Sunset Beach was an American television
soap operaA soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. 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 commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
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 a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Although there is a town in California called
Sunset BeachSunset Beach is a beachfront community in Huntington Beach in Orange County, California. In 2011, it was annexed by Huntington Beach and is now part of that city. Prior to, it was a census-designated place, with a population of 971 at the 2010 census....
, the show's beach scenes were shot on nearby Seal Beach. The show was co-produced by NBC and
Spelling TelevisionSpelling Television Inc. was a television production company that produced popular shows such as Charmed, Beverly Hills, 90210, 7th Heaven, Dynasty and Melrose Place. The company was founded by television producer Aaron Spelling in 1969...
. It aired in over 70 countries around the world.
Sunset Beach won two Daytime Emmy Awards and was nominated another eleven times. The show also received twenty-two nominations for various other awards.
Conception and development
Sunset Beach was created early in 1996, in an attempt to rebuild the
NBC DaytimeNBC Daytime is the schedule for the NBC television network's daytime television programming which consists of morning news program Today and soap opera Days of our Lives...
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 eponymous production company Spelling Television holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits...
, the chief of
Spelling TelevisionSpelling Television Inc. was a television production company that produced popular shows such as Charmed, Beverly Hills, 90210, 7th Heaven, Dynasty and Melrose Place. The company was founded by television producer Aaron Spelling in 1969...
(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 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 eponymous production company Spelling Television holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits...
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. The show was renewed again for another year, and then picked up in six month intervals for its final year in 1999. All 751 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 the 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 first year and a half. The first actress to leave the series was
Adrienne FrantzAdrienne Danielle Frantz is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is known for her role as Amber Moore in The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless .-Career:First breaking into the soap opera genre in 1997 as Tiffany Thorne on Sunset Beach, Frantz left the show...
. Her character was recast with Jennifer Banko Stewart, but the change didn't work out, resulting in the character eventually being written out.
Kelly HuKelly Ann Hu is an American actress and former fashion model. She was Miss Teen USA 1985 and Miss Hawaii USA 1993.-Early life:Hu was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, the daughter of Juanita, an engineering drafter for Honolulu, and Herbert Hu, a salesman and exotic bird breeder; the two divorced during...
left the show in June 1997, due to her character not mixing well with the others. 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:Leigh Taylor-Young was born on January 25, 1945 in Washington, D.C. Her last name is an amalgamation of the last names of her father, a diplomat, and her stepfather, a successful Detroit executive...
and
Laura HarringLaura Harring is a Mexican-American actress and former Miss USA . She is known for her role as Rita in Mulholland Drive.-Early life:...
also left the series, followed by the exit of
Nick StabileNick Stabile is an American television actor. He 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 Carl "Eddie" Cibrian is an American actor. He is known for his television roles as Cole Deschanel on Sunset Beach, Jesse Cardoza in CSI: Miami, Jimmy Doherty on Third Watch and Russell Varon in Invasion.-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 roles as the second Caitlin Richards Deschanel on NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach and as her role as Paige Morgan in the The Prince and Me sequels.-Private life:Heskin was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota...
was cast. The final recast was a temporary one. When
Susan WardSusan Ward is an American actress and model.-Early life and career:Ward was born in Monroe, Louisiana. She attended a private, Christian elementary school , in Monroe, LA. She briefly attended Northeast Louisiana University...
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, the daughter...
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 Virginia Harrison in NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach. Dominique is the daughter of Anchelot of Swedish descent and Richard "Prophet" Jennings, a renowned African American Artist. She married her husband Lonnie Brandon, a...
, 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. Oliver was let go in December 1997, and his character, Jimmy Harrison, was recast with a younger actor,
Jeffery WoodJeffery Wood is an American actor, best known for his role as Austin Warren during the first season of the 1990s sitcom, In the House...
. Both Jennings and Wood were written off by March 1999, exactly two years after the introduction of their characters.
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.-Career:Woodland has been acting since childhood. In 1989, she appeared in the Fox Network science fiction series Alien Nation as the child newcomer Emily Francisco...
, but she was fired two weeks later and replaced by
Shawn BattenSusan Shawn Batten is an U.S.actress most notably recognized from her role as the second Sara Cummings in NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach and Natalia Carlisle on Spyder Games ....
