Save our Soaps Campaign
Is a campaign started by the many fed up fans of General Hospital, and other ABC Daytime Soaps that seem to have lost interest in pleasing the fans, and have taken an interest in re-writing vital history to each of the daytime serial's. I will be posting Press Releases sent to me from the creators of The Official Save Our Soaps Creators- Dana Meyer, along with links back to The Official SOS Facebook Page. You will find crucial materials there that have been put together so professionally from obvious dedicated soap fans , including postcards for each month ..to be printed and mailed to TPTB to show your complete and utter dissatisfaction of the promoting of un-worthy storylines to fans that deserve more. So if you are a true soap fan, join the campaign, and come back to check for periodic updates from The Official Save Our Soaps Creators".
And on a personal note: As a watcher of General Hospital for more than 18 years, as well as all other ABC Daytime Soaps, I must say that I have stopped watching GHmyself.. I just can't bear to watch the disgraceful mess that they have turned it into. It is a mockery of what the show was set out to be, and has been to all of us loyal and long time viewers. I don't appreciate the content anymore, this used to be a soap that could be watched with mothers , daughters, and grandmothers, passed on from generation to generation..sadly this is not the case anymore.. If there demographic is women from 18 and above..well they are missing the mark completely, and I can say this as being a part of that demographic.
So, when TBTB decides to give General Hospital the well deserved makeover it so desperately needs (where's Ty Pennington when you need him!) that is when I shall tune in again.. So here is to mydemand statement to the Soap Powers that be.. "Give us back or GENERAL HOSPITAL!!!"
Example of one of July's Postcards:
General Hospital Fan Bases Join Forces To Be Heard
For months many fans of ABC's General Hospital have been voicing their concerns and displeasure with what was once the network's flagship soap opera through emails and letters to soap magazines and ABC/Disney executives, and in online postings on various General Hospital and ABC Message Boards. The common themes among the complaints center around character destruction, unbalanced storylines, promotion of excessive immoral and detrimental ideals and behaviors, underutilization of long-term characters in favor of bringing on new characters or bringing back old characters for short 'stunt' periods, and the complete void of any long-term romantic pairings and familial interactions. As their voices have not been heeded, members of several fan bases have joined forces to organize the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign. This campaign, kicking off across North America in June, is a joint effort by those fans to make an appeal to ABC/Disney to help save what was once their favorite soap opera. As ratings continue to surpass all time lows almost monthly, these fans fear that General Hospital will suffer the same fate that the long-running soap opera Guiding Light has recently--cancellation.
What do the viewers/fans of General Hospital want? They want character-driven storylines, character growth and development, historical integrity and respect for the characters, balance of light and dark emotive story lines among favorite characters, more focus on families, rootable couples that provide positive moral examples, less sleaze, more romance, a sense of integrity in storytelling, and an overall enjoyable escape.
At a time when the country is experiencing one of its highest rates of unemployment and more people are at home looking for entertainment to provide them an escape, the expectation would be that soap opera ratings would reap some benefit from this increase in home audience. Sadly, the ratings for General Hospital in 2009 have not shown that to be the case, having surpassed the all-time low ratings’ numbers previously recorded. “What could be the cause? What is different?” are some of the questions being asked.
The SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign is attempting to answer those questions by identifying the causes and voicing them to those in charge of making changes. One long time fan of General Hospital notes one reason she is so disheartened with the show is that many of the viable couples that were together or were working their way back together when ratings were higher, are now split apart and share no screen-time together. General Hospital is being written as if these characters have never met, though their shared, rich histories are what attracted viewers to the show in the first place. In addition, the characters who were members of these couples are now being written so far from their usual personalities that they have become almost unrecognizable. Viewers are left wondering why management is doing this in a period of declining ratings, which is patronizing to the fans of so many characters.
Other causes for the declining viewership are that the integrity of several characters is being sacrificed to showcase one or two actors/actresses or characters. Fan favorites are being placed on the backburner and/or dropped to recurring status while new, unproven characters are given significantly more airtime. As quoted by one fan, “New characters suddenly thrown onto the canvas often disrupt storylines because their very existence disrespects the rich history of the show.” History is literally being rewritten to allow for the addition of these new characters.
Strong, independent female characters are given little airtime and are often put down or attacked by other characters, while sleazy, manipulative female characters are showcased and held in high regard and rewarded for their repulsive behavior. Since women are the backbone of General Hospital’s viewership, many want to see women succeed, whether it be in their home, the oval office or in the corner office of corporate America. The constant degradation of strong, independent, and professional female characters, whether they be full-time heads of households, professional doctors, nurses or business executives, is wearing thin on female viewers. In general there are few examples and no balance in the treatment of positive female role models on the show.
In addition, lead male characters are being written inconsistently and without regard for their history. Throughout the past several months, one lead male character's point-of-view of his wife and their relationship, or lack of one,changes on a week to week basis, making it difficult, if not impossible to care about or even understand or follow the storyline. Another lead male is written to be the surrogate father for his nephew, showcasing his love of children, while at the same time totally ignoring his own son. As evidenced by the falling ratings, and fan-initiated black-outs, the cumulative effect of these many issues has caused many viewers to simply tune out.
Throughout the month of June, fans of Sonny and Kate, Jason and Elizabeth, Patrick and Robin, and Jax and Carly, are joining forces through the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign to express their concerns. These large fan bases feel that General Hospital is not only worth saving but also believe ratings can be brought back up by utilizing and emphasizing these four compelling, romantic, and dynamic couples more. Thousands of fans from the United States and across North America are sending an SOS to ABC/Disney executives Robert Iger, Anne Sweeney, Zenia Mucha, Brian Frons, Robert Guza and Jill Farren Phelps.
Over 12,000 postcards with this plea are being mailed, and ratings information is being FAXed, to ABC/Disney executives in an effort to save General Hospital. The fans involved in this campaign want General Hospital to be a success, and are thereby hoping that ABC/Disney willlisten to its loyal customersand takesteps to improve itsproduct. The goal of this campaign is to work with ABC/Disney towin back viewers and restore GH to the position it onceheld. It's clear to these fans of General Hospital that, if the issues identified above are addressed and positive changes are made, General Hospital would not only stay afloat, but rise to the top again!
For further information regarding the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign, please contact Dana L. Meyer or Kecia K. Picard at saveoursoapgh@gmail.com.
SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign
Fans Request Changes As Ratings Remain Low
Recently released ratings for ABC’s General Hospital show that significant numbers of viewers remain uninterested in the show and are tuning out. Since the beginning of April of 2009, General Hospital has hit new lows in total viewers, HH, and in the women 18-49 demographic (2,360,000, 1.8 rating and 1.1 rating respectively, for the week ending April 24, 2009). For the last three weeks (ending June 12, 2009), ratings for total viewers have been at a steady 1.9, a decline of 14-17% from 2008.
