Tom and Margo from ATWT are #12

http://www.welovesoaps.net/2012/08/tom-margo-from-as-world-turns.html

I think this list is a really interesting exercise, but with multiple people involved in the voting and the definition of what a "popular couple" has meant having changed so dramatically over the course of the eras represented, the end result seems like an average of different lists, more than anything else.

What this list has made me realize, though - more than anything else - is that it's been a long time since I've really been heavily invested in a soap couple. And in hindsight, many of those shows are off the air now and the rest are hanging on by a threat, and I'd prefer to still be able to watch those shows than to have my choice of any one coupling versus another. Which is not to imply that it's a tradeoff...more to the point, I wish in these last few decades, soap characters' entire histories were respected, whomever they happen to be with at a given moment. In the long-run, I think having two halves of a once-popular couple on canvas and interacting with each other occasionally can be more valuable for a show than having the character on the losing end of a popular love triangle turned into a psycho overnight and try to kill one or both halves the newly minted "supercouple" in some sweeps stunt. I guess it's been a while since anyone in power at these shows had the luxury of taking the long-range view...

They also don't seem to realize that this type of writing makes many fans resent, and outright loathe, couples.

I also hate the idea that a couple must reunite, because of history, or as some type of sop. I don't think I've ever hated this more than Clint and Viki on OLTL, where I thought Viki lost a great deal of integrity by going anywhere near Clint in a way beyond pitying ex.

I thought it was interesting how GL and ATWT tried to split the difference with some of their defining couples. Josh and Reva reunited, but viewers knew Jeffrey was still alive, and Reva waited a year. Holden and Lily were hinted at reuniting in the future, but hadn't actually done so. I guess this was less about brave writing than about backstage personnel at that time not being too interested in these pairings.

I'm very surprised to see Tom and Margo as the top couple from ATWT (so far). My top three would have been Holden/Lily, then Steve/Betsy, then Jack/Carly. I missed the days of Justin Deas' Tom, but I do remember Margaret Colin fondly. To me, though, the Hillary Smith/Gregg Marx pairing were Tom and Margo at their peak...such chemistry!

this thing is still going on? I thought it would have been complete by now

Yeah, it's kind of slow, I guess, but they're only doing a few at a time.

And I have a sinking feeling mine won't be there.

Edited August 16, 201213 yr by MissLlanviewPA

I'm very surprised to see Tom and Margo as the top couple from ATWT (so far). My top three would have been Holden/Lily, then Steve/Betsy, then Jack/Carly. I missed the days of Justin Deas' Tom, but I do remember Margaret Colin fondly. To me, though, the Hillary Smith/Gregg Marx pairing were Tom and Margo at their peak...such chemistry!

Ugh...the couple I truly can't stand as the #1 ATWT couple???? HELL TO THE NO. I'm sorry....there ought to be some kind of "excessive recast" clause that throws them out of this race. 'Cause the Deas/Colin couple is worlds away from the Holmes/Dolan pairing.

I try to be open-minded---but let me repeat----HELL to the NO!

This list sucks and I'm not surprised. How exactly can any couple that was hugely popular in the 80's (which was the golden age of soaps) be lower than those that came after the 80's? I certainly didn't expect anything though. I don't even know why they bother with stupid lists like these.

This list sucks and I'm not surprised. How exactly can any couple that was hugely popular in the 80's (which was the golden age of soaps) be lower than those that came after the 80's? I certainly didn't expect anything though. I don't even know why they bother with stupid lists like these.

It's interesting to hear from panels and so on, instead of just fan votes. I do agree that a lot of the more recent couples just can't compare.

As for Tom/Margo, I do think they belong on the list. Colin/Deas don't do a ton for me (mostly because they're both so OTT, especially Colin, who often seems like she's about to fly away in most of the ATWT work I've seen from her), but I really liked HBS/Marx and I thought Holmes and Dolan were very good in their first 4-5 or so years together. I'd definitely put them above Lily/Holden (never liked them) and Carly/Jack (who were crippled by years of bad writing), but not above Bob/Kim.

This list sucks and I'm not surprised. How exactly can any couple that was hugely popular in the 80's (which was the golden age of soaps) be lower than those that came after the 80's? I certainly didn't expect anything though. I don't even know why they bother with stupid lists like these.

ICAM! It stunned me to see such classic supercouples as AMC's Nina & Cliff and Greg & Jenny so low on this list. At this point, I expect the top 10 to include such awful pairings as AMC's Zach & Kendall and Ryan & Greenlee, GL's Danny & Michelle and OLTL's John & Natalie.

