Worst-Kept Soap Secrets

Secrets are a staple of television, especially daytime soap operas. Usually, when a character has a deep, dark secret, it's kept hidden. Although the viewers often know the truth, the character or characters involved do whatever it takes to keep everyone else in the dark. Recently, however, three different soaps have had storylines in which a secret simply refused to stay secret. Each one spiraled out of control, with one character after another learning the truth.

3. Natalie and Brody's One-Night Stand
One Life to Live's Natalie and Brody were together one night. It was a misguided attempt to find comfort when both were feeling rejected.

Natalie thought John's failure to show up at her request was a rejection. Brody had a much different problem; he loved Jessica, who thought she was seventeen again and in love with her high school boyfriend. As if that weren't enough, Jessica and Natalie are sisters.

Both couples found their way back together almost immediately. Natalie and Brody felt extremely guilty, but not guilty enough to 'fess up even when they had numerous chances. They managed to keep the secret from John and Jessica, but they told other people what they'd done. Natalie told Gigi outright, and Brody hinted at it enough in therapy that his psychiatrist, Marty, was able to put it together. The problem was that Marty hated Natalie, whom she blamed for stealing John away from her.

Eventually, more people found out, and the big revelation and showdown finally happened at their double wedding--which ended before anyone could say, "I do."

2. Tad and Cara's Fake Relationship
All My Children's Cara is Jake's ex-wife, and she's here on a fraudulent passport bearing an assumed name. She finally admitted that she left Jake to protect him from people who wanted to kill her and everyone she loved.

Jake's current wife, Amanda, got tired of seeing Cara hanging around her husband, so when she found out about Cara's passport, she called the INS. She didn't realize that deportation could mean a death sentence for Cara. The INS responded quickly and sent an agent to Pine Valley. Not seeing any other way out, Jake's brother, Tad, decided to fake an engagement to her so that she could stay.

As friends and family found out about the sudden engagement, Tad confided in quite a few of them. Those who don't know the truth are suspicious. At this point, it seems obvious that someone will slip up in front of the INS agent.

1. Chance is Alive
The dubious honor of having the #1 worst-kept soap secret goes to The Young and the Restless. Chance and Ronan were involved in a sting that went wrong, resulting in Chance's apparent death. His grieving parents, Nina and Phillip, were told the truth right away. Nina had a hard time keeping the secret, but she did it, at least for a while. Christine, an agent with the Justice Department, broke protocol by telling Katherine Chancellor.

Chance's former lover, Heather, wasn't happy with the investigation. She stole the CD of the sting and listened to it with Paul, who swore that the shot that killed Chance was a blank. Neither of them put it together; they didn't have a clue--or the sense to keep their thoughts to themselves. Heather demanded to know the truth and threatened to take her theory to Restless Style. Instead of arresting her, Ronan confirmed her theory.

When Chance secretly returned, he revealed his presence to his grandmother, Jill. Although she vowed not to tell anyone, she soon admitted that she would have told Katherine if they'd been alone together, and she became angry with Katherine for not telling her. As his grandmother, she was entitled to know!

One by one, people learned the truth. Now the trial is about to begin, and Chance is the star witness. Will the defendants be shocked to learn that Chance is alive? Will anyone?

Sources:
OLTL Transcripts Archives, TV MegaSite
AMC Transcripts Archives, TV MegaSite
Y&R Transcripts Archives, TV MegaSite