Soaps' Wildest Plot Twists Of 2020

Earlier this month, as part of its exhaustive evaluation of the Year in Review, TVLine ran down a list of 30 primetime plot twists that couldn't possibly be beaten for sheer shock value. In response, daytime chuckled and said simply, "Hold my beer."

3. The Bold and the Beautiful's Thomas Got 'Dolled' Up

Just when the off-kilter designer was starting to convince everyone but Liam that he was over the object of his obsession, a brain bleed started him dating Hope's maniacal mannequin doppelgänger.

18. The Bold and the Beautiful's Ridge Married Shauna

Mind you, she tricked him into "I do"-ing it, the hangover that he suffered following their Vegas nuptials lasted longer than their actual union, and there was no real fallout from any of it.

17. Days of Our Lives' Jack Slept With Kate

During November sweeps, we — and more importantly, Jennifer — learned that while she was in a coma, her fretful husband got served more than drinks at the Brady Pub.

14. Days of Our Lives' Jan Got Her Man

Sure, the madwoman had to kidnap Shawn's intended bride Belle and blackmail him into saying "I do" — and while wearing what you can see is just an elated expression, too. She still sorta landed the guy about whom she'd always been, um, crazy.

12. Days of Our Lives' Tripp Got a Poor Relation

Sorry, Charlie. In one fell swoop, the Salem newcomer was revealed to be a back-from-the-dead Ava's heretofore-unknown son, Tripp's half brother and Allie's rapist.

1. Days of Our Lives' Hope Left Salem

There was no big sendoff for the iconic heroine that Kristian Alfonso had played for 37 years. Owing to the timing of the actress' decision to quit rather than be written out for a few months, her character didn't even get to say goodbye; viewers were just informed later that Hope had taken off in search of intel about her "late" daughter, Ciara.

8. Days of Our Lives' Vivian Had Twins

Not this year, technically; years ago. But it still came as a shock to her, Gabi and us to learn from Ivan that Stefan had had a brother, rough-hewn Jake.

6. General Hospital's Laura Said, 'Sup, Bro?'

As 2020 shrank to just a couple of weeks, the ABC soap's most enduring heroine learned that she had half siblings — not only shady lawyer Martin (All My Children vet Michael E. Knight) but "bad mobster" Cyrus.

11. General Hospital's Holly 'Died'

Or so we were told. Emma Samms' iconic character was soon after revealed to be alive and well-ish, and being held hostage by a villain whose identity has yet to be revealed.

20. General Hospital's Nelle Tied and Retied the Knot

No, we're not including the scheme queen's demise on this list, because c'mon! Does anyone really believe she's dead-dead? Didn't think so. Instead, we're singling her out for the matrimonial-mindedness that, in short order, made her Shiloh's widow and Julian's Mrs. Wrong.

9. General Hospital's Mike Died

We knew that Sonny's Alzheimer's-afflicted father wasn't going to be around forever, but that didn't... Ya know what? Excuse us. We're gonna need a minute. And a tissue.

Bonus Entry: The Young and the Restless' Adam Was Shot... At

OK, so it was Chance who actually took the bullet. We were just glad that something finally made sense in the Byzantine story of Victor's villainous son, who by that point was holding so many grudges, it was a wonder that he had a hand free with which he could even consider blowing up Newman Enterprises.

10. The Young and the Restless' Amanda Learned the Truth

It wasn't a mere coincidence that she was a dead ringer for Devon's late wife, Hilary. If only Amanda had gotten to so much as meet her troublemaking sister.

19. The Young and the Restless' Mariah Cheated on Tessa

While the show set us up to wonder whether the singer would hook up with her ex-husband on tour, it was actually her girlfriend who strayed — with flirtatious bartender Lindsay.

7. The Young and the Restless' Dina Died

We're not crying, you're... Oh, who are we kidding? Yes, we're totally crying just flashing back to the demise of the Abbott family's complicated matriarch.

4. Days of Our Lives' Ben and Ciara Became Husband and Wife

Alas, owing to his past as the Necktie Killer, the Westons' marriage was immediately blown to smithereens by ill-fated Paige's mother, Eve, who came back with a literal vengeance.

16. The Bold and the Beautiful's Steffy Got Hooked

After almost being turned into roadkill by Bill, Steffy became a switchblade-wielding drug addict overnight. Oh, and she detoxed just as fast. Eat your heart out, Betty Ford Center!

15. The Young and the Restless 'Adopted' Sally

Having burned her last bridge on The Bold and the Beautiful, Courtney Hope's erratically-written vixen crossed over to its sister soap, where she... well, quickly proved that she'd learned next to nothing from her past mistakes.

13. The Bold and the Beautiful's Liam Slept With Steffy

The exes' hookup was hardly shocking; that happens every few years, right? What was facepalm-inducing, however, was the fact that he turned to his former wife after getting an eyeful of Thomas making out with the mannequin that resembles his current wife. D'oh!

5. The Young and the Restless' Elena Slept With Nate

Sure that Devon was going to be as drawn to Amanda as he had been to her late sister, Elena prescribed herself an ill-advised dose of the hot doctor with whom she worked.

2. General Hospital Overcooked the Floating Rib

The ABC soap totally upended its canvas with a singular explosion that killed off Dev and Dustin, put Lulu in a coma and set the stage for William deVry's exit as Julian.