There was a time that weekday afternoons were filled with death, intrigue, sex, and marital affairs, just to name a few. Soap operas (the name was originated from radio dramas that were sponsored by manufacturers of soap) are a radio or television series depicting the interconnected lives of many characters often in a sentimental, melodramatic way. They were generational, passed down from grandparents to parents to their children.
Everyone had their favorite soap and every soap had its favorite couples. They have been many over soap operas' 90-year span, but only a handful have stood the test of time.
Todd and Blair (One Life to Live)
Regarded as one of the most brilliantly complex couples on daytime, One Life to Live's Todd and Blair was not your typical couple. Todd Manning played by Roger Howarth and Trevor St. John and Blair Cramer played by Kassie DePavia were bad. And when they were bad, they were very bad. Two lost souls who tried to find their way in life. Blair and Todd always tried to one-up each other, but somehow found romance instead. It was a very original idea of the pairing of an awful couple that was an overwhelming hit.
In college, Todd was sent to prison but later pardoned. Meanwhile, Blair married a billionaire for his money and faked her pregnancy to keep him. While drowning their woes in a bar, they had a one night stand. Blair found out that Todd would inherit over $27 million and schemed to get his money.
Josh and Reva (Guiding Light)
Childhood sweethearts from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Josh Lewis, and Reva Shayne was Guiding Light's most revered couple. Reva played by Kim Zimmer was the wild child, who grew up poor. Josh portrayed by Robert Newman was the son of an oil billionaire. They broke up when Josh left for college, so Reva being Reva, married his brother Billy. She also married Josh's father and Josh married Reva's sister, Cassie.
Reva and Josh went through deaths, resurrections, amnesia, cloning, fake pregnancies, and even time travel.
Guiding Light had a storyline where their love story was made into a movie called Always.
Cruz and Eden (Santa Barbara)
Marcy Walker portrayed Eden Capwell and A. Martinez played Cruz Castillo as Santa Barbara's super couple. Eden was a beautiful rich high society girl and Cruz was of Mexican descent from the rougher side of town. Fans quickly became fascinated with the socio-economic background differences in the paring of the couple making them Santa Barbara's most popular twosome. Writers were hesitant to pair the couple because of the previously mentioned, but both Walker and Martinez pushed for the couple's relationship.
The couple had to overcome Eden's mother accidental killing of her son, a fire, Eden's father's stroke that led to a coma, kidnapping, and paralysis. The couple's on-again/off-again relationship finally came to an end when Cruz was served divorce papers and later left town.
Patch and Kayla (Days Of Our Lives)
A rugged Merchant Marine with a patch over his eye and a gorgeous blond with a cute smile captivated audiences for several years on Days of Our Lives. Kayla Brady played by Catherine May Stewart left in 1983 after she lost her virginity to Chris Kosticheck (Josh Taylor) because he refused to commit to her. But she returned three years later with Mary Beth Evans replacing Stewart in the role. Stephen "Patch" Johnson played by Stephen Nichols and Kayla go on the run after he is framed for shooting the senator. This was the couple's first love scene.
They were very popular for four years until Steve's death that was caused by a boat explosion that was meant for her brother, Bo Brady (Peter Reckell).
Jack and Mary (Ryan's Hope)
Jack Fenelli played by Michael Levin and Mary Ryan played primarily by Kate Mulgrew and later Mary Carney, Kathleen Tolan, and Nicolette Goulet was Ryan's Hope dream couple. The two met while Mary was working on her brother's political campaign and Jack was a local reporter. The Italian and Irish background differences caused a lot of tension in the relationship.
Levin and Mulgrew were nominated for the "Most Irresistible Combination" at the 32nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. Kate Mulgrew's career was launched due to her portrayal as Mary Ryan and later she went on to be a fan favorite on Stark Trek Voyager as Captain Kathryn Janeway.
Victor and Nikki (The Young And The Restless)
Eric Braeden's character Victor Newman and Melody Thomas Scott's character Nikki Reed Foster are the cornerstones of The Young and the Restless. Married on three separate occasions, Nikki and Victor's relationship is not any different from other soap opera love stories. To marry and then divorce on a continuous cycle is part of the soap opera super couple formula.
Nikki was a prostitute and a stripper. She met Victor who taught her about the finer things in life and how to mix in with the best of the best in Genoa City, Wisconsin. They have been together for over 40 years.
Jessie and Angie (All My Children)
The first African-American super couple in daytime television, Jesse Hubbard and Angie Baxter were fan favorites on All My Children for over 20 years. Darnell Williams portrayed Jesse Hubbard and Power Book II: Ghost's Debie Morgan played Angie Baxter (Saundra Quarterman starred in the role in 1990-1991).
It was a typical love story of a good girl falling in love with a bad boy with classic soap opera drama. Angie got pregnant but gave her baby up for adoption. She and Jesse kidnapped their son and eventually gained custody. Jesse killed Angie's father who, secretly, was a drug kingpin. The couple's fate ended when Jesse died from a gunshot wound, but Jesse was brought back in 2008 (about 20 years later).
Bo and Hope (Days Of Our Lives)
Arguably only second to General Hospital's Luke and Laura, Bo Brady played by Peter Reckell, and Hope Spencer played by Kristian Alfonso was considered as daytime television's most idolized couple. With a nickname "Fancy Face", Hope had Bo's attention as soon as he laid eyes on her; just another case of bad boy meets a rich girl with a ton of obstacles in their way.
They overcame Hope's identity crisis to the loss of their son Zach who was taken off life support from a hit and run accident. In London, England, Hope draped in a $35,000 dress, married Bo in 1985.
Bo's final casting call was when it was discovered that he had an inoperable brain tumor and died in the arms of Hope in the park where they first met.
Doug and Julie (Days Of Our Lives)
Doug Williams played by Bill Hayes and Julie Olson played by Susan Seaforth Hayes were Days of Our Lives original super couple. They are a real-life married couple who met on the set and kept their marriage secret. When the fans found out, they wrote letters wanting their marriage to be written into the storyline. Against popular demand, the writers made viewers wait. Doug and Julie's wedding turned into a spectacle of a media event.
They were only soap opera characters who were featured on the cover of Time magazine with the headline, "sex and suffering in the afternoon".
Luke and Laura (General Hospital)
The problematic relationship of Luke Spencer played by Anthony Geary and Laura Webber played by Genie Francis gave birth to the phrase, "super couple". They are probably the best know soap opera couple in pop culture. People may have never watched one soap opera scene but they know their names. Other soaps copied the formula led by General Hospital, knowing if America fell in love with a couple on the show, it would boost the ratings.
When they wed in 1981, over 30 million viewers stopped what they were doing to watch the wedding. It was one of the highest-rated hours in soap history.