Network: ABC
Episodes: 352 (hour)
Seasons: Two
TV show dates: November 13, 1995 — March 28, 1997
Series status: Cancelled
Performers include: Laura Wright, Amelia Heinle, Randolph Mantooth, Catherine Hickland, Philip Brown, Ted King, Lisa Lo Cicero, Darnell Williams, Corey Page, George Palermo, Debbi Morgan, Alimi Ballard, Joni Allen, Roscoe Born, James Sioutis, Philip Anthony-Rodriguez, Carlotta Chang, Melissa Dye, Morgan Fairchild, Melissa Dye, Jane Elliot, P.J. Aliseo, Joel Fabiani, Amy Van Horne, Al Martino, Joseph Sirola, and Maggie Rush.
TV show description:
Airing opposite The Young and the Restless, this soap opera is a continuation/spin-off of the Loving serial and is co-created by soap veteran Agnes Nixon.
When ABC was getting ready to cancel Loving after 12 years on the air, head writers James Harmon Brown and Barbara Esensten were asked to find a creative way to salvage some of the components of the show. Their answer was to create what some consider to be the show’s most memorable storyline, the Corinth Serial Killer.
Stacey Forbes (Lauren-Marie Taylor), Clay Alden (Dennis Parlato), Curtis Alden (Linden Ashby), Cabot Alden (Wesley Addy), Isabelle Alden (Augusta Dabney), and Jeremy Hunter (Jean LeClerc) all lose their lives to a mysterious murderer, someone the victims knew. The culprit turns out to be Gwen Alden (Christine Tudor Newman) who’d killed her friends and family “to make their pain go away.” After breaking down, she injects herself with poison before she can be arrested.
The new soap follows the loves and lives of the survivors of the Corinth Serial Killer as they all move from the Pennsylvania town of Corinth to an apartment building in New York’s SoHo district. They include Ally Alden (Laura Wright), Steffi Brewster (Amelia Heinle), Alex Masters (Randolph Mantooth), Tess Wilder (Catherine Hickland), Buck Huston (Philip Brown), Danny Roberts (Ted King), Jocelyn Roberts (Lisa Lo Cicero), Jacob Foster (Darnell Williams), Richard Wilkins (Corey Page), and Tony Soleito (George Palermo).
Also along are Angie Hubbard (Debbi Morgan) and her son, Frankie (Alimi Ballard). They had begun on All My Children, moved to Loving, and then continued on to the new series.
Among the new characters are Zoey (Joni Allen), Nick Rivers (Roscoe Born), Joey Soleito (James Sioutis), Bernardo Castro (Philip Anthony-Rodriguez), Azure C. (Carlotta Chang), and Molly Malone (Melissa Dye). Sydney Chase (Morgan Fairchild) is a vicious communications mogul.
In 1996, in an attempt to drum up more viewers, some of the characters are stalked and murdered ala Loving’s Corinth Serial Killer storyline. The Masquerader leaves notes that read “Happy Now” and turns out to be Danny’s girlfriend, Molly (Melissa Dye), whose sweet and perky behavior masks her true deadly nature.
After Sydney leaves, she’s replaced as the resident bitch by Tracy Quartermaine (Jane Elliot) from General Hospital. Other later characters include General Hospital’s Dillon Quartermaine (P.J. Aliseo), Jared Chase (Joel Fabiani), Carla Soleito (Amy Van Horne), Gino Soleito (Al Martino, then Joseph Sirola) and Lorraine Hawkins (Maggie Rush).
Midway through the show’s run, it’s revealed that Azure C. is transexual, much to the dismay of her boyfriend, Bernardo. The storyline is quickly dropped and the characters leave town.
Episode 352
Tracy reintroduces herself to the mob as The Godmother. Tony and Ally are reunited.
In London, Sydney Chase tries to contact Jocelyn. When Jocelyn returns her call, Sydney doesn’t answer because she’s just been killed (Fairchild opted not to return for the finale) by the Masquerader. It turns out that Molly (Dye did return) is out of prison and killing again.
Tess, Buck, Angie, Jacob, Lorraine, Nick, Alex, Jocelyn, Richard, and Zoey drink a toast to themselves and baby Cassandra, the newest member of the family.
At the end of the episode, highlights from the series are shown, followed by shots of the cast and behind-the-scenes crew waving goodbye.
First aired: March 28, 1997.
