A closer look
When daytime television writers write themselves into a corner, demonic possession is apparently a completely valid exit strategy. In 1995, soap opera legend Marlena Evans was acting wildly out of character due to increasingly convoluted backstage writing disputes. To explain her erratic behavior and recast audience reception, head writer James E. Reilly decided she was quite literally possessed by Satan. Complete with levitation and glowing yellow eyes, this absurd pivot not only fixed the continuity errors but skyrocketed the show's ratings, proving that housewives are completely down for an exorcism if it resolves a messy love triangle.
