Sunset Beach (TV series)
Sunset Beach | |
---|---|
Genre | Soap opera |
Created by | |
Theme music composer |
|
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 3 |
No. of episodes | 755[1] |
Production | |
Executive producers | |
Camera setup | Multiple-camera setup |
Running time | 60 minutes (including commercials) |
Production companies | |
Original release | |
Network | NBC |
Release | January 6, 1997 December 31, 1999 | –
Sunset Beach is an American television soap opera that aired on NBC from January 6, 1997, to December 31, 1999. The show follows the loves and lives of the people living in the Orange County coastal area named Sunset Beach, on the coast of California. Although there is a real community named Sunset Beach (now part of the city of Huntington Beach), the show's beach scenes were shot in nearby Seal Beach, California. The show was co-produced by NBC and Spelling Television.
Sunset Beach won two
Conception and development
Sunset Beach was created in 1996, having replaced Santa Barbara (1984–1993) in an attempt to both rebuild NBC's daytime lineup and target younger audiences. It was the first daytime soap opera produced by Aaron Spelling, the chief of Spelling Television (Spelling had also produced several primetime soap operas, and was the executive producer of the 1991 film Soapdish, a satirical look at daytime soap operas). Jonathan Levin, one of the show's consulting producers, commented on the change that a new soap opera brings to the lineup, and the tough process of a viewer getting to know a new soap: "It is very difficult to change the loyalty of the daytime viewer, and we’re talking about shows that have been on for 30 years. That's one of the reasons we’re targeting young viewers — they’re the most available and the most flexible in their viewing habits."[2]
In the process of making the show, Spelling liked the idea of naming it Never Say Goodbye, as suggested by Viacom chairman Sumner Redstone during a dinner with Spelling, but later tests proved that the viewers were more drawn to the title Sunset Beach.
Cast and crew
When the show began, it had 21 contract actors, including
Shortly after the show premiered,
The exits of many characters opened the doors to the introduction of new ones.
The teen scene was revived in 1998, when Bette's daughter
In 1999, the show cast only three contract roles, the first two being in March, when
During its three-year run, Sunset Beach was executive produced by Aaron Spelling, E. Duke Vincent, and Gary Tomlin.[13] However, the head writing history was much different. Robert Guza Jr. was the first head writer (and also a co-creator), but he exited the show on October 21, 1997, when Meg Bennett, who had been serving as Associate Head Writer was promoted as head writer as of October 22. Four months after being the sole head writer, Bennett received a co-head writer in the form of Christopher Whitesell, on January 8, 1998. Bennett was dismissed during the summer of 1998 and her final episode aired October 5, 1998. She was replaced by Margaret DePriest, who stayed with the show until its cancellation.
Main cast
In first opening credits order
Character | Actor | Year(s) | Episodes |
---|---|---|---|
Olivia Richards | Lesley-Anne Down | 1997–99 | 1―755 |
Gregory Richards | Sam Behrens | 1997–99 | 1―755 |
Ricardo Torres | Hank Cheyne | 1997–99 | 1―755 |
Paula Stevens | Laura Harring | 1997 | 1―236 |
Gabi Martinez Torres | Priscilla Garita | 1997–99 | 30―755 |
Casey Mitchum | Timothy Adams | 1997–99 | 1―755 |
Rae Chang | Kelly Hu | 1997 | 2―108 |
Elaine Stevens | Leigh Taylor-Young | 1997 | 1―236 |
Eddie Connors | Peter Barton | 1997–99 | 1―342 |
Michael Bourne | Jason Winston George | 1997–99 | 1―755 |
