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How Many Lives Does 'One Life To Live' Have?

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Oh this is terrible - the soap opera "One Life to Live" may have run out of lives. The company that took the show online recently announced that it is suspending production.

NPR's Sam Sanders tells us why.

SAM SANDERS, BYLINE: This is not the first time "One Life to Live" has been on life support. In 2011, ABC canceled the show, because of low ratings. But, earlier this year, new episodes of "One Life to Live" came to the Internet - on Hulu - with a snappy new theme song featuring Snoop Dogg.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG)

SANDERS: Erika Slezak plays Victoria Lord on the show. In an interview this summer with Larry King, she was ecstatic about the program's new lease on life.

LARRY KING: And how's it doing?

ERIKA SLEZAK: It's doing unbelievably well. We are number one on Hulu.

SANDERS: Ratings were actually higher online. But just this week, Slezak was the bearer of bad news. She confirmed on her website that production of the show would be put on hold because of a lawsuit.

The company that owns "One Life To Live" is suing ABC. They accuse the network of sabotaging the show, killing off "One Life To Live" characters that also appear on ABC's "General Hospital."

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW)

SANDERS: ABC denies the charges. The case is pending in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Sam Sanders, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Sam worked at Vermont Public Radio from October 1978 to September 2017 in various capacities – almost always involving audio engineering. He excels at sound engineering for live performances.