Obviously there was a time when spoilers in magazines and tv guides were not a thing, so I'm talking about stories that weren't spoiled in the era of spoilers being available. Even the ridiculous Melaswen twist was spoiled months before the reveal on a random message board. One story that I know didn't get spoiled was when Storm ended up shooting Katie on B&B. As I recall there were even fake official descriptions of the episode posted because what the descriptions said would happened never actually happened and Katie getting shot was actually a surprise to viewers.

Clink Boom on Gh.  I don't think that was spoiled at all nor was Lilly Melgar leaving.

Taylor back from the Dead #2 on B&B.  

Sheila is back- not this past time, but for this one  B&B

Edited March 10, 20223 yr by Cruising Soaps

Also from B&B, the initial reveal of Maya as a trans woman. I don't recall it being spoiled in advance, or even there being clues in advance of the revelation

I think Phillip's return from the dead on Y&R was spoiler free?

Every single time James Stenbeck ever returned to Oakdale in the 1980s.

When Craig's plane went down in Greece, and viewers were shocked to discover that he had survived it when the ATWT showed two women nursing him back to health on some remote island.

17 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

I think Phillip's return from the dead on Y&R was spoiler free?

Well, if it was spoiler-free, it shouldn't have been.  Viewers could have used the warning.   

On DAYS don't think it was suspected that Theresa Brady would hit John in the head with a fire poker, and then frame Brady for the crime. I was shocked it happened and was a interesting twist. 

19 hours ago, carolineg said:

Clink Boom on Gh.  I don't think that was spoiled at all nor was Lilly Melgar leaving.

I was shook by this twist.  It was absolutely thrilling, and I remember thinking when that slow motion started that something big was going to happen.

I don’t remember knowing Marlena was the desecrator until it was revealed.  

12 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

I was shook by this twist.  It was absolutely thrilling, and I remember thinking when that slow motion started that something big was going to happen.

I don’t remember knowing Marlena was the desecrator until it was revealed.  

Easily the most shocked I have been by a soap ever.  Obviously when they started intercutting Jax/Brenda and Lily walking to the car you knew something was going to happen, but I genuinely assumed Lily was just going to lose the baby not that she was going to die lol.  Longest weekend of my life.  Even watching back, there were some subtle clues Lily wasn't long for the world, but nothing major.

Marlena being the desecrator was a shock, but when you watch again there are a lot of clues-I just missed them lol.

Did we know Sami was pregnant before she sabotaged Austin/Carrie's wedding?  I remember being really shocked by that at the time.

Was Roger Thorpe's (GL) return spoiled by the press of the day?

I remember Brenda’s exit was confirmed on GH but not the way she would exit in 1998… So it came as a shock that she „died“ 

Edited March 10, 20223 yr by AMCOLTLLover

7 minutes ago, AMCOLTLLover said:

I remember Brenda’s exit was confirmed on GH but not the way she would exit in 1998… So it came as a shock that she „died“ 

Yes you are correct.  I don't remember being terribly shocked by her "death" though.  There was really no easy way to get Brenda off the canvas and out of the Jax relationship without killing her off and they didn't find a body so it was clear it was open for her to return.  I honestly can't think of any other way to write her off without Jax being in limbo unless she suddenly left with Sonny, but the show was close to getting MB back permanently at the time I think.

I was shocked that Vanessa actually appeared in a cameo as Brenda in 2000 to help with Ingo's exit.  I was personally super surprised, but apparently ABC had been airing a promo all week spoiling it🤣

I think I remember being surprised by the VM cameo in 2000. I honestly don't recall.

Last time I remember being totally surprised was the supposed permanent death of Taylor on B&B in the 2000s(?) and her subsequent surprise resurrection.

Oh wait, no, that's not true - Ron and Frank surprised me (and I think a lot of other people) when they brought back Ian Buchanan as "Duke" (a.k.a. Faison as Duke) in 2012 on GH at the end of a week, showing him to be behind Robin's kidnapping. I don't believe there was any advance word at all.

Edited March 10, 20223 yr by Vee

As mentioned above, when I saw the title, the first thing that came to mind was Sheila's 2017 B&B return. NOTHING was spoiled. I only knew because people yelled her name in the monthly thread here, but (wisely) did not say anything else so I went onto YT once I felt it was posted and gasped aloud when she walked into frame. And I believe that was a Friday cliffhanger on top of that. So...how it should be done?

 

Same with VM cameo to help usher Jax off. I knew the producers teased something special (was there really a promo @carolineg?? I am shocked) and if I remember correctly it hinted something Brenda related...but when she sashyed into frame....Oooooooo I fangirl all the way out. Yes, girl...you are worth the wait. hehe.

 

Yeah, I remember the Y&R Phillip one (didn't he vanished for two weeks after he picked up the phone in that coda, too?) and same with the GH Duke reveal...as well as the mask reveal. No hints whatsoever, though I believe we all guessed it was Faison under that mask.