As reported by The Nielsen Ratings Corporation, last week’s ratings (June 8-12, 2009) for ABC's General Hospital are again down, 21% in total viewers and 19% in the 18-49 demo vs. last season’s results. While it's true that soap operas in general are lower in audience numbers than in previous years, there are still shows with noticeable improvements occurring. In the current ratings race, Days of Our Lives, which was on the verge of cancellation just last year, has gained viewers while General Hospital has continued to lose viewers. For the 2008-2009 season, Days is now tied with General Hospital for third place in total viewers and second place for the 18-49 demographic. For the same time period last season, Days was in fifth place in total viewers and in third place in the 18-49 demographic.
Having joined together to form the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign, fans of Sonny and Kate, Jason and Elizabeth, Patrick and Robin, and Jax and Carly are asking ABC/Disney to listen to the viewers and make changes. Provide viewers with character-driven storylines incorporating character growth and development, maintain historical integrity and respect for characters, and balance the light-hearted and dark emotive story lines. These desires, along with “...rootable couples, less sleaze, more romance, a sense of integrity in storytelling and an overall enjoyable escape are what the viewers and long time fans of General Hospital miss,” stated a 20-plus year fan of the show.
The number of fans joining the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign continues to grow in support of working for a better General Hospital. For more information on the campaign, contact Dana L. Meyer or Kecia K. Picard at saveoursoapgh@gmail.com or visit the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital page on Facebook.
SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign
GENERAL HOSPITAL RATINGS DECLINE TO A NEW LOW
ABC Daytime TV Rejects Viewers' Requests for Greater Integrity and Less Sleaze
As reported by the A.C. Nielsen Ratings Corporation for the week ending June 26, 2009, ratings for General Hospital (GH) fell yet again to a new record low. GH lost more viewers vs. last year than any other soap opera, while other soap operas like the Young & the Restless (Y&R) and Days of Our Lives (DOOL) gained viewers vs. last year.
GH has become a shell of its former self in the all-important women 18-49 demographic, which is highly valued by advertisers. For the corresponding week in 2008, GH ranked #1 in the women 18-34 demographic and was a very close second to Y&R in the women 18-49 demographic (Y&R had 1,024,000 viewers vs. 985,000 viewers for GH), while DOOL was a distant third in the rankings with 729,000 viewers. Versus last year, GH has dropped 27% in the women 18-49 demographic and 33% in the women 18-34 demographic. GH is now a distant third to both Y&R and DOOL (by 273,000 viewers and 80,000 viewers, respectively in the 18-49 demographic) in these two important demographics.
For months viewers have been begging GH to write character-driven story lines, maintain historical integrity, and write less sleaze and more romance. However, ABC Daytime TV continues to deliver stories that focus on the complete opposite--plot-points and more sleaze.
The week prior (June 15- 19, 2009), GH ended Friday's episode with more rough/hate sex between Sonny and Claudia. That “cliffhanger Friday” garnered a low 1.8 rating. The following Monday (June 22, 2009), GH resumed the show with the rough/hate sex between Sonny and Claudia. That scene helped that episode of GH drop to a 1.7 rating.
Compare those ratings to the romantic comedy scenes between Sonny and Kate when Kate took the wrong pill out of Warren’s coat pocket and ended up conversing with Sonny about Bensonhurst and Coney Island, finally resulting in her pulling Sonny into a kiss. That “cliffhanger Friday” (July 20, 2007) drew a 2.5 rating with 3,392,000 viewers. The following Monday (July 23, 2007), the scene resumed and led to several more romantic comedy scenes resulting in them having sex, helping that episode spike to a 2.7 rating with 3,613,000 viewers!
Notably, on a “cliffhanger Friday” (September 12, 2008), an angst filled discussion led to an almost love scene with Jason and Elizabeth. That episode garnered a 2.4 rating. That scene carried over to the following Monday (September 15, 2008), helping that episode earn an even higher 2.5 rating! Though the scenes were angst-ridden, many viewers had an emotional investment in the romance between these two characters. Obviously, viewers prefer romantic comedy, love and romance to the hate and anger sex that is currently being so highly promoted.
Viewers watch soaps because they are part of a unique genre, one that allows viewers to get to know the characters on a daily basis. Unlike nighttime dramas, or even sitcoms that are televised once a week, soap operas air daily, allowing viewers to become intimately familiar with the characters and their behaviors, personalities, relationships and characteristics over the years that they are watched. When the core of a character, or his or her behavior, is suddenly shifted to a polar opposite, the inconsistency is immediately noticed. Many fans of soap operas have watched since they were much younger, often as long as 20–30 years, therefore, when the integrity of a character is diminished due to inconsistent writing and skewed behaviors, it is immediately recognized. GH's current ratings suggest that viewers are unhappy with the blatant character disintegration and assassination taking place to characters they feel as close to as members of their own families.
When the history of characters and storylines has to be manipulated to tell a new story or make it plausible, then it is not a story that should be told. Viewers of GH, as well as other soap operas, understand that surprises about a character's history will be revealed to garner interest in a storyline. They understand that, sometimes, those surprises change the way one feels about the character or his or her current behavior. However, the current viewers of GH have been subjected to too many rewrites of long- and short-term history to accommodate the acceptance of the vile, immoral characters and/or the new characters being introduced.
Recently the character of Ethan has been added to the canvas and has damaged the historical integrity of the iconic soap couples Luke and Laura and Robert and Holly. Long-time viewers know that Ethan’s conception by Luke and Holly does not fit into the timeline of the stories that were presented back then. Additionally it completely disrespects the most highly rated episode in daytime history by reducing the love Luke had for Laura by his casual admission to the affair with Holly that led to Ethan's birth.
The rewrite that Alexis slept with the mayor the night she saw Ric and Sam having sex to accommodate a murder mystery for the mayor and his wife does not fit with the timeline of that evening. It is impossible for her to have seen them having sex, leave with Jason to go to the hospital because she was in the throws of lung cancer, go to the Metro Court and be with Sonny and Kristina while eating ice cream during the blackout, then take Kristina back to their hotel room. It simply is not possible or plausible and the viewers know it.
The character of Olivia has damaged the historical integrity of the backstory of Sonny as well as the backstory of Sonny and Kate. When Olivia was first introduced to the canvas, her story seemed to change anywhere from every three days to every several weeks, causing viewers (and it seemed, even the characters) to be confused about her role in Sonny’s and Kate’s lives. The writers keep trying to make Olivia sound more important to Sonny with each rewrite, though it had been drilled into viewers’ heads for a year-and-a-half that Connie/Kate was Sonny’s first love and the one he focused his attention on. Even Olivia stated when she first arrived in town that “he was all about Connie back then.” (To see commercials that promote Sonny being uncharacteristically jealous of Olivia being with Johnny during the week of these all-time low ratings was a turn-off for many fans.)
Having Elizabeth Webber recently apologize to Lucky Spencer for 'cheating' on him during the night she found him sleeping in their bed, in their apartment, with Maxie Jones completely disputes the months of conversations she had with Lucky, Jason, Sam, Audrey, and even Emily about what happened that evening. She repeatedly told everyone that she believed her marriage was over and that she had no regrets for what ultimately had happened that night between her and Jason (and therefore did not need to apologize for cheating on Lucky).
