The Best & Worst Of 1998
     During the year when the biggest soap opera occured in real life - Most Shocking Couple: Bill and Monica? Most Annoying Character: Ken Starr? Worst Friend: Linda Tripp? - there were still plenty of on-screen happenings that kept us laughing, crying and screaming at our TV screens. Without further ado, here are our picks for the good, the bad and the downright ugly (turkey baster, anyone?).

Best
Secret
Amanda's Past,

MELROSE PLACE
We knew a there had to be a reason why Amanda became such a b ... b ... itch! Leave it to MP to tell why in its seventh season. Here's what we've learned so far: On the first episode, Matt died, leaving behind a journal filled with secrets about each of the old-time complex-dwellers. The entry on Amanda was so shocking that she tore out the page and burned it. We saw a grainy flashback of a man seemingly falling to his death. Before long, ex-con Eve blew into town whispering about a 15-year-old scandal that she and Amanda vowed to keep under wraps. When Kyle demanded answers, we learned what all the fuss was about. In high school, Amanda was attacked and nearly raped by a jock. Eve intervened and pushed the guy off the bleachers. Eve got 15 years behind bars, and Amanda got off scot-free. But the mystery's not over, as Peter begins probing into new wife Eve's murky past. In late January, Amanda will have a run-in with a vindictive member of the dead boy's family. This is getting good!

Best
Mystery
Who Killed Kristen,
DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Worst
Mystery
General Homicide,
PORT CHARLES

Best
Wedding
Ben And Meg,
SUNSET BEACH

Worst
Wedding
Brandon And Kelly,
BEVERLY HILLS, 90210

Best
Reunion
Victor And Nikki,
YOUNG AND RESTLESS

Most
Boring Marriages
Cole And Ashley, Olivia
And Malcolm, Etc.,
YOUNG AND RESTLESS

Best
Daytime Couple
Phillip And Harley,
GUIDING LIGHT

Most
Boring Couple
Eric And Nicole,
DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Best
Prime-Time Couple
Sarah And Bailey,
PARTY OF FIVE

Most
Entertaining Couple
Stuart And Marian,
ALL MY CHILDREN

Best
Trend
Bringing Back Popular
Characters

Worst
Trend
Mind Control

Best
Feud
Kay And Jill,
YOUNG AND RESTLESS

Best
Family Feud
The Quartermaines,
GENERAL HOSPITAL

Dumbest
Male Axing
Daniel Markel (David),
AS THE WORLD TURNS

Dumbest
Female Axing
Kimberlin Brown (Sheila),
BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

Best
Quadrangle
Lucy/Scotty/Eve/Kevin,
PORT CHARLES

Worst
Quadrangle
Josie/Gary/Cameron/Amanda,
ANOTHER WORLD

Best
Exit
Todd,
ONE LIFE TO LIVE

Worst
Exit
Brenda,
GENERAL HOSPITAL

Most
Shocking Plot Twist
Teri is Annie,
GUIDING LIGHT

Most
Preposterous Plot
Reva's Clone,
GUIDING LIGHT

Best
Continuity
Hope's Missing Years,
DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Dumbest
Characters
The Women Of Beach,
SUNSET BEACH

Most
Tortured Couple
Hayley And Mateo,
ALL MY CHILDREN

Most
Surprising Couple
Neil And Victoria,
YOUNG AND RESTLESS

Most
Rejuvenated Family
The Spectras,
BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

Most
Rejuvenated Character
Cass Winthrop,
ANOTHER WORLD

Best
Use Of A Disaster
The Sinking of The Valetta,
AS THE WORLD TURNS

Worst
Use Of A Disaster
Shockwave,
SUNSET BEACH

Best
Friends
Lucky/Liz/Emily/Nikolas,
GENERAL HOSPITAL

Biggest
Waste Of Talent
Linda Dano,
ANOTHER WORLD

Best
Psycho
Dinah Marler,
GUIDING LIGHT

Worst
Psychos
Georgie And Barbara,
ONE LIFE TO LIVE

Best
Social Issue
Camille's Breast Cancer,
AS THE WORLD TURNS

Worst
Social Issue
Babies At Any Cost

Best
Triangle
Austin/Carrie/Mike,
DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Worst
Triangle
Ross/Blake/Ben,
GUIDING LIGHT

Best
Hero
Edmund,
ALL MY CHILDREN

Best
Vixen
Amber,
BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

Most
Innovative Recast
Ellen Wheeler As Marley,
ANOTHER WORLD

Worst
Recast
Timothy Gibbs As Kevin,
ONE LIFE TO LIVE

Best
Tear-jerker
Shane And Michael's Deaths,
ANOTHER WORLD

Best
Teen Story
Jessica's Pregnancy,
ONE LIFE TO LIVE

Best
Story
Luke And Laura:
The Rape Revisited,
GENERAL HOSPITAL

Worst
Story
Love With A Turkey Baster,
SUNSET BEACH

Most
Improved Show
AS THE WORLD TURNS

Most
Disappointing Show
ALL MY CHILDREN

Best
Prime-Time Show
DAWSON'S CREEK

Best
Daytime Show
YOUNG AND RESTLESS