Favorite Daytime Episodes Ever

[soapsarecool Joined: Sep 30th, 2011 Topics: 7 Posts: 84 View Predictions]

#1204766304

I started thinking last night about memorable soap episodes. I think we often think about memorable stories but not necessarily episodes. I wanted to ask if people have specific episodes in mind and maybe even share YouTube links.

I’m thinking for example of the ATWT episode when Kim, Emma, Barbara, Nancy, Lisa, Susan and Lucinda got stuck in a bus on the way from a tribute for Nancy. It was so much fun watching all of them interact (Susan treating Kim for her wound was especially poignant given their history), and it was of course a treat that it was a tribute to Nancy (and by extension Helen Wagner). This is the YouTube link for the first part of the episode (you can also find the others): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd9X1gs5NJc

Another one is “Kristen” and John’s Elvis-themed wedding, when the Susan/Kristen sham is exposed. Susan’s teeth landing on Vivian’s martini has to be one of the funniest soap moments ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt3ICXr4Es0

More recently, I can think if the aftermath of Neil’s death on Y&R, Tracy’s farewell on GH (though she’s come back since), Sami saying goodbye on DOOL (her scenes with Kate and Nicole were great).

Any others? I would love to spend one of these afternoons looking at some memorable ones.

X

Reply

[Sean Phillips Joined: Apr 4th, 2017 Topics: 3 Posts: 523 View Predictions]

#1204766740

The 30th anniversary of GH which was Steve Hardy centric and his funeral in 1996, which is the great marking point of the classic era to the modern is very poignant.

X

ReplyCopy URL

[youngsoapfan Joined: Oct 2nd, 2011 Topics: 3 Posts: 135 View Predictions]

#1204767397

Another world 1991, when Taylor was trying to kill Sharlene on the merry go round and then she runs around the amusement park while sharlene and John try to find her.

and

Dool 1994 the whole Winter heat episode, unless that’s not counted cuz it aired in primetime.

X

ReplyCopy URL

[EmmyLoser Joined: Nov 12th, 2010 Topics: 23 Posts: 1793 View Predictions]

#1204771098

I immediately thought of John and Susan’s Elvis-themed wedding and Susan’s fake teeth landing in Vivian’s drink to reveal that she was not actually Kristen. That was classic.

DAYS in the 90s was great at crafting memorable episodes, often because things took so long to happen. A few others favorites:

Carrie knocking Sami out at Sami and Austin’s wedding and then marrying Austin herself. Leading up to this, Carrie had already revealed to Austin that Sami was faking her amnesia, but Austin was still going to marry her for the sake of their son Will. So Carrie had to enlist Mike and Eric’s help to uncover that Lucas, not Austin, was Will’s father. Lucas finding out that Sami had lied to him was some of my favorite Bryan Datillo work, and Carrie getting to fully unload on Sami was a very long time coming. There was also some great sniping between Laura and Kate in the background, as both wanted their sons to be with Carrie.

During John’s trial in Aremid for murdering Tony, Peter got Kristen on the witness stand and forced her to admit that she believed John did kill Tony. It was an amazing moment and really when the energy shifted in the Marlena/John/Kristen triangle. Kristen’s confession more or less got John convicted, and after that, she could never compete with Marlena’s unflappable faith in John’s innocence. This eventually led to John writing that letter confessing his love to Marlena when he was about to be executed, which played a huge role in the next year-plus of story.

And two classics from the TomSell era at DAYS in 2013: the striptease episode and the episode with the pot donuts that JJ had made. Both of these were so much fun and used the cast in great ways. The striptease episode was really well produced, and it was great seeing a lot of the women on the cast in the audience enjoying the show, including Caroline, who had apparently been going there with her Alzheimer’s group. The mix-up with JJ getting the regular donuts and Julie serving the pot donuts her the book club was brilliantly written and so so funny. Adrienne was rambling on and on, Kayla was trying to get Hope to bring them tacos, Nicole was paranoid that no one wanted her there. Incredible stuff.

X

ReplyCopy URL

[FreemanGriffin Joined: Feb 19th, 2012 Topics: 70 Posts: 5270 View Predictions]

#1204771261

The two episodes in a row concerning Oscar’s death on General Hospital.

The problem I have had is that I can think of great MOMENTS but great episodes all the way through are harder to remember. Douglas Cummings revealed as Kim’s secret admirer. Delia being exposed as the one who threw Frank down the flight of stairs on Ryan’s Hope. The death of Roger Thorpe on Guiding Light (in 1980). Nola’s wedding while the other wedding was happening right at the same time was great on GL. Dorian’s return in 1993 to OLTL was a great episode, as were the gay reveal episodes at right around the same time with Billy Douglas. Too many to mention them all!

X

ReplyCopy URL

[OLTLfan Joined: Sep 26th, 2011 Topics: 2 Posts: 174 View Predictions]

#1204772159

OLTL
Nora’s closing argument at Todd’s rape trial
Dorian and Viki’s fight that caused Tommy & then Jean Randolph to emerge.
The 10,000th episode (Asa’s funeral)
Lindsay’s Woman of the Year ceremony where she’s arrested for killing Spencer Truman.
The 40th anniversary episodes with Viki & Dorian reuniting with their dead husbands Ben & Mel.

GH
The 50th anniversary episode
Stone’s death
BJ’s death
Sonny sending Jason to tell Brenda their wedding’s off
Lily dies in a car bomb.
Carly tells Bobby they’re mother and daughter.
After the car accident that left him brain-damaged, Jason freaks out on the Quartermaine’s and leaves.
Robin’s speech at the Nurse’s Ball that ended with Jason carrying her off stage.

