By Ed Martin As General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini, head writer Ron Carlivati and their team proved last week with their remarkable 52nd anniversary episode – arguably the most creatively ambitious hour of daytime drama ever produced – nothing is impossible in the soap opera arena. They somehow managed to expand the collective … [Read more...]
Six Important Characters on General Hospital That Should Return from the Dead
April 8, 2015 by 11 Comments
That Was the Week That Was
April 3, 2015 by 2 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman I can barely remember a daytime soap week that had as much breaking news as this one. Here’s a peek into Marlena’s reporting notebook: Monday I am stunned that General Hospital (Frank Valentini, executive producer; Ron Carlivati, headwriter) has fired Ian Buchanan (Duke … [Read more...]
Six Passover Questions
March 6, 2015 by 2 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passlacqua Hayman 1. Isn’t it a shame that CBS Daytime (The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful) is going retro just for ratings? Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) and NeIl (Kristoff St. John) running over pregnant Christine (Lauralee Bell) on Y&R? She sadly had a miscarriage. Running over a … [Read more...]
General Hospital and The Bold and the Beautiful: The Decisions of Great Showmen
April 13, 2013 by 14 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman For the last year, I have been writing what great showmen executive producer Frank Valentini and headwriter Ron Carlivati are with their crackerjack rescue of General Hospital. As I wrote last week, the Nurses Week was a blast, with the windup this week as wonderful as its beginnings. I … [Read more...]
General Hospital: All Hail the Nurses Ball — and ABC Daytime!
April 7, 2013 by 3 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman Aren‘t we just having the greatest time watching General Hospital ’s Nurses Ball, the first part of which aired Friday? I’d like to congratulate all the performers, writers and the crew who participated, especially those two great showmen, executive producer Frank Valentini and headwriter … [Read more...]
General Hospital at 50: They’ve Only Just Begun …
March 2, 2013 by 13 Comments
Marlena says: It's a special time at General Hospital. The 50th anniversary is coming up April 1 and it's been just about a year since headwriter Ron Carlivati and executive producer executive producer Frank Valentini took over a dying show and made it must-watch TV. Marlena's dear friend and veteran journalist Ed Martin, who first started … [Read more...]
General Hospital: When the Veterans Come Marching Home
February 16, 2013 by 11 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman The late Jim Reilly used to say that writing a soap was like baking a cake. You mix in various ingredients, maybe a little bit more or less of some, bake it, and then, voila, there’s the show, rich and delicious. The main ingredient mixed into GH this past year has been veterans. With the … [Read more...]
Marlena’s Best of the Best, 2012
December 15, 2012 by 9 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix, a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman It’s the end of 2012, time for best and worst lists. Because soaps are in such danger and I’ve already recorded most of the worsts in the weekly column I’m choosing only to do the bests here. And Marlena being Marlena sometimes I have multiple choices in each category. Best Actress: … [Read more...]
Sunday Reflections 14: General Hospital’s Non-Stop Storyline Excitement … Bold and Beautiful — Sobbing for the Forthcoming Death of Stephanie
October 13, 2012 by 8 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman General Hospital: “No one ever dies in this town,” exclaimed Luke and Tracy together as they talked about the wounded and missing Joe Scully Jr. on Friday’s episode. Don’t you just adore when soaps make fun of themselves? Because back from the dead has certainly been endemic lately on GH. … [Read more...]
Sunday Reflections 8: On General Hospital, Jason as an Empty Vessel? … A Great Week for Older Women … A Most Confusing Friday Episode
September 1, 2012 by 5 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman General Hospital: Last Tuesday came word that Steve Burton is leaving General Hospitalafter 21 years playing Jason (Quartermaine) Morgan. You’d think I’d be happy because I have always disliked Jason, the hitman who was the central “hero” of the show. But as Burton leaves I have changing … [Read more...]
