When it comes to daytime dramas, few have a long-running history like General Hospital. The ABC soap opera has been on the air for more than six decades and is currently in its 63rd season. But is it going to be renewed for another year?
Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, the show premiered on April 1, 1963. The first stories focused on the seventh floor of a hospital in an unnamed midsized Eastern city. The first two characters introduced were Steve Hardy (John Beradino) and Nurse Jessie Brewer (Emily McLaughlin).
Throughout the years, GH has featured everything from love triangles to mobster bosses and even a few romances with astronauts. But the vast majority of storylines have been centered on medical incidents at the hospital.
In addition to showcasing the lives of doctors and nurses, General Hospital has also been at the forefront of social issues. For example, in the late 1980s, the show gained attention for its sensitive handling of the AIDS crisis and started an annual Nurses’ Ball that raised funds for HIV/AIDS programs. General Hospital was a pioneer in other social issues as well, such as women’s rights and child abuse.
The show has also ventured into action-adventure themes and exotic locales, but in the end, the stories always come back to the hospital and the medical professionals that work there. The Muppet Show even had a recurring sketch called “Veterinarian’s Hospital” that was clearly inspired by GH and shows like it.
GH is also credited with starting several trends in the soap opera genre, particularly in the 1980s when the show shifted from a focus on domestic and social issues to fast-paced action-adventure plot lines. The popularity of these new types of stories helped to reshape the industry and attract younger viewers.
Although the show has had its share of ups and downs, General Hospital remains one of the longest-running scripted television series in history. It has earned a place on TIME magazine’s list of the top 100 TV shows of all time and is considered to be the most popular daytime soap opera in the United States.
The venerable soap continues to have a dedicated following, but some fans have wondered whether or not it will continue for another decade. While ABC doesn’t typically reveal its plans, the network tends to renew General Hospital for its yearly contract. This means that the soap is likely to be around for a while, perhaps making it the longest-running daytime serial in the world.