Top 10 Greatest Primetime Soap Operas

Let the face slapping and hair pulling begin! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the Top 10 Primetime Soap Operas.


For this list, we'll be looking at the most popular, influential, or long-lasting soaps that aired during an evening time slot. We'll be saving international and daytime soaps for another time, however, as both of those categories deserve a list of their own.

For many T.V. fans, the primetime soap opera is a world strictly from the 1970s and 80s. The genre has never truly gone away, however, as evidenced by the popularity of this mid 2000s series. "The O.C." followed the lives of rich and privileged teens from Orange County, California, and quickly earned strong ratings and a devoted fan following. The cast was full of talented performers, including Melinda Clarke, Peter Gallagher, and Tate Donovan, as well as plenty of fresh-faced youngsters like Mischa Barton, Adam Brody, and Rachel Bilson. "The O.C." lasted nearly five years on the air before it was canceled, but proved that soaps could thrive through the millennium and beyond.

“Falcon Crest” may not be the most famous of the big name primetime soaps that dominated network T.V. in the ‘80s, but it's still fondly remembered by fans of its initial run. The show was the creation of "Waltons" brainchild Earl Hamner, Jr., but this was anything but family friendly television, instead trying to piggyback on the soap success of shows like "Dallas." Still, all of the family intrigue and wine-country club opulence made for fun television, while a snappy theme song ensured that "Falcon Crest" would forever remain in the conversation when it came to ‘80s primetime soaps.

Offering further proof that soaps weren't just for older generations stuck at home, "One Tree Hill" earned an impressive television run from 2003 to 2012, capturing and retaining audience attention with its evolving storylines. The show primarily deals with high school sports and romance drama, but took things further by following its main characters of Lucas and Nathan Scott as they entered college and beyond. "One Tree Hill" was also notable for bucking the trend of soaps normally being the exclusive dominion of network television by being one of The CW's longest running programs from any genre.

The debut of "Peyton Place" was a big deal for soap opera fans when it debuted in 1964, as it had already enjoyed big time popularity as a novel and feature film. Small town drama and gossip dominate the storylines of "Peyton Place," with the network hoping to mimic the success of shows like "Coronation Street" over in the U.K. The real standout about "Peyton Place" was how many huge stars when through its ranks, including Mia Farrow, Ryan O'Neal, Lana Wood, and Christopher Connelly. This high level of acting talent is just one of the reasons why "Peyton Place" is still remembered today.

We move from one "Place" another... and they couldn't be more different. "Melrose Place" was a spin-off from "Beverly Hills, 90210" (more on that later), which seems like a formula for almost certain success, but the show was nearly over before it could even begin. This is due to the inaugural season of "Melrose Place" being somewhat, well... boring. It wasn't until the show really started amping up the tawdry, trashy behavior and outrageous storylines that the denizens of this housing complex started finding an audience. Of course, the addition of iconic T.V. life preserver Heather Locklear as the villainous Amanda Woodward didn't hurt things, either!

Although it's true that "Knots Landing" was a successful spin-off from ‘80s mega-soap "Dallas," the origins of the series actually predate the Ewing Family saga, as the original "Knots Landing" concept was rejected by network execs in 1977. Creator David Jacobs would get his second chance after "Dallas" became a hit, however, allowing "Knots Landing" to be officially spun off into its own series. The show kicked off with Gary and Valene Ewing moving away from Texas to a California cul-de-sac, although crossovers between "Dallas" characters and the new "Knots Landing" cast would keep both shows fresh in the minds of their audiences. Just try and keep up with all of the storylines!

There was some big-time star power behind "Desperate Housewives," giving the show a huge buzz before it even hit the air. Nicollette Sheridan, Marcia Cross, Eva Longoria, Teri Hatcher, and Felicity Huffman brought a collective amount of big and small screen experience to the series, which gave "Desperate Housewives" an instant leg up against its competition. The show was immediately welcomed by both fans and critics, thanks to storylines that balanced equal parts steam and mystery with a darkly comedic edge. "Desperate Housewives" was also something of a modern soap institution, lasting an impressive eight seasons before finally saying goodbye to Wisteria Lane in 2012.

We mentioned earlier how "Melrose Place" was spun off this series, but "Beverly Hills, 90210" wasn't the first rodeo for legendary television Aaron Spelling... not by a long shot. The incredibly knowledgeable and talented Spelling had been knocking out hit T.V. series and movies for decades, including producing "T.J. Hooker" and "Charlie's Angels." "Beverly Hills, 90210" was a natural progression for Spelling, presenting good looking young people dealing with the everyday drama of high school and beyond. "90210" also ran for an impressive ten years, making it one of Spelling's most successful series, while at the same time proving that soap operas weren't just for adults.

There are few programs as synonymous with the primetime soap as the dazzling, deliriously trashy "Dynasty." The show speaks largely to the fascination with fame and fortune that dominated 1980s culture, yet has no problems depicting the wealthy and fabulous getting down in the mud (sometimes literally) and behaving oh so very badly. "Dynasty" had a lot of famous people within its cast, including Heather Locklear, John Forsythe, and Linda Evans, but for many, the show is all about one character: Alexis Colby. Joan Collins simply KILLED as the scheming, seductive, and treacherous ex-wife of Forsythe's Blake Carrington, while her cat fights with Blake's current wife Krystle are the stuff of soap opera legend.







Before we name our number one primetime soap, here are a few tawdry honorable mentions!



"Hotel" (1983-88)







"Empire" (2015-)







"Dawson's Creek" (1998-2003)

The odds are pretty good that you know our number one pick, even if you've never watched a soap opera in your life. "Dallas" was "must see T.V." long before that phrase was imagined, entering the cultural landscape and public consciousness almost instantly with its excellent soap opera storytelling. Larry Hagman's J.R. Ewing was at the center of a national debate when the "Who shot J.R.?" cliffhanger aired, while "Dallas" also boasted an all-star ensemble cast, which included Victoria Principal, Patrick Duffy, Charlene Tilton, George Kennedy, and even Donna Reed! Oh, and then there's that all-time banger theme song, which is probably still stuck in the heads of '80s kids to this very day.