G is for General Hospital

They just don’t make ‘em like they used to.

Soap Operas, that is.

From as long as I can remember, I watched soaps with the ladies in my family. Typically, we watched the ones on ABC—All My Children, One Life to Live, and my favorite—General Hospital. In high school, I stopped watching AMC (I got home from school too late and this was the pre-DVR era), and after I joined the Air Force, I somehow got sucked into Days of Our Lives. (Probably because it came on during my lunch hour.)

Demon possession, aliens disguised as intrepid reporters searching for missing crystals, an evil plot to control the weather, split personalities, resurrections from the dead, vampires, characters who go upstairs to polish their skis and don’t come back for ten years—yeah, those were the good ol’ days.

Casey the Alien from the planet Lumina, aka Shep Casey, landed in Port Charles in search of some special crystals.

Now, while there may be some well-done, socially-relevant storylines, it seems much of the fun has gone out of the soaps. Maybe it’s because I’ve gotten older and more resistant to change, but I’ve lost interest in my favorites. When GeneralHospital spun off Port Charles and the kids of my favorite characters grew up (sometimes magically), I tuned out. I prefer to remember Felicia as a young Aztec princess and Frisco as a brash rock-star-cum-spy, Duke and Anna passionately in love, and Luke and Laura heading off into the sunset to live happily ever after (or mostly, at least). I love the old Lucy Coe and the sweet friendship she had with Scotty that was in stark contrast to the manipulative witch she really was. And who could forget Sean and Tiffany, Robert and Holly? Not me.

Maxie receives her cousin BJs heart after a fatal bus crash. “Not B.J’s heart,” Felicia (Maxie’s mom) cried. “Not Barbara Jean’s!” Saddest. Moment. Ever.

April 1^st marked GH’s 50^th Anniversary, and like any good fanatic, I purchased the $10 People special and I’ve been watching my old favorites return. I know this sounds silly and perhaps trite, but seeing the old characters (even if just in glimpses, as Alan Quartermaine’s and Rick Webber’s cameos were) is sort of like coming home again. When Frisco got up at the Nurse’s Ball and sang to Felicia, All I Need, I nearly wept. (Even though I don’t think he deserves her and she belongs once and for all with Mac.) If I could have, I would have called into work today just so I could watch Rick Springfield (RICK SPRINGFIELD!!!!!) perform this afternoon. Now I (and my 10-year-old and 5-year-old, who are both big Rick fans) will have to wait until tomorrow to catch it online. Woe to anyone who interrupts us during that hour!

Did you have favorite soaps, or were they just not your cup of tea? Still watch any?