All My Children

All My Children runs through one name: Erica Kane.

You can debate storylines all day, but at some point it comes back to her. She doesn’t just lead the show. She defines it.

Put AMC against One Life to Live and the difference is obvious. OLTL spreads the spotlight. AMC concentrates it. Everything bends around one character who refuses to be ignored.

That’s the strength. It’s also the risk.

If Erica hits for you, this show is unbeatable. If she doesn’t, the whole thing starts to feel smaller.

But most soaps would kill to have one character this dominant. AMC actually had her.