Another World (TV series)

Another World (AW) (sometimes called Another World: Bay City to distinguish it from its spinoffs in the 1970s and 1980s) was a Daytime Emmy-winning American soap opera which ran on the NBC television network (CTV in Canada) from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It was co-created by Irna Phillips and William J. Bell.

What made AW unique

Main article: Unique qualities of Another World

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While AW touched on important topics like the ones described in the article linked below, the show, for the most part, was never plot-driven. Unlike other popular soaps of the day, like Days of Our Lives and General Hospital, AW was written with characters as the primary focus, and not situations. This formula was maintained until the final years of the show when a switch to plot-driven stories, dictated by then-executive producer Jill Farren Phelps, failed.

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AW was the first in many aspects as well: it was the first soap opera to talk about abortion in 1964 when such subjects were taboo. It was the first soap opera to do a crossover with the character of Mike Bauer ("Guiding Light") coming from Springfield to Bay City. It was the first to go to one hour and then to 90 minutes and then back to an hour. It was the first soap to launch two spinoffs ("Somerset" and "Texas") as well as an indirect one ("Lovers and Friends", which would be re-named "For Richer For Poorer")

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AW was also the first soap opera with a theme song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 ("(You Take Me Away To) Another World" by Crystal Gayle and Gary Morris, in 1987).

Related Topics:
Billboard Hot 100 - Crystal Gayle - Gary Morris - 1987

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