Jason Morgan's character has always been steadfastly clear when it came to those who betrayed him or those he loved. When Robin told AJ about Michael being his son, Jason couldn't forgive her for years. When Ric almost killed Elizabeth and then kidnapped Carly, he never forgave him and has, in fact, harbored an intense hatred for him. When he found out Sam had purposely slept with Ric, he was devastated and, when later he found out she watched his son being kidnapped and then hired men to hold guns on Elizabeth and the boys in the park, he actually threatened her life. To now, merely months later, have him working with her and considering her a friend, goes completely against Jason Morgan's history. Long-time viewers and fans cannot reconcile the completely contradictory behavior with the character.
Additional illustrations of the desecration of historical integrity include the addition of Rebecca as Emily’s twin, the introduction of Logan as Scott Baldwin's son, and the illogical revelation that Diego Alcazar was the text message killer. The overly used method of simply rewriting history to make a storyline's direction more plausible is anything but plausible to the viewers and fans of GH.
All of these characters, aside from those who have been killed off, were on-screen the week of June 22-26, 2009. These characters or storylines have become symbols to many viewers of the lack of integrity in the writing, and lack of respect for the show’s history and for the viewers themselves who are invested in that history. Every time these characters are on-screen, viewers are reminded that GH does not value its history or its viewers. Is it any wonder that viewers are tuning out?
Many viewers who have stopped or reduced their viewing of GH are wondering when ABC/Disney is going to recognize that it is in the business of supplying a product for its customers’ enjoyment and the importance of those loyal customers. Viewers have been voicing their concerns about GH by calling the ABC and GH comment lines, e-mailing the ABC/Disney executives, writing letters, filling out ABC comment forms, voting in polls in ABC Soaps in Depth (an ABC publication), and posting on ABC Insider Access (an ABC/Disney affiliated message board), yet these writing issues have been allowed to continue. Why is ABC/Disney allowing an inferior product to continue to be produced and shown on-air?
Many fans of GH are now joining together with fans of Sonny and Kate, Jason and Elizabeth, Patrick and Robin, and Jax and Carly as part of the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign. All share in a common goal of asking ABC/Disney to listen to the viewers and make changes. The number of fans joining the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign continues to grow every week in support of working for a better General Hospital. For more information on the campaign, contact Dana L. Meyer or Kecia K. Picard at saveoursoapgh@gmail.com or visit the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital page on Facebook.
Response to the 6.29.09SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Press Release
By The Liason Haven
theLiasonHaven.com
GENERAL HOSPITAL RATINGS COLLAPSE
Time for ABC/Disney to Improve Product Before It Is Too Late
As fans of General Hospital's Jason Morgan and Elizabeth Webber, the members of The Liason Haven wholly support the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign. A vast majority of the board members are 20-35+ year viewers of the show who are now entirely disgruntled and frustrated with the current state of affairs on General Hospital (GH). Many, however, are not surprised by the spiraling decline in the ratings because they either know someone who is no longer watching, or they have stopped watching or now only watch via TiVo or DVR so they can fast forward through the program. What is surprising is that this soap opera that used to be ABC's flagship soap opera is now so far down in the ratings on a weekly basis that it has hit new lows more than four times throughout the first half of 2009.
The ten year push-and-pull, tease, then separation of the pairing of Jason Morgan and Elizabeth Webber is wearing thin with fans. Both characters are from legacy families of GH; both legacy families have been a part of the show in one way or another since its inception. Sadly, these two characters that have shared a history for ten years by being friends, confidantes, allies, heroes to and for one another, and briefly lovers, have never been written as an actual couple. Many viewers believe that these two characters, if written as a couple, could join these two legacy families and virtually renew two bloodlines. Many feel this would be a golden opportunity for the writing team, but instead this opportunity has been completely dismissed. It is something that is necessary since GH's Management has seen fit to kill off or write off most of either family to the point that there are less then three members of either family on the show on a regular basis.
There is a strong need for new blood in these families and for the future of Port Charles and GH. By continually adding new, young characters that are related to or are the children of Sonny Corinthos, the current management and writing team is only showcasing it's short-sightedness. So many characters will populate Port Charles that are either full- or half-siblings, or first cousins, that there won't be any male or female characters left in town that can be paired with one another, because they will all be related to each other one way or another. By allowing Elizabeth and Jason to be a couple with a family, the writers could remedy that situation, while taking advantage of the irrefutable chemistry of the characters and the two under-appreciated and under-utilized, talented actors who portray them, Rebecca Herbst and Steve Burton.
Currently, viewers are also tired of the focus being placed on unsavory female characters, such as Claudia Zacchara, Sam McCall, and Olivia Falconeri who manipulate, lie, have no skills, work in illegal professions, marry their way into wealth, and/or actually plan and/or cause physical harm upon children. Having female characters whose morals are less than questionable being given prominence in storylines and screen time is pushing the women 18-49 demographic away from the television, as evidenced by the massive decline in ratings for that demographic. Having these characters never pay for their crimes, never suffer actual consequences for their misdeeds, or “win” the man after their manipulation is not something women want to watch or want their impressionable children or teens to watch.
Moreover, these characters start out on GH as femme fatales or evildoers, yet for some unknown reason, very suddenly their crimes and misdeeds are whitewashed and the audience is supposed to just accept they have changed their ways and now are good, honorable women. Where is the continuity? Why can't GH have a female character who is evil and plotting upon entering the show and leave her that way?
Many viewers conclude that Management believes viewers are “trainable animals” and not human beings with emotions, logic, morals and memories. That is not the case. Loyal and long-time viewers do not forget what these characters have done, the hypocrisies they have spewed or the crimes they have committed. If the argument by Management is that it is just a TV show and the emotional connection is not an issue to be considered, it is completely wrong and misguided. Viewers watch a program for 15, 20, or even 35 years because they are emotionally invested in the show and its characters; those bonds are not easily broken because someone in Management has decided the character needs redemption to be more likeable by the audience.
Most viewers want to see more strong female characters like Elizabeth Webber who, as a troubled teen overcame her rebellious ways, learned how to support herself and her son with a career, and continually puts her needs and wants behind those of the people she cares about most. She has always been a strong female and one who has accepted Jason and his job completely and been there for him when he needed her. Similarly, Kate Howard is a strong, intelligent, independent woman who worked her way from nothing to the top of her business. She has been Sonny's equal, challenging him and bringing out the best in him every step of the way. These are the strong types of women viewers want to watch. These are the women viewers can identify with, empathize with, and want their daughters, nieces, goddaughters, and even themselves to be inspired by. One fan summarized it perfectly, “ The woman of the 21st Century doesn’t want it all – she has it all whether she wants it or not; it's what she makes of it that makes the difference.”
Fans of GH don't want to see the same storylines played over and over again, but want the characters to grow and develop. Watching Elizabeth settling for being with Lucky Spencer yet again is pathetic and degrading. He has cheated on her more than once, abused her, been selfish and jealous of her when she was trying to protect him and their family, and been unsupportive of her throughout their relationship. Showing such a strong female character, who is willing to fight for her loved ones, suddenly weak and settling, is nothing less than disjointed character writing and character degradation, while being intolerable and disrespectful to Rebecca Herbst who has portrayed Elizabeth for all these years.