Vanessa Hart | Sherri Saum | 1997–99 | 4―755 |
Bette Katzenkazrahi | Kathleen Noone | 1997–99 | 1―755 |
Annie Douglas Richards | Sarah Buxton | 1997–99 | 1―755 |
Ben Evans | Clive Robertson | 1997–99 | 1―755 |
Meg Cummings | Susan Ward | 1997–99 | 1―669, 726―755 |
Sydney Penny | 1999 | 673―723 | |
Tim Truman | Dax Griffin | 1997–99 | 1―722, 755 |
Sean Richards | Randy Spelling | 1997–99 | 5―755 |
Tiffany Thorne | Adrienne Frantz | 1997 | 1―93 |
Jennifer Banko-Stewart | 1997 | 96―159 | |
Mark Wolper | Nick Stabile | 1997–98 | 1―258 |
Cole Deschanel | Ashley Hamilton | 1997 | 11―32 |
Eddie Cibrian | 1997–99 | 34―700, 755 | |
Caitlin Richards Deschanel | Vanessa Dorman | 1997–98 | 7―364 |
Kam Heskin | 1998–99 | 368―755 | |
Virginia Harrison | Dominique Jennings | 1997–99 | 50―542 |
Jimmy Harrison | V.P. Oliver
|
1997 | 52―242 |
Jeffery Wood | 1998–99 | 261―555 | |
Tyus Robinson | Russell Curry | 1997–99 | 118―580, recurring 587―755 |
Derek Evans | Clive Robertson | 1998–99 | 256―357, 467, 673―744 |
Hank Cummings | John Martin | 1997–99 | 270―755, recurring 175―196 |
Joan Cummings | Carol Potter | 1997–99 | 270―755, recurring 1―232 |
Sara Cummings | Lauren Woodland | 1998 | 328―336 |
Shawn Batten | 1998–99 | 337―755 | |
Antonio Torres | Nick Kiriazis | 1998–99 | 271―755 |
A.J. Deschanel | Gordon Thomson | 1998–99 | 337―755 |
Emily Davis | Cristi Harris | 1998–99 | 347―755 |
Maria Torres-Evans | Christina Chambers | 1998–99 | 373―755 |
Francesca Vargas | Lisa Guerrero | 1998–99 | 382―579, recurring 592―610 |
Leo Deschanel | David Matthiessen | 1998–99 | 386―556 |
Amy Nielsen | Krissy Carlson | 1997–99 | 425―755, recurring 242―416 |
Brad Niklaus | Michael Strickland | 1998–99 | 425―755, recurring 359―416 |
Tess Marin | Tracy Melchior | 1999 | 541―755 |
Benjy Evans | Chase Parker | 1999 | 545―755 |
Jude Cavanaugh | Sean Kanan | 1999 | 664―755 |
Secondary and guest cast
Character | Actor | Year(s) |
---|---|---|
Lena Hart | Mariann Aalda | 1998–99 |
Melinda Fall | Elizabeth Alley | 1998 |
Officer Sam Spencer | David Andriole | 1997–99 |
Dr. Luisa Estrada | Ana Auther | 1998-99 |
Chief Harris | Fran Bennett | 1997 |
Sister Bertrille | Rebecca Brooks | 1998–99 |
Carl Brock | Gerard Christopher | 1997–99 |
Carmen Torres | Margarita Cordova | 1997–99 |
Quint | Keene Curtis | 1997–98 |
Hillary Nichols | Terry Davis | 1998 |
Jade Sheridan | Sandra Dee Robinson | 1997–98 |
Passenger | David Doyle |
1997 |
Wayne Landry | Henry Gibson | 1999 |
Mrs Moreau | Joyce Guy | 1998–99 |
Selita Jones | Lynn Hamilton | 1997–98 |
Margaret Raynor | Estelle Harris | 1999 |
Officer Oscar Ruiz | Andre Khabbazi | 1997–99 |
Captain James Nelson | Bernie Kopell | 1998 |
Lena Hart | Lillian Lehman | 1997–98 |
Alex Mitchum | Barbara Mandrell | 1997–98 |
Nurse Ronnie | Cyndi Martino | 1998 |
Summons Server | Eddie Mekka | 1998 |
Doug | Steve Nave | 1998 |
Mrs. Alton | Myrna Niles | 1999 |
Charles Dunwoody | John O'Leary | 1997 |
Benjy Evans | Chasen Parker |
1999 |
Del Douglas | John Reilly | 1997–99 |
Bernie Nielsen | Mark Ritter | 1998 |
Philip Vargas | Michael Sabatino | 1998 |
Mr. Talley | Mik Scriba | 1998 |
Patricia Steele | Susan Seaforth Hayes | 1999 |
Vincent Duke | Aaron Spelling | 1998 |
Jerry Feller | Jerry Springer | 1999 |
Jada | J. Karen Thomas | 1998–99 |
Julianna Deschanel | Constance Towers | 1997 |
Wei-Lee Young | Steven Vincent Leigh | 1997 |
Joseph Wapner | Himself | 1999 |
Storylines
Storylines in its nearly three-year run ranged from the traditional to the
When the moon rises early, just as the Santa Ana winds kicks up out of nowhere, and the sun is just dropping out of sight, whoever you meet at the far side of the pier, is who you're destined to be with.
