General Hospital Fans, You Can't Miss These 6 Soap Operas
Maybe it’s time to switch your attention to something else?
The soap opera genre is probably the most interesting in the world of television, and the main reason for that is, of course, the fact that it simply doesn't work according to any of the existing rules of the industry.
The character died? There's a chance you'll see him unexpectedly reappear on screen a year from now, played by someone else. Unborn babies, unfaithful husbands, lost siblings - that's just a small part of the many plot twists that occur in almost every episode of soap operas.
One of the most popular soaps today is General Hospital. It premiered more than 60 years ago and is still on the air, attracting more and more fans every day. However, there are many other soap operas that are worth your time, like these six.
1. Dallas (1978)
Where to stream: Prime
Let’s start with this legendary soap opera. It aired on CBS from 1978 up until 1991 and followed two wealthy Texas families: the Ewings and the Barnes.
The two clans were fighting all the time, and basically the show's premise was to show the viewers the ways they were trying (not so hard, though) to have them make amends with each other. The desperate action to make that happen was the wedding between the two younger representatives of each family.
After a while, the central position in the series was given to Bobby Ewing. The series focused on the criminal schemes he came up with literally everyday and the dirty way he ran his business became the show's trademark, attracting millions of viewers daily.
2. Dynasty (1981)
Where to stream: Prime
It’s only logical to continue with this family centered soap opera, as it was created only a couple of years later than Dallas by ABC channel, in order to compete with the iconic show. This time at the center of the show is a wealthy family of Carringtons, where the father of the family, an oil magnate Blake, faces his rivals in business.
The show grew to be a hit and in 1985 was the most popular on the channel, leading to a nine-seasons run and a small reunion in 1991 in the form of a miniseries.
3. Melrose Place (1992)
Where to stream: Prime
Melrose Place is actually a spin-off of the hit series Beverly Hills, 90210. Like its predecessor, the soap revolves around a group of young people trying to maintain their daily lives in a fictional apartment building.
The cast of the series was truly phenomenal, including Heather Locklear, Marcia Cross, Rob Estes, and Alyssa Milano. The many characters of the soap opera were constantly involved in juicy dramas and the never ending nonsense of their daily lives.
4. The Young and the Restless ( 1973)
Where to stream: Paramount+
Like General Hospital, this iconic soap opera is still on the air, and on February 27, it was renewed by CBS to run through the 2027-28 TV season, making it one of the longest-running soap operas ever created.
As the genre suggests, the series focuses on several wealthy families, such as the Brooks, the Newmans, and the blue-collar Fosters. The show served as a trampoline for the now popular actors to become the stars they are today. Tom Selleck, Eva Longoria, David Hasselhoff and many other A-listers got their start on this daytime TV show.
5. The Bold and the Beautiful (1987)
Where to stream: Prime
At the center of this soap opera are several wealthy families. In the fictional universe of this soap opera are the Forresters, a wealthy family who owns a fashion house.
Fun fact: some of the characters, such as Eric Forrester and Brooke Logan, have been on the show from its beginning 37 years ago until now and are still at the center of almost every storyline on the show.
6. All My Children (1970)
Where to stream: Apple TV+
Another long-running soap opera was All My Children. It premiered on ABC in 1978 and ran for 22 seasons, ending in 2011. The show was set in the fictional Pennsylvania suburb of Pine Valley, where the wealthy Chandler family, led by troublemaker Erica Kane, schemed and scammed to get what she wanted.