Days of Our Lives Characters: Supercouples

During the 1980's the "supercouple" phenomenon swept through daytime soap operas, all started by the romantic adventures of Luke and Laura on General Hospital. Days Of Our Lives churned out one couple after another all within the mold of the "supercouple" where opposites not only attracted but enthralled viewers; not only with their epic love stories but with the danger and adventure they faced in realizing that love.

. Below is a brief recount on how five of Days Of Our Lives' supercouples got started. Even if you're not a long time viewer, you'll still recognise the names of some of these Days of Our Lives supercouples. Bo and Hope still grace our screens today, though they are undergoing one of their many separations, and many of the others have seen airtime in the past few months and years.

Marlena and Roman

Psychiatrist, Dr Marlena Evans met Detective Roman Brady when he was assigned to protect her from a caller on her radio show, who was killing the women of Salem, and had turned his sights on the stubborn blond shrink. After months of Roman sleeping on Doc's apartment floor, a thunderstorm finally sent Marlena running into Roman's arms and Salem's first Supercouple was born. They married in a ceremony where Roman was almost shot. Roman and Marlena jumped one hurdle after another, mostly thrown at them by Stefano DiMera. Roman was accused of being the Salem Slasher, faked his own death, and while 'dead' impregnated a 'mourning' Marlena (Eugene Bradford claimed to be the father). Roman was cleared, Eric and Samantha were born and the Brady family was happy until Roman, in pursuit of the nefarious Stefano DiMera, fell off a cliff and "died".

Bo and Hope

When rebel merchant marine, Bo Brady, rode into town on his motorcycle, he also rode into rich society girl, Hope William's heart. Despite, her father's objections Hope pursued Bo, but ended up planning to marry Larry Welsh a devious politician. Bo kidnapped Hope from that wedding, and they rode off on his motor bike, Hopes wedding veil trailing behind. Meanwhile private eye Howie Hoffstedder, stood in for the bride during the ceremony, leaving Larry clueless until he lifted "Hopes" veil to kiss his bride. Bo and Hope performed their own wedding in an old plantation in New Orleans and finally married officially (the first time) in England in a lavish royal wedding, perfectly suited to the princess Stefano DiMera would later brainwash Hope into believing she was.

Patch (Steve) and Kayla

Despite Patch being paid to stalk and harass Kayla, and Bo's protestations that Steve was dangerous, Kayla fell for the troubled man with one eye. But when Steve pulled away from their relationship, she married another suitor; Jack Devereaux, who was dying. Unbeknownst to Kayla , Steve had discovered that Jack was actually Billy, the baby brother he'd been separated from in an orphanage. But Kayla and Steve couldn't be kept apart and eventually started an affair. Kayla finally secured a divorce from Jack after Steve donated a kidney to save Jack's life. But the road to the alter for this Days of our Lives super couple was still not smooth. Attacked by the Salem Slasher, Kayla lost her hearing and ability to speak in an explosion. Kayla's hearing was restored through surgery and her voice returned on the day of her wedding to Steve, just time to say "I Do".

Kimberly and Shane

When prostitute Kimberly Brady, learned by-the-book ISA Agent, Shane Donovan was spying on her in order to bring down Stefano DiMera (her clients worked for Stefano) she offered to help. This started a string of ISA investigations that worked to both bring Shane and Kimberly closer together and tear them apart. Shane's presumed dead wife, Emma, reappeared to terrorize the couple while they were chasing the Dragon, and when Emma died Kimberly was framed by the real killer-Shane's partner, Gillian, who was also in love with him. Shane also used a friendship between Kimberly and Victor Kiriakis, to investigate Victor, which resulted in Kimberly sleeping with Victor to save Shane's life. Kimberly fell pregnant and wasn't sure who the baby's father was, further complicated by the news that she herself could have been the product of an affair her mother had with Victor. Shane and Kimberly finally wed when it was revealed that Shane, not Victor was Andrew's father.

Marlena and John

When amnesiac John Black came to Salem, Dr Marlena Evans agreed to help him with his memory problems. The couple became close in their pursuit of finding John's true identity. The storyline culminated in a wilderness chase with both John, and Marlena, believing he was Stefano DiMera, due to a Phoenix tattoo on John's back. Marlena struggled with her attraction to the man who had killed her husband, until she learned that John was in fact Roman Brady with extensive plastic surgery. Roman (John) and Marlena remarried until she died in a plane crash.

Four years later, Marlena returned to Salem (she'd been in a coma), as did Roman Brady (with his original face!). John was actually an assassin brainwashed by Stefano to believe he was Roman. Marlena and Roman reconciled, but still drawn to each other John and Marlena had an affair, producing Belle. Roman and Marlena divorced when he learned Belle wasn't his child, and John and Marlena were established as a Days Of Our Lives supercouple in their own right.