<P> The first exotic location shoot was made by All My Children, to St. Croix in 1978 . Many other soap operas planned lavish storylines after the success of the All My Children shoot . Soap operas Another World and Guiding Light both went to St. Croix in 1980, the former show culminating a long - running storyline between popular characters Mac, Rachel and Janice, and the latter to serve as an exotic setting for Alan Spaulding and Rita Bauer's torrid affair . Search for Tomorrow taped for two weeks in Hong Kong in 1981 . Later that year, some of the cast and crew ventured to Jamaica to tape a love consummation storyline between the characters of Garth and Kathy . </P> <P> During the 1980s, perhaps as a reaction to the evening drama series that were gaining high ratings, daytime serials began to incorporate action and adventure storylines, more big - business intrigue, and an increased emphasis on youthful romance . </P> <P> One of the first and most popular couples was Luke Spencer and Laura Webber on General Hospital . Luke and Laura helped to attract both male and female fans . Even actress Elizabeth Taylor was a fan and at her own request was given a guest role in Luke and Laura's wedding episode . Luke and Laura's popularity led to other soap producers striving to reproduce this success by attempting to create supercouples of their own . </P> <P> With increasingly bizarre action storylines coming into vogue, Luke and Laura saved the world from being frozen, brought a mobster down by finding his black book in a Left - Handed Boy Statue, and helped a Princess find her Aztec Treasure in Mexico . Other soap operas attempted similar adventure storylines, often featuring footage shot on location--frequently in exotic locales . </P>

What's the difference between a soap opera and a regular show