15 Best Soap Operas, Ranked: ‘General Hospital,’ ‘Days of our Lives,’ and More

Created by Dan Curtis, Dark Shadows, a supernatural-themed soap, didn’t really come to life until 200-year-old Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) was released from his coffin. On paper, Barnabas was a villain but Frid brought humanity to the tortured vampire. Dark Shadows was live on tape so occasionally actors would go up on their lines and special effects weren’t what we know them to be today, but none of that mattered. Fans fell in love characters like the terrifying Angelique (Lara Parker) and well-intentioned Dr. Julia Hoffman (Grayson Hall)—two women who failed to capture Barnabas’s heart. The series spawned a 1990 nighttime revival and a 2012 feature film.

The Ryan clan was the center of this half-hour ABC serial that told the story of an Irish Catholic family who owned and operated a bar in New York City. Like most soaps, the show got off track here and there, but fans loved the program most when co-creators Claire Labine and Paul Avila Mayer were at the helm. The show had a wonderful send-off that included a spiritual visit from fan favorite Mary Ryan Finelli (Kate Mulgrew), and Maeve Ryan (Helen Gallagher) sang “Danny Boy” before adlibbing straight to the camera, “Have a good life!”

Series star Mary Stuart was nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 1962 in the category of Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Series (Lead) for her role as heroine Joanne “Jo” Gardner (later, Tourneur). The series is lovingly remembered for the epic love story between Liza Kaslo (Sherri Mathis) and Travis Sentell (Rod Arrants), and villainess Jennifer Pace, who crashed through a mirror before her portrayer, Morgan Fairchild, became a primetime star. In the show’s last scene, Stu Bergman (Larry Haines) asked BFF Jo what she was searching for. “Tomorrow,” she replied, “I can’t wait!”

Fresh of his spectacular stint as Days of our Lives head writer, James E. Reilly created Passions, a supernatural-themed soap set in the hamlet known as Harmony. Viewers followed the lives of the Crane, Bennett, Russell, and Lopez-Fitzgerald families. Witch Tabitha Lennox (Juliet Mills) and a doll Timmy (Josh Ryan Evans), who came to life, added to the show’s uniqueness. Reilly paid off the love affair between Theresa (Lindsay Hartley) and Ethan (Eric Martsolf) by having them get married in the finale. Alas, star-crossed lovers Luis (Galen Gering) and Sheridan (McKenzie Westmore) were denied a happily ever after. Somebody write a sequel!

Created Irna Phillips and William J. Bell, the NBC soap, set in fictional Bay City, enjoyed two major resurgences during its 35-year run. The first, in 1967, was under Agnes Nixon, a Phillips protégée, who introduced Rachel Davis (Robin Strasser), a “have not,” who broke up supercouple Steve Frame (George Reinholt) and Alice Matthews (Jacqueline Courtney). In the early 1970s, scribe Hardling Lemay recreated Rachel (now, Victoria Wyndham), turning her into the show’s central heroine. Wed to Mackenzie Cory (Douglass Watson), Rachel battled his possessive daughter Iris (Beverlee McKinsey) for Mac’s love. The series also gave us the late, great Anne Heche as twins Vicky/Marley. AW was the first soap to go to an hour in 1975, and it tried out a 90-minute format from 1979-80.

Created by Jerome “Jerry” Dobson and his late wife Bridget Dobson, Santa Barbara debuted to much fanfare on July 30, 1984. The throughline for the series was the dynamic Capwell family, headed by Jed Allan as C.C. Judith McConnell gave a tour de force when her character, Sophia, recalled killing Channing. Jr., a man she thought was her own son. Robin Wright (House of Cards) got her big break playing Capwell ingenue Kelly. Supercouples included Cruz (A Martinez) and Eden (Marcy Walker), and Mason (Lane Davies) and Julia (Nancy Lee Grahn). Read about the show’s recent reunion here.

Created by Anges Nixon, OLTL has the greatest number of Daytime Emmy Lead Actress wins. In addition to Erika Slezak’s (Viki) six statuettes, Emmy gold has gone to Judith Light (Karen)—twice, Robin Strasser (Dorian), Hillary B. Smith (Nora), and Susan Haskell (Marty). Karen breaking down on the witness stand, confessing that she was a “common hooker” to help clear her pal Viki of a murder rap, was cited as one of TV Guide Magazine’s 100 Most Memorable Moments. Despite firing on all cylinders, thanks to executive producer Frank Valentini and head writer Ron Carlivati, ABC ended OLTL’s life in January 2012.

When ABC asked Nixon if she had another serial in her, she took out the bible to AMC, which she’d written years earlier. Even if you’ve never seen a soap opera, you likely know who Daytime Emmy-winner Susan Lucci and her dynamic alter-ego Erica Kane are. In addition to Erica’s escapades, viewers were drawn to AMC for the storybook romances of Cliff (Peter Bergman) and Nina (Taylor Miller), and Greg (Laurence Lau) and Jenny (Kim Delaney). AMC is gone but folks can tune in each morning to Live With Kelly and Mark, hosted by Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, to get their Hayley and Mateo fix.

