Robert will fly in from Australia to help! Bobbie's being blackmailed over her adopted child and guess who just might be the father? Yup Robert Scorpio! (even though it turned out he wasn't). Holly and Anna also had their part to play in Robert's success, but on late 80s GH all roads would lead back to Robert!

Sonny Corinthos

Love him or hate him, GH is what it is today (whether you love it or hate it also) because of this man. There always seems to be two A plots at a time on present day GH - the one that Sonny and his circle always gets and the one that everyone else has to share (that is provided that Sonny's circle doesn't happen to have that one also). This character has been the most prolific lover, fathered more children (including losing more babies through miscarriage/stillbirth than most other characters could ever hope to have). Every storyline on GH has at least a tenuous connection to Sonny and the show has altered its focus so much to accommodate Sonny in ways that it never did when Luke and Laura, and Robert were the central characters of the show. Remember what I said about all roads leading back to Robert? Well forget about it with Sonny...there's almost nothing to lead back to him because he is the road, he is what its leading to and he is everywhere and everything!

Honorable mentions also go to:

Jessie Brewer, Audrey Hardy, Lesley Webber, Monica Quartermaine, Alan Quartermaine, Bobbie Spencer, Anna Devane and Robin Scorpio.

[DRW50]

That's a great list, Dion. I can't believe you didn't mention Jason. Bob Guza is not your friend.

I agree with your list too, Paul. I think it's hard to remember sometimes just what a crucial character Julie was.

[Steve]

AMC:

Phoebe Tyler Wallingford: She was the epitome of old money and snobbery, yet she was absolutely hilarious as she ranted against the middle class and poor folks of Pine Valley.

Erica Kane: The most famous vixen in soap history. Enough said!

Tad Martin: Not too many soap characters have bedded a daughter and mother and come off as charming afterward. His romance with Dixie was one of AMC's last supercouples.

Palmer Cortlandt: He brought Gothic drama to Pine Valley that would later be replicated by the Marricks but without the same impact. Also, his rivalry with Adam was one of daytime's all-time best.

Stuart Chandler: Some people may have chosen Adam instead, but I think Stuart gradually became the heart and soul of Pine Valley, especially after Ruth Martin left the canvas. He was always there to listen to Adam's problems and try to guide his brother (and several other residents for that matter) in the right direction. His absence has left a void that hasn't been filled yet.

[DeeeDee]

Y&R

Katherine - The Survivor

Jill - The Vixen

Victor - The Anti Hero

Nikki - The Heroine

Jack - The Scoundrel

[Darn]

This list is perfect.

[All My Shadows]

It's easier to do this type of list for shows that have more of a sense of continuity and centering through the years. Deee nailed Y&R right on the head, but a show like ATWT would be so hard to just pick five characters for. You'd almost have to pick five characters to represent the first half of the run and five to represent the second half. And GL would be next to impossible.

[DRW50]

I think ATWT would be Bob, Kim, Lisa, John, and Lily. To me Bob and Kim are a brilliant couple, warm, funny, sharp, and when they were given the chance, more than able to still do high drama and remain together. Kim on her own is a fascinating character, as she represents so much of ATWT's upheaval in the 70s and the show smoothing itself out again in the mid-80s. Bob is a character who has remained vital in spite of his family being whittled away. Lisa isn't much of a character these days and hasn't been in over a decade but she was the face of ATWT for a long time and remained relevant for many years -- I almost left her off the list but I couldn't because of that superb story where she sued John for malpractice and the Hughes family were pitted against each other. This was the last truly great story ATWT had. John was such a crucial part of ATWT for me, he was an antihero, he was so complicated, he was so funny yet he could snap if you crossed him, he had such long and deep friendships, relationships, rivalries. He was so important to the canvas because he wasn't a saint but he also wasn't evil -- this is what you need to push stories and stop the "good" characters from being compromised. And Lily, I have never been a fan of Lily's, but she was the face of the show for much of the last 25 years and also one of the few soap heroines who, at least until Martha Byrne was pushed out, had been allowed to transition into being a stable wife and mother.

[JellicleCat]

The Bold and the Beautiful

Brooke Logan & Stephanie Forrester: You can't mention one without the other, and you can't talk about B&B without having these two at the top of the list. A rivalry that has gone up and down throughout the years, but never quite died out. They are the true supercouple of this show, and even though the formula is starting to grow old these two still sizzle opposite each other.

Sally Spectra: Maybe not the most expected choice, but Sally's importance to this show only became obvious when we lost her. Without her B&B has lost one of its most colorful and endearing characters. Sally was a larger-than-life character with a heart as big as her hair, and a mouth to match them both. B&B will never be the same without her.

Ridge Forrester: The vacuum around which this show has revolved more or less since the very first episode. Inexplicably the object of affection for usually level-headed and competent women like Caroline, Brooke and Taylor.

These four were easy, but I can't quite make up my mind regarding who should be the fifth:

Caroline Spencer: First love of Ridge's life and the original "good girl" of the show, contrasted with Brooke as the "bad girl".

Eric Forrester: The patriarch with a roving eye and lust for younger women.

Taylor Hamilton Hayes: The successor to Caroline's throne as the "good girl" in Ridge's life, and one-third of one of the longest triangles in soap history.

Sheila Carter: One of daytime's most fascinating villains started out on Y&R, but her run on B&B energized the show and she remains the only real supervillain of this show.

