Farewell One Life to Live

As I type this my eyes are doing their best to dry. I've been a sobbing hot mess for most of the day. Today was the last episode of One Life to Live, and what an amazing episode it was. Where should I even begin? The past two weeks have been building up for one of the best endings to a show that I have never wanted to see end. The final episode was full of romance. Characters got endings that were not completely final, one could see and imagine where the story may have gone had the cancellation been nothing but a dream. Of course good soap is only as good as the Friday Cliffhanger, and OLTL did not disappoint. I am truly at a loss. My life next week is not going to be the same.

Why is this so important to me? Essentially All My Children and One Life to Live were just television shows, right? What is the big deal? Everything ends at some point, nothing can truly last forever. I really thought it would though. The characters on these shows were like extended family to me. In fact I'm pretty sure I spent more time with the denizens of Pine Valley and Llanview than I did with some actual real life family members. These shows are so important to me, I can't help but feel a great loss.

Of course it is not the same kind of loss from losing someone to death, or bad fashion choices, but still a big loss. The kind of loss that really only other soap fans can truly understand. Soap fans are a rare and special breed. We have our fingers on the pulse, of what I do not know, but we have them on the pulse. No matter the age or background, we all share a kindred existence. We even get the chance to see certain talent before it becomes hugely popular to everyone else. But more importantly we get to experience family.

Viki (Erika Slezak) summed it up really nicely on Thursday's episode. She gave this voice over that was an excellent social commentary on soaps and why people love them so. I wish these shows were still going to continue. I do not understand why a network would just squash two shows that have such a rabid and dedicated fanbase. I have always been ready to follow AMC and OLTL to the ends of the Earth.

My heart goes out to the actors, writers, camera crew, makeup artists, costume designers and everyone else who made these shows possible day in and day out. There was so much work that went into making these fabulous shows and now sadly so many people are out of work. I hope that everyone can find new work and won't fade away. I just want to throw a party and do my best to cook a nice feast for everyone. Thankfully this will never occur because my cooking would probably make everyone sick. I can see it now, "Obsessed dorkette poisons entire soap cast with icky food."

Hopefully some video company will come in and at least put some great episodes on dvd. I've read that a company is doing that with the defunct As the World Turns and Guiding Light. I am ready for it. Bring on the dvd sets. I will gladly march into any store and buy them up. I read recently that the original episodes and storylines of OLTL were erased, something like the first 10 years are no longer on tape. That is just such a travesty.

This show has a rich history and I hate that part of it is just gone never to be seen again. That is crazy! Martin Scorsese makes such a big deal about movie preservation, well what about soap preservation? I think someone needs to get on the ball with that and get it together real quick, ok?

Spoiler Alert! Do not read this paragraph if you have not seen the final episode of OLTL! Ok here is the dirt on the final episode. Destiny gave birth to a baby boy. Matthew finally showed up ready to be a part of the experience. Unsure of what to name the lil bundle of joy Matthew eventually decided on the name Drew, after his brother who was Bo's son that died way back when. It was a regular episode of Maury when Viki found out that Clint was indeed Jessica's biological father thankfully correcting a storyline that has long been sore with many fans. Clint also proposed to Viki. Happy moments all around! I especially liked the brief scene with Jessica and Brody (it would seem that the two former lovers would one day rekindle something in the future.) Starr relocated to Los Angeles and was temporarily sharing space with Langston and Markko. Starr also got the surprise of a lifetime when her father sent a body guard to protect her, and by body guard I mean her true love Cole. Blair and Todd finally tore the sheets up only to have John McBain bust in during the after glow announcing Todd's arrest for the murder of Victor Lord Jr. And the big cliffhanger was that Victor Lord Jr. was very much alive and tied to a bed no less by cray-cray Allison Perkins (or so it would seem, I actually have no clue how Victor ended up tied to a bed.)

So what happens next? I will still hold out hope for a cable company or some knight in soapy armor to ride in and find a way to continue these great shows. Until then there is always my little journal of my soap fan fiction, because I have no life. My dorkette behavior has also equipped me to see my favorite soap opera characters in certain Barbie dolls. It is like when people see Jesus in a bowl of soup, except more like, "OMG! That red haired Barbie looks like a great Natalie Buchanan!" (Best believe there will be pictures soon! Exciting, I know!)

Of course there is some really exciting news, certain OLTL characters will be moving to General Hospital, the only ABC soap left. Blair Kramer (Kassie DePaiva) Todd Manning (Roger Howarth) Starr Manning (Kristen Alderson) and John McBain (Michael Easton) will be bringing the drama to Port Charles. So that will be very interesting indeed and looks like I will probably be watching another soap. (Let's hope all that mob mess gets mopped up real quick)  Here's hoping that a few other Llanview faces decide to relocate as well!

And with that, I say farewell One Life to Live. I have a life time of memories and thankfully some memorabilia too. (As if I wouldn't? After all, I am a dorkette!)