General Hospital

Once upon a time there was a "story" that brought the kids home from school just to see it. It was called "DARK SHADOWS", but then later another soap did the same thing, it was called GENERAL HOSPITAL. In the early 80's this show managed to rise above it's soapiness with sharp writing and novel concepts that attracted the younger viewers female AND male. Throughout the 80's and early 90's GH managed to ride on that loyal fan base. But during the last 7-8 years GH has struggled mainly due to LOUSY WRITING. The current scribes seem to think the audience wants to watch heroic crime-lords break the law and beloved characters die horribly. It's a shame that this once cutting edge show has devolved into a show about a mobster, his moll and his cardboard cut-out henchman. ABC should either fire the current writers and producers or PULL THE PLUG on this terminal soap.

I've been a faithful viewer since 1978 when Luke and Laura's storyline took off. GH will lose their footing if they don't shake loose the idiotic storylines presently going on. If the writers are going to kill off anyone else, let me send you all a list.

Who cares who the hook sinks that hook into next? You've made that storyline a joke. I read where the gal who plays Esme signed a three year contract. What's wrong with all of you writers? Bring Genie Francis back.

I see where the older actors are given slim arcs if any. This is heartbreaking. Yes, GH won for best drama this year. I don't see how.

Firing/removing Genie Francis/Laura after almost four decades showed us older viewers how much you value your senior actors and viewers. Who's next?

Back in September, I thought GH was finally starting to improve but sadly that was a brief improvement and it is now downhill. Soap Operas have similar storylines sometimes but General Hospital only has the same recycled storylines. The show is predictable and boring. General Hospital has a large and wonderful cast including Robin Christopher, Nancy Lee Grahn, Tony Geary, Rebecca Herbst, Leslie Charleson, Billy Warlock, Stuart Damon, Chad Brannon and so many others. Yet General Hospital seems to waste this large ensemble cast and only use them to prop up four characters, known as the drab four (Sonny,Carly,Jason and Courtney) by some fans. General Hospital has turned into a wanna be Sopranos. They hardly ever showcase the hospital or the families. They have backburned older characters or gotten rid of them, like original cast member Rachel Ames (Audrey Hardy). The show now puts down the police and strong women like Alexis, Elizabeth, Monica and Carly. The writing is god awful and the pairings lack chemistry and are forced, especially the pairing of Jason and Courtney. Alicia Leigh Willis's Courtney showed promise in the beginning but without Billy Warlock's AJ the character and actress is a disaster. Nancy Lee Grahn's Alexis was once a strong independent lawyer who is now reduced to dressing like a man to see her daughter. General Hospital is now the worst show. It is appalling.

General Hospital needs to write better for it's women, for the police and for all it's characters. They need storylines about family, love, adventure and storylines that are not about the mob. They need couples with actual chemistry that sizzle like Steve Burton and Rebecca Herbst's Jason and Liz, Zander and Emily or Alexis with either Luke, Ned, or Cameron. Ted King's return as Lorenzo Alcazar is a great move but GH does not need more characters. It needs balance, and great writing.

This really is probably one of the most iconic soap operas of all time.

It has had some amazingly famous storylines...like Like and Laura, their iconic wedding is still talked about today.

For the younger set, the rape storyline with Elizabeth "Liz" Webber and Lucky Spencer.

The great love triangle between Sonny, Brenda and Jax.

The love story of Karen and Jagger...

The HIV storyline with Stone and Robin and the continued awareness of HIV.

The amazing song and dance numbers of the Nurses' Ball, along with Lucy's crazy shenanigans.

The transformation of the character of Jason due to brain injury...from Med School student to mob enforcer.

And who could forget the Lois era with the shared record label with Brenda and the musical numbers by Miguel and Ned Ashton!

Puerto Rico!

Seductions, attempted murders, fake babies, psychotic twins, jealous brothers, risen from the dead....this soap had it all.

And there have been some amazing memorials over the years.

Lots of great serious topics have been brought up alcoholism, addiction, rape, HIV, and mental illness (bipolar) to name just a few.

It was really nice to see some characters played by a single actor and it has been nice to see older actors brought back in the same roles. That familiarity is what keeps people coming back.

In 1980, Gloria Monty along with other General Hospital writers decided to make a couple out of two actors that had amazing chemistry. Genie Francis and Tony Geary who have become the phenomenal Luke and Laura. Luke and Laura made General Hospital the unforgettable soap opera it is, and still today, Luke and Laura's though painful relationship, keeps viewers going through their fascinating characterization and never ending passion between them.

Alan and Monica, played by Leslie Charleson and Stuart Damon, Frisco and Felicia, played by Jack and Kristina Wagner, Robert and Holly, played by Tristan Rogers and Emma Samms, Sonny and Brenda, played by Maurice Bernard and Vanessa Marcil, and Luke and Laura have showed every other soap opera the definition of a "love story". Though never simple, always intense, always unforgettable.

General Hospital has also shown amazing technique in storylines that are not love stories. Such as Monica Quartermaine's heartwrenching breast cancer storyline in 1994, or the amazing storyline of two little girls dying, yet only one miracle came out of it. I could only be talking about Bobbie Spencer's and Tony Jones's daughter BJ giving her heart to Frisco and Felicia's daughter Maxie, in the last moments to save her life. These stories touched many viewers and there are so many more.

Some of the most precious moments on daytime television have occurred on General Hospital, and the highest rated moment on daytime television was Luke and Laura's wedding in 1981. It was said to be the only wedding ever to rival Princess Diana's. General Hospital has created feelings, storylines, and characters that go beyond words. I thank Genie and Tony who play Luke and Laura for bringing out the fantasy we all have about how love should be. Though they are General Hospital's greatest achievement, I don't think General Hospital's done with them yet! And we know that Luke and Laura are not the only life changing storyline they've come up with! Thank you General Hospital!