10 Most underrated characters in the history of daily soaps

Soap operas have always revolved around the big names who get the biggest storylines and all the attention. They’re the ones who pull focus, whether they’re getting married for the fifth time or faking their own death. But right behind them are the characters who never got the spotlight even though they carried just as much weight.

These are the ones who stayed loyal when everyone else jumped ship or showed real emotion when the leads were busy doing dramatic monologues. Some were sidekicks who deserved main plots, and others were family members stuck in the background of someone else's drama. They had stories that mattered but no one treated them like they did.

Fans who really paid attention knew their worth, but the shows rarely gave them the time they earned.

This list is for the ones who should’ve gotten more. It’s not about who had the flashiest moments. It’s about the ones who made soaps feel real and grounded even when everything around them was chaos. They deserve to be remembered.

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Underrated characters in the history of daily soaps

1) Drucilla Winters – The Young and the Restless

Drucilla Winters was never treated like a lead, even though she carried the weight of major storylines. She came from a background of poverty and abuse and built a life through grit and ambition. Her relationship with Neil was passionate and painful, and her rivalry with Phyllis never felt forced.

She brought raw energy to corporate plots and family drama. Her character raised issues around race, class, and personal growth that daytime shows rarely explored. She vanished in 2007 during a fight at a cliffside without real closure. Fans still point to her absence as one of the show’s biggest mistakes.

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2) Lexie Carver – Days of Our Lives

Lexie Carver spent years caught between the values she stood for and the family she came from. She was a respected doctor, a loyal wife to Abe, and the daughter of Stefano DiMera. That alone gave her stories full of conflict without needing any twists. Her marriage faced infidelity and public fallout, and her career tested her integrity constantly.

Lexie’s emotional collapse after learning the truth about her daughter’s switch showed just how much pressure she carried. Even with all that, she never got the same spotlight as other characters with louder stories. Her quiet strength never got enough credit.

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3) Cassie Callison – One Life to Live

Cassie Callison had one of the most emotionally difficult journeys on One Life to Live but she was rarely treated like a central player. As Dorian’s daughter, she had every reason to live an easy life, but her story went in a very different direction. She dealt with mental illness, domestic abuse, and the fallout of being used in other people’s agendas.

Her marriage to Andrew was intense and fragile, and her breakdowns felt grounded and real. Cassie’s struggles added depth to a show filled with over-the-top characters. She was written out with no real goodbye, and fans noticed.

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4) Nina Webster – The Young and the Restless

Nina Webster started out as a scared teenager who made one of the hardest decisions any character ever faced. She shot her abusive husband and then had to survive alone. Over time, she became a writer, a mother, and a constant friend to people who usually had no one.

Her story with her son Ronan explored what it meant to lose family and still keep going. Nina never chased attention, but her loyalty and strength made her important. She returned in later years but was barely used. A character with that much history should have had more time on screen.

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5) Thorne Forrester – The Bold and the Beautiful

Thorne Forrester spent most of his life being passed over, and the show treated him the same way. He was Ridge’s brother but never got the same opportunities in business or love. Thorne’s pain was shown through loss, rejection, and a need to prove himself.

His relationships with Macy Darla and Aly gave him emotional weight that was rarely matched. He worked hard to earn his place at Forrester Creations but was always treated like a backup.

Even when he showed maturity and strength, the spotlight stayed elsewhere. His potential was always there, but the show never followed through.

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6) Jake Martin – All My Children

Jake Martin was the person everyone trusted in Pine Valley because he never made things about himself. He was a doctor who always showed up and a son who tried to hold the Martin family together. He helped his patients and his friends and never backed away from a fight that mattered.

His love life had real heartbreak, especially with Amanda and Cara, but the show kept him in the background while louder characters got the lead. Jake made messy plots feel grounded and real. He was never flashy, but he held the hospital and half the town together for years.

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7) Maya Avant – The Bold and the Beautiful

Maya Avant made soap history when she told Rick she was a trans woman, and that moment changed the show. It gave Bold and the Beautiful a new kind of emotional honesty, and Karla Mosley played it with quiet control.

Maya was a model, a wife, and later a Forrester by marriage, but the show slowly stopped building her story. She had power and dignity, and her story deserved more than one big reveal. Once Rick left town, Maya faded fast. The show had a chance to make her a permanent voice, but instead, she became a footnote way too soon.

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8) Georgie Jones – General Hospital

Georgie Jones never needed drama to stand out because she was smart, reliable, and honest in a town full of chaos. She helped Mac hold the family together and always looked out for Maxie, even when Maxie made it impossible. Her friendship with Spinelli was awkward and sweet, and fans still talk about it.

Georgie’s death felt unfair because she was just getting old enough to matter in a bigger way. She was killed by the Text Message Killer, and her loss hit everyone around her hard. The show never gave her full credit, and she never got a real goodbye.

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9) Lucy Coe – General Hospital / Port Charles

Lucy Coe started as a side character with no real power, but she turned herself into a force in Port Charles. She became the face of the Nurses' Ball and the person who always tried to fix other people’s messes. Her history with Kevin ran deep, and their connection kept her grounded.

She was funny and loud, but she also understood pain better than most. During Port Charles, she fought supernatural threats and still felt real. Lucy stuck around for years and supported everyone else, but she was rarely given her own serious arc.

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10) Bonnie Lockhart – Days of Our Lives

Bonnie Lockhart never had it easy and never tried to pretend she did. She was poor and desperate and made bad choices, but she kept pushing forward. She raised Mimi with almost no help and fought to survive in a world built for people with more money and power.

Judi Evans gave Bonnie heart even when the story made her look wild. She turned quick schemes into real stories about survival. Her later bond with Justin showed another side that fans rarely got to see. Bonnie was never treated as essential, but she brought more truth than a lot of bigger names.

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