Sunset Beach is a short-running American television
soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on television or radio. The name "soap opera" stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble,...
, first broadcast in the United States on
NBCThe National Broadcasting Company is an American television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices in Burbank,California...
on January 6, 1997, and last airing on December 31, 1999. The show followed the loves and lives of the people living in a fictional coastal city named
Sunset Beach, on the coast of
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
. Although there is a town in California called Sunset Beach, the show's beach scenes were shot on nearby Seal Beach. The show was co-produced by NBC and
Spelling TelevisionFounded by the late television producer Aaron Spelling in 1969, Spelling Television, Inc. was a television production company that produced popular shows such as Charmed, Beverly Hills 90210, 7th Heaven, Dynasty and Melrose Place.In 1988, Aaron Spelling Productions acquired Laurel...
. It aired in over 70 countries around the world.
Sunset Beach won two Daytime Emmy Awards and was nominated another 11 times. The show also received 22 nominations for various other awards.
Sunset Beach was released on DVD for the first time on 25 July 2008 by the German company
Koch MediaKoch Media is a media enterprise started in 1994 by Franz Koch and Dr. Klemenz Kundratitz.Koch Media produces and markets software, games, cinema and DVDs...
. The first 12 episodes were released on four DVDs (in German and English).
Conception and development
Sunset Beach was created early in 1996, in an attempt to rebuild the
NBC DaytimeNBC Daytime is a programming block on NBC. It is run by NBC Universal. Its main competitors are CBS Daytime and ABC Daytime.-Schedule:NBC Daytime Schedule -Today:...
lineup and target the younger audience. It was the first daytime soap opera produced by
Aaron SpellingAaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's company holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits.-Early life:...
, the chief of
Spelling TelevisionFounded by the late television producer Aaron Spelling in 1969, Spelling Television, Inc. was a television production company that produced popular shows such as Charmed, Beverly Hills 90210, 7th Heaven, Dynasty and Melrose Place.In 1988, Aaron Spelling Productions acquired Laurel...
(Spelling had also produced several primetime soap operas, and was the executive producer of the 1991 film
SoapdishSoapdish is a 1991 comedy film which tells a backstage story of the cast and crew of a popular fictional television soap opera. It stars Sally Field as an aging soap star, joined by Kevin Kline, Robert Downey Jr., Elisabeth Shue, Whoopi Goldberg, Teri Hatcher, Cathy Moriarty, Garry Marshall, Kathy...
, a satirical look at daytime soap operas).
Jonathan LevinJonathan Levin was the son of former Time Warner CEO Gerald M. Levin and Barbara Riley Levin.He attended Shelter Rock Elementary School and Manhasset Jr./Sr. High School in Manhasset, New York. He continued his education at Trinity College in Connecticut, graduating in 1988.In 1993 Mr. 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."
In the process of making the show,
Aaron SpellingAaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's company holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits.-Early life:...
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. At first, the show was given a one-year deal, with 255 episodes to produce. All 255 episodes were shown on Channel 5 in the UK and episodes often got more viewers in the UK than in America.
Before getting cancelled, the show was renewed twice, but it failed to grab the show's audience. Through its short existence,
Sunset Beach remained in the daytime
ratingsNielsen ratings are audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
basement. However, during the
Shockwave storyline of 1998 it received its best ratings and showed signs that it might move off the bottom. This spike proved to be brief and was not sustained.
Cast and crew
When the show first aired, it started with 21 contract characters, of which 7 had left the show during its three year run. The first actress to leave the series was
Kelly HuKelly Ann Hu is an American actress and former fashion model who held the Miss Teen USA 1985 and Miss Hawaii USA 1993 titles. Of Chinese, Hawaiian and English origins, she played a pioneering role in the representation of Asian Americans in the United States, and actively encourages Asian...
, whose character didn't mix well with the others, and she was followed by the exit of
Adrienne FrantzAdrienne Danielle Frantz is an American actress.-Career:First breaking into the soap opera genre in 1997 as Tiffany Thorne on Sunset Beach, Frantz left the show later that year for her role as the villainess turned sympathetic heroine Amber on The Bold and the Beautiful...