Inspired by primetime legal drama Perry Mason, Irving Vendig created The Edge of Night, a mystery/crime series for daytime. Henry Slesar, who came up some of the most unique sounding character names ever on TV, served as the show’s head writer from 1968 to 1983. He crafted the twisty Jefferson Brown mystery, which starred supercouple Raven (Sharon Gabet) and Sky (Larkin Malloy). The two were daytime’s version of Nick and Nora Charles (The Thin Man). The series ended with the wedding of Miles (Joel Carruthers) and Beth (Sandy Faison). Also, D.A. Mike Karr (Forrest Compton), with wife Nancy (Ann Flood) by his side, sprang into action when past villains resurfaced in Montecillo.

This William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell-co-created series had a working title of Rags to reflect the show’s garment industry backdrop. For parts of five decades, worldwide fans have tuned into B&B to follow the escapades of Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang), Eric Forrester (John McCook), Steffy Forrester Finnegan (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood), and their families, friends, and foes. Sheila Carter’s (Kimberlin Brown) is quite possibly daytime’s most evil villain. While B&B upped daytime’s “glam” factor, the show, helmed by executive producer/head writer Bradley Bell, has touched on important social issues including homelessness, HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, and alcoholism.

After studying under soap legend Irna Phillips and saving Days of our Lives from cancellation as a solo head scribe, William J. Bell (with wife Lee Phillip Bell) created Young and the Restless, a ground-breaking serial that took soaps out of the kitchens and deeper into the bedrooms. Originally, the Fosters and Brooks clans populated Genoa City. Today, the Newman, Abbott, and Winters clans are in the forefront. Y&R specializes in feuds—Victor (Eric Braeden) vs. Jack (Peter Bergman), Katherine (Jeanne Cooper) vs. Jill (Jess Walton)—and Bell told epic romance better than anyone as evidenced by Victor and Nikki’s (Melody Thomas Scott) legendary love story. Phillip Bell tackled social issues as a Chicago talk show hostess, which greatly influenced stories her husband told on the top-rated serial.

Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, GH is TV’s longest running scripted series that’s still on the air. Many regimes have come and gone from Port Charles over the years. Notable ones include producer Gloria Monty and writers Douglas Marland and Pat Falken Smith, who turned the show into a pop culture phenomenon that graced the covers of Newsweek and People. Producer Wendy Riche and head writer Claire Labine told B.J.’s (Brighton Hertford) heart transplant. Former head writer Ron Carlivati and current executive producer Frank Valentini performed surgery on the series as it approached its 50^th anniversary, likely saving it from cancellation. Daytime Emmy-winner Genie Francis, as Laura Webber Collins, is the heartbeat of the program.

Created by Irna Phillips and directed by Ted Corday, As the World Turns was one of two soaps to premiere in the half-hour format. Viewers peered into the lives of the Hughes, Lowell, and Stewart families to the point where they felt like they were watching extended family members. Housewives marveled at the audacity of Lisa Miller Hughes (Eileen Fulton), who hired a maid and took credit for the completed chores! A highlight of the show’s 54-year run was the Doug Marland era (1985-90). He introduced the Snyder clan, showcased scene-stealing Elizabeth Hubbard as tycoon Lucinda Walsh, and told what is considered one of soap opera’s most compelling stories—Douglas Cummings’ (John Wesley Shipp) obsession with mother-figure Kim Hughes (Kathryn Hays) and her stepdaughter Frannie (Julianne Moore).

There’s no other serial that does romance quite like DAYS as evidenced by the legion of supercouples the show has created over the years. There’s Bo (Peter Reckell) and Hope (Kristian Alfonso), Marlena (Deidre Hall) and John (Drake Hogestyn), and many others. Always a fan favorite, DAYS became more compelling during the Jim Reilly era in the 1990s when he wrote stories about Marlena’s possession, Sami’s (Alison Sweeney) obsession, and Carly (Crystal Chappell) being buried alive. Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie) and her late husband Bill Hayes (Doug) graced the cover of Time magazine, representing the soaps.

There’s something to be said for longevity and, as of now, GL remains the longest-running scripted serial drama. However, it’s the show’s characters, dedication to family, and stories—not the length of time it was on the air—that has earned it the top spot on our list. Created by Irna Phillips, GL began as a radio program in 1937 before shifting to TV in 1952. GL’s head writers read like a Who’s Who of Daytime: William J. Bell, Agnes Nixon, Bridget and Jerome Dobson, Douglas Marland, and Pamela Long, among others. Favorite moments/stories include Alexandra’s (Beverlee McKinsey) epic takedown of Roger (Michael Zaslow) at the country club, Reva (Kim Zimmer) baptizing herself “the Slut of Springfield,” and the friendship and love among the Four Musketeers—Phillip (Grant Aleksander), Beth (Judi Evans; Beth Chamberlin), Rick (Michael O’Leary), and Mindy (Krista Tesreau). A team of thoughtful head writers, which included longtime GL scribe Jill Lorie Hurst, gave the show a heart-warming finale, which we fondly remember. “Always.”