Elaine Stevens (the legend of Sunset Beach)[14], Ben's longtime best friend. Meg hated Annie for being close to Ben and wanted to cut her out of his life; Annie hated Meg out of jealousy for her developing romance with Ben. Their problems reached a head with a physical fight in a hot tub. Meg's ex-fiancé Tim Truman followed her to Sunset Beach to win her back, and ended up becoming Annie's ally and almost love interest. Once Meg and Annie had overcome their differences, Meg soon had a new problem when she began to suspect Ben was a murderer, although this plot line was developed to lead up to the Terror Island storyline. After the Terror Island/Derek storyline (see below) none of the issues raised were ever mentioned again.The first year of the show revolved around Meg's pursuit of Ben (including her briefly breaking into his house, stealing a journal she found there, and dressing up in his late wife's clothes), who was initially not interested in her, and the gradual development of a romance between them. A side plot showed the antagonistic relationship between Meg and Annie Douglas
Meg and Ben became one of the show's first couples, along with jewel thief
Caitlin Richards. Cole slept with and impregnated both Caitlin and Caitlin's unhappy alcoholic mother Olivia Richards. Olivia and her fiendish ex-husband, Gregory Richards, planned to steal Caitlin's baby and pass it off as Olivia's (telling Caitlin her baby had died) in order to break up Caitlin's relationship with Cole, who her parents disapproved of because of his criminal past. Caitlin lost the child in a car accident when she found out about her parents' horrible plan, and planned to fake the rest of her pregnancy and adopt a baby to pass off as her own, as she was worried her inability to have children (caused by the accident) would cause problems in her marriage to Cole. She enlisted the help of Annie, who was secretly trying to break up Olivia and Gregory, due to a term in her father's will that stated she would only get her inheritance if she wed Gregory (her father's way of breaking up his marriage to Olivia, who he had been having an affair with) Annie drugged Olivia and stole her baby, telling her the baby had been stillborn. Caitlin (unknowingly) raised her baby half-brother (who was also her step-son, having been fathered by her husband) until a grief-stricken Olivia discovered the truth. Olivia was eventually reunited with her son.When the show began, it was the only soap on the air featuring Asian-American characters, though they were written off before the end of the first year. The show also had daytime television's only African-American villainess,
Vanessa Hartso she could have Michael for herself.Prominent storylines
In one of the most outrageous storylines on the show, Virginia drugged Vanessa and, using a
stolen sperm, impregnated her with the child of Tyus Robinson, to make it appear Vanessa had been unfaithful to Michael, who was infertile.The show was known for other outrageous storylines, such as Terror Island in which several of the show's main characters were stranded on an island with a masked serial killer (whose costume bore a close resemblance to that of the killer from
Maria Torres(having previously also slept with Meg).Casey Mitchum. Derek (who was also wrongfully presumed dead) returned to kidnap Ben again, and it was revealed he and Tess were Benjy's parents.Another outrageous storyline was the earthquake/tsunami story, in which Sunset Beach was struck by a massive earthquake, trapping many characters – most of them each other's rival – together in life and death situations. While half the cast battled the disaster on land, the rest of the cast was on a pleasure cruise aboard a ship that was overturned – à la The Poseidon Adventure – by a tsunami created by the earthquake.
The tsunami storyline proved so popular that two weeks' worth of episodes were compiled and turned into an hour-long show that was included on NBC's lineup for one night in August 1998. The show took a supernatural turn for a while with some cursed jewels, stolen from a religious icon, that turned those who'd touched them into shrivelled mummies. The story culminated on Christmas Eve with the return of the jewels to the Madonna just in time to prevent the deaths of several key characters.
