Reviewed by Melissa Garza
It was announce today that General Hospital will be changed to a 2 PM timeslot starting in September. This decision was supposedly made to make room for Katie Couric’s new daytime talk show.
The bottom line is that soap operas sadly are being mistreated and cancelled. As the World Turns, One Life to Live, and All My Children are just a few of the casualties. General Hospital will be reaching its 50th Anniversary in 2013. Is there any question as to what will happen after that?
Whether it’s the last episode or the last season, General Hospital is on its way out and thus another great show is destroyed so that the network can make cheap unwatchable crap.
I grew up watching General Hospital. The romantic saga of Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Brenda (Vanessa Marcil) drew me in. From the inception of the relationship I was hooked. The comeback of Luke and Laura in the nineties captivated me and introduced me to the greatest soap couple of all time.
I remember when Bobby and Tony’s daughter died and gave their heart to Felicia’s daughter Maxie. I remember how happy I was when Lily was blown to smithereens and I hoped that Sonny and Brenda would reunite. Oh, how I hated when Miguel and Brenda slept together….disgusting.
Then there was Jax and Brenda ….I still rooted for Sonny. Their passion was amazing.
I remember Stone and Robin – and how devastating it was when Stone died of AIDS. He was blind but at the last moment of his life, he could see his lady love. I get chills just thinking about it.
There was when Laura confronted Luke about the rape and when Luke himself was broken of the memories. He was angry at himself and disgusted with himself. He couldn’t understand how he could be with the love of his life – how he could deserve her. She helped him accept it.
Years later as she sat in a vegetative state and Luke did whatever he could to find the drug that would wake her –if only for a little while. I cry every time I see this scene. When she awakes and finds out she will reenter the vegetative state Geary utters, “I told myself I was doing it for the kids, and then I told myself I was doing it for you, but the truth is I’m a selfish bastard, I did this for me. I wanted you back. I need you. I’m lost without you.” (You can watch this clip in its entirety below).
This is what we need back. We need this level of intensity. Soap operas capture that. Soap operas capture a love story that can last a decade when told properly and when played by brilliant actors. Never has there been a couple who came close to the chemistry that Geary and Francis share. They are dynamic and brilliant.
If ABC cancels General Hospital, I truly hope that a station (even a paid station) is able to bring it back..or even play the greatest love stories uncut.
In the meantime, start the petitions now people. If you want to keep GH alive, I’d definitely start writing ABC.