X

ReplyCopy URL

[adamunc Joined: Jul 5th, 2011 Topics: 13 Posts: 615 View Predictions]

#1204773850

Ross’s Election Day Dream in 1992 on Guiding Light. An absolutely masterful hour of writing, direction and acting. Holly sitting in the tub scrubbing herself with the giant brush, Jenna driving the limo, the spinning carousel of all the women in Ross’s life in the final act… perfection.

X

ReplyCopy URL

[soapsarecool Joined: Sep 30th, 2011 Topics: 7 Posts: 84 View Predictions]

#1204773884

Love this thread!

adamunc: Ross’s election day dream was/is HILARIOUS. And it’s online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpZ2wucCrC4&list=PLEAF27B7C42279811&index=2

OLTLfan: Definitely Nora’s closing argument, the Carly/Bobbie reveal, and without a doubt BJ and Stone’s death.

EmmyLoser: Totally agree with what you said about DOOL in the mid-90s/James Reilly era. The reveals took a looooong time and happened slowly, with different characters finding out before the actual people involved/affected found out themselves. I loved Days during that era. And yes, Kristen on the witness stand and Carrie punching Sami… excellent!

Sean Phillips: Steve Hardy’s death was great TV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MivbkPtEFoI
Watching it right now is heartbreaking. To think how Bob Guza and Jill Farren Phelps and others got rid of Amy, Tony and Alan. UGH. I also forgot how good Matthew Ashford was as Tom. Too bad the Hardys were basically written out except for Elizabeth. GH’s first core family… gone. 🙁

If people can post links to their episodes, that would be amazing!

X

ReplyCopy URL

[Boidiva02 Joined: May 24th, 2011 Topics: 15 Posts: 248 View Predictions]

#1204832886

OLTL:

—The Emmy-winning “Trading Places” episode where Rae Cummings has a nightmare that all the residents of Llanview has switched places with each other. It had some really hilarious moments, especially Roger Howarth’s impression of Erika Slezak. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC8IoUB_Sgk

—the hilarious and memorable “Babes Behind Bars” musical episode where Lindsay is in prison and dreams that everybody is singing. One moment of absolute hilarity is when Nora dressed in a witch-inspired costumer attempts to sing and Lindsay says “It’s my dream you don’t get to sing in my dream!” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwR8szH1W0Y

—and going back a lot further to the mid-90’s, when Marty and Patrick left the show for the first time and they killed off Mel Hayes and Marty and Patrick left town with everybody thinking Patrick was dead (he was really alive and faking his death.) They left town with only Nora, Bo and Mel having known the truth. My favorite scene when Marty confronts Todd and calls him a curse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKJxYPI-JBE

Other favorite episodes: Asa’s fake funeral when Natalie shows up in the red dress to give a eulogy and basically shames Jessica for being switched with her, and all the ex-wives of Asa show up and start ragging on him, and then Renee stands up and tells them to all shut up! One of the best scenes was a throwaway scene when Viki is telling Ben who all the ex-wives are and they pan to Blair who looks in the mirror of a compact and goes “HUH?” referencing the infamous recasting from Mia Korf to Kassie DePavia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QtRFX2w9GM

I also always loved any episode where Viki’s DID was front and center.

GH:

I loved any episode where they paid tribute to the past, one such example is the 50th Anniversary episode https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5w8TnM6EhI I also LOVED the 10,000th episode in 2002 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E6aV0z3EZw

I remember also LOVING and crying (sobbing really) when Mary Mae Ward’s funeral aired https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZHph6BTna0 in 1995

and the episode when Carly finally tells Bobbie that she is Caroline is one of my all-time favorite episodes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBA0yOaBk8E

AMC:

Erica’s woman of the year speech is probably in my top-five all-time favorite TV episodes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ayRFfCJ_HI

This is basically a nothing episode, but it is one of my favorites https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfqOftJGF1M

another amazing episode is when Erica returns baby “Sonja” (Maddie) to Maria and admits she kidnapped her. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3U0JdQ2kCE&t=513s

and the episode when Babe tells Bianca the truth about the baby switchhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL1Co_5DQnk

also, Maria’s death is a big episode for me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tK1UHdT3T1g&t=18s

X

ReplyCopy URL

[Boidiva02 Joined: May 24th, 2011 Topics: 15 Posts: 248 View Predictions]

#1204832894

soapsarecool wrote:

Love this thread!

OLTLfan: Definitely Nora’s closing argument, the Carly/Bobbie reveal, and without a doubt BJ and Stone’s death.

Sean Phillips: Steve Hardy’s death was great TV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MivbkPtEFoI
Watching it right now is heartbreaking. To think how Bob Guza and Jill Farren Phelps and others got rid of Amy, Tony and Alan. UGH. I also forgot how good Matthew Ashford was as Tom. Too bad the Hardys were basically written out except for Elizabeth. GH’s first core family… gone.

Yes, Nora’s closing arguments are classic, legendary and ICONIC. I will never forget that incredible speech about “blind justice” and Todd’s shocked reaction when he screams “what the hell is she doing?”

Hillary Smith earned that Emmy in 1994.

I was watching GH in 1996, but don’t really remember Steve’s death much at all. I think Stone’s death was more memorable to me because I was invested in that character.

X

ReplyCopy URL