My favorite soap opera, One Life To Live, was taken off the air after 41 years. I loved that show. It focused on families and involved people representing several generations. Asa and Rene were the elderly members of the cast, and next were Viki and Clint Buchanan, Asa's son. Viki's children and grandchildren were on the show. That accounts for four generations of family. I'm sure people who have watched the program longer than I have remember Viki's father, Victor Lord. One Life To Live was the best soap opera I watched.
Actors like Erika Slezak and Kassie DePaiva or Robert Woods and Jerry VerDorn could spin gold out of drivel and keep the audience engaged. Everybody bought and accepted some silly stories. We accepted Viki's multiple personalities disorder over the years. We even accepted Clint's mean streak and redemption at the end of the show. We were all rooting for Clint to revive and reunite with Viki for the third, and possibly last, time.
I watched Starr Manning, played by Kristen Alderson, from the time she was a baby on the show. She and her brother Eddie Alderson, who played Bo and Nora Buchanan's son Matthew, were incredible young talents who grew up on the program.
Over the years, and thanks to the internet and Media Domain, I have grown to admire and love many of the characters and the actors who portray them so well. When I hate a character I have to admire the actor for being able to project those characteristics that repel people and cause fans to buy into their narcissistic or evil characteristics.
One Life To Live had delicious characters like Roxanne Balsom and Dorian Lord. David Vikers and Rex Balsom were good comic relief, and they weren't hard on the eyes either.
The two Todd's will always be remembered and weighed against one another as the final ultimate plot twist when One Life To Live brought Roger Howarth back and revealed Todd to be an impostor. Todd (Trevor St. John) was revealed to be original Todd's twin brother, Victor Lord, Jr.
I know there are plenty more wonderful actors and characters who deserve to be mentioned from the show but they are too numerous to count. Although the cast is front and center in our hearts and our minds they would be nothing without the great staff and crew behind them. The writers and the directors and the grips and the makeup and decorating departments were all exceptional and excellent in all that they did.
One Life To Live gave us characters that we could root for, or despise, together. I will always cherish the stories I have followed over the years and the wonderful actors who honed their craft and earned a living working in the wonderful world of make believe called soap operas.
Adieu my sweet stories and delightful characters.
So long.
Good bye.
I'll miss you and remember you fondly.
I promise not to cry.
AS ALWAYS
PIO
