Long-running soaps like General Hospital have a rich history. Characters and storylines are always evolving, and soaps need to keep up with the times. But their legacy characters are just as, if not more, important.
Remember When?
GH premiered in 1963, and most of the original cast are no longer with us, but there are still characters who have been around since the 70s and 80s. Port Charles is also filled with children and grandchildren with legacy names.
The Quartermaines, the Baldwins, the Webbers, the Spencers, the Scorpios, and the Cassadines have all been around for decades. Every once in a while, a family member will flash back to an old story so that viewers either remember or learn the history behind a current situation.
Switched At Birth
Laura (Genie Francis) is one of the most beloved GH characters of all time. Luke (Anthony Geary) and Laura are legendary. Recently, she had a conversation with their daughter Lulu (Alexa Havins) about adoption, and Laura went way back into her own past.
GH loves a good switched at birth storyline. The most recent was about Wiley (Viron Weaver) but decades ago, Laura was also switched at birth. She believed she was part of the Vining family, but her real mom was Lesley (Denise Alexander). She explained that she felt a strong connection to Lesley from the moment she met her and was happy to later find out she was her mom. Laura also shared how she became a troubled teen after that.
This was a sweet mother/daughter moment. Lulu was looking for guidance, and her mom’s story helped her. It was nice for Laura to share her past with her daughter.
Murderous Past
Tracy (Jane Elliot) is another legendary character who is wonderful to watch, and she is keeping the Quartermaine legacy alive. Tracy has reignited her feud with Sonny (Maurice Benard), and she wants him out of Port Charles. She has taken a liking to Gio (Giovanni Mazza), but Gio loves “Uncle Sonny,” who has helped him throughout his life, and didn’t understand where Tracy’s hatred was coming from. It was then that the Q matriarch asked Jason (Steve Burton) to tell Gio about how the man they both admired killed A.J. (Sean Kanan). It doesn’t look like the violinist will change his mind, but at least he knows the truth.
Tracy has been bringing this story up recently, and it is another reminder that Sonny never pays for his crimes.
It is important for our legacy characters to remind residents of Port Charles and viewers where the characters came from and why they behave the way they do, because these factors affect the stories of today.
Do you like it when GH brings up old storylines? Let us know in the comments section.
