A Look Back at Season One – Part 1

Here is an exclusive look back at season one of Lives to Live, by the show’s creator Alan Ryan.

The Best Of Season One:

Looking back, season one of Lives to Live kicked it all off. I have to admit that I wrote the first episode, shortly after conceiving the idea of LTL. I didn't have much of an idea where most of the storylines would end up, but soon began to think far ahead. Camille and Russell were introduced in episode three to give Leslie and Victor some friends. The season continued with Paris becoming a major character, rather than just recurring. Towards episode fifteen I decided that I would have to make some changes to help revitalize LTL ahead of its second season and ditch its tacky, drug taking, stripper laden image. I decided that Divine, Mercedes, Elektra, Sebastian, Honey and Leo would all be written out, although later there were special episodes featuring the popular pairing of Mercedes and Sebastian.

Overall, while season one didn't have the best storylines or writing, it did have a sense of something new and exciting. And LTL was definitely unpredictable. I did make some blunders though, for example would Nate, and Judi too, really hide the fact that Nate had been involved in a serious accident a secret?

The show underwent several changes in the design, with a dark blue background and different experiments with tables and logos as the season went on. Sadly I've since lost these logos, but I was only new to the wonderful world of web design back then, not that I'm a pro now though!

The Top Five Best Moments:

Five: Gayle stalks Nate

This was a really, really bad finish to an okay storyline. When I wrote the first episode I had no idea who the culprit would turn out to be, in fact there were no plans for the character of Gayle even. But as the notes kept coming, I figured that I should decide on someone. And I knew that it couldn't be too obvious who it was. I considered almost every character on the show, even Victor and Leslie! I got it down to either Leslie or Kayla, both of whom were doing it because they wanted to get Nate's attention. Leslie was otherwise occupied and so I chose Kayla. When I first wrote Gayle's lines, I had it so she liked Nate, but soon I rewrote this so as she could be the villain.

The end of the storyline was pretty quick, and since then Gayle has never been seen and rarely mentioned.

Four: Who pushed Divine?

Our own storyline to rival Who shot JR?, this was one of several mysteries which continued through season one. Others included, did Grant try to kill Alex? and Who was blackmailing Victor?. Neither of these two have been resolved as of episode 34, but Divine's mystery has. In episode 5, Divine was at the top of the stairs at the Samson mansion when a hand reached out and pushed her. Victor, Gabe and Leslie were all upstairs at the time, but who did it? In episode six Divine denied that she had been pushed. But later we learned that she was plotting to reveal all and get revenge on her attacker.

Divine was in fact planning to reveal to everyone who her attacker was at Chardonnay and Gabe's wedding. But fans didn't have to wait that long for the revelation. In episode 20, the first season's finale, we learned that it was Leslie who pushed Divine.

Part 2 >>>

Legalities

This site is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any character, place or event is totally coincidental.

All images on this site are solely intended for illustrative purposes and in no way support, endorse or show any participation on the subject’s behalves.