General Hospital

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!

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.

After Santa Barbara, Guiding Light, Another World, and One Life to Live, the Soap Butcher Jill Farren Phelps has placed her friends in high position often ruining such high quality shows. When I was watching Guiding Light, it was at its peak in 1991. They fired the producer and replaced them with Butcher Phelps. She drove Beverlee McKinsey away by overworking her to death. She killed off beloved Ellen Parker's character Maureen. So Parker won an Emmy but the loss was much worse for the audience. On Another World, she killed off Alice Barrett Mitchell's beloved Mary Frances Frame Winthrop in a ridiculous storyline. On One Life to Live, I could only imagine what she did to that show which took years recover. Now she is ruining General Hospital by driving the great John Ingle away to Days Of Our Lives where he received a contract role. I feel sorry and sympathy for Jed Allan because he has a tough act to follow. The Quartermaines used to be the funnest family on television completely. She drove the great Dame Anna Lee away right before her death. Now Kristina Malandro Wagner refuses to return unless she gets a contract for playing Felicia Jones. Why aren't the veterans of this getting the short end of the stick? I bet Gloria Monty is livid over the show getting Best Drama Emmy under Phelps. I know Monty's heart was always in the right place with this show and her last time around wasn't successful as the Luke & Laura days but still, I know Butcher Phelps track record with soaps. Nobody in the real workplace would allow somebody whose cost so much damage to so many people. I am glad that Robin Strasser is speaking against Phelps' known favoritism for certain actors. I am going to single them out now on General Hospital because it would be unfair. But I know after 25 years of watching soaps, I could do a better job to satisfy both fans and the cast and crew. I am sorry but Phelps is just a Soap Opera Butcher to me. I know Guiding Light was great at the time but she made terrible decisions which cost fans. Now Guiding Light might be up for cancellation! the cast and crew took a pay cut to keep the show afloat. Remember Another World! Phelps was there before she jumped ship to One Life To Live. What goes on behind the scenes must be more fascinating than on screen. Guiding Light and Another World were creations of another daytime diva or queen Irna Phillips who would be turning over in her grave if she knew what this woman has done to her children.

Now Phelps is killing off Alan Quartermaine who has been played faithfully by Stuart Damon for 30 years. I'm concerned that she is going to lose one of the show's best attributes, the Quartermaine Family. She and the network practically drove Anna Lee out over a contract dispute. Even with John Ingle's welcome return, the shadow over the show is still different. I don't blame cast members like Leslie Charleson and others for being so vocal about Damon's departure. It's as shocking as it comes. This is what you get when you have somebody like Phelps at the helm.

I have watched this show for as long as I can remember. I was born in 77 and watched as a little kid. My parents were fans and I got into it (they both watched all ABC soaps). I was also a fan of AMC/OLTL/Loving/Port Charles. I knew people felt it was weird for a guy to like soaps but I didn't care... I was hooked. I remember VCR days and taping every show so I could watch after school and rushing home to catch GH in time LOL! I have fond memories of characters staring out on the show that are still on today. Luke and Laura, Frisco and Felicia, Robert and Anna, The Q's and all the bickering and backstabbing, Robin being there since she was a kid... etc. The show has changed a lot over the years but I would like to think I am as much a an today as I was back in the day.

General Hospital is a long running soap opera that had wonderful leadership with Gloria Monty and Wendy Riche and amazing writers like Claire Labine. Also great performances by John Beradino,Rachel Ames, Tony Geary,Genie Francis,Tristan Rogers,Finola Hughes,Kimberly Mccullough,Vanessa Marcil,Alicia Leigh Willis and Billy Warlock.

Tristan Rogers and Finola Hughes were incredible as Robert and Anna in the 80s and 90s where GH was filled with action,adventure and romance.

The highlight of the 1990s included storylines of the family. BJ Jones's death, Monica Quartermaine fighting breast cancer, Stone and Robin's love story and their AIDS storyline. Plus the amazing chemistry and connection that made Sonny&Brenda soulmates.

GH hit a rough patch in 2000-2001 with many backstage changes but it is improving in 2002. One of the most promising current storylines is the AJ Quartermaine and Courtney Matthews relationship. Billy Warlock and Alicia Leigh Willis have phenomenal chemistry that makes watching in 2002 a must.