Likewise, Jason has wanted a family since he met Elizabeth ten years ago when he gave up Michael. He has always protected her and protected those he loves. To have his character simply walk away from Elizabeth and her children because his life is too dangerous, when she has killed to protect herself and her children, and has fought to protect him, is ridiculous and exemplifies character stagnation and assassination. At the same time, having him run around town virtually babysitting Kristina, the child of Alexis and Sonny, the child that Alexis has for years fought to keep away from Jason and Sonny because their business is too dangerous, is hypocritical and completely unbelievable of Jason, Alexis or the show as a whole, while likewise being disrespectful of Steve Burton's portrayal of Jason Morgan.
Viewers long to see strong, independent, relatable female characters with families, facing unreasonable circumstances and fighting unreasonable odds within enduring romantic relationships. Viewers long for more romance and humor for their favorite couples, not just one dangerous, toxic, life-threatening crisis after another. They want to see families like the Quartermaines, Spencers, Cassadines, Hardys and Scorpios that last, through thick and thin. All of these help to create the enjoyable escape for one hour Monday through Friday that the fans crave.
As loyal fans, The Liason Haven members have voiced their displeasure for the show through the various channels offered by the ABC/Disney Network. They have provided opinions on what needs to be repaired for the show to amass continued viewer loyalty and improved ratings, however, it seems those efforts have been given little attention or ignored. They have pointed out that specific episodes that highlighted Jason and Elizabeth many times garnered the highest
ratings for the week (8/17/06 – 2.6; 2/19&20/07-3.3 & 3.1; 8/20&21/07 - 2.7 & 2.6; 11/16&19/07 - 2.5 & 2.6; 9/15/08 – 2.5). Even with Jason and Elizabeth not being written as an actual couple, they are consistently ranked in the top 5 in Soap Opera Digest's and ABC Soaps In Depth's poll for Best Couple, as well as having Steve Burton and Rebecca Herbst consistently ranked in the top 3 for Best Actor and Actress. All of this information seems to fall on and deaf ears.
The SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign has offered the members of The Liason Haven a way to take a more active role in making their voices be heard. By joining together with fans of Sonny and Kate, Patrick and Robin, and Jax and Carly, Jason and Elizabeth fans cannot and will not let this show, that many members grew up watching, continue on this decline without seeking help from higher-ups at ABC/Disney. These viewers want to make an impact by taking whatever steps are necessary to rescue and resuscitate General Hospital from the downward spiral in which it is currently entrenched. This challenging task is a labor of love for them as long-time, emotionally invested fans. This is why The Liason Haven fully supports the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign. They believe in the mission of SOS and believe that if the issues of the SOS campaign are addressed, and these four couples are emphasized, the show could recover from its dismal ratings, if ABC/Disney is willing to listen.
For more information or to submit questions or comments, you may contact The Liason Haven at theliasonhaven@gmail.com.
Response to 6.29.09 SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Press Release
By The Heart & the Hope: A Sonny and Kate Fan Forum
GENERAL HOSPITAL RATINGS COLLAPSE
Time for ABC/Disney to Improve Product Before It Is Too Late
For the week ending June 19, 2009, the ratings for General Hospital (GH) plummeted to all-time lows. Many fans are not surprised due to what has been appearing on-screen for the past several months. The Heart & the Hope: A Sonny and Kate Fan Forum supports the efforts of the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign. For several months, viewers have been disheartened with the continual destruction of the integrity of the Sonny character, the inconsistent writing of both the Sonny and Kate characters, and the absence of the Kate character except for occasional mentions of her name by her employees at Crimson. It is more than disappointing to watch the years of work that Maurice Benard has put into his character on GH be completely discounted and dismissed, while at the same time, Megan Ward is virtually pushed aside for newcomers and her storylines are taken over by other characters. We truly believe that GH cannot continue with the status quo and still remain a viable program for ABC/Disney.
In March of 2008, Sonny told Kate, when she was concerned about Claudia and her power, that Kate gave him hope and why would he throw that away for Claudia Zacharra? Viewers wonder the same thing.
Several months later, a marriage of convenience between Sonny and Claudia began as Sonny's quest to bring the person who shot Kate at their wedding to justice, then, in the blink of an eye it became about him not deserving Kate and punishing himself for his past by living with and staying married to the woman whom he now suspects set up the hit that put his son in a coma, and may also be carrying his brother’s child after sleeping with him under Sonny’s roof. The writers constantly have Sonny refer to Claudia as a despicable whore that he hates and does not trust, yet they ruin his character by having him have sex with the wife/whore he claims to detest. Every time Sonny has sex with Claudia, he looks physically ill and often states that he does not know why he did it (except for the time he impatiently pushed his way into her bedroom and said, “Don’t take long…cause I need it right now!”). Recently he stated he did not want it to happen again (because of his suspicions), but then stated it had happened again because she jumped him, so in essence he made it her fault. In that one statement, Sonny Corinthos, supposedly a powerful mobster, indicated that he had no real power or sense of self-control and that she held all of the power over him. Is this supposed to be a strong leading male character on GH that women want to watch?
In years past, Sonny has always been portrayed as a smart man, yet he is now written, more often than not, as clueless and foolish. His point-of-view throughout the last six months has shifted on an almost daily basis. He sometimes says he married Claudia to find Kate’s shooter, sometimes says he married Claudia to give him more power in the Zacchara Organization after he took over (though she held no power within the family’s organization, so he gained no more power by remaining married to her), and at other times says he married her for several reasons and/or because she is what he deserves. As one fan stated, “Sonny now feels the need to punish himself, so we viewers have to be punished as well with this storyline.”
If the hypocrisy of Sonny remaining with Claudia isn't enough, he is now caught between TWO manipulative, hypocritical, lying females, further alienating the viewers. His jealousy over Olivia, Kate’s cousin (a character Robert Guza said in published articles would never be explored since she was a creation of the writers during the writer's strike) is unfounded. After spending fifteen months developing and eloquently telling the teenage love story of Sonny and Kate, including taking them back to Bensonhurst for several scenes that included a marriage proposal, the writers clumsily introduced the character of Olivia, Kate’s cousin, who shared a short-term, volatile, dysfunctional, teen relationship with Sonny, resulting in her getting pregnant before he fell in love with his first-love, Connie (Kate). Since the day Olivia arrived in Port Charles, Sonny has not shown any romantic interest in her, yet suddenly viewers are supposed to believe he is insanely jealous of her burgeoning relationship with Johnny Zacchara.
Olivia has repeatedly told Kate that it is dangerous for her to be with or around Sonny, has told Sonny he needs to keep Kate safe by letting her go, threw the DVD that Kate was desperately trying to give to Sonny with the information about Claudia’s role in Michael’s shooting into the hospital fire, discouraged Jax from letting Carly or Sonny know that Claudia is culpable in Michael’s shooting, and is keeping that same secret herself from Sonny, all while keeping a secret of her own. Her big secret is that Sonny is her son’s biological father and she feels that Sonny’s life is too dangerous for him to know about his son and for his son to know about him. Her manipulative, hypocritical, lying ways in no way make her a more suitable candidate for the audience to root for to have a relationship with Sonny.