. Her character was recast after her but the change didn't work out, resulting in the character eventually being written out. By the end of the year, when
Meg BennettMeg Bennett is an American television soap opera writer and occasional actress. She is married to General Hospital Head Writer Robert Guza, Jr.-Early Life:...
took over as a new head writer,
Leigh Taylor-YoungLeigh Taylor-Young is an American actress who has appeared on stage, screen, and television.-Early life and career:...
and
Laura HarringLaura Elena Harring is a Mexican actress and former Miss USA . She starred as Rita/Camilla Rhodes in David Lynch's 2001 film Mulholland Drive. She also starred as Dehlia Draycott in the 2007 film Nancy Drew.-Early life:...
also left the series, followed by the exit of
Nick StabileNick Stabile is an American television actor. He also played Gabe Capshaw on the show, Saints and Sinners. He is well known for playing the role of Jesse in the slasher film Bride of Chucky...
, whose character was written out in a serial killer storyline. The final original character to be written off was Eddie Connors, played by Peter Barton, who exited in mid-1998.
The remaining 14 original characters stayed on the show until its end, and three of those characters were recast during the three-year run. The first recast happened soon after the show started airing. The role of
Cole DeschanelCole Deschanel was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach portrayed by two different actors. The first actor, Ashley Hamilton, portrayed the role briefly from January 21 to February 19, 1997, when the producers decided that Eddie Cibrian would fit the role better...
, initially played by
Ashley HamiltonAshley George Hamilton is an American songwriter, singer and actor. He is the son of actor George Hamilton and Alana Stewart, and a stepson of Rod Stewart. At 19, Hamilton had garnered media attention when he and Shannen Doherty married after knowing one another for only two weeks...
, was recast with
Eddie CibrianEdward Bryant "Eddie" Cibrian is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Russell Varon in Invasion and Jimmy Doherty on Third Watch.-Early life and career:...
. In mid-1998, following contract disputes,
Vanessa DormanVanessa Dorman is an American actress most notably recognized from her role as the first Caitlin Richards Deschanel in Aaron Spelling's soap opera Sunset Beach. She portrayed the role from January 9, 1997 to June 18, 1998, when she hit contract problems and was let go...
vacated the role of Cole's wife
CaitlinCaitlin Richards Deschanel was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach portrayed by two different actresses. The first actress, Vanessa Dorman, portrayed the role from January 9, 1997 to June 18, 1998, when she hit contract problems and was let go...
, and
Kam HeskinKam Heskin is an American actress best known for her role as the second Caitlin Richards Deschanel on NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach during 1998-1999....
was cast instead of her. The final recast was a temporary one. When
Susan WardSusan Ward is an American actress and model.-Career:Ward began modeling at the age of 13, leaving school and moving to New York to do so, deciding to try her hand at acting several years later...
left to film a movie,
Sydney PennySydney Penny is an American Daytime Emmy-nominated actress best known for the roles of Julia Santos Keefer on the soap opera All My Children and Samantha "Sam" Kelly on the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.She is of part Cherokee descent and raised in Chatsworth, California...
stepped in to replace her, with Ward later returning to play the character for the show's final few weeks. Shortly after the show premiered,
Dominique JenningsDominique Jennings is an actress most notably recognized from her role as the Virginia Harrison in NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach.-Awards and nominations:...
, V.P. Oliver and
Russell CurryRussell Curry Russell Curry Russell Curry (born August 28, 1956 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA is an actor most notably recognized from his roles in soap operas: Tyus Robinson on Sunset Beach, Lt. Vic Boswell on Santa Barbara, Carter Todd on Another World and more....
joined the cast, but the first two were written off by March 1999, exactly two years after their introduction.
The exits of many characters opened the doors to the introduction of new ones.
