Unlike All My children, As The World Turns and Guiding Light, all of which went off the air in September, One Life To Live opted to end its run in January, two weeks after Christmas and on Friday the 13th.Go figure.By ending in Sepember, it almost felt like when we would go back to school and miss the shows anyway (tho I only started watching ATWT and GL when I was out of high school), but it didn't matter.By ending OLTL two weeks after the holiday season, it caught me off-guard.First the Christmas episode ended with rolling credits (as opposed to those quick-flash names and duties run at the bottom of the screen each and every other time).Christmas and soaps developed a strange fantasy meaning to me, ever since Myrtle Fairgate on All My Children, with all the year-long chaos of Palmer trying to break up Cliff and Nina, still managed to quietly stand alone in her home, look out at the snow, and sing a nice a capella Christmas tune to herself.The OLTL Christmas episode ran the credits with a lovely slow version of Hark The Herald Angel Sings. I felt the tug.Then two weeks before the show goes off the air, various prison escapees terrorize the citizens of Llanview.Talk about going out in a bang. Even tho the only two actors who were on the show when I started watching are Slezak and Woods, the only three characters are Bo, Clint and Viki, I was spell-bound, especially when marvelous scene-stealer Patrick J Gibbon, as Sam Manning, was playing with his toys and being watched by the psychotic Hannah.When Starr Manning prayed and sang a song, One Life To Live (tho I didn't realize she was the singer, I had FFed thru some bits), that's all it took. I stood at the front door and cried like a baby. From over 30 years ago, I started watching when Samantha Vernon and Pat Ashley were taken hostage by (who was that guy? I've always called him Bruce Davison), I've watched off and on (sometimes more off when I didn't like how it was rolling).No, I was not watching when Karen Wolek broke down on the stand during Viki's trial for murdering Marco Dane (turned out it wasn't Marco at all, but his goody twin brother, Mario).But I do remember the revelation that former nun Jenny's baby, Karen's sister, really belonged to prostitute Katrina.I was watching before Buchanan appeared on the show.It's been a fun ride, a good ride. I hated stories (Clint's Back To the Future, Eterna was really goofy too) and there were clearly some better than others (The gang-rape storyline).I do hate to see them end tho. With the departure of One Life To Live and All My Children, there will be two less hours of 'reality' in my household.

Erika Slezak has won 6 Emmy awards for playing the same role. She beat Susan Lucci most of the those times. I don't think people understand her acting ability which I consider to be on par with the finest actors and actresses today like Dame Judi Dench, Vanessa Redgrave, and Julie Harris. She has played a multiple personality disorder as well as played Victoria Lord for 35 years with class, elegance, and style that most people would envy. While lots of actors and actresses have come and gone, Erika stayed on playing a role that did not define her personal life. As All My Children is about another Erica, One Life to Live has provided a place for Erika Slezak who is also the heart and soul of the show itself to grow. It's an amazing show because it really does the unthinkable, unimaginable, and the absurd too. I can't forget the others on the show like Robin Strasser who plays Dorian Lord, Philip Carey who plays cowboy Asa Buchanan, Robert S. Woods who plays his son Bo. Can you imagine having cowboys in Llanview, Pennsylvania? but it work's with great actors and actresses. The absurd story lines are both entertaining and silly but even worth watching. If you like serious drama, this show is not for you. If you like fun entertainment, this is the show for you.

ONE LIFE TO LIVE on ABC, Brought to you by the Colgate-Palmolive Company, is the BEST TV show, or soap opera, that has EVER been on the air. Two O' Clock P.M. has always been my favorite hour in the day; the one hour that I can be in Llanview, and check in on everyone... Viki, Bo, Asa, Dorian, Nora... If there was no ONE LIFE TO LIVE I would be much less happy. The stories are always intriguing and never boring. Even after nearly 38 years, the story lines are as fresh and exciting as they were in 1968. Agnes Nixon is a pure genius for creating such a gem in the realm of television. One Life To Live is perfect in every way. Its actors are superb; Erika Slezak has won more Emmys for her role as Victoria Lord Riley Burke Riley Buchannon Buchannon Davidson than any other actor in the history of television. The theme to One Life To Live as well as the other music by David Nitctern is magnificent too. Always tune in at 2:00 EST to ABC to watch One Life To Live.

I'm in high school and everyday i have to watch soap net to get caught upon my soaps one life to live & all my children are my favorites. i think that we all watch soaps because their lives are glamorous yet they seem so real. its cool , would love to be a soap star. on one life to live i wish bo and nora would just get together again they are the best couple. on all my children ahh i want bianca to get her baby please give the girl back her baby. but see I'm so into them. well one life to live is amazing and Friday's show was interesting thats all i will say but i cant wait until Monday. SOAP OPERAS ROCK & everyone should watch them !!