10 Most Brilliantly Miserable Soap Christmas Moments

6. The Storm In Emmerdale (2003)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmVm8PQNAIo This particular storyline provided a much needed ratings boost for Emmerdale and although it took place on New Year's Eve rather than directly at Christmas, the festive season was still at hand, earning it this place on the list. This storyline was exciting and unpredictable because unlike many of the entries on this list, everything that took place was down to something completely out of the control of any of the characters in the soap, a massive storm. One of the show's much loved couples, Marlon and Tricia, saw their relationship highly tested during the Storm, after Tricia discovered that Marlon had slept with his cousin Charity whilst Tricia was in India. Whilst she planned to leave the Dales and get away from Marlon forever, she soon found a list of 101 reasons why Marlon loved her and decided that she wanted to stay with him after all. Unfortunately, this being a miserable soap moments list rather than happy Soap moments, disaster was not far behind and as Tricia reached the Woolpack a bolt of lightning struck an oak tree, knocking Tricia to the floor whilst a second bolt tore the Woolpack apart, knocking its chimney and subsequently its wall down right on top of Tricia. Whilst Tricia was taken to hospital, Marlon eventually had to make the heart-breaking decision to turn off her life support when it was revealed she would not make a recovery. As well as this, the soap's resident Vicar, Ashley Thomas, and Louise Appleton were both trapped in a car after they crashed into a lake down to the horrific weather. Although it is revealed that Ashley could have lost his leg in the accident, the two of them were saved before this would have been necessary. Emmerdale's profile and viewing figures grew significantly after this storyline, proving the impact and the brilliance of this particular moment.