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, 20214 yr by j swift

+1 on Rachel and Felicia 

 

Maggie/Marlena, Days (BITD anyway)

Billie/Jennifer/Kristen, Days

Theresa/Whitney, Passions

12 hours ago, watson71 said:

To all those who mentioned Rachel and Felicia on AW, it doesn't get much better than this:

 

 

 

I was watching that yesterday...and also when Ada died when Felicia came to pay her respects and Rachel was cordial only.

 

Another scene from 1996 after Felicia tells Rachel about her affair with John...with Rachel hinting at her own past as the other woman.

 

 

GT’s Phyllis and Hilary. Truly loved that friendship.

4 minutes ago, Antoyne said:

GT’s Phyllis and Hilary. Truly loved that friendship.

Michelle and Mishael don’t have the same chemistry, but Phyllis/Amanda is forced. Phyllis and Hilary were two outcasts bonding.

I could never get into AW (probably not helped by starting when JFP was there), but that was an excellent intervention scene.  One of the best ones I’ve seen on a soap.  I don’t even love Dano all that much but that was compelling.

Y&R: Cricket and Nina, Sharon and Dru

 

B&B: Stephanie and Sally (also an iconic rivalry), Brooke and Sheila (which obviously didn’t last) 

Edited March 22, 20214 yr by MinnaH

4 minutes ago, MinnaH said:

Y&R: Cricket and Nina, Sharon and Dru

 

B&B: Stephanie and Sally (also an iconic rivalry), Brooke and Sheila (which obviously didn’t last) 

I forgot about Sharon and Drucilla!!! I miss their friendship so much. Sharon could use Dru right about now. 

Dru needs to set Sharon straight about Adam..and than rough him up verbally 

19 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

Dru needs to set Sharon straight about Adam..and than rough him up verbally 

Most definitely!!! 

AMC:
 

•Mona & Myrtle
•Donna & Natalie 

•Erica Kane & Opal 

On 3/21/2021 at 1:28 PM, NothinButAttitude said:

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. 

 

 

And ironically had Sharon be the one to PUSH it to the wayside, LML was ruthless lol

 

Colleen and Lily

Phyllis and Lauren

Phyllis and Hilary 

Phyllis and Amanda

 

EON

Raven and Geraldine

 

GL

Mindy and Beth

 

GH

Monica and Bobbi

 

OLTL

Anna and Sadie

 

7 hours ago, titan1978 said:

I could never get into AW (probably not helped by starting when JFP was there), but that was an excellent intervention scene.  One of the best ones I’ve seen on a soap.  I don’t even love Dano all that much but that was compelling.

 

While it was Linda Dano's storyline, Victoria Wyndham and Stephen Schnetzer made it all that much more better.  Wyndham really should have been nominated for a supporting actress Emmy that year she was that good.

On 3/21/2021 at 9:45 PM, DramatistDreamer said:

 

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.

Gautman and Sheffer missed the boat on this one. Even before Marland Lisa was taking in the strays of Oakdale...(Mary in particular living in the mansion, even after accusing Bob of sexually harrasing her..) and of course, Marland used her to introduce characters to other characters, and the audience. I wish they had kept Lisa's step kids around..Fulton was great with them.

GH: Monica & Gail 

OLTL: Viki & Renee 

Edited March 26, 20214 yr by ironlion

3 hours ago, Mitch said:

I wish they had kept Lisa's step kids around..Fulton was great with them.

 TPTB could have brought back most in the late 90s/early 00s, especially seeing as not much else was going on then (not much that wasn't totally contrived, that is. In the show's last decade, it would have given Lisa something to do.