[Khan]

Five? Just five?

Y&R: Drucilla, Jill, Katherine, Lorie and Victor

SEARCH FOR TOMORROW: Jo, Liza, Stephanie, Stu and Travis

SANTA BARBARA: Cruz, Eden, Gina, Julia and Mason

RYAN'S HOPE: Delia, Jack, Jillian, Maeve and Mary

OLTL: Dorian, Karen, Marco, Tina and Viki

LOVING: Ava, Gwyneth, Shana, Stacey and Trisha

GUIDING LIGHT: Alan, Bert, Nola, Reva and Roger

GH: Alan, Jessie, Laura, Luke and Steve

EDGE OF NIGHT: Geraldine, Mike, Nicole, Raven and Skye

DOCTORS: Althea, Maggie, Matt, Mona and Nola

DAYS: Bo, Doug, Julie, Laura and Stefano

CAPITOL: Clarissa, Jenny/Julie, Myrna, Sloane and Trey

B&B: Brooke, Caroline, Sally, Sheila and Stephanie

ATWT: James, John, Lisa, Nancy and Penny

ANOTHER WORLD: Carl, Felicia, Iris, Liz and Rachel

AMC: Erica, Jenny, Jesse, Opal and Tad

[DRW50]

GL:

Bert Bauer - Looking at the old clips of Bert you'd never have guessed what Bert would become. This was a very insecure, grasping, and sometimes shockingly bitter woman. Never was a talk-to character more important than Papa Bauer. He supported her and politely shot down her delusions as best he could. Unlike the noble, long-suffering soap matriarchs of early daytime, Bert did not suffer in silence. She caused suffering as much as she went through her own troubles. As Bert's family grew weaker and she saw the backlash her meddling and nagging had caused, she built herself up, learned from her mistakes. She was such a believable figure and I think that's one reason viewers embraced her so much. This Bauer family template, of basically decent people who knew they were not saints but did their best, was brilliant and helped GL for many years until Pam Long and Gail Kobe destroyed it for no reason.

Reva Shayne - I know Reva became a punchline and a reviled presence to a lot of viewers but for better or worse she was a major force on GL for 25 years (and while I don't think the show was hurt in her absence, I also don't think it was necessarily helped, as 91-92 were great but 93-95 weren't really a great period and that is one of the reasons she was asked back in the first place). Reva had a lot of weak stories and Kim Zimmer had a lot of interviews and power struggles which generated headaches but Reva was a galvanizing force and on those rare occasions where Reva had quieter material beyond I'M COMING OUT!! Zimmer did a great job. Reva's mourning for Jeffrey was very repetitive and overplayed but one of my favorite moments in GL's last year was when Reva was quietly going along with planning Vanessa's and Billy's remarriage and then she just was hit by so much grief that she had to excuse herself. That type of quiet moment, along with Reva's relationships with Hawk and Billy and with her kids, are what I remember most about her. And I thought she and Robert Newman both did a wonderful job in those last scenes, full of ambivalence and hope for the future.

Phillip Spaulding - Phillip was given so much baggage from such a young age. Some of that promise was never realized, thanks to the show writing off Justin and never properly recasting him (Chris Pennock sucked), but Grant Aleksander proved to be more than up to playing such a complicated character. Honestly I feel like they ran out of story for Phillip long before Grant was fired in 2004, but the 2009 return was desperately needed and gave a kick in the pants to the Spaulding family and to the show. I know it wasn't a great writing feast but I did enjoy some moments and I think that Phillip's reconciliation with his estranged son and father and his Four Musketeers farewell was probably the best to expect at that point. It was a bittersweet but happy ending for such a vital character.

Ross Marler - Thanks to GL's endless cast turnover in the 80s, I think Jerry ver Dorn was already the longest-running consecutive male performer in the cast by somewhere around 1985. Ed should have been that reassuring male presence and he probably would have been if Mart Hulswit hadn't been fired, but after that Ed became so damaged that while you cared about him, you weren't all that comforted by him. JvD's Ross stepped into that void and became the heart of the show, a character who intersected with just about every family and friendship, at least the ones you cared about. Any scene he ever had with Vanessa was so rich, and Ross/Blake were one of soap's all time best WTF pairings that took off. GL probably "died" many years ago but the certificate was signed the day they cut Jerry.

Roger Thorpe - Such a fascinating man. No matter what Roger did it was hard to hate him. Yet you also never felt you had to love him. Zaslow's intensity, especially in Roger's first stint, is beyond compare. He is just pure electricity in those clips from the late 70s. You can't take your eyes off him, even when he's raping Holly. No wonder Schemering called Roger "the villain viewers wouldn't let die." His return, which probably should have never worked, was a masterstroke, and Roger was a key part of the canvas again, a monster and a hero all in one. Sometimes I still can't believe Michael Zaslow's gone.

Honorable mention: Holly Norris, Papa Bauer, Vanessa Chamberlin, Meta Bauer

[Ann_SS]

I couldn't do a better job for GH. Kudos.

[BoldBeauty]

Going by what is important on shows NOW and not 30 years ago......

B&B: Stephanie, Eric, Ridge, Brooke & Taylor.

Y&R: Victor, Jack, Katherine, Jill & Nikki.

DAYS: Bo, Hope, Sami, Stefano & Vivian.

GH: Sonny, Luke, Jason, Carly & Tracy.