Soap opera fans are accustomed to outlandish plot twists, but some storylines are beyond the pale, and some off-screen developments aren’t acceptable to viewers and even to stars of the daytime drama themselves.

From romances with abusive origins to widely-reviled network decisions and even a demonic possession, here’s a timeline of our selections for the biggest soap controversies ever. Warning: The following post contains discussions of sexual assault storylines.

1981: General Hospital weds Luke Spencer and Laura Webber after he raped her

General Hospital ’s Luke Spencer (Anthony Geary) and Laura Webber ( Genie Francis ) were a soap supercouple whose 1981 wedding episode drew 30 million viewers , but those nuptials came after a 1979 installment in which Luke rapes Laura.

Eve

See Full Page