, 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 (
Margarita CordovaMargarita Cordova is an American television actress.She has made numerous guest appearances on several television series from the 1960s to the present. For example, she appeared in the episode of The Twilight Zone called "A Thing About Machines" and the episode from the first season of The Man...
), brother Antonio (
Nick KiriazisNick Kiriazis is American television actor.Kiriazis was born in Madison, Wisconsin. He is internationally known from his role as Father Antonio Torres in Sunset Beach from February 1998 to December 1999...
), and the sudden reappearance of his sister Maria (
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 (
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.-External links:...
) arrived in town and fell in love with Sean, prompting Amy (
Krissy CarlsonKrissy Carlson is an American actress and model. Born in Covina, California, 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 (
Michael StricklandMichael Strickland is an actor most notably recognized from his role as Brad Niklaus in NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach.-External links:...
) to intervene. The final teen cast was Leo Deschanel, Cole's brother (David Mathiessen), but he was quickly written out. A long-time legend, A.J. Deschanel, was also cast in the form of Gordon Thomson, and a villain named Francesca (
Lisa GuerreroLisa Coles Guerrero is an American sportscaster, actress, host and model. The Los Angeles Times has called Guerrero the 'hardest working sports reporter'. The Hispanic Business Journal named her one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in America. President George W...
) was added to the cast in mid-1998. However, Guerrero was written out in early 1999.
In 1999, the show cast only three contract roles, the first two being in March, when Tracy Lindsey Melchior and Chase 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 Kanan-Early life:He was born Sean Perelman in Cleveland, Ohio and was raised in New Castle, Pennsylvania. He attended Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, Boston University and UCLA where he earned a degree in political science....
in late August. Things changed at the end of the year, when fan favorite
Eddie CibrianEdward Carl "Eddie" Cibrian is an American actor. He is known for his television roles as Cole Deschanel on Sunset Beach, Jesse Cardoza in CSI: Miami, Jimmy Doherty on Third Watch and Russell Varon in Invasion.-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 also made a guest appearance on "The Nightwalker" episode of the Waltons . He later appeared as Morgan Simpson on the NBC soap opera Another World in 1979...
,
Aaron SpellingAaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's eponymous production company Spelling Television holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits...
and
E. Duke VincentE. Duke Vincent is an American television producer. He is a former producing partner of Aaron Spelling and an executive at various Spelling production company entities...
. However, the head writing history was much different.
Robert Guza, Jr.Robert Guza Jr. is an American television writer and producer, and formally held the position as Head Writer on the long running ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital. He was fired by Brian Frons.-Personal life:...
was the first head writer (and also a co-creator), but he exited the show on October 21, 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 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 WhitesellChristopher Whitesell is an American television soap opera writer. He has served as either co-head writer, associate head writer, or a breakdown writer on the shows he's worked on.-Positions held:Another World...
, on January 8, 1998. Bennett was fired during the summer of 1998 and her final episode aired October 5, 1998. She was 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 supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
. One of the first storylines concerned an Internet romance. Kansas farm girl
Meg CummingsMeg Cummings is a fictional character from the US NBC soap opera Sunset Beach, played by Susan Ward. Meg was the serial's main protagonist throughout the whole run. Sydney Penny temporarily took over the role while Ward was filming for the film The In Crowd.-Character development:Susan Ward was...
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 DouglasAnnie Douglas is a fictional character from the US NBC soap opera Sunset Beach, played by Sarah Buxton. The character's creation was announced in 1996 prior to the serial going on air. Series creator Aaron Spelling helped create Annie's appearance and style. Annie has been characterised as a "rich...
, 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 is a fictional character from the US NBC soap opera Sunset Beach, played by Lesley-Anne Down.-Character development:...
. 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 is a fictional character from the US NBC soap opera Sunset Beach, played by Dominique Jennings. Virginia is characterised as a "bad girl" and has been central to a controversial storyline in which she impregnates a fellow female character without their consent.-Character...
, who schemed to break up
lifeguardA lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
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 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
ScreamScream is a series of American horror slasher films created by Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven. The films star Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, and David Arquette. The series has grossed over $600 million in worldwide box-office receipts and consists, to date, of four motion pictures...