According to quotes by Robert Guza, Sonny will become more involved with and pursue Olivia. By manipulating the Sonny/Kate/Olivia backstory, showcasing the character of Olivia, and keeping Kate off-screen, it appears that Management wants viewers to forget that the Sonny and Kate romance ever happened. Insulting viewers by rewriting or completely disregarding history seems to be a trend on GH right now, as evidenced by the destruction of the Luke and Laura story, with the addition of the Ethan character as Luke’s son from an extra-marital affair. Ratings show that viewers are not happy with the trend and are not buying into the changes in the backstories of the characters.
It further damages the character of Sonny since Kate, the woman he loves, lives next door to him, yet we have not seen him in a scene where he tells her Michael has awakened from his year-long coma, though she was present when the boy was shot. This has been duly noted in a recent issue of Soap Opera Digest/Thumbs Down (July 7, 2009). There appears to be a blatant effort by the writers to play “keep away” with the characters of Sonny and Kate. If written true to character, when Sonny loves someone, he loves her wholly and completely, therefore it is confusing to viewers that he no longer even acknowledges her existence. The lack of interaction between two people who have never once stated on-screen that they fell out of love is infuriating and completely unbelievable for long-time viewers and fans of General Hospital, Sonny Corinthos and Kate Howard. For him to now pursue the cousin of the woman he loves makes Sonny a total cad. Continuing to destroy the integrity of the Sonny character at a time when ratings are collapsing is dangerous at best.
No valid explanation has been given for the 180-degree turn in Sonny's behavior. Viewers are left to wonder, especially since he is bipolar, is he taking his meds? Has Claudia tampered with his meds? Why has he been drinking so much?
At the same time, the historical integrity of the backstory for Sonny, and that of Sonny and Kate, has been compromised to accommodate the character of Olivia. One of the most confusing aspects of this whole story is that Olivia made Kate keep her secret that her son, Dante, is Sonny’s biological son. She also chastised Kate for moving away from Bensonhurst and away from her family to make a better life for herself. Now Olivia has moved from Bensonhurst to Port Charles, and after repeatedly telling Kate it was too dangerous for her to continue to be with or around Sonny, she is now cozying up to him as his best buddy. This is not a safe way to keep Dante a secret from Sonny. It would make more sense for her to go back home to Bensonhurst and take her secret with her. Instead, Olivia has been inserted into scenes that one would have expected Kate to be in, which has not only been noticed by viewers, but has been acknowledged by ABC Soaps in Depth (June 1, 2009). The question many viewers are asking is: Why is Olivia even in Port Charles? It truly makes no sense for her character to be in Port Charles, let alone take up so much screen time.
With the current storyline, there is nothing to root for. The viewer is left to choose between one manipulative, immoral female character or another, while the heroine of the story is nowhere to be seen. The sleazy, manipulative types are set up to “win” the man while the heroine of the story is ridiculed by other characters and made to be the foolish one, then disappears from the canvas for weeks at a time. Not only is this is not an intelligent way to attract new viewers or maintain current viewership, it is not good soap opera storytelling. As one fan stated in the SOS Press Release, “women… resent being virtually banned from their TV screens by being forced to endure the degradation of strong, independent and professional female characters in favor of showcasing immoral, manipulative, lying female characters on a day-to-day basis.” Viewers are tired of the sleazy, manipulative, hypocritical, lying women being showcased while other favorite characters are given little screen time. The two actresses who play these characters are on-screen several days a week while Megan Ward (Kate), who received many accolades from the soap media, is off-screen for weeks at a time.
In addition, the integrity of many characters on the GH canvas has also been compromised and sacrificed to accommodate the character of Claudia. Several characters are keeping the secret that Claudia is culpable in Michael’s shooting, including Kate, who, being angry that Sonny chose to remain married to Claudia, decided to not tell him that Claudia was responsible for Michael’s shooting as a form of revenge. Later she realized she still loves Sonny and, because she did not want to cause him any more pain than he had already experienced in his life, decided to still not tell him! It appears that all of these characters are keeping Claudia’s secret for no real reason except that the writers want them to keep it!
It is no wonder that ratings have collapsed. Viewers want romance along with angst and conflict between couples, not a sexually confused and debased leading male character. Some viewers have complained to ABC's Management that Sonny is depraved or has become a sexual deviant and, as a result, many female viewers have quit watching GH. Sonny’s Bensonhurst marriage proposal to Kate drew a 2.7 rating with 3,491,000 viewers. In the latest ratings week, GH drew a 1.8, or a 33% decline. When will Management take notice and return to what was working before the ratings collapsed by reuniting Sonny and Kate?
As stated in the SOS Press Release, many viewers feel that after six months of complaints, ABC/Disney has not taken steps to improve its product. Many viewers, including members of The Heart & the Hope: A Sonny and Kate Fan Forum, are frustrated. They feel that though they call the ABC and GH Comment Lines, e-mail the ABC/Disney executives, write letters, fill out ABC comment forms, vote in polls in ABC Soaps in Depth (an ABC publication), and post on ABC Insider (an ABC/Disney affiliated message board), their pleas are falling on deaf ears. As one viewer stated, “Many viewers are no longer watching the show because they feel insulted by the lack of integrity in storytelling, the lack of respect for long- and short-term history, and a general feeling that those in charge do not respect the viewers.” Many hope that a company with the reputation of ABC/Disney will listen to the plea expressed in the SOS campaign and take action to regain the trust of its viewers.
Viewers who support the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign want GH to be successful. Sonny and Kate not only helped draw higher ratings, but, when the couple was promoted, they helped ratings spike. Viewers want ABC/Disney to improve its product by reuniting Sonny and Kate, while also improving the integrity of the Sonny character and the integrity in the writing of both characters. Fans of Maurice Benard are disappointed and disheartened to see his 16 years of work on GH held in obvious disregard day-after-day at the whims of the current management and writing regime. Additionally, we urge GH to put Megan Ward back on contract and back into HER storyline, rather than giving contracts to untested new characters and more screen time to other recurring characters.
As a board, The Heart & the Hope: A Sonny and Kate Fan Forum supports the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign with its members being part of the number of fans who wish to work with ABC/Disney to make GH successful and rise to the top again. For more information, please contact Michelle Bronson, Admin of The Heart & the Hope: A Sonny and Kate Fan Forum, at info@sonnyandkategh.com.
GENERAL HOSPITAL IS A WRECK!