Carol PotterCarol Potter is an American poet and professor. Her most recent collection of poems is Otherwise Obedient , which was a 2008 Lambda Literary Award finalist...
and John Martin, who had been recurring during the show's first year, were promoted to contract status, and the expansion of Meg's family also included the arrival of her sister
SaraSara Cummings was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach. Sara was first played by American actress Lauren Woodland who joined the cast on April 29, 1998 on contract, but was released after only a few episodes and replaced by Shawn Batten, who first aired on May 11, 1998 and stayed...
. The role was first played by then-unknown actress
Lauren WoodlandLauren Woodland is an American actress.She first came into fame as both Sara Cummings on the soap opera Sunset Beach briefly in April 1998 and later as Janelle on Port Charles in February 1999....
, but she was fired two weeks later and replaced by
Shawn BattenShawn Shawn Batten Shawn Shawn Batten Shawn Shawn Batten (born August 14, 1975 is an U.S.actress most notably recognized from her role as the second Sara Cummings (1998-1999) in NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach and Natalia Carlisle on Spyder Games (2001)....
, who played the role for the remainder of the series. Aside from Meg's family,
RicardoRicardo Torres was a fictional character in the American soap opera Sunset Beach portrayed by Hank Cheyne during the show's entire run.-Character History:...
got his family expanded, including the introduction of his mother Carmen (played
Margarita CordovaMargarita Cordova is an American television actress.She has made numerous guest appearances on several television series from the 1960s to the present...
), brother Antonio (played by
Nick KiriazisNick Kiriazis was born on June 9, 1969 is an American television actor.Nicholas Michael Kiriazis was born on 9th June 1968 in Madison, Wisconsin and relocated to Port Jefferson, on New York`s Long Island, by the age of three. He later relocated father East on the island to the East Hampton.While...
) and the sudden reappearance of his sister Maria (played by
Christina ChambersChristina Mae Chambers is an American actress and model.-Private Life:Chambers was born into a family of academics, both parents holding doctorates . She is the next-to-youngest of four siblings...
), Ben Evans' presumed dead wife.
The teen scene was revived in 1998, when Bette's daughter Emily (played by
Cristi HarrisCristi Harris is an American actress most notable for her role as Emily Davis in NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach. She also had a short guest role as Tina Simms on NBC's Passions....
) arrived in town and fell in love with Sean, prompting Amy (played by
Krissy CarlsonKrissy Carlson was born on August 10,1979, in Covina, California, United States. She was educated at St. Lucy's Priory High School, an all-girls' Catholic School in Glendora, Krissy grew up in La Verne, California, with her parents Jan and Robert and two older siblings, Jenny and Tim...
) and Brad (played by
Michael StricklandMichael Strickland is an actor most notably recognized from his role as Brad Niklaus in NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach....
) to intervene. The final teen cast was Leo Deschanel, Cole's brother (played by David Mathiessen). A long-time legend, A.J. Deschanel, was also cast in the form of
Gordon ThomsonGordon Thomson is a Canadian actor. His most prominent role was in the ABC prime-time soap opera Dynasty playing the villainous Adam Carrington, son of Blake Carrington and Alexis Colby...
, and a villain named Francesca (played by
Lisa GuerreroLisa Coles Guerrero is an American sportscaster, actress, host and model.-Early years:Guerrero was born in Chicago, Illinois. She was the daughter of Walter Coles, an American of English descent and Lucy Guerrero who was from Chile. Guerrero spent her childhood living in San Diego and Huntington...
) was added to the cast in the middle of 1998.
In 1999, the show cast only three contract roles, the first two being in March, when Tracy Melchior and
Chase ParkerChase Parker was an child actor who was born in San Bernardino County, California. He is the grandson of actress Eleanor Parker....
stunned the soap with their sudden arrival in town. The final role to be cast on the show was the one played by
Sean KananSean Kanan is the stage name of Sean Perelman , an American actor.-Early life:He was born in Cleveland, Ohio and was raised in New Castle, Pennsylvania before attending Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, Boston University and UCLA where he earned a degree in political science.-Career:Kanan...
in late August. Things changed at the end of the year, when fan favorite
Eddie CibrianEdward Bryant "Eddie" Cibrian is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as Russell Varon in Invasion and Jimmy Doherty on Third Watch.-Early life and career:...
left the show to pursue a career in primetime. Several other cast members, including a few original ones, considered leaving, but the show's cancellation came before they could make a decision.
