The best soap operas of all time
If you were born over the past few decades, you probably never grew into much of a fan of any soap opera. This is probably because it would be pretty hard for you to catch up on the previous 30 or 50 seasons of a show that has been running since the 70s or early 90s, which is often the case with soap operas.
However, these popular TV shows have shaped up generations of the past and still remain a big part of older generations’ lives. While the genre is slowly dying away, there are still quite a few soap operas that run on a daily basis. For those who haven’t had a chance to see them, we take a look at the top 3 TV soap operas that ever ran and give you a glimpse into what it is that made them so great.
1. Days of our Lives
Initially aired in 1965, Days of our Lives or DOOL is an iconic American soap opera that airs on NBC. The show is still ongoing in 2020, with well over 13,000 episodes already in the books. The show has been running for 55 years and still counting, with the partnership between Sony Pictures Television and Corday Productions giving birth to one of the longest standing TV programs of all times.
The show mixes two of the most popular soap opera themes, the one of daily lives of regular families with the one of the lives of doctors and hospital staff. By focusing on a family of doctors living in Salem, Days of our Lives was able to capture the hearts of millions of Americans with its intriguing stories of love, family and medical dramas unfolding throughout the seasons.
2. Guiding Light
Created by Irna Philips, Guiding Light was originally a radio drama that started airing in 1937. In 1952, the show made its debut on CBS and over the years became one of the longest airing TV programs of any kind. This soap opera aired all the way into 2009 when it was finally cancelled, but not before booking 15,762 episodes on the air.
The 57 season TV show currently holds the Guinness World Record as the longest running drama in American TV history and holds a special place in TV history. The show originally followed a German family of immigrants who came to the USA with just dollars in their pockets and their daily struggles. While the storyline expanded greatly since then, the show remained focused on daily lives of its characters like most soap operas, and was a great hit for much of its airing time.
3. General Hospital
Ranking second in the Guinness Book of World Records only behind Guiding Light in terms of airing time, General Hospital is an American soap opera that has been running since 1963 and is still in production.The show first premiered on ABC nearly 60 years ago and has been running without major breaks ever since.
The show focuses on a general hospital in an American city by the name of Port Charles and its staff, along with all the intrigues one could imagine in such a place. From major medical cases to love relationships and animosities, the show depicts daily lives of people doing their jobs and doing their best to make it in a competitive and demanding medicinal profession.
Even more record-breaking soap operas
The TV shows we mentioned in the text are only a few of the most interesting record breakers. However, there are plenty of others on the list as well and we recommend checking out the infographic below to find out just what you may have missed over the decade. We have prepared an incredibly deep insight into the ins and outs of soap operas, so enjoy the trip down memory lane with us:
