I agree Brady, it seems like this story was very "love it or hate it". Also like you pointed out I enjoyed how it brought so many characters together. It involved pretty much the whole show! I read somewhere that it was only supposed to go on for like 2 months, but because of all the attention it received and how it positively spiked the ratings, Reilly stretched it out to last as long as it did. I remember even the kids at school were talking about this lol This was definitely one of the most controversial stories that was ever on TV, not just daytime.
On a side note, I remember years later when Marlena was thought to be the Salem Stalker and Lexie put her under the Sodium Pentathol (Truth Serum) so Marlena would confess to the police and the families of the victims just how she killed them all. And as she's laying in the hospital bed, describing these incredibly cruel acts with a calm glee as the people of Salem look on horrified, enraged, and distraught, I just kept having a deja vu of Marlena's possession! Remember how she was in the hospital bed with the priest, John, Marlena, Caroline, Kristen and others by her bedside just terrified about what was happening? History really does repeat itself.
How many people can say they were both possessed by the devil AND the victim of brainwashing that lead to the supposed murders of your friends and family?? LOL