The show also featured two murder mysteries in its run. The first was the murder of Annie's father Del Douglas by Elaine Stevens. Del had kidnapped Cole as a baby and convinced Elaine the child was dead. The second murder mystery involved the death of seductress and jewel thief Francesca Vargas, whom just about everyone in town wanted dead. The twist in the Who Shot Francesca storyline and the killer was main antagonist character Gregory Richards.
Cancellation
The show was cancelled just before the third anniversary of its original air date. Most of the main characters were given happy endings.[15] Ben and Meg and Michael and Vanessa married in a double wedding. Casey and Sara got engaged, Cole and Caitlin were happy in their marriage, and Olivia was happily raising her children alone. Maria gave Ben a divorce so he could marry Meg and met a new man, Ross English. Maria also adopted Benjy, the little boy she had regarded as her own, and she and Ben planned to raise him together. The 'baddies' all got their comeuppances. Derek was accidentally shot and killed by Ben; his accomplice Tess went to jail, as did Gregory Richards (Francesca's real killer). Tim Truman, who though not a villain spent most of the three years causing problems for Ben and Meg, was murdered by Derek. Virginia remained in a mental hospital of the criminally insane, while reformed Annie also got a happy ending, finding love with relatively new character Jude.
In a twist ending, Meg appeared to wake up in
The Wizard of Oz).[original research?] However, at the last minute, Meg woke up in Sunset Beach and was in bed with Ben, the day after their wedding. Probably the dream was poking fun at how many writers use the sloppy ending of "it was all a dream" to bring a story to a close, as was done in stories such as Alice's Adventures in Wonderland or more aptly, evoking the dream (9th) season of the prime-time soap, Dallas.Broadcast history
Upon its premiere, Sunset Beach was made part of NBC's daytime programming block; the show began airing on January 6, 1997. At first, the show was given a one-year deal, with 255 episodes to produce.
NBC reclaimed the 12:00 pm hour from its affiliates in order to air it. However, like all the other shows before it, most NBC's affiliates would not air Sunset Beach at its scheduled time due to their continuous longstanding practice of airing
Nielsen ratings basement, despite being renewed twice. During the Shockwave storyline, it received its best ratings and showed signs that it might move off the bottom. However, this spike proved to be brief and was not sustained.[16] As a result of all this, NBC cancelled Sunset Beach on September 17, 1999[17]and aired its last episode on December 31 of that year.To date, Sunset Beach is the last regularly-scheduled NBC network program to air anywhere in the 12:00 pm hour; NBC returned the hour to its affiliates after the show ended its run.[18] As of October 6, 2003, three days after Port Charles aired its last episode, the 12:00 pm hour is currently used by all network affiliates, especially those of NBC, for their midday local newscasts as well as other programing; the lone exception is CBS, which continues to air The Young and the Restless at 12:30 pm.
The show, however, gained a cult following in the UK, doing especially well in the ratings for Channel 5, with some universities holding Sunset Beach parties where students would go dressed as their favorite character. Channel 5 tried to save the show when its cancellation was announced, offering partially to fund it and trying to get other networks involved, as had happened previously with Baywatch, but NBC was not interested. It did buy NBC's other soap opera, Days of Our Lives, to air in Sunset Beach’s place, even running promos during the show's final week, but Days failed to catch on and Channel 5 dropped the show approximately a year later.
International broadcasting
In Australia, Sunset Beach aired on Network 10 from 1998 to 2000 in an early morning time slot.
In Bulgaria, Sunset Beach aired on
CBS Dramasince January 2015, however only season 1 and 2 were aired.In Canada, Sunset Beach aired at 3:00PM on independent station CHCH-DT in Hamilton, Ontario; the show was broadcast the same day as NBC.[19]
In Croatia, Sunset Beach aired on HRT1 (all episodes) weekdays at 6.30pm from September 1998 to May 2001.
In France, Sunset Beach aired on TF1. from January 1998 to July 2001 (all episodes) in afternoon and on foxlife (season 1 in 2006).
