Another World-worse ending ever with that gorilla in love with Cass…Edge Of Night-the greatest mystery/crime series ever-had the best ending and ended with a cliffhanger when Officer Chris Egan entered Wonderland Lane and witnessed a murder in Mad Hatter Antiques then being chased by the killer’s thought dead thug she ran for help and returned with two police officers but now that whole street wasnt there and replaced with a brick wall-its as if that street and shop never existed but did it or didnt it?…OLTL-so good in its final months and ratings up-a soap that should still be on the air today!

TEXAS was my favorite of the finales because it ended without a cliffhanger leaving us to wonder what happened. I also say that because the show was my absolute favorite when it was on. I never stopped missing that soap.

Michael, I have a tie for my cancelled soaps; Guiding Light and One Live To Live.

My heart constantly aches for our beloved One Life to Live. Some many of the final TV episodes were absolutely outstanding. Viki’s monologue about the meaning of soap opera to the fans was so profoundly moving. I’m sure there wasn’t a dry eye anywhere. Mine certainly weren’t. I cried throughout the last episode and totally went to pieces when Matthew named the new baby Drew.

As always, my hat is off to the genius of Agnes Nixon for having created the marvelous One Life to Live.

I’m was so moved by this– thank you Michael for posting this and for the link– so many great memories, so many hours of entertainment, so heartbreaking— each ending suited for the show that was cancelled. My favorite– Edge of Night– ending with a new murder mystery to be solved but never will be — close second Another World– at first I was happy my favorite character Jake McKinnon was moving over ATWT, but once there they quickly killed off Vicky and later the character Jake himself– so I prefer to remember those characters as they were on AW– married, expecting twins and very happy. But the really sad thing is when the last four soaps go off the air I don’t think the quality of writing will be there to give them the send off they truly deserve– and that is a real shame—again thanks for the memories—

Still think occasionally of the actors who were on Another World which was a popular daytime drama many years ago now. One, Anne Heche, did go on to a career including a movie with Harrison Ford, a TV series – Men in Trees, her own baby product line despite some adverse publicity when much younger. Now married with two growing boys, it’s great to have seen a career blossom because of her opportunity and experience on Another World. She played identical twins, for those who didn’t know the show. A challenge to create two very different characters and play scenes of both daily. There were many other actors who were favs. of mine too: Some have now sadly passed away like Douglass Watson (Mac Cory). Always loved his portrayal as ‘Rachael’s’ husband with the wonderful Victoria Wyndham’s acting. In the 1980’s, the introduction of so many wonderful characters associated with the Love family actors such as: Anna Stuart, Ellen Wheeler, John Considine and many others. Ellen Wheeler originally played the twins – Vicki and Marley. One extra fav. was Michael Hudson who played Kale Brown. A spectacular wedding on the show was the one with Tom Eplin and Ellen Wheeler – Marley and Jake. The well loved, Linda Dano took the role of Felecia Gallant during those years and remained for the duration of the show. There were so many other wonderful actors added to the show during the 1990’s, Paul Michael Valley, Mark Pinter, Jensen Buchanan, Carmen Duncan, Robert Kelker-Kelly, Sandra Ferguson, Mat Crane, John Aprea, Alicia Coppola, Mark Pinter and so many others. Interestingly, in 1995, the now infamous Jill F. Phelps became the executive producer and changed the format of the show, fired many of the fav. actors, eliminating their characters, fired older actors suddenly and even kill off a long time character, Donna Hudson. Due to massive fan objection the idea was not carried out, but some other characters were killed instead – Ryan and Vicky. By 1999, the show had lost so many fans in June of that year it was cancelled. I often have thought that if the executive producer had not been changed, the show would have continued with it’s successful ratings for many more years. Several TV stations stopped running the show due to lowered ratings and that was the proverbial nail in the coffin for this wonderful daytime drama. A chance to see a few of the actors in Oct. 2003 when a reunion was filmed as a special for SOAPnet. Some now very famous actors appeared on this show: Morgan Freeman, Kelsey Grammer, Joanna Going, Faith Ford, Jane Krakowski, Rue McClanahan, Brad Pitt, Eric Roberts, Kyra Sedgwick, Luke Perry. It was a daytime drama ruined by changes in production ideas in format. We can all simply appreciate these cancelled dramas for what they were in their successful years – a wonderful opportunity for the fans to appreciate great storytelling and incredible dedication by the actors to their characters.

Oh wow, I remember Ryan’s Hope and watching it when I was little. I do not remember the last episode. The last episode of OLTL was awful, I thought-wasn’t a big focus on Matthew and Destiny, not all of the vets? I remember watching it and being so disappointed. I do not recall the last episode of AMC..

