Wednesday, October 29, 2008


Back when I was 10 years old, I started watching General Hospital with my mom. These were the years of Anna Devane, Duke Lavery, the WSB, and DVX. I loved the show for many reasons; the drama, spending time with my mom, and the history that when my mom was 10 herself she watched General Hospital. Both of us cringed whenever Felicia spoke in that Minnie Mouse voice and both of us were supremely pissed off that Duke was killed off before he was able to reunite with Anna after his "death".

General Hospital was appointment television for the next 10 years. In college a bunch of my dorm-mates and I gathered to weep over Stone's death. Bringing Luke and Laura back in the 90's was surprisingly well-done. I scheduled my college classes so I had the hour of three to four free. I liked the show because it focused on history and characters. And when they introduced new characters, it was done very well - like Carly, Brenda, and Alexis.

In the 10 years since college, I've tuned in occasionally. When I was unemployed, I watched regularly not out of enjoyment but out of sheer horror of how bad the show has become. The mob story lines are repetitive and poorly acted (sorry Maurice Bernard, you ain't Pacino no matter how hard you try). The Quartermaines have basically been all killed off and barely get any screen-time. Don't get me started on the Spencers (a drunk, a lunkhead, and two crazy women) Carly is a shrieking shrew and they shot a 12 year old character in the head for what reason? A lesson about violence? Nope - considering how many shootings have happened since. But on the up side, Robin Scorpio still rocks and thank goodness she had her own show: Night Shift.

Sadly, it looks like I will not watch General Hospital with my own daughter. I doubt it will still be on the air in the next 20 years, I hate how misogynistic and violent the show is.

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