Although I don't know all that much about AMC's history, I really like watching the friendship between Erica and Opal. I was hoping the AMC experts here could please provide answers to the following questions:

*How and when did the two women meet?

*How long have Erica and Opal been best friends?

*What caused them to become friends?

*Have Erica and Opal always been best friends?

*What has been the biggest threat to their friendship?

Edited September 8, 201114 yr by Max

I remember Palmer was talking to Erica about not having any female friends and it was his idea for Erica and Opal to become friends.

Erica and Dorothy Lyman's Opal were never friends. Erica became friends with Opal once Jill Larson took over the role. Their friendship started when Opal was trying to change her image to impress Palmer. One day, both ladies were at the Glamorama and Opal reached out to Erica and solicited advice on proper etiquette. From that moment on, they became best gal pals.

Edited September 9, 201114 yr by Jonathan

If there was a threat to their friendship it's Opal belief that Erica looks down on her or doesn't really care about her - this flared up around the time that Erica was close to Janet and Skye (I really wish the show had done more with those relationships).

Its hard imagining Erica ever having anything to do with DL's Opal. Erica was at the height of her career then and Opal was well, lets face it...trash. I think this only was able to become a possibility after Erica had settled down (well relatively) and Opal's edges had been smoothed out by the recast

DL's Opal actually spotted Erica in 1983 when Erica was on the run for Kent Bogard's murder but showed up to the funeral dressed as a nun. That might have been the extent of their interactions during that time.

I don't recall, I was just a little kid watching sporadically, but they most likely crossed paths as Jenny sorta joined Erica's circle via Olga through the modeling. Dorothy may have been over at Mama's Family full-time by then, not sure.