ABC-TV Invests Millions in Sets and New Contracts
Instead of Improving Storylines
The General Hospital (GH) ratings wreck has persisted for several months and there is no sign of recovery in sight. The A.C. Nielsen Ratings Corporation reported that in January 2008 and January 2009, GH started each new year with a total viewer (HH)rating of 2.3 (i.e. GH was viewed by 2.3% of the available viewing audience). The rest of 2009 has been anything but smooth sailing for GH. In January and February 2009, over 70% of the daily ratings were over 2.0, with a ratings high of 2.3. But, by April, only 9% of days had a rating greater than 2.0 and 50% of days had a rating of 1.9 or less. The real proof of the ratings wreckage came in June as there were no days above 2.0, and 82% of days were rated 1.9 or lower. In fact, 27% of days were 1.8 and another 27% were 1.7 or lower. Obviously, this is a very disturbing trend, since Guiding Light was canceled with ratings of only 1.6.
In 2008, GH's ratings increased due to solid storylines and balance for fan favorites. Examples include Sonny’s Bensonhurst marriage proposal to Kate, the building of a real friendship between Diane and Alexis, Laura's return and interaction with Scott, Luke & Tracy, along with other romance and angst storytelling for Jason and Elizabeth, Sonny and Kate, Patrick and Robin, Jax and Carly, Lucky and Sam, Johnny and Lulu and other characters on the canvas. Ratings did hit a low point of 2.0 in August 2008, as storylines played out and actors took and returned from summer vacations. In September, however, GH rebounded, achieving weekly 2.3 ratings. This year has been a totally different story as GH has broken apart favorite couples, corrupted core characters, rid the show of veterans, continued to replace romance with sleaze, and in numerous instances, actually changed the screen history of many characters. As a result, ratings have steadily declined with no rebound in sight.
Interestingly, Douglas Marland, now considered a successful soap opera writing legend, was hired by ABC Daytime in 1978 to work with Gloria Monty on General Hospital when it was near cancellation. In what is now considered a classic interview, Marland explains his rules on “How Not to Wreck a Show.”
Watch the show.
Many viewers wonder if anyone involved in the writing or production process is really watching what ends up on the air. The lack of continuity is jarring to most viewers. Storylines constantly shift and change, are started but not finished, or suffer from prolonged gaps.Currently the character of Kate Howard has been off-screen for over four weeks, while viewers have been left wondering what Giselle from Couture Magazine could be blackmailing her with, causing her to leak her own Crimson layouts. By not seeing Kate on-screen for weeks at a time, the storyline has lost momentum and fans have not been able to see a favorite character.
Learn the history of the show. You would be surprised at the ideas that you can get from the back story of your characters.
Mr. Marland obviously felt that there were many storyline opportunities available to writers by being faithful to the history of the characters. He would not suggest that a writer learn the history if he thought it wise that the writer would simply change it to try to make an implausible storyline more plausible. Sadly, Management has not honored the history of the show in recent months. This lack of integrity has been purposeful. The more viewers complain that the show is making little sense due to revisions in its history, the more revisions viewers have been subjected to.
Viewers often tune in to soap operas because they feel connected to the characters and their history.A glaring example of how history has been revised, and not for the better, is the introduction of Ethan to the canvas.It has damaged the epic love story of Luke and Laura, a pairing whose wedding was the highest rated episode in daytime history! In the process, the character has also damaged the integrity of the relationship between Robert and Holly as well.
Olivia Falconeri was first mentioned as Kate’s cousin and someone Sonny seemed to only have known slightly more than casually. Over time, her backstory has changed so much that we are to now believe she was a close childhood friend to Sonny, knew more about his secret home life than he ever allowed even those closest to him know, and had his child. Many of the endearing aspects of the popular Sonny and Kate love story have been changed to accommodate this less than favored character. Viewers learned throughout Sonny and Kate’s courtship that Connie/Kate had been a loving, calming influence for him, a port-in-the-storm so to speak, when they were teenagers. Based on shared memories, she was the one that had been there for him, made him happy and taught him how to love. Viewers learned that they had never had sex as teens. In a recent episode, Olivia told Johnny that she was the one who was there for Sonny when they were younger, but then he went and nailed her cousin. Confused viewers are left to wonder if this is just Olivia’s warped take on things, an irresponsible or uninformed rewrite, or Olivia being just being plain crazy and obsessed over Sonny.
Another blight on the historical knowledge base of the writing is exemplified by the current storyline featuring Alexis Davis having sex with the mayor during one of the most pivotal nights on GH in 2006. That night, Alexis supposedly witnessed her husband, Ric, having sex with her daughter, Sam, allowed Jason to take her to the hospital since she was suffering from symptoms of lung cancer, went to the Metro Court hotel where she sat with Sonny and Kristina, who were sharing ice cream, then took Kristina back to their room and supposedly had sex with the mayor at some point. Viewersare still trying to figure out exactly how she would have had the time, drive or stamina to have sex with the mayor on that particular night.
Read the fan mail. The very characters that are not thrilling to you may be the audience's favorites.
Fans now have several different means by which to communicate their feelings to those in charge at ABC Daytime. Viewers may call the ABC and GH comment lines, e-mail the ABC/Disney executives, write letters, fill out ABC comment forms, vote in polls inABC Soaps in Depth(an ABC publication), and/or post on ABC Insider Access (an ABC/Disney affiliated message board which professes to send its transcripts to the ABC research department and the ABC executives).
Through these avenues, many fans have been clamoring to see more of Kate, Elizabeth, Alexis, Diane, Monica, the Quartermaine family, Mac, Matt, and Robert and Anna Scorpio.In addition, many want to see more of Jason and Elizabeth, Sonny and Kate, Lucky and Sam, and Johnny and Lulu. The characters/actors involved in these four pairings are rarely, if ever, allowed to share scenes together. Obviously, someone is not paying attention to this rule.
Be objective. When I came in to ATWT, the first thing I said was, what is pleasingthe audience? You have to put your own personal likes and dislikes aside and develop the characters that the audience wants to see.
The SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign is focused on this very rule. Though fans have been pleading for months to see more positive, independent female characters such as Kate, Elizabeth, Alexis, Diane, and Monica;more familial, romantic, and humorous bonds; and simply more scenes with Mac, Matt, Max and Milo,they have had to endure the personal agendas and backstage politics resulting in the focus being placed on such characters as Claudia, Olivia, Sam, Rebecca, and Ethan.
Viewers have stated over and over again the need for more balance between the hospital and the mob, and more balance between interesting, yet intriguing, family interaction versus sleazy, manipulative sexcapades.They long for romance and humor instead of continual mob doom and gloom, along with a balance of characters, new and old, instead of the same five or six characters being in the forefront at all times. When the canvas is balanced and personal agendas are put aside, and when viewers feel empowered and that their voices are being heard, ratings increase.
Talk to everyone; writers and actors especially. There may be something in a character's history that will work beautifully for you, and who would know better than the actor who has been playing the role.
Many soap operas currently on the air have been on for many years. Many of the actors on those soap operas have been on them for 10-15+ years and know more about their characters’ pasts than some of the current writers do.Mr. Marland’s emphasis on the history of the show and the characters demonstrates how important he felt history is in regard to the success of a soap opera.
