General Hospital: Why Port Charles Is Winning The Daytime Soap War

General Hospital (GH) viewer numbers seem spectacular right now, and the ABC daytime show got a special mention for that. Actually, soaps are very competitive and plenty of other shows like Days of Our Lives and The Young and the Restless pull viewers into different story lines. So, what keeps the viewers glued to their TVs with GH? Read on to find out what we know.

The Numbers Matter

This weekend, it was Michael Fairman TV that pointed out that the ABC show “gained traction with its audience and for 12 out of 13 consecutive weeks.” The article also noted that it’s “been clocking in with over 2 million eyeballs.”

Of course, it’s the week of the 63rd anniversary of the show, and that might have brought old viewers back. However, it also seems that the writers need some kudos. Of course, people like Frank Valentini also need a shout out with the way the cast revolves.

Camoes & Big Plans

Just Jared pointed to Carolyn Hennesy who returned as Diane Miller, as a win. And even Wes Ramsey turned up briefly to reprise Peter August in a guest role. Folks might argue they were just cameos, and they’d be right.

However, they’re important because probably longtime fans found a reason to tune in. And, they probably stay tuned in for a while, because Frank Valentini promised big plans for the show this summer.

Fans Love The New Michael

Remember how furious GH fans were when Michael Corinthos (Chad Duell) ended up burned in a fire? Lots of folks thought it was a very tasteless exit because it coincided with wildfires in California. Well, Rory Gibson, who took over, won the hearts of ABC fans immediately. Not just good at acting, his storyline seems intriguing.

Plenty of fans went to tell him how much they love him on the show just a few days ago. That came when he shared about his anniversary in the Corinthos family. While that pretty much coincided with Steve Burton (Jason Morgan’s) apparent temporary exit, really for now, the show goes on just fine without him.

Villains Attract Attention

A good bit of viewing for General Hospital afficionados came with Van Hansis as Lucas Jones. Who doesn’t love a villain? In a hangover from bygone years, he brought a great revenge plot with Sidwell.

All of that seemed great for viewers who have a good time discussing everything on platforms like Reddit. But kudos should go to the writing team.

The Writers Do Good Things 

Elizabeth Korte and Chris Van Etten seemed to find a good workaround on engaging storylines. Plus, news already leaked about them penning in some upcoming crossovers with Broadway stars. Romance, mystery, and some New York filming only adds to the interst by Port Charles viewers.

Sometimes, folks complain that General Hospital writers write ridiculous stories, but certainly with Nathan West’s lookalike, Cassius, they hit the right notes. And, you can’t ignore the Finola Hughes, (Anna Devane) stories.

While it’s not confirmed, plenty of folks wonder if she’s on her way out of the show permanently. And what keeps those eyeballs coming? Well, it’s cliffhangers exactly like hers.

Notably, without good storylines, the problems faced by GH are very real. After all, the demographics showed that many old-timers moved away for one reason or another. But, the tone of the show seems to attract the 18 to 49 age group right now.

Reactions To The Current Trend

Looking at the way things go on Reddit’s sub r/generalhospital, there’s a good reason why everyone keeps the show on fast dial so to speak. An OP wrote ahead of the weekend:

General hospital is so good right now…imo I think most of the storylines right now are better than this past February sweeps.

Others agreed, and one responder wrote, “I knew last week when Pascal tattled to Cullum something bad was going to happen. Pascal wanted it to be Lucas but it was Marco.”

Here are a few more responses from the discussion:

• I love that Paevy gets to mug all the sinister mugs, now. 😄 🤣 so soapy!!
• I haven’t watched in a long while and I am hooked atm!!
• I do like that between Cassius, Cullum, Sidwell and (to some extent) Brennan, we finally have a new circle of baddies making sh*t happen while Sonny cleans up dog poop at home and has offscreen s3x with a woman who likes him but isn’t obsessed.

Well, that last comment certainly seems to sum it all up in a single sentence. Do you agree? Let us know what you think in the comments below. And remember to come back here often for all your General Hospital cast news, spoilers and updates.