Well you're right that Malone was worse than the others--still I think an EP should say to whoever just started writing--"we just had a similar story" etc

Regarding the Sin Stalker on AW I seem to recall the killer doc Glaser hated women whom he thought were "impure". Since he attacked the wholesome Crystal Gayle I gotta wonder what his motive was for that. Did one of her songs turn his brown eyes blue?

In any case, yes AW did have have back to back serial killer storylines in 1996, first with the Hospital Killer and then Fax Newman. Brigit was poisoned and died in the first one, and then of course Fax Newman was just pure slaughter of women.

If soaps never did another murder mystery or serial killer story, I'd be a happy camper. I've never enjoyed either type of story. With murder mysteries, I've always found it much more compelling to *know* the killer and watch the culpit's machinations to keep his/her actions a secret, Crime and Punishment-style.

And of course, soap serial killer stories are primarily just big misogyny fests. (Satin Slayer, anyone?) I didn't watch the Loving murders (outside the great Gwyneth reveal on YouTube), but I don't think, if I had been a fan of the show, I'd have liked to have seen my favorite characters brutalized like that. Doesn't exactly live one with a warm, fluffy feeling about a show you put years of your life into. (I know a lot of the characters went on to The City, but still.)

Y&R's serial killer days are coming and coming soon. I'd put money on it.

ATWT's serial killer, Rick Decker was played by John James who fabulously hammed it up. Rick Decker killed patients and doctors at the hospital and duped Susan into marrying him. He then got close to Barbara when they were both in the mental institution. I love that story. I laughed through most of it.

They had another serial killer story just a few years later. Remember Raven Lake and Maddie's deranged sister? If my memory serves me she tried to frame Maddie for the multiple killings since she blamed Maddie for "seducing" her husband, when in fact he had raped Maddie.

GH`s Text Messege Killer story.It was ok but fell apart when Coop was killed.

Days Salen Stalker was just OTT and almost destoryed the show.

and AMC`s who muredered stuart story which was rottenly bad.

I dont think i can remember much great serial killer stories

apart from British Soap Corronation Street`s Richard Hillman Murders in 2001-2003 which we knew who the killer was and could not do anything about it.It was great.

And then GL had, I guess, some attempt at a serial killer story in 2003 when various bit players were killed. The killer was Ben Reade, in a lovely story which told us that being sexually abused = being a murderer. The main thing that story killed was any last love I had left for GL.

The Marian Crane s/l which eliminated Nadine Cooper happened before the Ben Reade fiasco, and was IMO one of GL's best stories.

The Matthew Ashford one with Gabrielle and the toilet one, the Marcie one they used as an excuse to kill off all the college age recurring characters (did any survive other than the gay one?). The Daniel Coulson mess, which I guess was the biggest "success", given the ratings boost. And then KAD.

At least there was a gap of a few years.

You're forgetting that even after KAD we have had yet another serial killer in Llanview with Wayne Landers/Mitch Laurence.

They killed off a few minor characters and Ally ate some bad sushi.

ROFLMAO!!!!

I realize I'm exaggerating, of course, but at one point, it felt as if there were two serial killer storylines going on simultaneously on OLTL.

I'd put money on there being a "Genoa City Slasher" storyline in the near future; and, of course, Adam or Kevin will be the main suspect, and either Traci or Gina will be unmasked as the culprit.

I also read about a serial killer story on Search for Tomorrow in 1986, which seemed to be one of the last gasps of the show.

IIRC, the "Ladies of Henderson" storyline revolved around either a calendar or a modeling contest; Stephanie ended up being one of the victims; Wendy disappeared, though they never explained whether she'd been murdered, too; and the culprit turned out to be Rivera, who - get this - was doing all the killings just so he could get ahold of some land (because, of course, property rights is the number-one reason why psychopaths go on killing sprees).

