Watch One Life to Live

TV-PG
2013
44 Seasons
6.9 (2,511)

One Life to Live is a daytime soap opera that debuted on ABC in 1968 and ran for 45 years until its cancellation in 2013. The show followed the lives and loves of the residents of the fictional town of Llanview, Pennsylvania, with a focus on the wealthy Lord family and their various allies and enemies. The show boasted an impressive cast over its long run, including Ryan Phillippe in one of his earliest roles as Billy Douglas, a gay teenager struggling to come out in a conservative small town. Melissa Fumero also appeared on the show as Adriana Cramer, a young woman caught up in the world of beauty pageants and mobsters. Other main characters included the Lord family matriarch Victoria (played by Erika Slezak), her troubled daughter Dorian (Robin Strasser), and the Buchanan family, including patriarch Asa (Phil Carey) and his many children and grandchildren. Throughout its run, the show tackled a variety of social issues, including addiction, domestic violence, and HIV/AIDS. One Life to Live also had a reputation for introducing innovative storytelling techniques and breaking conventions of the genre. In the '80s, the show became known for its use of fantasy sequences and unconventional camera angles, and in the '90s it was one of the first daytime dramas to feature an interracial couple. The show's final storyline, which aired in 2013, centered around a group of characters stranded on a deserted island and featured elements of suspense, horror, and dark comedy. Throughout its run, One Life to Live earned numerous awards and nominations, including dozens of Daytime Emmy wins. The show was also known for its loyal fan base, which campaigned to save it from cancellation multiple times over the years. In addition to its televised episodes, One Life to Live also spawned several spinoffs and tie-in projects. The show's characters and storylines were adapted into several novels, comic books, and even a video game. A spinoff series titled Loving aired from 1983-1995, and the characters of Blair and Todd were later spun off into their own show, The City, which aired for two seasons in the '90s. Despite its cancellation, One Life to Live remains a beloved piece of daytime television history, remembered for its innovative storytelling, diverse cast, and enduring appeal.

Description

The show boasted an impressive cast over its long run, including Ryan Phillippe in one of his earliest roles as Billy Douglas, a gay teenager struggling to come out in a conservative small town. Melissa Fumero also appeared on the show as Adriana Cramer, a young woman caught up in the world of beauty pageants and mobsters.

Other main characters included the Lord family matriarch Victoria (played by Erika Slezak), her troubled daughter Dorian (Robin Strasser), and the Buchanan family, including patriarch Asa (Phil Carey) and his many children and grandchildren. Throughout its run, the show tackled a variety of social issues, including addiction, domestic violence, and HIV/AIDS.

One Life to Live also had a reputation for introducing innovative storytelling techniques and breaking conventions of the genre. In the '80s, the show became known for its use of fantasy sequences and unconventional camera angles, and in the '90s it was one of the first daytime dramas to feature an interracial couple. The show's final storyline, which aired in 2013, centered around a group of characters stranded on a deserted island and featured elements of suspense, horror, and dark comedy.

Throughout its run, One Life to Live earned numerous awards and nominations, including dozens of Daytime Emmy wins. The show was also known for its loyal fan base, which campaigned to save it from cancellation multiple times over the years.

In addition to its televised episodes, One Life to Live also spawned several spinoffs and tie-in projects. The show's characters and storylines were adapted into several novels, comic books, and even a video game. A spinoff series titled Loving aired from 1983-1995, and the characters of Blair and Todd were later spun off into their own show, The City, which aired for two seasons in the '90s.

Despite its cancellation, One Life to Live remains a beloved piece of daytime television history, remembered for its innovative storytelling, diverse cast, and enduring appeal.