The most riveting and engrossing drama on broadcast television during the November 2008 sweeps period to date isn’t happening on CBS’ CSI, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, Fox’ House or NBC’s Heroes – or anywhere in primetime, for that matter. It is playing out on ABC Daytime’s One Life to Live. This show is sizzling right now, with multiple storylines concluding, colliding and cascading off in wild new directions that will play out for months or years to come. The past, present and future of the show are all in skillful play. From a structural perspective – a critical element of superior serialized drama – this is some of the best soap opera storytelling I have seen in years. It is simply extraordinary in its simultaneous clarity and complexity. (Maybe the writing team on NBC’s increasingly disappointing Heroes should sit down with the gang at OLTL and ask them how it’s done.)
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