) 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. Derek first appeared on December 30, 1997, when he was played by a stunt performer in a mask, being the killer on the boat...
, 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.-Character history:...
(having previously also slept with Meg).
Maria Torres Evans, 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. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
/
tsunamiA tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
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. 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 supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
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 refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
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 comeuppances. 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 US 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 Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
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 (a reference to
The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
). 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
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, doing especially well in the ratings for the TV channel Five, 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
BaywatchBaywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production...
, but NBC was not interested. Five did buy NBC's other soap opera,
Days of our LivesDays of our Lives is a long running daytime soap opera broadcast on the NBC television network. It is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday in the United States since November 8, 1965. It has since been syndicated to many countries around...
, 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
In
BulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
Sunset Beach aired on Nova Television (Bulgaria).
In
IrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
Sunset Beach aired on TV3 weekdays at 2.30pm from 20 September 1998 to August 2001 - all episodes aired. A short repeat run began August 2001 to August 2002.
In
MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
Sunset Beach aired on
MTVMacedonian Radio Television is the public broadcasting organization of the Republic of Macedonia. It was founded in 1993 by the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia...
.
In
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
Sunset Beach aired on
NelonenNelonen is a Finnish commercial TV channel. It started out as Helsinki's local television channel PTV in 1989 on the HTV cable network, which name was changed first to PTV4 and then to Nelonen. It started on June 1, 1997. Nelonen, in Finnish, means the glyph of the number four. The channel is...
.
In
PolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
Sunset Beach aired on RTL7 from September 1, 1997 to August 31, 2000 (all episodes).
In
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Sunset Beach aired on
TV3TV3 is a New Zealand commercial television network, owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. Launched on 26 November 1989, the first private television network in New Zealand...
from 1998 to 2000 (all episodes).
In
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
Sunset Beach aired on
Network TenNetwork Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
from 1999 to 2001 in an early morning time slot.
In
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
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 its entire run from 1999 to 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 September 2007.
In
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Sunset Beach aired on TV4. All episodes aired one time on TV4, and the rerun aired on Tv4 and Tv4 Plus. A second rerun started airing on Tv4 in 2004 but was later cancelled.
In
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Sunset Beach aired on
Channel FiveChannel 5 is a television network that broadcasts in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1997, it was the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue network to launch. The station was branded as Five between 2002 and 2010...
from March 1997 to February 2000. The first 130 episodes aired on
ITV2ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
from July 2000 to January 2001 before the series was dropped due to low ratings and the high cost of broadcast rights.
Channel FiveChannel 5 is a television network that broadcasts in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1997, it was the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue network to launch. The station was branded as Five between 2002 and 2010...
started repeating the series 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
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Sunset Beach aired on
RTLRtl.de' redirects here. For other uses, see RTL.RTL Television , or simply RTL, is a German commercial television station distributed via cable and satellite along with DVB-T , in larger population centres...
from January 2, 1998 to January 8, 1999 where it was cancelled.
Super RTLSuper RTL is a Cologne-based German television network operated by RTL Disney Fernsehen GmbH & Co. KG. It was the second German television channel aimed mostly at children...
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
RussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
Sunset Beach aired on NTV.
In
CyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
Sunset Beach aired on
Sigma TVSigma TV is a commercial network in Cyprus that commenced broadcasting on April 3, 1995. It is a private service and is currently the second-rated channel in Cyprus. Sigma TV is geared at a younger audience, with the focus on the 18-45 age group. It broadcasts a mix of original programmes as...
.
In
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Sunset Beach aired on Antena3TV. The channel intended for the series to be their big Sumemr premiere and launched the series with a 2 hour pilot on a Sunday afternoon in the very popular 330pm movie slot. Promoting the series as
BaywatchBaywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production...
meets Beverly Hills 90210with a lot of
Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara is an American television soap opera, first broadcast in the United States on NBC on July 30, 1984, and last aired on January 15, 1993. The show revolved around the eventful lives of the wealthy Capwell family of Santa Barbara, California...
(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 8pm Access Primetime slot, the slot previously occupied by
BaywatchBaywatch is an American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff. The show ran in its original title and format from 1989 to 1999, sans the 1990-1991 season, of which it was not in production...