This list sucks and I'm not surprised. How exactly can any couple that was hugely popular in the 80's (which was the golden age of soaps) be lower than those that came after the 80's? I certainly didn't expect anything though. I don't even know why they bother with stupid lists like these.

Soaps still had amazing couples after the 80s and not all popular pairings from that era were gold

It's interesting to hear from panels and so on, instead of just fan votes. I do agree that a lot of the more recent couples just can't compare.

As for Tom/Margo, I do think they belong on the list. Colin/Deas don't do a ton for me (mostly because they're both so OTT, especially Colin, who often seems like she's about to fly away in most of the ATWT work I've seen from her), but I really liked HBS/Marx and I thought Holmes and Dolan were very good in their first 4-5 or so years together. I'd definitely put them above Lily/Holden (never liked them) and Carly/Jack (who were crippled by years of bad writing), but not above Bob/Kim.

Sad to say that I'm practically ATWT illiterate. Of the little that I know I'm not surprised to see Jack/Carly on that list but since they came on at the end of the 90's (if I'm not mistaken) I'm pretty sure just from what I've heard that there is plenty of great romances and couples that came before them.

Not to say that those after the 80's can't be on the list but top 20 or 30? Nah. I'm really tripping off the fact that Frisco & Felicia and Robert & Anna are below Sonny and Brenda. I'm also scratching my head over Robert & Holly not being on the list at all and that's just the GH side of things, so far. I wasn't watching in the 80's but I've been catching up with people who have and by watching old tapes and clips on youtube. I'm fairly certain that Robert & Holly were the supercouple more so than R&A.

I also don't get why Greg and Jenny are so low on the list and I don't think I saw Jesse and Angie at all. Like I said, I wasn't watching back then but when I started watching soaps in the early 00's I started researching the history of all the soaps I was watching and back then these couples and the people who played them were HUGE celebrities. They were get attacked by mobs everytime people saw them type celebrities. Their impact was much greater which qualifies them as being truer supercouples ( a term I think should've been retired in the 80's as it didn't really apply to anyone after) than many of the ones who have been placed higher on this list.

Soaps still had amazing couples after the 80s and not all popular pairings from that era were gold

Not saying that there aren't or weren't but supercouple to me implies many things to me (ie. popularity, cultural impact, ratings, story etc.). And no, not every couple from that era was good or any other era but they certainly qualify more than those that came after.

ICAM! It stunned me to see such classic supercouples as AMC's Nina & Cliff and Greg & Jenny so low on this list. At this point, I expect the top 10 to include such awful pairings as AMC's Zach & Kendall and Ryan & Greenlee, GL's Danny & Michelle and OLTL's John & Natalie.

Aww , I like Danny and Michelle but I still agree with what you're saying. None of those couples compare at all to the aforementioned in your post.

They aren't done with the list yet. I hope that Angie and Jesse are still to come and I will be disappointed if they are not listed. That would be a major blunder omission.

Sad to say that I'm practically ATWT illiterate. Of the little that I know I'm not surprised to see Jack/Carly on that list but since they came on at the end of the 90's (if I'm not mistaken) I'm pretty sure just from what I've heard that there is plenty of great romances and couples that came before them.

Not to say that those after the 80's can't be on the list but top 20 or 30? Nah. I'm really tripping off the fact that Frisco & Felicia and Robert & Anna are below Sonny and Brenda. I'm also scratching my head over Robert & Holly not being on the list at all and that's just the GH side of things, so far. I wasn't watching in the 80's but I've been catching up with people who have and by watching old tapes and clips on youtube. I'm fairly certain that Robert & Holly were the supercouple more so than R&A.

I also don't get why Greg and Jenny are so low on the list and I don't think I saw Jesse and Angie at all. Like I said, I wasn't watching back then but when I started watching soaps in the early 00's I started researching the history of all the soaps I was watching and back then these couples and the people who played them were HUGE celebrities. They were get attacked by mobs everytime people saw them type celebrities. Their impact was much greater which qualifies them as being truer supercouples ( a term I think should've been retired in the 80's as it didn't really apply to anyone after) than many of the ones who have been placed higher on this list.

I love everything about this post. However, I do think Jesse & Angie will make the list. Truly, they are the first AA supercouple and transcend a lot of couples just because of that. Heck, Greg & Jenny were more popular than Jesse & Angie but I probably would put J&A above G&J. Other than that, I agree 100% with your post. Bravo.