In Ireland, Sunset Beach aired on TV3 weekdays at 2.30pm from 20 September 1998 to August 2001 – all 755 episodes aired. The final year of episodes replayed between August 2001 and August 2002. After the final episode, TV3 replaced Sunset Beach with Australian hospital drama All Saints.[20]
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sunset Beach aired on Radio and Television of Bosnia and Herzegovina (520 episodes) and Mreža Plus (Season 3) .
In Republic of Macedonia, Sunset Beach aired on Macedonian Radio Television.
In Denmark, Sunset Beach aired on
TV3.In Finland, Sunset Beach aired on
Nelonen.In Poland, Sunset Beach aired on
CBS Drama. However, only the first two seasons were aired.In New Zealand, Sunset Beach aired on Three from 1998 to 2000 (all episodes).
In Norway, Sunset Beach aired on
TV2and were the first TV network to purchase the series outside of the US, airing the complete series from 1997 – 2000.In South Africa, Sunset Beach originally aired on SABC 3 for its entire run from 1999 to 2001 weekdays at 4:10pm. Due to its popularity, rival channel e.tv started rebroadcasting the entire series from September 2007 every weekday morning at 10:30am.
In Nigeria, Sunset Beach aired on Africa Independent Television, weekdays 9pm – 10pm, between 2003 and 2004.
In Sweden, Sunset Beach aired on
TV4. All episodes aired one time on TV4 between August 17, 1998, to 2000, and the rerun aired on TV4 and TV4 Plus. A second rerun started airing on TV4 in 2004 but was later cancelled.In Germany, Sunset Beach aired on RTL from January 2, 1998, to January 8, 1999, where it was cancelled. Super RTL took over and aired the soap from September 1, 1999, to March 9, 2001, in a late primetime slot. Local channel BTV aired reruns from 2001 to 2003.
In Russia, Sunset Beach initially aired on
CBS Dramachannel also showed, but only the First Season of the series twice from January 9, 2015, and in 2016, after which the license to broadcast the channel in Russia was revoked.In Ukraine, Sunset Beach aired on 1+1.
In Greece, Sunset Beach aired on Star Channel.
In Cyprus, Sunset Beach aired on Sigma TV.
In Spain, Sunset Beach aired on Antena 3. The channel intended for the series to be their big Summer premiere and launched the series with a 2-hour pilot on a Sunday afternoon in the popular 3:30pm movie slot. Promoting the series as Baywatch meets Beverly Hills, 90210 with a lot of Santa Barbara (the latter having been a massive hit for the channel many years earlier and the only big US daytime soap to have aired in Spain), the series continued with its regular screenings every weeknight in the much coveted 8:00pm Access Primetime slot, the slot previously occupied by Baywatch. Sunset Beach, however, failed to attract any attention, and the series was promptly axed after one week and six episodes, never to return to Spanish TV again.
In Slovakia, Sunset Beach aired on TV Markíza; however, only 260 episodes were broadcast.
In Slovenia, Sunset Beach aired on Kanal A
In Indonesia, Sunset Beach aired on Indosiar. The TV series was dubbed into Indonesian.
In Chile, Sunset Beach aired on
Mega (Chilean TV channel)In the Philippines, Sunset Beach aired on Studio 23.
In Hungary, Sunset Beach aired on TV2 in 1998; however, only 355 episodes were broadcast.
In the United Kingdom, Sunset Beach aired on Channel 5 from March 1997 to February 2000 becoming only the second American daytime soap opera to air on a UK terrestrial TV channel (the first being, coincidentally, Santa Barbara on ITV. Others ran only on satellite and cable channels). It became one of Channel 5s earliest successful imports, being part of its daytime launch schedule, so much so, when it ended in 1999, Channel 5 were a part of an international consortium who tried to invest in Sunset Beach to keep it being produced for its large international audience, but this bid failed, and it ended on this channel in 2000. There was then a bidding war for the repeat rights, and the first 130 episodes were repeated on ITV2, a digital channel, from July 2000 to January 2001 before the series was dropped due to low ratings and the high cost of broadcast rights. Channel 5 then started repeating the series again, starting in 2004, but dropped it from the daytime schedule due to low ratings. They continued repeats in double-bills in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday mornings until they had shown all the episodes they had bought the rights for (approx. 215).
In Zimbabwe, Sunset Beach aired on Joy TV.
