Do Fans Prefer Today’s General Hospital (GH) To Past Glory Days?

General Hospital (GH) was the first daytime soap to be featured on the cover of People Magazine. They made soap opera fandom hip and cool for college kids (and guys), and they still hold the record for highest-watched episode of all time.

That was in the 1980s.

GH is still on the air (which is more than any other ABC soap from that era can say). But how do today’s stories compare to those of Port Charles past? Almost 4,000 longtime viewers chimed in with their thoughts.

Past Perfect
Luke and Laura. Alan and Monica. Rick and Lesley. Robert and Holly. Duke and Anna. Frisco and Felicia. Karen and Jagger. Robin and Stone. Heck, even Steve and Audrey. That’s the GH 71% of you fondly remember.

The stuff airing today — Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Carly (Laura Wright), what time around is it? Liz (Rebecca Herbst) and the psycho? Yet another Cassadine? Alexis’s (Nancy Lee Grahn) endless dysfunctional relationships? One Jason (Billy Miller), two Jasons (Steve Burton)? — doesn’t even come close.

Even Steven
Eh, they’re about the same, venture 17% of the audience. We’ve even got some familiar faces like Monica (Leslie Charleson), Anna (Finola Hughes), Laura (Genie Francis), Scott (Kin Shriner), and Bobbie (Jaclyn Zeman).

Today’s GH’s is about on par with yesterday’s GH — for better or for worse.

The Good Old Days Weren’t Always Good
Eternal optimists, 10% of fans think GH is just getting better and better. Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) is a more multi-dimensional Cassadine than Mikos and his original two brothers.

Laura is finally with Kevin (Jon Lindstrom), a guy who didn’t rape her. There’s a gay couple, Lucas (Ryan Carnes) and Brad (Parry Shan) — and they’re adorable (if rarely seen). So 21st Century Port Charles has it all over the last century.

Hiding Hayden
And then there are the 2% who are just angry about Hayden’s (Rebecca Budig) departure. Then again, the show survived multiple decades without her. It probably can carry on now, too.

General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC. Share your thoughts, leave a comment in the section below. Win exclusive member-only GH spoilers, prizes, and more: sign up here! Also, join the conversation on our Facebook page.