.
Sunset Beach- United States :* Sunset Beach , in Cape May, New Jersey* Sunset Beach , in Pupukea, Oahu, Hawaii* Sunset Beach State Recreation Site, in Oregon* Sunset State Beach, near Watsonville, California- Canada :* Sunset Beach, Alberta...
however failed to attract any attention, and the series was promptly axed after one week and six episodes, never to return to Spanish TV ever again.
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...
or performing the opening from
FriendsFriends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
.
Fantasies involving the character
Annie Douglas RichardsAnnie Douglas is a fictional character from the US NBC soap opera Sunset Beach, played by Sarah Buxton. The character's creation was announced in 1996 prior to the serial going on air. Series creator Aaron Spelling helped create Annie's appearance and style. Annie has been characterised as a "rich...
included take offs of The Leeza Gibbons Show and
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"), which guest-starred their respective hosts. Annie fantasized about being a
superheroA superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
, had a play of the movie
The Wizard of OzThe Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
, a play on
Wheel of FortuneWheel of Fortune is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin, which premiered in 1975. Contestants compete to solve word puzzles, similar to those used in Hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a large wheel. The title refers to the show's giant carnival wheel that...
, 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.
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 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
show. A few of the characters were also known for breaking the fourth wall, most notably
Bette KatzenkazrahiBette Katzenkazrahi is a fictional character from the US NBC soap opera Sunset Beach, played by Kathleen Noone.-Character development:...
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.
In his biography, the Italian fashion model
Den HarrowDen Harrow is an Italian new wave project which was especially popular in the '80s. Stefano Zandri a fashion model from Milan, Italy was chosen to be the frontman of Den Harrow.-Career:...
says that in 1997 he moved to California to take part in the serial, but there are no proof of that.
DVD
Sunset Beach was released on DVD for the first time on 22 July 2008 by the German company
Koch MediaThe Koch Media group is a media enterprise started in 1994 by Franz Koch and Dr. Klemens Kundratitz.The Koch Media group produces and markets digital entertainment products and accessories in Europe and North America...
. The first 12 episodes were released on four DVDs (in German and English).
| DVD Name |
Year |
Region 2 (German) |
Additional features |
| Box 1 |
1997 |
July 22, 2008 |
None |
Stunt casting guest appearances
The show went in for stunt casting guest appearances –
Jerry SpringerGerald Norman "Jerry" Springer is a British-born American television presenter, best known as host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991...
played
talk showA talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person 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 businessman celebrity Donald Trump.- Personal life :...
played
socialiteA socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
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 BattenSusan Shawn Batten is an U.S.actress most notably recognized from her role as the second Sara Cummings in NBC's soap opera Sunset Beach and Natalia Carlisle on Spyder Games ....
), 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 Rose Tripp was a central figure in the Lewinsky scandal of 1998 and 1999 that led to the impeachment and subsequent acquittal of U.S. President Bill Clinton.-Early life and government employment:...
. 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 ShowThe Mary Tyler Moore Show is an American television sitcom created by James L. Brooks and Allan Burns that aired on CBS from 1970 to 1977...
.
Other notable guest appearances include
Finola HughesFinola Hughes is an English actress, television host, author and former dancer, best known for role as Anna Devane on the General Hospital, All My Children and General Hospital: Night Shift , and her role as Anna Devane's identical twin sister, Doctor Alexandra Devane Marick, on All My Children...
as Cole's ex-fiancée Helena,
Christopher DardenChristopher Allen Darden is an American lawyer, writer, lecturer and practicing attorney. He was a 15-year veteran of the Los Angeles County District Attorney, where he was assigned to the prosecution of O.J. Simpson. Darden gained fame during the O.J...
as Les Gordon,
John O'HurleyJohn George O'Hurley is an American actor, voice actor, and television personality. He is known for the role of J. Peterman on the NBC sitcom Seinfeld and was the host of the game show Family Feud from 2006 to 2010.-Early life:...
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 actor and singer, best-known for his roles on the soap operas General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful, and Melrose Place.-Early years:...
as a thief named Jacques Dumont, and
Barbara MandrellBarbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer best known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s...
as Casey's ill mother Alex Mitchum.