Iconic female friendships on soaps

[j swift]

Everyone cackles at a good bitch fight, but I've also always enjoyed the portrayal of close female friendships on the soaps.  Reading the GH summaries from the 1980's I was struck by the scenes between Celia and Holly.  At a time when intergenerational stories were unpopular, writers used a character's peers as talk-to's, rather than patrician mothers or tongue clucking aunts.  Celia could confess anything to Holly without judgement, and together they fought their way out of being held hostage at various times by the DVX, Grant Putnam, and Lorena Sharpe's spa hooligans.

 

In the late 1990's we got a new generation of female friendships on soaps.  Inspired by girl-power and Sex & the City, we began to see cadres of young women supporting each other through the cruel world of romance, international spies, and suddenly appearing siblings.  Certainly the Fusion gals at AMC come to mind, as well as GL's bookclub moms. 

 

Some of my favorite girlfriends of all time include:

Lois and Brenda on GH

Erica and Opal on AMC

Nina and Cricket on Y&R

Marcy and Franny on ATWT

and a special mention to the short term, but fun, friendship of Tori and Julia on SB

 

I was hoping to gather a list of women who never betrayed each other for love or money in soaps.

Edited March 21, 2021 by j swift

[soapfan770]

Vanessa and Maureen on GL immediately come to mind.

[Forever8]

Brenda & Lois - GH 

Brenda & Lucy - GH 

Brenda & Robin - GH

Theresa & Whitney - Passions 

GT's Phyllis and Hilary - YR 

Sharon & Michelle (Susan Tully) - EastEnders 

 

[Soaplovers]

AW: Felicia and Rachel (they had many a time their friendship was tested due to Mitch, alcoholism, and their significant others hating one another..but they stayed friends till the end of the show 13+ years)

 

ATWT: Kim and Lisa

 

GL: Vanessa and Maureen

 

SB: Eden and Julia

 

AMC: Donna and Natalie

 

Y & R: Nina and Cricket was the perfect example of an enduring friendship..mirror image of Jill and Katherine's enduring feud.

 

GH: Anna and Tiffany (I recall they were pretty close in the 80s and early 90s).

 

 

 

[Faulkner]

Kat and Bridget, GL
Viki and Karen, OLTL (from what I’ve seen)

Nikki and Katherine, Y&R

Olivia and Ashley, Y&R (although Olivia betrayed Ashley with Brad)

Dru and Sharon, Y&R (Dru literally DIED for Sharon)

Lily and Colleen, Y&R

[P.J.]

ATWT...

Kim and Lisa

Lisa and Barbara

Penny and Ellen (although this was before my time)

 

GL

Maureen and Vanessa

Bridget and Kat

 

Y&R

Nikki and Katherine

[applcin]

As screwed up as Brenda could be, she was actually a good friend to her girls.

Maybe not iconic since it didn't last very long, relatively speaking, but watching Lucy and Dominique become friends was poignant and ended up being very crucial to developing Lucy's character away from selfish villainess mode. They were rivals, in Lucy's mind, as Scotty was in love with Dominique. But Dom was a very good person and that touched Lucy, especially when Dom was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Dom saw the good in Lucy, when most didn't, and they became close friends, with Lucy even carrying their child. Lucy may have hoped that, ultimately, she might end up with Scott some day but she wasn't motivated by that and she was heartbroken when Dom died.

 

Edited March 21, 2021 by applcin

[NothinButAttitude]

Rachel and Felicia. Especially, during the intervention story as we saw their friendship get tested and fall apart only for them to come back together. 

 

Jessica and Margo. I loved their friendship until Hogan Sheffer ruined it by having them chase the same damn man. 

 

Sharon and Dru. One of the few bright spots on Y&R post 2005. I loved how their friendship was built on their utter hatred of SPhyllis. Per usual, this went to the wayside when the show killed Dru. 

 

 

[carolineg]

Obviously all the brenda friendships : lois, Robin, Lucy. I also liked how her and Karen overcame everything to be friends.

 

GH: Diane/Alexis

 

DAYS:  I always liked Marlena/laura when JLB was playing her

Belle/Mimi/Chloe before it became a partner swap 

[titan1978]

I still remember Brenda putting it together about Karen, and not really exploiting it like their history would normally play out.  There was a scene in Kelly’s, where Rhonda runs in and basically screams out Ray has hurt her daughter, and Brenda, Jason, and Ruby share a look, and you actually see Brenda putting it together.  I really appreciate that Riche and Levinson/Labine let Brenda have a human reaction to Karen’s history and circumstances, instead of just bad girling it up.

Edited March 21, 2021 by titan1978

[DramatistDreamer]

A few have already been posted, so I won't repeat them but one that I haven't seen is

 

Lisa & Kim, ATWT

Quite a complex relationship (considering the fact that both characters married the same man, with one still married to said man) that came off as being so easy and organic, which I credit the writing and the ability of the actresses.

 

EDIT: I see @Soaplovers
posted them up thread.

And @P.J.

Thought I'd give an explanation why for those who may not be familiar with the characters.

[carolineg]

 

I am watching that story right now! I think there was a big tonal shift in Brenda around the time her and Jagger hooked up the second time and Sonny/Karen hooked up.  She wasn't just the spoiler of a bad girl anymore.  She was still a sorta bad, but she had more layers with Jagger, Robin, Stone, Karen, etc.  She seemed more vulnerable and root able at that time.  I actually felt bad for Brenda in the situation with Jagger on a human level, not just because I thought Karen was super lame (which I still think to this day lol).

Anyhow, Brenda was a mess, as someone said above, but she was a really good girlfriend even to Ned, AJ, and Jason.  I really love the Ned/Brenda relationship to this day. 

 

On Days:

Isabella/Carly

Jen/Kristen/Billie

[amybrickwallace]

The Doctors also featured several wonderful female friendships:

 

Dr. Maggie Powers/Dr. Althea Davis 

Carolee Simpson/Liz Wilson

Martha Allen/Toni Ferra Powers

Toni Ferra Powers/Lauri James Iverson 

Penny Davis/MJ Match

Sara Dancy Powers/Bettina Chambers

Greta Powers/Kim Langsworth

Greta Powers/Missy Palmer

H. Sweeney/Missy Palmer 

[P.J.]

 

I wish I had seen the moment Kim and Lisa met. I think in general, Kim balanced Lisa's flightiness. And they had been friends long before Kim married Bob, otherwise, lord knows they probably wouldn't have been friends. 

 

Lisa and Barbara's friendship was just as unlikely, given that Barbara had dated and dumped Tom. It was pretty solid, other than when Barb lied about bedding Tom.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

True.

I am relieved that TPTB never dumbed down the relationship the way they eventually did to Margo and Jessica. I guess this was partly a function of the lack of interest in writing storylines for the elder set, particularly Lisa, which, otoh, is sad too.

 

It was interesting to see that relationship deteriorate, even before Barbara's deception was revealed, on account of Barbara's growing bond with Lucinda, who Lisa could not stand. The friendship weathered that period of turbulence.

 

I do think that Lisa was an incredibly loyal character, when you think of how protective she was with her stepchildren, as well as Tom. She was also the least judgemental of any of the Oakdale residents of her generation, when you think about how helpful she was to Julie and Carly, even when Emily was a pariah after fleeing town with James, Lisa didn't object to her working at Fashions.