Much story material could be gleaned by going back into the history of the Cassadines with Alexis, Nikolas, Stavros, Stephan, Mikkos and Sam. Many viewers have wanted to know more about who Sam’s father really is. Additionally, many are intrigued about what really happened the night Sonny and Connie/Kate were to run away together as teens. (This is a soap opera; of course there is a story.) There has been much speculation throughout the past two years about the possible involvement of Deke and Scully concerning that night. Stories, such as these, that dig into the past of characters and how that past affects the present can be intriguing to viewers. The actors and the audience become much more invested when the historical references are accurate. More often than not, the actors have greater insights than anyone since they have actually “lived” their characters’ histories.
Don't change a core character. You can certainly give them edges they didn't have before, or give them a logical reason to change their behavior. But when the audience says, "He would never do that," then you have failed.
A flagrant change of a core character is that of Jason Morgan. The Jason Morgan that fans have watched for 10+ years, the one who loves and protects all children, would not befriend a woman who watched his son get kidnapped, stayed quiet about it, lied about it, then hired gunmen to threaten his family in the park. He would not look at that woman with anything but loathing and contempt after threatening to kill her if she ever came near his family again. He would not go to her for advice. He would not help her set up a business. He would not go out of his way to save her life. He certainly would not catch her falling off a roof in nothing but her skimpy underwear. The Jason Morgan fans know and watched grow would not allow his family to go to a cabin in the woods unguarded. He would not claim his life to be too dangerous and push his family away but remain overly active in another boy's/family's everyday life.He would claim his family and protect them.
Ric Lancing did numerous things to Jason and his loved ones and was forever only a step away from the possibility of death at Jason's hands. Likewise, although Jason has been against hurting women, Faith Roscoe committed crimes against Jason and his loved ones and their children that he could never forgive, so he dealt with her accordingly. That is who Jason used to be. His loyalties were evident, his choices black and white--there was no grey. As one fan said, “When all of those things started taking place in regards to Sam, I sure as hell started thinking,"He would never do that,"and GH lost all credibility for me and certainly failed.”
Another example is the current storyline involving Sonny Corinthos, Claudia Zacchara, Ric Lansing, and Sonny's son, Michael. Sonny Corinthos has always been very clear on his beliefs about betrayal. He has not and will not allow it or stand for it. As a mob boss, he does crave power, but for him to marry Claudia Zacchara for power and continue to stay married to her once Jason signed the organization back to him when he is in love with someone else makes no sense. For him to sleep with Claudia while he continually calls her demeaning, derogatory names is ridiculous.
Sonny, though a mob boss, is also very committed to his children and his family.He, upon learning that Claudia and Ric, the brother he never trusted or got along with, had an affair under his own roof and that Ric may be the father of the baby she is carrying, would never sleep with Claudia again.Even if some self-loathing, self-deprecating situation occurred and Sonny were to punish himself by sleeping with someone he loathes, the mere fact that he and Jason suspect that Claudia is culpable for the coma Michael was in due to a gunshot to the head would prevent him from ever sharing a bed with her.He would never do that.
Another glaring example of changing a core character is that of Nikolas Cassadine. He professed his undying love for his former fiance', Emily, for an entire year, even so much as having had physical relations with her, yet, he kept the secret of Claudia's culpability for putting the nephew of the love of his life in a coma from everyone. Throughout his visits with the Quartermaines and Carly, or in discussions with Jason, Nikolas never said a word about how much Emily loved her nephew. Currently he is redecorating Wyndemere to be lighter and brighter for this new Rebecca/Emily twin, a woman he barely knows, when he would never change the family home for Emily. In essence he has put Claudia's needs and Rebecca's needs over his supposed true love's needs and memory.He would never do that.
Although Kate has only been in Port Charles for a couple of years, her core characteristics have been pretty well defined. If she had wanted revenge after Sonny stayed married to Claudia, she would have told Sonny about Claudia's involvement in Michael's shooting when she had the chance and the proof, then told him to get lost. Alternatively, once she decided that she did not want to cause him pain because she loved him, but realized the secret would come out eventually, and because he would suffer more after finding out later, she would tell him and be there for him. Either way, she had no reason to keep the secret. Either way, the writers had her keep it, leaving viewers to say, “She would never do that.”
Build new characters slowly. Everyone knows that it takes six months to a year for an audience to care about a new character. Tie them in to existing characters. Don't shove them down the viewers' throats.
New characters Ethan and Rebecca were brought onto the canvas very quickly and have received much screen time. The newly aged Michael and Kristina likewise immediately received inordinate amounts of screen time. Though Olivia was on-screen sporadically at first, when viewers started to really question why this character was still even in Port Charles, she started appearing on screen more and more and then the actress was placed on contract. When the character of Claudia was first introduced to the canvas, she was immediately thrust upon viewers as yet one more femme fatale in Port Charles, while other more positive role models/loved female characters were pushed to the side. Her ill-conceived first scenes with the Sonny character did not help to establish this returning actress as a believable new character.Currently the new character of Dante is at the forefront of the summer storylines. Sadly for GH fans, many viewers’ investment in the Sonny/Dante story is through Sonny and Kate, but Kate is virtually absent and her cousin, Olivia, has all but invaded the screen. Having all of these new characters receive so much screen time, while taking time away from other long time favorite characters, simply rocks the boat for many fans who view these new characters as having been shoved down their throats.
Don't fire anyone for six months. I feel very deeply that you should look at the show's canvas before you do anything.
Admittedly this is a tricky rule to abide by. However, if a storyline isn't working, it may have nothing to do with the actor/actress and/or writing staff. It could be a personal agenda taking over or simply the storyline itself needs to be re-worked, albeit correctly. Those in charge need to listen to the audience and the writers before simply getting rid of a character or changing a character too soon. Some characters are introduced and may take a while to fully develop. If a character is truly not working, the writers need to create an exit that will enhance the other characters’ storylines. Instead of simply killing off a character, they need to create a situation that will enhance the storyline of other characters or complete the storyline that character is a participant in rather than simply drop it.
Fans are very observant and notice when storylines are suddenly dropped or end for no reason. For example, during the Black and White Ball, Anthony Zacchara held Elizabeth captive and asked Jason if he would die for love, however Anthony never remembered their connection in all the months afterward. Obviously someone decided that arc was not worth pursuing, however, the fans never forgot such a pivotal scene.
Another example is the sudden death of Cooper Barrett with no explanation. Certainly, a death is an easy way to create an exit for a character when an actor is leaving the show, but nothing was explained, and loose ends were not neatly tied up. Many questions still remain about his family and his connection to Port Charles. Additionally, Ric Hearst departed GH and his grand exit was simply a 'Terminator' impression, "I'll be back,” as he got into the elevator. It makes no sense, leaves holes in the show and frustrates the viewers.
The other side of this issue is keeping characters on the canvas when their usefulness is long over.Characters introduced for a specific purpose, whether as antagonists or causes for a specific effect, should fulfill their purpose and then exit the show in a creative and positive manner. The characters of Sam, Claudia, Ethan, and Olivia are such characters. They were introduced for specific reasons and have fulfilled them. Now, however, they either seem to been lost in storylines that need other characters to carry them or they have alienated so many viewers that they simply need to exit the canvas, no matter the personal agenda of those in charge.