During its entire run,
Sunset Beach was executive produced by
Gary Tomlin-Career:Tomlin's career on daytime serials began in 1973 when he was cast on NBC's Search for Tomorrow as Bruce Carson. He later appeared as Morgan Simpson on the NBC soap opera Another World in 1979...
. However, the head-writing history was much different.
Robert Guza, Jr.Robert Guza Jr. is an American television writer and producer, and currently holds the position as Head Writer on the long running ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital....
was the first head writer (and also a co-creator), but he exited the show in October 1997, when
Meg BennettMeg Bennett is an American television soap opera writer and occasional actress. She is married to General Hospital Head Writer Robert Guza, Jr.-Early Life:...
, who had been serving as Associate Head Writer was promoted to Head Writing status. Four months after being the sole head writer, Bennett got a co-head writer in the form of
Christopher WhitesellChristopher Whitesell is an American television soap opera writer. He was recently hired by Gary Tomlin to be DOOL's Co-Head Writer with Dena Higley and Rick Draughon .-Positions held:Another World*Associate Head Writer: 1988 - 1991, 1995 - 1996...
. During the summer of 1998, Bennett was fired and replaced by
Margaret DePriestMargaret DePriest is an American daytime serial writer.She began her career as an actress both onstage and on television. Her acting credits include a contract role as the first Abby Cameron on The Edge of Night from 1965-1966....
, who stayed with the show until its cancellation.
Storylines
Storylines in its nearly three-year run ranged from the traditional to the
supernaturalThe term supernatural or supranatural pertains to an order of existence beyond the scientifically visible universe. Religious miracles are typically supernatural claims, as are spells and curses, divination, the belief that there is an afterlife for the dead, and innumerable others...
. One of the first storylines concerned an Internet romance. Kansas farm girl
Meg CummingsMeg Cummings was a fictional character and the main protagonist of the American soap opera Sunset Beach. She was portrayed by Susan Ward from the show's beginning on January 6, 1997 until its conclusion on December 31, 1999...
discovered her fiancé, Tim Truman, cheating on her on their wedding day. Meg had been talking online with SB, a man who lived in Sunset Beach, California. And after catching Tim with her maid of honor, Meg fled to Sunset Beach in search of SB, who turned out to be wealthy, widowed businessman
Ben EvansBen Evans was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach portrayed by actor Clive Robertson during the show's entire run.-Character History:...
.
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 DouglasAnna Claire 'Annie' Douglas Richards was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach, portrayed by American actress Sarah Buxton during the show's entire run.-Character History:Annie Douglas was always a troublemaker...
, 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.
Meg and Ben became one of the show's first couples, along with reformed jewel thief
Cole DeschanelCole Deschanel was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach portrayed by two different actors. The first actor, Ashley Hamilton, portrayed the role briefly from January 21 to February 19, 1997, when the producers decided that Eddie Cibrian would fit the role better...
and local heiress
Caitlin RichardsCaitlin Richards Deschanel was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach portrayed by two different actresses. The first actress, Vanessa Dorman, portrayed the role from January 9, 1997 to June 18, 1998, when she hit contract problems and was let go...
. Cole slept with and impregnated both Caitlin and Caitlin's unhappily married, alcoholic mother
OliviaOlivia Richards was a fictional character from the American soap opera Sunset Beach, portrayed by English actress Lesley-Anne Down during the entire run of the show.-Character's background:...
. Olivia and her fiendish husband,
GregoryGregory Richards was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach, portrayed by American actor Sam Behrens during the show's entire run.-Character History:...
, 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 stepson, 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,
Virginia HarrisonVirginia Harrison was a fictional character in the American soap opera Sunset Beach portrayed by Swedish actress Dominique Jennings from March 17, 1997 to March 11, 1999.-Character History:...
, who schemed to break up
lifeguardA lifeguard is a person responsible for overseeing the safety of the users of a body of water and its environs, such as a swimming pool, a water park, or a beach. This differentiates them from life savers who partake in similar activities as a sport or practical life skill...
