It was before my time, but I remember being shocked when I read that AMC killed of Jeff Martin's pregnant wife via murder during a robbery/home invasion gone wrong. Pregnant women typically aren't murdered on soaps. Laura's death was also shocking to me because soaps generally don't kill off young children. Sure, babies die on soaps all the time, usually as a result of prematurity or illness but Laura being hit like that was shocking.

I think it's become harder and harder to shock soap fans though because at some point soaps went from teasing viewers about what was coming up and outright telling them. Along the way, I think soap fans have gotten more used to the plot twists, and they've gotten better at figuring out what's coming. A show like Game of Thrones is shocking, and they do plot twists extremely well. Most soaps really don't anymore.

DAYS - Marlena being alive when SS killed her twin sister - I still remember fans picketing NBC. Too bad they copped out on Marlena being the killer - that was an amazing twist

ATWT - James appearing in the tunnels at Castle. Duncan showing up at O'Hare because Mrs. McKechnie was arrested and it turned out to be a very much alive Shannon and not Jessica

Y&R - Killing off Cassandra in a car accident was so out of left field (and a big mistake)

I have to agree about SB's Mary Duvall being quashed by the giant C from the Capwell Hotel sign. That's still got to be the most unique way of offing a character.

These are the moments I wish old school viwers were on SON. I would love to know what people thought about Barnabas on DS/Death of Kathy on GL/Death of Jo's kid on SFT and so on.

Yeah Abby shooting Ray was definitely one of the most shocking from B&E/Rauch.

Michelle killing Mick Santos was also another good shocker.

Michael's lab exploding was also unexpected.

Ben Warren's murder.

DAYS Sami's execution.

Recently Theresa hitting John with the fire poker!

Edited August 7, 201411 yr by MichaelGL

On Days, Marlena revealed as the desecrator, then floating above her bed were true surprises.

Lesley Webber killed off GH was a shock.

Also on GH- I wasn't up to speed that Lily was leaving, so the clink/boom episode was shocking to me.

A recent surprise was Duke is Faison. The only storyline Carlivati has played out that I was excited by. I was kind of hoping Faison was involved, but wasn't really expecting what happened.

Did anyone watch GH when Diana Taylor was killed, and Anne was written in her blood next to the body? Was that a shocking end to Diana? I can't tell if she was popular or not. I watched it on YouTube, and it is very gripping from the LSD trip to the reveal of her killer.

I watched it on YT and along with the PJ storyline and I really liked Diana Taylor for some reason. I dont know why the show decided to kill her off because I thought she was really good. Wish Anne Logan had been killed instead

Yeah, icebox Annie irritated me even though I like Susan Pratt. DT should not have been killed.

How was Brooke Bundy's popularity on GH?

Ah, the pre-spoiler days.

EON - Faux-Sky's (aka Jefferson Brown) death shocked me and had me in tears because I adored Larkin Malloy and "Sky" & Raven. The imposter thought Raven would blab his secret and decided to kill her on the ski slopes but he hesitated and I kept hoping his love for her would win out over his not trusting her to keep quiet, although Raven loved being "Mrs. Schuyler Whitney" and she loved her husband. But Damien Tyler took care of that. And I thought what are they, nuts, killing off one of the most popular, handsome actors on the show? Little did I know at the time...

GH - Scotty catching the bouquet at L & L's wedding. That was a classic soap opera moment that was a total surprise because Kin Shriner wasn't on the show at the time, so that was his return.
GH - Burt Ramsey is Mr. Big. I was really ambivalent about that one. In one way, it made sense that he would have turned jealous and resentful at being overshadowed by both Robert and Anna. But he'd always been a good guy up to that point so I did think it was a lousy thing to do to the character and to Bob Hastings.

Edited August 8, 201411 yr by applcin

GH really was on fire those two years. Luke/Laura on the run, Heather trying to get Stephen Lars back from Diana and hang on to Jeff, Alan/Monica/Rick/Lesley. Marland/Pat Falken Smith/Monty was a terrific combination.

Did anyone watch GH when Diana Taylor was killed, and Anne was written in her blood next to the body? Was that a shocking end to Diana? I can't tell if she was popular or not. I watched it on YouTube, and it is very gripping from the LSD trip to the reveal of her killer.

I saw it when it aired but I was not familiar with the extent of the popularity of the characters involved. This was during the rising popularity of L & L so they tended to get the lion's share of the attention. I thought it was a shocking end. I still wasn't used to regular characters being killed off and back then, for the most part, staying dead. I don't know if people liked Diana if they were rooting for Jeff and the virginal Anne and thought she was the skank who slept with him when Anne wouldn't.

Edited August 8, 201411 yr by applcin

On AMC when they killed Jenny. I remember my older teenage neighbor telling me that Kim Delaney was leaving AMC and that they were going to kill Jenny. I remember saying, "No way will they kill her!". And they did. I was shocked.

How was Brooke Bundy's popularity on GH?

My mom said she was pissed at first with the recast which also deaged Diana Taylor. Im also not sure if Valerie (Diana #1) quit or was fired frm GH. Brooke joined gH right from Days

Edited August 8, 201411 yr by John

I thought someone around here who was there back in the day said Brooke Bundy was pretty unpopular as a recast for Starrett.