Words of Shmisdom

I think most fans can agree that nobody ever truly dies on GH. We have seen this time and again, most recently with the Lazarus job pulled by Carly and the resurrection of Stravrosicle. However, there are two very distinct ways not to die in Port Charles. You can, as Carly did and as just about every Spencer has done at some point, be presumed dead only to return days, weeks, months, or years later very much alive and kicking. Or, you can actually die, like Stone or B.J., with no hope of ever returning in any way, shape or form, in the flesh. But even then, you don’t die. You can perish and leave the surly bonds of earth, but be remembered in the hearts and minds of those you were closest to.

These days on GH, we have far too many cases of the former and are severely lacking in the latter. Now, I am not saying I want a beloved character to die. Hardly! But I am saying that any number of characters on today’s GH could die and it wouldn’t mean a whole heck of a lot to most of Port Charles or the viewers. Character bonds and relationships are so weak and contrived that a character's death no longer has the depth and the meaning to hurt us as they have in the past.

I miss the friendships and the family. It seems today that everyone is pigeonholed into a “couple” and all of their interactions seem to hinge on threats to that couple. Port Charles used to be a community. Think back to the Labine years. When a character died, the whole town felt it because characters interacted with their families, they had friends, they had rivals, and they had lovers. And all of these relationships were developed along a natural progression. We knew why these people were friends, why their family meant so much to them, why they were in love. These were not relationships for the convenience of plot. People migrated to one another naturally and for reasons deeper and more meaningful than contrived plot points.

And what of today’s GH?

Kristina could drop dead tomorrow and who would even bat an eye outside of Alexis and Ned, and maybe Jax. The same applies to Sarah. Who outside of Lucky, Liz and Audrey would even look up from their newspaper if she took an unfortunate leap off the parapet (and would Audrey even be allowed to exceed her 1 minute per month screen time allotment to do so?) Would anybody give a crap three years from now? They will be obscure characters, trivia questions, or footnotes in the GH annals (like Miranda or Hannah).

Compare that to characters we have lost in the last decade and how many are still with us, the audience, and in the hearts and minds of the denizens of Port Charles. With Maxie going front burner now we are oft reminded of the tragic story of BJ and her gift to her cousin. We still see the effects of that character’s death and what she meant to her loved ones even 8 years later. We still see it in the eyes and the unspoken bond between Felicia, Bobbie, Tony, Mac and Maxie herself (and those are only the characters who are primarily affected). Without saying a word, there is a certain depth and sadness and gratitude in those scenes that cannot be denied. That type of history and connection only comes about by developing the strong, meaningful, genuine relationships that come about as we walk the road of life. Just the simple mention of B.J.’s name elicits innumerable emotions and memories. Similar affection is bestowed upon the likes of Stone, Dr. Steve Hardy, Mary Mae Ward, and Aunt Ruby.

Now I know it is not far to compare the likes of Stone and Dr. Hardy to Sarah and Kristina, but what if a long-time beloved character like Tony or Mac died? Oh wait, they could be dead right now and nobody would know for all the airtime, quality writing, and significant interaction they get.

Okay, how about a kid related to important long-time characters and that was involved in a heated custody battle once upon a time…Lucas! Hmm, he’s been at Diabetes Camp so long I would be surprised if his own parents still recognized him (well, Tony might, maybe he goes to visit little Lucas at camp off-screen).

But I digress…

What is the point of all of this? All soaps need strong, meaningful, natural relationships beyond that of the romantic kind. The beauty of the soap opera is that it is a web of characters and stories that continue on for years and become part of our collective lives. More than any other entertainment genre, the soap opera is a reflection of our everyday lives. Life to the extreme, sure, but the relationships are true to life and that’s why we watch. Yeah, people come back from the dead, or megalomaniacs try and freeze the world, and aliens befriend little girls; but the parents, children, friends, brothers, sisters, lovers, enemies, and yes, even pets remain.

Those connections are what GH has been sorely lacking in the last few years. Those connections, above all are what GH must return to in order to even begin to return to the quality show it once was. Not Sonny & Carly together, not Jason or maybe Brenda coming back, not even a Luke & Laura wedding. True and natural relationships based in every aspect of life and across generations. And then, should a character of any length of service perish, he or she will never truly die in the hearts and minds of Port Charles or the audience.

"Over the last 35 years, the drama of ‘General Hospital’ extended from affairs of the heart to fantasy filled adventures around the world. Through it all the show has remained true to its original premise: To explore the spectrum of human relations. Hope and despair, kindness and deception, love and hate.”

~Tony Geary, GH 35^th Anniversary Special (1998)