The unkindest cut of all: "Another World's" Linda Dano, a real-life fashion maven who for years has advised the average woman on looking glamorous with minimal effort and funds, disappointed many loyal viewers by celebrating fall with a face lift. The NBC soap sent her character, romance novelist Felicia Gallant, through a skylight to explain the surgery. Dano may have shaved a few years, but to a lot of fans the view will never be the same.

Everyone wants to be Xena: The strangest trend on daytime had to be the increase in violence not against women but between women. Just about every soap had at least one pair of battling beauties. "Guiding Light's" Reva (Kim Zimmer) and Annie (Cynthia Watros) mix it up at least once a month. "Sunset Beach's" Annie (Sarah Buxton) and Meg (Susan Ward) have slapped each other silly in every part of the house, including the hot tub. But the best bash of the year had to be the epic showdown between Marlena (Deidre Hall) and Kristen (Eileen Davidson) on "Days of Our Lives," an extended brawl that could have made the top of any pay-per-view wrestling card.