One Life To Live- FINALE- Friday 1/13/2012

[Llantano Incorporated]

Megan actually passed away nearly twenty years ago, but I still to this day get stopped on the street by Fraternity Row fans who remember the characters that she played. And some ask how she's doing or will she ever return. But I must tell you that there are times I get so caught up in the show that I find myself wondering the same thing.

The fans are so loyal, so passionate, so invested in their stories. I always ask how they started watching Fraternity Row. Some of them were stay-at-home mothers taking a break before their children came home from school. Others? Were college students, with free time between classes. Many of them inherited a love of the show from their parents and their grandparents, who were long-time fans themselves.

I remember the first time I tuned into Fraternity Row. I was hooked, instantly. I needed to know what would happen next to these fascinating people. Would the hero and the heroine find their way back to true love? Would the villains get their comeuppance, or would their crimes go unpunished? Would loving families overcome their obstacles, or would their troubles become too difficult to surmount?

Ultimately, that's what soap opera is about. Families. Close families, rival families, even families that are unexpected. Or the ones we choose for ourselves. And when a show is lucky enough to be on the air as long as Fraternity Row has been on, these families become extensions of our own. The audience might be upset when a favorite actor leaves. But they're always willing to welcome a new one, even when that new one is quite different than the one being replaced.

After all, this is a place where people come back from the dead, go off to grade school in the morning and come home from high school in the afternoon. Because for every new face, every new couple, every new family, there are long familiar faces. Some who have grown up before our very eyes. And a few more we hope to watch grow up. We know them so well, they've become our friends. We yearn for their happiness, especially when it's hard-won. We laugh as they laugh, we cry as they cry, and we can't imagine doing without them. And when things are at their very worst on the show, that's when we seem to enjoy them the most.

There's just one thing we have to do to keep them in our lives. Tune in tomorrow.

[EricMontreal22]

I wish her full week long death (how morbid does that sound) was online. I missed it by a couple of years, but when Daytime to Remember re-aired the final episode, I found it one of the most touching episodes they aired. But then WOST showed the full week with all the flashbacks--wow.

God I'll miss this show.

[Ryan Chamberlain]

I cannot sleep. So, I hope I'm still awake during the finale. This has been weighing on my mind all night. Thinking about OLTL. Thinking about the people I've met on these boards because of the soap. What a silly thing to bring us together right? Ha. Not really. But, I'm going to miss it all.

Viki's speech was so true. Soaps brought people TOGETHER.

[Llantano Incorporated]

Clouds, It is the first thing I thought of when I woke up- you know when some terrible reality of something happening in your life hits you right when you open your eyes in the morning. I am thinking "IT IS JUST A TV SHOW!!!" But this show means so much more to me than that. Anyway. I will be at work during the finale and I am dreading coming home tonight

[Ryan Chamberlain]

I don't have a job at the moment. So, I'm going to watch The View, wash some clothes, watch OLTL finale, sulk for a bit. And, then I have to get ready to go out later tonight with a friend. I told him last night that we are going to have to go somewhere to eat where I can get a stiff drink of vodka. Ha!

Sadly, it's true. I will need a drink later. This s**t is going to tear me up.

For now. I better go back to bed. See ya all later.

[OLTL_fan]

I also have to work today so can't live post.

[Cheap21]

As promised, here's the final daily thread and banner I said I would make. I am about to step out so I wanted to put it up before I did but I will try my best to make it back later. It was actually harder to make than my AMC one. SOOOO many memorable characters, rivalries, couples and stories that I wanted to put in and Ive expanded this beyond my original vision as there have been so many revisions. I tried my best when possible to try and group people by storylines and why they might be linked to instead of just one big random dump, but that was impossible to do with so many there. (Interesting fun fact, there's close to 140 squares. 139 to be exact and the Ford Bros are the only ones to get 2

) I think I got most of the significant characters and Im satisfied with it. Enjoy it and take a stroll down OLTL history.

It's been real people and its finally hit me that its all done. For the past several years, Ive been posting daily with most of you either with AMC or OLTL and with AMC gone, its only been OLL. With OLTL gone, a special experience from this board will now be gone. No one watches the other soaps like those and I guess some willmigrate to GH but it just wont be the same. How else will I bitch about what a smug bitch Nora is? Who will I argue with about how awesome Tea is and fight over one Todd vs the other? Or what about calling Jessica out on her stupidity and selfishness?. I still cant believe its almost done...

[Mr. Vixen]

Wow Cheap. Truly beautiful. You have me in tears already. I hope you don't leave SON after today. I will miss you very much if you do.

[Cheap21]

Thanks. I wont leave SON. I mean I still watch B&B and Days and will tune in to GH for the OLTL refugees. My presence here will likely decrease though as the last soap I truly love will be gone. Im just not as passionate about any of the rest as I was for this show. It was the first soap I ever watched and got hooked on

[DRW50]

Love the banner. Are you a Steve Holden fan? I tend to notice him most in your banner.

I hope you will still have a lot to say. I know it's different for each person, but I just get more into the canceled soaps, some I seem to be more into now than I was in their last years on the air (ATWT being a primary example). I think you would also enjoy something like Santa Barbara.

[Ryan Chamberlain]

Tried to go back to sleep. Had my iPod on and the old Peabo theme came on shuffle (I have the full version). I started freaking bawling. That was 5 mins ago. Still crying.

It's just a soap. Is what some people would say.

But, IMO. OLTL was the most relatable soap. As some characters were actually normal. OMG. What other soap would have a filthy rich guy working as a police commish. None probably. Seriously, characters like some of OLTL's don't exist on other soaps at all. OLTL was more real world dammit. Sure there was some cheesy crap on there that probably never would happen in real life. But, yet. There was something about the show that made it seem so much different and definitely more gritty than other soaps. AND, I LOVED THAT!

Booya ABC. Quit telling me how to run my life with that weight loss and self help bullshite. I don't need that. I already have someone who tells me how to run my life. And, he's not in this world (Yes, I'm a Christian people. You should know that by now) nor on my TV. So STFU and give me my soap back.

Dang. I'm pissed this morning.

[Cheap21]

lol...not at all.That was the only pic of him I could find. LOL....I hope my Tea love wasnt too overwhelming. I have her in 4 shots but didnt want to cut any of them

[alexisfan07]

Is Nora only in the one pic with Bo and Matthew in the bottom right? Sheesh Cheap, don't late your hate shine through or anything LOL

[Ryan Chamberlain]

I see my Jared. My sexy sexy Jared in the banner. I miss him. Even if he did murder one of my other favorites.

[alexisfan07]

Cheap, does this Ford bros pic work better for you? I think you could make it into a square

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pSjHmwBgnlc/Twod6TLZ_SI/AAAAAAAAUNc/Qsz8U3u9iew/s1600/Fords2.jpg