One Life to Live had an amazing batch of final episodes. Maeve Ryan singing ‘Danny Boy’ at the end of Ryan’s Hope would get teardrops from a stone.

Santa Barbara! Another World!

No, we don’t need a soap opera about D.C. We have real life.

Damn, that’s when soaps were soaps! I miss all of the shows mentioned.

Where’s “Dark Shadows” on the list? A very neat, if bizarre, tie-up in the final episode, with a fadeout on the portrait of Barnabas Collins!

I remember 4 January 1974 on RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE Rita giving birth to a son. I adored RETURN TO PEYTON PLACE and would give any thing to see the entire series again!
DARK SHADOWS, 2 April 1971, my cousin Debbie and I would ring each other up after the daily episodes to discuss what happened. On that day, we were both in tears. Debbie is gone now, but I remember that as if it were yesterday!
PS>>>Some one, some where MUST have access to the RTPP episodes, and I, for one, would very much appreciate having them…even if only the audio! I know tapes were wiped back then so chances are minute, but I live in hope!

oh my gorsh!

Those dresses,, those hair styles!!!
((I’d rather bite off my arm before going in public as that LOL.. too funny!
wasn’t that something ..

Anyways- goes to show how far back the soaps go! isn’t that something..

Wow…what a nostalgic, historical piece of an almost bygone daytime genre. Poignant….

Another world was a great show but the ending was stupid. Guiding light was ok but it was a case of putting it out of its misery.

I’d love to say “The Guiding Light” because it was my all time favorite soap…but…”The Guiding Light” was not “The Guiding Light” in it last year…certainly not it’s last few weeks. I think my favorite soap final weeks/finale was “Capital.” No knowing if Sloan was going to be assassinated was a great ending for the political soap. I remember my late Grandmother being mad at the ending but I thought it was perfect because of the political undertones of the soap.

Ryan’s Hope ending was pretty much perfection but OLTL will always be my sentimental favorite. It met its demise way before its time. The little kid in me will always have a soft spot for Dark Shadows. It was scary and mysterious and watching it felt a little dangerous.

It’s heartbreaking to see the end of the genre.

I’m going to vote for All My Children. In addition to Tad’s speech, I loved how all the couples ended up together (Tad and Dixie, Adam and Brooke, Jake and Amanda, Jesse and Angie, Natalia and Brot, Frankie and Randi, Zach and Kendall, Ryan and Greenlee), and Erica and Jack were probably going to find each other again, much like Rhett and Scarlett in GWTW. I particularly liked the beginning of the final episode, where we see all the babies born on the show and how they became Pine Valley adults. It showed history, family and progress. It’s the only ending to AMC I ever want to remember, and I can look past the last-second gunshot and assume that JR shot the gun into the wall or something harmless like that. When the episode was over, I was sad but satisfied at the same time, which is how I wanted my favorite soap to end.

I so wish OLTL was not cancelled it was fantastic, but.I loved and v watch all soaps. I miss t hem all and they should come back.old and new. These talk shows are horrible and bring back daytime TV! !

All My Children is my all-time favorite with One Life to Live and Dark Shadows right after in that order. I did watch Ryan’s Hope for a short while, but AMC was my main program. Agree Tad’ s closing speech was phenomenal! I still have the last 3 weeks of AMC on my Tivo!

I’m really surprised that no one brought up Search for Tomorrow’s final scene. I was not a viewer of the series, but I caught the final scene on YouTube and thought it was one of the best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_l7kbLbFxMA

Loved Edge of Night’s finale….new mysteries meant Monticello lived on, just not on our screens. How about Love of Life, with the director going around a shutting off the lights to the sets! So well done. And the last TWO WEEKS of One Life to Live encompassed everything we loved about it! Ryan’s Hope, Maeve & “Danny Boy” – amazing. On the other hand, “Another World” and “As The World Turns” went out with a whimper. John Dixon returning was great; Lisa left all alone seemed like a slight. Thanks foe this topic!

As much as I was a die-hard GL fan (for 32 yrs), I only looked-longingly from the sidelines (from 2004-09) as show-killer Ellen Wheeler slowly sucked the life out of the longest-running show in broadcast history. It’s ending (despite the nostalgic title card montage at the beginning) was self-serving and didn’t honor the rich 72-yr history (instead focusing all story on the never-ending saga of Josh/Reva!) Same could be said for ATWT and the role Chris Goutman played in that show’s demise: to have neglected Lisa Fulton and Martha Byrne in the finale, and used Liz Hubbard as merely a prop, was criminal. I liked the in-your-face ending of CAPITOL and felt SEARCH went-out with a sweet note (considering the short-shrift NBC gave them from 1982-86.) Sometimes, shows should end their runs on a high-note rather than limp along to the finish-line as shells of their former glory, led by incompetents that merely sully the legacy.