Michael BourneMichael Bourne was a fictional character in the American soap opera Sunset Beach portrayed by American actor Jason Winston George during the show's entire run.-Controversy:...
and reporter
Vanessa HartVanessa Hart was a fictional character in the American soap opera Sunset Beach, portrayed by American actress Sherri Saum during the show's entire run.-Character History:...
so she could have Michael for herself.
Outrageous storylines
In one of the most outrageous storylines on the show, Virginia drugged Vanessa and, using a turkey baster and some stolen sperm, impregnated her with the child of Tyus Robinson, to make it appear Vanessa had been unfaithful to Michael, who was
sterileInfertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
.
The show was known for other outrageous storylines, such
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
ScreamThe Scream film series is a series of horror films directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson and Ehren Kruger. The main plot involves a psychopathic serial killer wearing a Halloween costume attempting to kill Sidney Prescott and various other characters involved in her life...
) intent on killing them, especially Meg. A handful of characters were killed by the maniac, mostly minor characters introduced as serial killer-fodder, but also one lead character, young runaway made good Mark Wolper. In his dying moments Mark pulled off the killer's mask and audiences were stunned to see Ben's face behind it. As it turned out, Ben had an evil twin,
DerekDerek Evans was a fictional character on the American soap opera Sunset Beach portrayed by actor Clive Robertson, who also portrayed his identical twin brother Ben...
, who plagued Ben and Meg's lives off and on for the rest of the run of the show. Derek was killed after being shot in a struggle with Ben during the show's final weeks, following a long storyline where Derek kidnapped and impersonated his twin for months, sleeping with Ben's wife
MariaMaria Teresa Torres Evans was a fictional character in the American soap opera Sunset Beach. The role was portrayed by American actress Christina Chambers from July 1, 1998 to the end of the show on December 31, 1999....
(having previously also slept with Meg).
Maria Torres EvansMaria Teresa Torres Evans was a fictional character in the American soap opera Sunset Beach. The role was portrayed by American actress Christina Chambers from July 1, 1998 to the end of the show on December 31, 1999....
, who had wed Ben when she was still a teenager and he was barely in his twenties, had disappeared and been presumed drowned after a boating accident that took place some years prior to the start of the show. Ben was haunted by the terrible secret that he had caught her in bed with Derek (it was later revealed that Derek -- who had impersonated Ben to Maria, who was unaware Ben had a twin -- had not slept with Maria, as she had stabbed him with scissors when he tried to rape her). Ben's guilt and grief over Maria caused a shadow over his relationship with Meg from the beginning, which worsened when an amnesiac Maria came back from the dead at Ben and Meg's October 1998 wedding. Ben and Maria grew closer while he helped her to regain her memory, and once she did, Ben flip flopped between the two women for much of the rest of the show's run. During the show's last year a strange woman, Tess, turned up on his doorstep with a son she claimed was Ben and Maria's. After a positive paternity test they raised the child, Benjy, together, causing even more problems for Meg, who left Ben and briefly started dating her sister's boyfriend,
CaseyCasey Mitchum was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach, portrayed by American actor Timothy Adams during the show's entire run.-Character History:...
. 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
earthquakeAn earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes are recorded with a seismometer, also known as a seismograph...
/
tsunamiA is a series of water waves that is caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, such as an ocean. The original Japanese term literally translates as "harbor wave." Tsunamis are a frequent occurrence in Japan; approximately 195 events have been recorded...
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 AdventureThe Poseidon Adventure is an American adventure novel by Paul Gallico, released in 1969. It concerns the capsizing of a luxurious ocean liner, the SS Poseidon due to an undersea earthquake, and the desperate struggles of a handful of survivors to reach the bottom of the liner's hull before the ship...
- by a tsunami created by the earthquake. This storyline was in many ways similar to the plot of
The Poseidon Adventure.
