When soaps are at their best, we can expect acclaimed issue-based storylines, barnstorming performances and character-based comedy moments that have us laughing out loud. But sometimes – just sometimes – we're just as entertained by the soaps going completely batshit bonkers for a while.
With a heck of a lot of episodes to fill each week, the occasional barmy storyline can slip through the net. So here's our celebration of nine of Soapland's maddest ever storylines...
1. The cursed rock (Neighbours)
Like most Neighbours kids growing up on Ramsay Street, Hannah Martin didn't have much luck at the best of times. But that was taken to a whole new level when one particular storyline saw her do battle with... dun dun dun... a cursed rock.
It all kicked off when Lucy Robinson thoughtfully sent her niece a piece of Uluru (Ayers Rock), leaving Hannah alarmed when she heard that it was actually bad luck to remove the rock from its natural environment. That pesky Lucy, never giving any consideration to ancient curses.
Sure enough, various misfortunes started to befall poor Hannah immedately afterwards, including her sister Debbie almost being electrocuted by a hairdryer.
Hannah's attempts to get rid of the rock then saw even more chaos ensue. In true Neighbours style, it was passed around the various houses on the Street, causing carnage in its wake. But surely it was all just a coincidence... right? Right?
2. The killer virus (Brookside)
You could always count on Brookside to tackle hard-hitting and topical issues before any of the other soaps. But when the storyline well was starting to run dry in 1995, we were also treated to an outlandish storyline which saw a killer virus strike the beleaguered residents.
Since the virus only seemed to affect Brookside Close (what are the odds?), the unlucky cul-de-sac was put under quarantine until the situation was resolved.
The virus itself also had quite a curious effect. If you were a regular and popular cast member, recovery was guaranteed after some good old-fashioned bed rest. If you were a dispensable guest character, on the other hand, you could expect certain death.
3. Twincest (Hollyoaks)
When the Blake family moved into the Hollyoaks village in 2012, we quickly realised that we'd just have to sit back and enjoy the ride as the clan went through one bizarre twist after another. (To be honest, we kind of liked it, and even put together a feature of our 20 favourite Bonkers Blakes moments.)
But the twist that was pushing it just a tad was the surprise revelation that long-lost twins Dodger and Sienna had actually unwittingly met years before as teenagers, slept together and conceived a child. Then when they were introduced as brother and sister just a few years later, they didn't recognise each other. (Seriously, were they blindfolded during that first meeting?)
Hollyoaks definitely wasn't promoting twincest, though – especially since the product of the one-night stand was the evil, twisted psychopathic killer Nico. Definitely an effective warning against it if we've ever seen one.
4. Jai had the wrong Archie (Emmerdale)
With his occasional drug use and fondness for dastardly schemes, Emmerdale's Jai Sharma was never going to win any father of the year prizes. But even we were surprised by the revelation that he'd actually been bringing up the wrong baby for two months.
After little Archie's mum Rachel did a runner with the lad, Jai searched relentlessly to get his son back. His luck seemed to be in when a dodgy guy eventually made contact with him and handed Archie over in exchange for £40,000... but it was all a scam.
When Rachel returned a few weeks later, it turned out that she'd had Archie all along and Jai had been unknowingly raising a Fake Archie. All very well and good, Emmerdale, but why was the original Real Archie actor now playing the fake one? *scratches head*
5. Mad Maya's rampage (Coronation Street)
Everyone remembers Richard Hillman's reign of terror, but Mad Maya certainly gave him a run for his money in the villainous stakes in 2004. Filled with jealousy over Dev Alahan's rekindled relationship with Sunita, Maya decided to set fire to all of his shops as revenge. (If you've forgotten – like the writers have – Dev actually owned shops all over the place back then.)
This all set the stage for a blockbuster "Mad Maya Monday" event on ITV, which saw Corrie air no fewer than three episodes in one night, all focusing on her villainous antics. Not content with setting Dev's business empire ablaze, Maya held Dev and Sunita hostage at the Corner Shop and tried to kill them... in yet another fire.
When the lucky pair escaped, the ever-resourceful Maya still wasn't done and then tried to run them over in the street. Amid much squealing and gasps from the locals, she wasn't stopped in her tracks until an out-of-control truck suddenly crashed into her. Crikey – after so much drama, why does everyone always harp on about Richard but forget to mention Maya?
6. Heather and Shirley visit George Michael's house... or do they? (EastEnders)
Some EastEnders fans were baffled by relatively recent storylines involving bins and parking fines, but we can only assume they weren't watching in 2009, when things were a lot more random. Well, in this particular episode, anyway.
Well known for her obsession with George Michael, Heather teamed up with her best friend Shirley one night to visit the pop legend's house. Hev was in her element as she peered through the window, took a sneaky picture and even rifled through a bin to steal a yoghurt pot lid as a souvenir.
Then, after all that effort, Shirley spotted George Michael's car heading into a completely different house, but she didn't have the heart to tell Heather that their efforts had been in vain. Never let it be said that Shirl's a bad friend...
7. Bobby's ghost comes out of the fridge (Home and Away)
Home and Away fans thought they'd seen the last of Bobby Simpson when she was killed off in a boat accident in 1993. But this is Soapland we're talking about, so of course there was still a chance for a shock return.
Sure enough, when Ailsa Stewart suffered a breakdown a couple of years later, she was traumatised by the sight of Bobby's ghost coming out of the fridge door.
And we can't blame Ailsa for being scared – despite the lame special effects, it still looks pretty creepy even when you watch it back now. Warning: if you watch the clip, you might be too scared to take late-night trips down to the fridge for a while...
8. Bouncer's dream (Neighbours)
Neighbours still loves a good animal-related caper even now. Even if you don't watch the show, you can't have missed all of our stories about Ramsay Street's residents being terrorised by a plague of snakes.
But back in 1990, times were slightly more innocent and the animal storyline quota was filled by a fascinating insight into the mind of everyone's favourite pet dog Bouncer.
When Kerry Mangel put on her wedding video, the clearly imaginative Bouncer got thinking about what it would be like if he tied the knot with the neighbours' dog Rosie. We wonder if the writers realised at the time that they'd never quite live this one down?
Even Anne Charleston (Madge Bishop) blasted the plot, saying: "The whole cast was mortified about that! It reduced it to a three-year-old's programme. It was very strange." That's putting it mildly...
9. The violent battle for Esther's liver (Hollyoaks Later)
Just when we thought that Esther Bloom's bullying ordeal at the hands of Ruby and Sinead would be her most memorable storyline, along came the crazy events of Hollyoaks Later in 2013.
Turned out that newcomer Jade Hedy, who'd just been introduced on the main show, had a very special interest in poor Esther. Why? Well, Esther's liver once belonged to her late boyfriend and she wanted it back. We're pretty sure that's not quite how the transplant system works...
In a rather unfortunate turn of events, the teens were all on holiday in a country house together, giving Jade the perfect opportunity to attack Esther, tie her up and try to snatch that much-sought-after liver.
Esther's luck was in when Callum Kane came to her rescue, but he ended up with a samurai sword through his chest for his troubles. Yikes.
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