FOUR WORDS…. ONE LIFE TO LIVE>. .best ever.. really miss it.

i want to say SANTA BARBARA, because it was (and i suppose always will be) my all-time favourite soap, but i have to be honest and admit that the last year of SB was terrible and the final episode was no exception. That crushed cigar still makes me mad!

I vote for a tie between ONE LIFE TO LIVE and
All My Children – I really miss All My Children and was so sorry that it didn’t
quite catch on as an On-line presentation (nor did OLTL) – I still hope that they can
somehow combine the characters of Agnes Nixon into one show but as times moves on I realize that is an awfully dim possibility.
Prospect Park and ABC-TV really screwed around with our shows, and we are the ones who lost.

My favorite ending was “Another World,” only because I was glad to see the back off this show. The firing of Kale Browne, Anna Holbrook, and David Forsyth — three talented, credible and personable actors — was suicide. To be left with Victoria Wyndham (who somehow acquired broad, theatrical gestures and a lilting voice in later years) and Anna Stuart (who was sooooooo one-note during her entire run on this show) was proof the show staggered along too long. And like ATWT’s mysterious globe in Dr. Bob’s office in that show’s final scene, I don’t recall that Rachel had such a gallery of photos in her drawing room. And why did they make her a mother of twins THAT late in life? Surely, she was at least a decade past menopause when this happened. The show had been jerking around viewers for years — I’m glad the plug was finally pulled…

Search for Tomorrow did have one of the most touching and well done grand finales in the history of soap finales. In the show’s final minutes, the show’s matriarch, Joanne Tourneur and her dear friend, Stu are standing on the front porch of the McCleary’s stately Victorian home. The scene is a wintery, idyllic Christmas wonderland, with a stunning Christmas tree, star atop, in front of the McCleary home. All are gathered at the McCleary home to celebrate the wedding of Hogan McCleary to Joanne’s daughter. In those final minutes, both actors are clearly holding back the tears, when Stu asks Jo, “What are you searching for, Jo?” Jo replies, “I’m searching for tomorrow and I can’t wait…” Then the cast credits slowly roll set to the standard, “We’ll Be Together Again,” performed by Lou Rawls. Ms. Stuart who played Joanne Tourneur for 35 years tearfully thanks the audience for such wonderful years…. and then it was a wrap for Search for Tomorrow.

actualy like SB’s final ending because everyting was fairly tied up, happy endings for the faves. Beautiful scenary. Of course, some of it didn’t make that much sense to have things end so easily, but it was nice .
I thought end of AMC was a little weird unless I missed something. wasn’t that the one where all the dead people came to be alive and hidden away somewhere. And wasnt Erica shot! Maybe I missed something but that is what I thought was the end.
If GH were to end I wish it would be like Dallas and most of the recent stuff was one bad dream. I ‘d have Georgie still alive, F&F together , Mac with Jenny or someone from his past –give him his own son that he is always whining about.
L&L could go there separte ways but be happy for each other and Maxie would not be so messed up. Sonny would be in jail—PC clean. Ana would be commish and the sexiest thing around having love interests with all kinds of “good men” . Robert and Holly together—well you get the drift. I know aint’ going heppen ever , any of it.

My favorite finale was on Generations in 1991. Talk about a cliffhanger!! I thought the finales for AMC and OLTL were excellent, but can’t say the same for GL, ATWT and Loving, which was one of my favorite shows ever.

I remember Love is a many Splendored Thing. They tied it all up in neat bundles, left you with a smile and in a happy place. When I think of it, I smile. I liked the end of As The World Turns. Julianna returned as Frannie, Kim and Bob together, One thing really ticked me off. No Martha Byrne and Craig was NOT Craig I make it a point to never watch anything those IIC are part of. The PE refused to end it for the fans. see his name I turn the channel. The actress plaing Lili offered to step down so the original would be with her family in the end and he refused the same way he wouldn’t bring back the original Craig. I think the PEs name was CaMeron ?Guiding Light also tied it up in a bow.
The ending are for the fans ,and if they want us to watch what they replace our show with, they need to think of the fans who watched.

GL could have had the best ending but was lacking in direction (Wheeler), writing, and support from P&G and CBS (Bloom) in its final days. Still, I thought Reva and Josh driving off with the lighthouse in the background was rather smart and I will always hope that the show can return (even for 30 minutes a day or a reunion) for the faithful.