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
supernaturalThe term supernatural or supranatural pertains to an order of existence beyond the scientifically visible universe. Religious miracles are typically supernatural claims, as are spells and curses, divination, the belief that there is an afterlife for the dead, and innumerable others...
turn for a while with some cursed jewels, stolen from a religious icon, that turned those who'd touched them into shriveled mummies. The story culminated on
Christmas EveChristmas Eve, December 24, is the night before Christmas Day, which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ.-Western Churches:Many Roman Catholics and Anglicans traditionally celebrate a midnight Mass which begins sometime before midnight on Christmas Day; this ceremony, which is held in churches...
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 Cole's mother, 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 Francesca Vargas, whom just about everyone in town wanted dead. The surprise twist in the Who Shot Francesca storyline was that the killer was main character
Gregory RichardsGregory Richards was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach, portrayed by American actor Sam Behrens during the show's entire run.-Character History:...
.
Cancellation
The show was cancelled just before the third anniversary of its original air date. Most of the main characters were given happy endings. 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 just desserts. Derek was accidentally shot and killed by Ben, his accomplice Tess went to jail, as did Gregory Richards. 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 languishing in a mental hospital, while reformed bad girl Annie also got a happy ending, finding love with relatively new character Jude.
In a twist ending, Meg appeared to wake up in
KansasKansas is a state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa tribe, who inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind," although this was...
and realize that the entire three years in Sunset Beach had been a dream - and the characters from the show were actually her friends and family in Kansas (an obvious reference to
The Wizard of Oz). 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 in Wonderland.
The show 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, however NBC was not interested. Channel 5 did buy NBC's other soap opera,
Days of Our Lives, to air in
Sunset Beachs place, even running promos during Sunset Beach's final week, but the show failed to catch on and 5 dropped Days approximately a year later.
International Broadcasting
South Africa In
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
Sunset Beach originally aired on
SABC 3SABC3 is a commercial South African Broadcasting Corporation television channel that carries programming in English and, as of April 2009, Afrikaans....
for it's entire run from 1999 - 2001. Currently
e.tve.tv is the fifth terrestrial television channel in South Africa, following three channels operated by the state-owned South African Broadcasting Corporation and the privately owned subscription-funded M-Net, operated by Multichoice...
is rebroadcasting the entire series. It started airing again in mid 2008.
Satire and pop culture references
Sunset Beach
remains highly popular in many countries years after its cancellation. 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 AngelsCharlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men. The series was broadcast in the USA on the ABC Television Network from 1976 to 1981 and was one of the most...
or performing the opening from Friends
.
Fantasies involving the character Annie Douglas RichardsAnna Claire 'Annie' Douglas Richards was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach, portrayed by American actress Sarah Buxton during the show's entire run.-Character History:Annie Douglas was always a troublemaker...
included take offs of The Leeza Gibbons ShowLeeza was a television talk show hosted by Leeza Gibbons. The show ran on NBC, and was also widely syndicated, between 1994 to 2000. It was taped at Paramount Studios on Melrose Avenue in Hollywood, California....
, The Jerry Springer ShowThe Jerry Springer Show is a syndicated television tabloid talk show hosted by Jerry Springer, a former politician, broadcast in the United States and other countries...
(titled "Murderer of the Day"), guest starring the talk show hosts. Annie fantasized about being a superheroA superhero is "a fictional character of unprecedented powers dedicated to acts of derring-do in the public interest"...
, had a play of the movie The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical / fantasy film directed mainly by Victor Fleming from a script by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson, Edgar Allan Woolf, and others and based on the 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum...
, a play on Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortune is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin. Three contestants compete against each other to solve a word puzzle, similar to those seen in the game hangman...
, she even had her own imaginary soap opera titled The Search for Dignity
. Plus, the character of Annie was usually the one to deliver funny quotes.
What made Sunset Beach truly innovative was its satirizing of itself and the soap opera genre. Advice was sometimes given to characters by the show's dog and on one occasion, by God himself. One of the show's lighthearted traits would be to incorporate pop-up trivia occasionally, taking a cue from the
VH1VH1 is an American cable television network based in New York City...
show. A few of the characters were also known for breaking the fourth wall, most notably
Bette KatzenkazrahiBette Douglas Katzenkazrahi Duke Lankin Goodman Kennedy Davis was a fictional character on the American soap opera Sunset Beach. The role was portrayed by American actress Kathleen Noone during the show's entire run.-Character history:...
and
Vanessa HartVanessa Hart was a fictional character in the American soap opera Sunset Beach, portrayed by American actress Sherri Saum during the show's entire run.-Character History:...