Good soap opera is good storytelling. It's very simple.
GH seems to be completely ignoring this principle. Many storylines are contrived, short-sighted, unbelievable, predictable and/or redundant much of the time. Sonny and Alexis' daughter, Kristina, behaving as a brat because she hasn't gotten enough attention from her father is simply predictable; Carly and Claudia falling down the stairs while pregnant has been done; Dominic as Dante/Sonny's son, who is also either in the mob or a fed without his mother even knowing could not be more predictable or short-sighted; Jason working/being friends with Sam is as believable as him being friends with Faith Roscoe; Robin's leaving town and 'dating' another man because of her PPD was ridiculous; Rebecca ending up as Emily's twin sister and falling for Nik is nothing but predictable; Diego as the text message killer was not only completely unbelievable but confusing; Olivia being a childhood friend to Sonny and currently becoming his confidant is completely against the story given when she was introduced.
Good storytelling draws the viewers in and makes them care about the characters and what happens to them, whether they like them or not. A very common phrase of viewers for a favorite evil character on a soap is “the character I love to hate.” For GH, characters like Ric Lancing, Jerry Jacks, and Helena Cassadine are such characters. They are bad, even evil, and the viewers know it, yet cannot help but want them on the show to create havoc and angst. They are characters that fans love to hate. They can't imagine the show without them even though they are horrible people. Some characters are simply hated and can easily be gone from the canvas and no one would miss them in the matter of a few weeks; no void would be left. Fans of soaps don't always want good, happy stories and characters, they want stories with good and bad, that make the viewers care. That is what GH used to have, viewers that cared.
Cooper Barrett turning from Metro Court hostage-taker into a nice guy, being involved in a love story with Maxie Jones, while working for the PCPD and Sonny, had the potential to be a great story. Was he related to Brenda Barrett? Did he know who Sonny was from Brenda before he came to town? Or the Quartermaines? Or Jason? Or was it simply a coincidence that he ended up in Port Charles?
Epiphany's son was killed and Jason and Spinelli vowed to find out who was responsible. Was that ever resolved? And what happened to Epiphany's heart problems? Couldn't she have bonded some with Maxie? With Kate? Couldn't Monica have become more involved as a cardiac surgeon?
The Russian Mob came to Port Charles and it was never really discovered who was in charge. Could it have been someone related to Nikolas or Helena? Or someone hired by Helena to occupy Jason and Elizabeth for some reason? Could Robert and Anna have come to town to try to track down the link?
There are so many stories left to tell about little Jake Martin that do not include yet another kidnapping before the child is three years old.The Quartermaines do not know about him.How would the reveal impact Monica, or the overly intrusive Edward, or Tracy and Luke's scheme with Alan's will since Jake is Jason's son?Will Elizabeth's father or mother ever come to town once they hear of Jake?Will we ever find out who Elizabeth's mother is?This one child ties together two of the most historical families on the show, yet the same story is being told over and over. Elizabeth is sacrificing her happiness to settle for being with Lucky. Jason is sacrificing his family and happiness again. Lucky is being a father to the boys, knowing he is not in love with Elizabeth and she is not in love with him. Sam has almost no real interaction with her family, the Cassadines, but is instead still always being saved by Jason instead of standing on her own and pursuing a healthy relationship with Lucky, or simply working with Spinelli, her business partner.
One online viewer stated, “I'd call General Hospital a shipwreck, but that would be an insult to ships.” Sadly, due to poor storytelling and sinking ratings, GH has become the brunt of many jokes.GH is void of the great storytelling for which it used to be famous. The current storylines suggest that Management has gone into panic mode. Rather than giving the storylines a sense of focus and direction, the writers continually break continuity by randomly writing storylines and dropping them, rewrite long- and short-term history, and arbitrarily break up popular pairings to create contrived new pairings. GH is spending millions of dollars on new sets and giving contracts to newer characters while fan favorites are given less screen-time or are dropped to recurring status or let go. Many of the current storylines feel like inferior repeats of earlier GH storylines, lacking the depth and direction of the originals. Basically, Management is doing the equivalent of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. They seem to be working themselves into a frenzy, but the ship is still sinking.
Though there were many writing issues already, many viewers feel the show started taking on water in November of 2008, when many popular couples, including Sonny and Kate, Jason and Elizabeth, and Lucky and Sam were torn apart. At that time, the ratings held as viewers tuned in hoping the tide would turn and their favorite couples would reunite. There is no doubt that GH has a very talented cast and is extremely fortunate to have several actors who have special chemistry with each other.Many viewers feel that these characters are not only star-crossed lovers, but the actors are star-crossed actors who work especially well together.Unfortunately, they no longer have the opportunity to even share scenes together, depriving the viewing audience of their once enjoyable escape.
The evidence of the show really starting to sink in its storyline presentation and in the ratings began with the Toxic Balls debacle in February of 2009.Several of the characters underwent sudden 180-degree tranformations in their personalities, resulting in them acting totally out-of-character.This lack of integrity in characterization has caused many viewers to finally tune out.
With the present condition of the economy, many more individuals are home and looking for an escape. They are hungry for a product that ABC Daytime TV does not seem interested in delivering. ABC Daytime TV has a responsibility to its advertisers, its actors, its crew and most notably its viewers/consumers, to create and broadcast the best possible product that it can. Instead, those in charge of GH are writing the show with principles or rules that are the opposite of what Douglas Marland suggests, thus creating a soap opera wreck. To many viewers, this seems like a blatant attempt to get the show cancelled.This raises the question, “Are those in charge at ABC Daytime TV purposely preparing GH for cancellation?”
Flashback to the year 1978, when Executive Producer Gloria Monty was hired by ABC Daytime.Fred Silverman gave her 13 weeks to turn the show around or prepare for cancellation. Gloria Monty, with her imagination and vision, along with the writing of Douglas Marland, turned GH around and made it the top-rated daytime drama! For years, ABC/Disney has had a reputation with its viewers/consumers for creating a quality product, for being innovative and for being visionaries in the entertainment industry.Viewers/consumers want to know when ABC/Disney will have an innovative visionary step in and save this soap, making it once again the top-rated daytime drama?
GH needs to regain its audience quickly to keep the show from totally capsizing. Many viewers believe that if the writers go back to what was working before the ratings started sinking and make a commitment to write using the rules outlined by Douglas Marland, GH could become a quality show that viewers want to see again. Not only would GH stay afloat in the ratings, it could very will rise to the top!
Every week, many more fans of GH are joining together with fans of Sonny and Kate, Jason and Elizabeth, Patrick and Robin, and Jax and Carly as part of the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital Campaign. All share in a common goal of asking ABC/Disney to listen to the viewers and make changes by delivering character-driven storylines, being true to the characters, respecting the rich history of the show, creating an emotional balance for the characters, focusing on families, promoting enduring couples that viewers can root for, heightening romance while minimizing sleaze, and creating an enjoyable escape. For more information regarding the campaign, contact Dana L. Meyer or Kecia K. Picard atsaveoursoapgh@gmail.comor visit the SOS/Save Our Soap! General Hospital page on Facebook.