If soaps never did another murder mystery or serial killer story, I'd be a happy camper. I've never enjoyed either type of story. With murder mysteries, I've always found it much more compelling to *know* the killer and watch the culpit's machinations to keep his/her actions a secret, Crime and Punishment-style.

And of course, soap serial killer stories are primarily just big misogyny fests. (Satin Slayer, anyone?) I didn't watch the Loving murders (outside the great Gwyneth reveal on YouTube), but I don't think, if I had been a fan of the show, I'd have liked to have seen my favorite characters brutalized like that. Doesn't exactly live one with a warm, fluffy feeling about a show you put years of your life into. (I know a lot of the characters went on to The City, but still.)

I mostly agree although I don't mind the occasional murder mystery where one person, preferably a villian or minor character is killed. I actualy enjoyed the "Who killed Michael Cambias" mystery. But I despise serial killer storylines and cannot think of one that I've enjoyed.

Terror Island on SuBe was pretty good. I remember it started airing right around the time that Scream 2 came out and they were really capitalizing on the horror resurgence. When Ben was unmasked as the killer after stabbing Mark? What an effing moment! (i know that Ben's twin was really the killer, but still).

Also, the Masquerader story was decent. It didn't even come close to having the same sort of emotional impact on the show like the Loving Murders did, but it was still fun.

Also, I really like serial killer stories. I think it's because I'm a huge horror movie fan, but there's just something about them that I enjoy.

Can someone please explain the Loving storyline murders? I have tried to look them up on YouTube, but I have only been able to find little bits and pieces, so could someone explain what happened or post video?

I know that a lot of people were killed, and the people that survived moved on to "The City", which I have seen bits and pieces of, but I never saw much of LOVING, and I know therre was a major serial killer plot there. So if someone could give me details on that, just for fun, I would appreciate it!

The story as told was that various characters started being killed in "gentle" ways.

- Preparing for a date, Stacey Donovan used a powder puff which was full of poison

- Clay Alden drank poisoned wine (I think) and died during sex with Tess Wilder (Cat Hickland's best soap role)

- Curtis Alden, who was in a mental institution, was led to an immersion bath while he was heavily sedate. He drowned

- Town patriarch and matriarch Cabot and Isabelle Alden went to sleep and candles they had received as a gift killed them

- Gwyn and Ally were nearly killed by carbon monoxide poisoning in their car

- A vat of plaster was poured on Jeremy in his studio, turning him into a living statue

Throughout this story, the heart was Gwyn Alden. She was Clay's ex, she'd never stopped loving him. She was Curtis's mother. She adored Isabelle and Cabot. She was friends with Stacey. Jeremy was her ex-boyfriend. We saw her reactions to each death and how it crushed her. The best moment was when she learned about Isabelle and Cabot dying. Or maybe Curtis. We did not see her, we just heard her cries of anguish.

A major suspect in the story was Gwyn and Clay's daughter Trisha, a major heroine who had vanished several years prior, and who had amnesia.

As the story wound down, Steffi walked into Tess's office and saw Gwyn, wearing a Trisha wig, about to inject her enemy Tess with poison.

Through a tortured, superbly acted monologue, one of the best performances ever on soaps, Gwyn revealed that she had snapped when Trisha had sent the family a letter asking them to leave her alone. After that, she developed another personality -- Trisha. "Trisha" began to kill off everyone around her, to "spare them pain." She had set up the murder attempt on herself and Ally, to deflect suspicion.

As Steffi and Gwyn talked, Gwyn began to realize that SHE, not Trisha, had killed all of her family and friends. The grief overwhelmed her. She could not face the agony. She planned to inject herself with poison, but Tess woke up and smashed Gwyn's hands with the stapler before running out of the room.

As the cops closed in, Gwyn begged Steffi to help her commit suicide. Steffi held onto Gwyn and enabled her to inject herself with the poison. Gwyn thanked Steffi as she died.

This was also the best work Amelia Heinle ever did.

Edited December 30, 200915 yr by CarlD2

i wish that story, in full, was on youtube.