ABC Daytime Soap Operas

From LoveToKnow Soap-Operas

The ABC daytime soap operas have long been among the most popular programs to air on television during the day.

Popular ABC Daytime Soap Operas

While a few daytime soaps have come and gone from ABC over the years, All My Children, General Hospital, and One Life to Live make up the network's current daytime soap opera lineup. Each of these three shows is based in a fictional town in the Northeast part of the United States. The shows are both similar and dissimilar from each other. Each program revolves around the lives and businesses of two or more powerful families, with other characters entering and exiting with the ebb and flow of various story lines.

All My Children

The family of Erica Kane, which includes her children and many ex-husbands, is a focal point of All My Children. The other major families that make up the heart and soul of All My Children include the Chandlers (Adam, his ex-wives, and children), the Martins (Joe, Ruth, and their kids), and the Courtlands (Palmer, Daisy, and their kids). These families have been central to the show since its beginning, and the first generation of children are now grown up and forming their own families. In typical soap opera style, the children of these three families, have married, had children, and divorced – sometimes more than once. Of course, there have also been marriages (and the resulting children and divorces) involving individuals not from one of the four original Pine Valley power families. The result is new characters and new family units, on which future storylines will be based and built in the future.

General Hospital

Since the program's beginning, General Hospital itself has been the backdrop against which a major portion of this program is set. The first family of Port Charles, the fictional city where the show is based, is the Quartermaine clan, led by industrialist Edward Quartermaine. Also members of this powerful family, Drs. Alan (now deceased, yet periodically returning to the show to haunt his sister) and Monica Quartermaine have strong ties to General Hospital. The Spencer, Corinthos, Cassidine, and Scorpio families are the other major players in Port Charles. These families are closely tied to both the hospital and the Quartermaine clan. Some members of these families work in the hospital, but the also have chosen to pursue careers in other industries, primarily a combination of organized crime (Sonny Cornithos, Jason Quartermaine Morgan) and law enforcement (Lucky Spencer, Mac Scorpio, Robert Scorpio).

One Life to Live

The two major families in the fictional community of Llanview, Pennsylvania are the Buchannans and the Lords (aka Kramers). These families have been at the core of One Life to Live story lines since the program's inception. The deceased Asa Buchanan presided over Buchanan Enterprises for years, and left the empire to his sons and grandchildren. However, in typical soap opera style, matriarch Dorian Lord managed to take over the company, ousting all of the Buchanan heirs from the firm. The long standing rivalry between these two families has followed a pattern of love and hate that has spanned several decades. There have been marriages, divorces, and relationships among members of both families. In addition to the ties that bind these families together, there are also hard feelings that no amount of time is likely to heal.

Watching Your Favorite ABC Soaps

These ABC daytime soap operas are long running programs that have been honored with numerous Daytime Emmy awards. Over the decades, these shows have developed legions of loyal fans. Thanks to SoapNET, these traditionally daytime programs can also be enjoyed by viewers during the evening hours and on weekends. It's easier than ever before to keep up with your favorite ABC "stories", no matter how hectic your day to day schedule might be.