Supercouples and their love stories are the cornerstone of daytime dramas, and hundreds of them have been produced since the inception of the genre. Here’s a look back at the Top 10 soap opera couples.
1. Luke and Laura, General Hospital
You don’t have to be a devout daytime viewer to recognize the names Luke (Anthony Geary) and Laura (Genie Francis), the most identifiable duo of all-time. Although their pairing was controversial (Luke raped Laura on a disco dance floor) the characters fell in love, married in front of 30 million viewers, and were together for decades.
2. Ridge and Brooke, The Bold and the Beautiful
Despite their share of makeups and breakups, Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) and Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) are clearly each other’s destiny and always find a way back to one another. They initially met at a Forrester party in 1987, where they locked eyes and ignited a spark between them that would never die.
3. Bo and Hope, Days of our Lives
The romance of Bo (Peter Reckell) and Hope (Kristian Alfonso) has featured some unforgettable moments – like Bo kidnapping Hope from her wedding to Larry (Andrew Masset) to the pair consummating their love at Oak Alley Plantation. However, they will best be remembered for their fiery passion and unwavering devotion to one another.
4. Josh and Reva, Guiding Light
Childhood sweethearts Josh (Robert Newman) and Reva (Kim Zimmer) captivated viewers with their stormy romance, which included Reva marrying Josh’s brother, Billy, and father, H.B., too. The soulmates always found their way back to each other, marrying three times. It was only fitting that this supercouple literally drove off into the sunset together on the final episode of this soap opera.
5. Jesse and Angie, All My Children
She was a girl from a fine upstanding family. He was a guy who was rough around the edges. Yet, Jesse (Darnell Williams) and Angie (Debbi Morgan) overcame the obstacles between them – namely, Angie’s father, and Liza, who falsely accused Jesse of rape. They faced a surprise pregnancy and meddling parents but still came out on top until a bullet caused Jesse’s death to separate them. (However, years later he showed up alive.)
6. Victor and Nikki, The Young and the Restless
Theirs was a My Fair Lady tale. Rich, refined Victor (Eric Braeden) discovered Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) strutting her stuff at a strip club and was instantly smitten. Slowly, but surely he transformed her into a lady, and they fell in love. Granted, the relationship has been stormy, but, at the core, they are eternally bonded.
7. Viki and Clint, One Life to Live
After the death of her beloved husband, Joe (Lee Patterson), Viki (Erika Slezak) asked Clint (Clint Ritchie) to take over as editor-in-chief of her family newspaper. Little did she know, it would be the start of an unexpected relationship. Yet, slowly, but surely, something the refined heiress and the rough cowboy connected, sparking a love story that spanned 30 years.
8. Jeff and Penny, As the World Turns
Penny (Rosemary Prinz) fell head-over-heels for Jeff (Mark Rydell), despite her mother Nancy’s disapproval. In fact, when arguably soapdom’s first supercouple. When they eloped, Nancy insisted the marriage be annulled. Years later, they married again in a Christmas Eve ceremony. Romantic Jeff even recorded a love song for his bride. Sadly, things ended tragically, when Jeff was killed in a car accident.
9. Steve and Alice, Another World
Millionaire Steve (George Reinholt) was captivated by Alice (Jacqueline Courtney) from the moment they met at their mutual friends’ nuptials and shared a dance. It began a glorious love story that took the soap to the top of the ratings. While Rachel’s (Robin Strasser and later Victoria Wyndham) plotting to snag Steve for herself did wreak havoc on the duo, true love prevailed and Steve and Alice eventually married, twice.
10. Cruz and Eden, Santa Barbara
An unexpected romance developed between upper-class Eden (Marcy Walker) and Latino cop Cruz (A Martinez). Although they had shared a romance in Europe years earlier, their fiery chemistry couldn’t be denied when they returned home to Santa Barbara. Soon they began an affair that blossomed into deep love. The supercouple’s spectacular on-location wedding in Carmel, CA, was on the highlights in the soap opera’s history.
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