, who were involved in a one-day special episode where they both had a dream of resolving the complicated storylines of Sunset Beach.
DVD
| DVD Name |
Year |
Region 2 (German) |
Additional features |
| Box 1 |
1997 |
June 25, 2008 |
None |
Stunt casting guest appearances
The show went in for stunt casting guest appearances -
Jerry SpringerGerald Norman "Jerry" Springer is an English/American television personality, best known as host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991. He is a former Democratic mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, and a musician.-Early life:Springer was born in Highgate tube station in...
played
talk showA talk show or chat show is a television or radio program where one person or group of people come together to discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host...
host Jerry Feller,
Marla MaplesMarla Maples is an American actress, television personality, and socialite, best known for her marriage to billionaire celebrity Donald Trump.-Biography:Donald Trump's second wife....
played
socialiteA socialite is a person who is known to be a part of fashionable high society because of their regular participation in social activities and fondness for spending a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained. Some socialites may choose to use their social skills and connections...
Barbara Birch, Judge Wapner played himself - and featured a ripped from the headline story about a Washington intern, Meg's sister
Sara CummingsSara Cummings was a fictional character in the US soap opera Sunset Beach. Sara was first played by American actress Lauren Woodland who joined the cast on April 29, 1998 on contract, but was released after only a few episodes and replaced by Shawn Batten, who first aired on May 11, 1998 and stayed...
(
Shawn BattenShawn Shawn Batten Shawn Shawn Batten Shawn Shawn Batten (born August 14, 1975 is an U.S.actress most notably recognized from her role as the second Sara Cummings (1998-1999) in NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach and Natalia Carlisle on Spyder Games (2001)....
), who'd had an affair with a married politician. Her affair was exposed by her supposed friend - Melinda Fall, a take off on
Linda TrippLinda Tripp was a central figure in the Lewinsky scandal of 1998 and 1999 that led to the impeachment and subsequent acquittal of U.S...
. 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
FriendsFriends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which premiered on NBC on September 22, 1994. The series revolved around a group of friends in the area of Manhattan, New York City, who occasionally live together and share living expenses. The series was produced by...
and
The Mary Tyler Moore ShowThe Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from September 19, 1970 to March 19, 1977...
.
Other notable guest appearances include
Finola HughesFinola Hughes is an English actress and author of Irish and Italian origin who is best known for her portrayal of Anna Devane on the soap operas General Hospital, All My Children and General Hospital: Night Shift , and her portrayal of Anna Devane's identical twin sister, Dr...
as Cole's ex-fiancée Helena,
Christopher DardenChristopher Allen Darden is an American lawyer who gained fame during the O.J. Simpson murder case when he asked Simpson to try on the once-blood-soaked gloves.-Early life:Darden received a B.A. from San Jose State University, and a J.D...
as Les Gordon,
John O'HurleyJohn O'Hurley is an American actor and television personality who since 2006, has been the host of the game show Family Feud.-Biography:...
as the host of Wheel of Misfortune,
Kim AlexisKim Alexis is an American model and actress.- Career :Alexis was one of the top models of the 1980s, identified along with Gia Carangi, Carol Alt, Christie Brinkley, Kelly Emberg, Iman, and Paulina Porizkova...
as a hotel maid,
Jack WagnerPeter John "Jack" Wagner, II is an American singer and actor.-Acting career:Wagner's most famous role has been Frisco Jones on the soap opera General Hospital . He was half of a supercouple with Kristina Wagner's Felicia and played the father of Georgie and Maxie Jones...
as a thief named Jacques Dumont, and
Barbara MandrellBarbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer. She is best-known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country music's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s.She was the first performer and is currently the only female...
as Casey's ill mother Alex Mitchum.