One Life to Live & The Edge of Night promo, 1982

ABC: One Life to Live (5/4/94)

On 2/25/2026 at 10:57 AM, DRW50 said:

That is very true. You still have some of those strays but the structure of the show moves more and more away from them. By the end of Rauch's run that aspect is reduced to the likes of DuAnn and Lee Ann and that redheaded girl Danny Wolek rescued - Lettie Jean or Laura Jean or whatever her name was.

The community of broken people around the late '70s and early '80s is so affecting to watch and so unique. I was very moved by the scene in the 1980 episode which appeared last year where Karen was holding a weeping Edwina in her arms. That sense of reality, fragility, and empathy is just something you don't really get on soaps now and you rarely have for a very long time.

On 2/25/2026 at 11:57 AM, Khan said:

I think the best way to differentiate AMC and OLTL would be like this: on AMC, Foxy's is a joint with trashy waitresses in skimpy outfits that's SO sleazy, it's in a different town (one which Pine Valley residents never trek to unless they're on the run, suffering from amnesia, or looking for someone who's on the run or suffering from amnesia). But, on OLTL, it's in the heart of Llanview, down the street from the hospital; and it's frequented even by the town's most well-respected citizens (more so than the town's most elegant restaurant) with nary an eye being blinked by anyone.

I was actually rewatching some of the 1975-1976 stuff with Matt/Dorian a week ago, and it's funny, I've always beat up on OLTL for going in and out various identities over its run, but it really dawned on me how that "street urchins trying to make good" current stayed present in some form or another all the way through the end. In a very vague way, Matt and Dorian hanging around, plotting schemes, and rolling eyes at one another low-key reminded me of Dorian and David decades later. It's almost a riff on the haves/have-nots trope.

When you're lucky enough to come across AMC from the late 70s or early 80s, the episode almost always starts off with a sense of warmth, happiness, comfort, etc. Myrtle's dusting fixtures at the Boutique, Kate's drying her hands in the middle of cooking, etc. OLTL starts right off with the drama, tension, characters who look like they're about to sht themselves because they're a breath away from getting caught up. And both shows worked beautifully. When soaps really leaned into their individual vibes, there was truly nothing better.

50 minutes ago, All My Shadows said:

When you're lucky enough to come across AMC from the late 70s or early 80s, the episode almost always starts off with a sense of warmth, happiness, comfort, etc. Myrtle's dusting fixtures at the Boutique, Kate's drying her hands in the middle of cooking, etc. OLTL starts right off with the drama, tension, characters who look like they're about to sht themselves because they're a breath away from getting caught up. And both shows worked beautifully. When soaps really leaned into their individual vibes, there was truly nothing better.

True! And it's remarkable to me, too, how Agnes Nixon set the tone for both shows, despite their contrasting vibes. It's almost as if AMC represented the "Victoria Lord" side of her personality, while OLTL represented the "Niki Smith" side. (Which, I guess, means that LOVING was her "Jean Randolph" showing out, lol?)

6 minutes ago, Khan said:

True! And it's remarkable to me, too, how Agnes Nixon set the tone for both shows, despite their contrasting vibes. It's almost as if AMC represented the "Victoria Lord" side of her personality, while OLTL represented the "Niki Smith" side. (Which, I guess, means that LOVING was her "Jean Randolph" showing out, lol?)

Loving did end on a "what if Viki Lord had slaughtered her entire family?" pastiche, so you aren't wrong. Some mix of Jean and Tori.

(I know Agnes had nothing to do with that story but it would have been a natural conclusion for how far they took Viki compared to the '00s Niki hijinks).

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by DRW50

1 minute ago, DRW50 said:

Loving did end on a "what if Viki Lord had slaughtered her entire family?" pastiche, so you aren't wrong.

(I know Agnes had nothing to do with that story but it would have been a natural conclusion for how far they took Viki compared to the '00s Niki hijinks).

Well, when you put it that way, lol.

Continuing with the analogies: which personality does THE CITY represent? The "Tommy" side, or the "Tori," lol?

2 minutes ago, Khan said:

Well, when you put it that way, lol.

Continuing with the analogies: which personality does THE CITY represent? The "Tommy" side, or the "Tori," lol?

I would say a mix of '90s Niki and Tommy, as Niki would get to have fun with hip young singles like herself and Tommy would get to randomly kill people.

(if Ron had kept writing OLTL I imagine Molly "happy now?" Malone would have been another of Viki's kids)