As the World Turns’ Barbara was perpetually unlucky in love… if only because she tended to keep being drawn back to the side of the dangerous (and darn near immortal) James. Then again, how do you not fall for a guy who leaves a bouquet of flowers for you in the center of a bullring in Spain? Sure, James’ aim was to have a bull gore Barbara to death, but the flowers were a nice touch.
Alistair Crane and Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald
Image Credit: Paul Skipper/JPI
You know your marriage is probably not the healthiest when you’re in love with your groom’s son, as was the case when Passions‘ Theresa married Allistair despite being convinced Ethan was the only man for her. Perhaps sensing his bride was of the reluctant variety, Alistair made sure she was contractually obligated to share his bed. Translation: The honeymoon was over before it even started!
EJ DiMera and Sami Brady
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If it’s true that you only hurt the ones you love, these two may have been daytime’s answer to Romeo and Juliet. Like that famous pair, Sami and EJ came from warring families. Unlike the young loveres from Verona, however, EJ and Sami often seemed to take delight in causing pain, whether to others or one another!
Victor and Nikki Newman
Image Credit: Everett Collection
One of the most legendary couples on daytime, The Young and the Restless’ Nikki and Victor were designed from the outset to be rocky and dysfunctional. Since the beginning they have hummed along like a vintage car retooled by a mad mechanic. Ruthless business tycoon Victor’s unlikely love affair with onetime stripper Nikki has survived affairs, divorces, breakdowns, alcoholism and plenty of vicious manipulation.
Deacon Sharpe and Quinn Fuller
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It might be impossible for The Bold and the Beautiful badgirl Quinn not to have a toxic relationship, and not only with the men in her life. But while even Bill could provide her with a little balance, thanks largely to their affection for BDSM, she got positively off-kilter when she pooled her lust for revenge with that of Deacon Sharpe. Even though she was on a tear of manipulating amnesiacs and stabbing people, Deacon proved to be the person she came closest to killing and vice versa.
Nick Fallon and Gabi Hernandez
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Take two awkward people who are losers in love and put them together. What happens? On Days of Our Lives, their obsessive urges soon get the better of them. Gabi’s obsessions had led her to kidnapping and destruction and Nick’s had led him to murder. Pooling those passions together, what could go wrong? Not content to simply control and hurt each other, Gabi and Nick’s destructive tendencies managed to suck in everyone around them, especially Will Horton, the father of Gabi’s child. Nick’s pathologically controlling behavior was bad enough that she had to kill him twice to finally escape it.
Julian Jerome and Alexis Davis
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A lot of pieces had to fall in place for these two to get together, including him coming back from the dead and them realizing a long ago one-night stand had made them parents. But all it took to tear this General Hospital pair apart was him holding a knife to her throat.
Carly Benson and Sonny Corinthos
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They say the third time’s the charm, but these two would seem to indicate that when it comes to tying the knot, it’s actually the fifth. Does the fact that they keep coming back for more mean General Hospital‘s Sonny and Carly are meant to be… or gluttons for punishment?
Hope Logan and Thomas Forrester
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So into Hope is Bold & Beautiful‘s Thomas that he literally left Zoe standing at the altar when the object of his obsession walked into the wedding late and wearing white. Oh, did we mention he also stole a mannequin which looks just like Hope? Because yeah, there’s that, too.
Blair Cramer and Todd Manning
Image Credit: George DeSota/JPI; Everett Collection
These two crazy kids had a lot in common, including their lack of morals and the fact that they were the his-and-hers pariah’s of One Life To Live‘s Llanview. But if you can’t love the guy who stole your child and let you believe it had died, who can you love?