In Ghana, Sunset Beach aired on TV3 network
In Romania Sunset Beach aired on TVR1 at 7:00 PM all 755 episodes
In Venezuela Sunset Beach aired on Venezolana de Televisión.
In Kenya, Sunset Beach aired on Citizen TV on Monday to Friday between 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Home media
Sunset Beach was released on DVD on 22 July 2008 by the German company
Koch Media. The first 12 episodes were released on four DVDs (in German and English).[25]
DVD Name Year Region 2 (German) Additional features Box 1 1997 July 22, 2008 None References and casting
Satire and pop culture references
It frequently referenced other television shows: many episodes featured characters fantasizing about their lives and dreams in sequences that show the cast dressed as Charlie's Angels or performing the opening from Friends.
Fantasies involving the character
The Wizard of Oz, a play on Wheel of Fortune, and even her own imaginary soap opera titled The Search for Dignity. Plus, the character of Annie was usually the one to deliver funny quotes.[27]In his biography, the Italian fashion model Den Harrow says that in 1997 he moved to California to take part in the serial.
Stunt casting guest appearances
The show went in for stunt casting guest appearances – Jerry Springer played talk show host Jerry Feller and a census taker, Marla Maples played socialite Barbara Birch, Joseph Wapner played himself – and featured a ripped from the headline story about a Washington intern, Meg's sister Sara Cummings (Shawn Batten), who'd had an affair with a married politician. Her affair was exposed by her supposed friend – Melinda Fall (Elizabeth Alley), a take off on Linda Tripp. Sara went on to develop a relationship with local lifeguard Casey Mitchum, and their relationship and her sibling rivalry with her sister (who at one point started an affair with Casey) made up the bulk of Sara's storylines, although she was also famous for her TV show-inspired fantasy sequences, which included spoofs of the opening titles for Friends and The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
Other notable guest appearances include Finola Hughes as Cole's ex-fiancée Helena, Christopher Darden as Les Gordon, John O'Hurley as the host of Wheel of Misfortune, Kim Alexis as a hotel maid, Jack Wagner as a thief named Jacques Dumont, and Barbara Mandrell as Casey's ill mother Alex Mitchum.
References
CBS Interactive. Archived from the originalon January 15, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.- ^ Levin comment
- ^ a b Lacey, Elizabeth (3–16 April 1999). "The Sun Sets". Inside Soap. No. 124. p. 37.
- ^ McCarthy, John P. (January 12, 1997). "Sunset Beach". Variety. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
- ^ Legend of SuBe "Sunset Beach Season 1 Episode 1". TV.com. Retrieved 2008-06-16.
{{cite news}}
: Check|url=
value (help)- ^ "Final Episode Recap". Archived from the original on 2009-05-23. Retrieved 2007-10-08.
Nielsen Ratings, Info on Nielsen Ratings- ^ Soap Opera Update, October 26, 1999
- ^ "2000-2009 – The Daytime TV Schedule Archive". Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ ""Sunset Beach" a sizzling new daytime drama from Aaron Spelling, premieres January 6, 1997 on CHCH-TV" (Press release). Niagara Television Limited. December 24, 1996. Archived from the original on January 3, 1997. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
- ^ RTÉ Guide, 19–25 September 1998 edition and subsequent dates
- ^ "Любовь и тайны Сансет Бич, 1-я серия, Телепрограмма: "Газета: "Коммерсантъ""". 12 November 1997. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
- ^ "Любовь и тайны Сансет Бич, заключительные серии на нтв-предпоследние, Телепрограмма: "Газета: "Коммерсантъ""". 30 March 2000. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
- ^ "Любовь и тайны Сансет Бич, заключительные серии на нтв, Телепрограмма: "Газета: "Коммерсантъ""". 31 March 2000. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
- ^ "4 апреля 2000 года, время(после) без сериала, окно, Телепрограмма: "Газета: "Коммерсантъ""". 4 April 2000. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2021-06-20.
- ^ "[1]" DE, URL last accessed 2008-06-16
- ^ Annie's fantasy world Archived 2007-10-13 at the Wayback Machine, The fantasies of Annie Douglas
- ^ Annie's quotes, Annie Douglas quotes
External links