There's something about soap operas that makes them the ultimate guilty pleasure of many people out there. And there is praise to be given to those who manage to be around not just for years, but decades. In a Netflix-ruled world, where audiences have grown accustomed to television series that usually last between one and ten seasons, something along the lines of General Hospital is somewhat of a unicorn.
And what exactly does it take to keep a show on the air for almost sixty years? Well, the easiest and most straight-forward answer would be drama. Lots and lots of drama, drama by the buckets! There's no denying General Hospital has this art down to a T, more often than not, courtesy of the many relationships that have come and gone throughout the course of the years. We could spend pages and pages writing about every single relationship that's ever been a part of one of the longest running soap operas on TV. However, simple sometimes works best, and with that in mind, we rank the 5 best and 5 worst relationships from General Hospital. Let's go!
Best: Holly & Robert
Holly Sutton and Robert Scorpio are the typical 80s couple that everyone seemed to love. And these two are very well-known for breaking fans' hearts, not just during their original run between 1983 and 1993, but also when Robert showed up again (and very much alive), in a series of events that spanned for another six years.
Even by General Hospital standards, Holly and Robert suffered incredibly painful and tearjerking worthy storylines. There was nothing audiences wanted more than to see them have their happy ending, and although we did have some sort of closure, it wasn't exactly what we were hoping for. Regardless, these two will forever be one of General Hospital's super couples and one of the most beloved. Extra points for that 80s hair and makeup that seems to make everything a tad more melancholic.
Worst: Anna & Luke
If there's one thing can make or break a relationship in a TV show that's so heavily dependant on ratings, it's chemistry. Writers can try to push two characters together as much as they want for the sake of the storyline, but if the chemistry isn't there, the whole things just falls completely flat and leave fans wanting for more.
Anna Devane and Luke Spencer were the Dan and Blair of General Hospital. No one ever really saw the point of these two together, especially when both Anna and Luke worked so much better with the other romantic interests they previously had on the show. All in all, it was just a poor choice of couple, who make much better friends than they ever did romantic partners.
Best: Robin & Patrick
God bless the relationship between Robin Scorpio and Patrick Drake, because as much as it broke our hearts at times (it's General Hospital, after all, if you're looking for rainbows, unicorns, and butterflies, then you need to watch a new show), they always managed to find their way back to each other. And in spectacular fashion, nonetheless!
There's a reason Robin and Patrick are one of the most popular super couples to ever appear on General Hospital. Who doesn't love the good old story of a classic good girl falling head over heels for the emotionally unavailable man that just wants to get in on with the ladies? These two are a success story in the world of this soap opera, the kind of story that gives hope and inspires audiences.
Worst: Liz & Jason
Here's the thing about General Hospital: most characters on this show have more romantic interests in five years than most human beings have in the span of a lifetime. And that's okay, because otherwise, it would be nearly impossible to keep the show interesting for so many decades. This, of course, is bound to make fans disagree amongst themselves on a series of matters. One of the greatest disagreements lies on the issue of whether Jason belongs with Liz or Sam.
Now, many Liz fans will probably begin to sharpen the pitchforks once they read this. But being as objective as possible, it becomes pretty clear that their relationship simply wasn't that great, especially when compared to the one between Jason and Sam. Yes, they have a long history and a fair share of heart-warming moments, but it's just incredibly clear that they aren't right for each other. And that's the tea for today.
Best: Lulu & Dante
When it comes to beautifully directed, passion dripping, love scenes, there really isn't much rivalry on General Hospital. Dante Falconeri and Lulu Spencer-Falconeri share the kind of chemistry real-life couples can only dream of, so it's no wonder they quickly became one of the most popular pairings on the long-running soap opera.
On the contrary of what tends to happen on television shows and making their romantic interests work, Lulu and Dante didn't suffer the perils that are often inherent to fictionalized romance. These two know how to talk to each other and work on their problems together. The result is a beautiful love story that, in spite of the hardships that are bound to come across the characters from General Hospital, has managed to withstand the test of time.
Worst: Carly & Franco
Much like Anna and Luke, Franco Baldwin and Carly Corinthos' relationship on General Hospital was received with cries from the audiences. It didn't help that everyone and their dog knew that Carly belonged with Sonny. This brief love affair is a great example of those filler storylines writers come up with in an attempt to up the stakes and make things more interesting. When it comes to Carly and Franco, that decision quickly backfired.
A lot could be forgiven if the two shared any sort of chemistry and passion, but they didn't. At all. The scenes between the two were cringeworthy and often irritating for anyone who was watching, and everyone cheered when Carly betrayed Franco, sleeping with Sonny before they eventually reunited.
Best: Sam & Jason
Some people are going to love this, some people are going to hate this. Just like we mentioned above, there is great discord amongst fans of the soap opera on whether Jason belongs with Liz or Sam. But facts are facts and watching the show, it becomes clear that Jason and Liz work fantastic as partners when it comes to raising their child. But when love, passion, and chemistry are involved, there's no doubt Sam is the one for Jason.
The two are made from the same stuff (kudos if you caught that Wuthering Heights reference), and they've built their on-again, off-again relationship in a basis of trust and respect that we seldom see on television. Their similarities make them stronger as a couple, and this, allied with the undying love they share, make them one of the best couples to ever be a part of General Hospital.
Worst: Nelle & Michael
It's always an extremely touchy and complicated situation when we're talking about a relationship in which one of the halves is mentally unstable. Nelle Benson is a full-blown sociopath and her relationship with was bad news from the very start. The woman killed her ex-fiancé and committed dozens of other crimes, so it's safe to assume she would never make a solid partner to anyone.
Thankfully, Michael was able to get rid of her, which was a blessing after trying so hard to be a good father whilst dealing with a manipulative, heartless vixen such as Nelle. She's now in prison, finally paying her dues for all the horrible things she's done, and there's no denying that this relationship brought nothing but sadness and misfortune.
Best: Luke & Laura
When your fake wedding manages to beat phenomenal records of ratings and audiences, you're probably doing something right. Or better yet, the writers and the actors are doing something right. Anyone who's been following General Hospital for a while is familiar with Luke and Laura Spencer's relationship. These two pretty much coined the term super couple, and for good reason.
Many hearts are still broken over the fact that these two are no longer together. However, just because a relationship ended in divorce, it doesn't always have to mean it was horrible. In their case, Luke and Laura's love story was an inspiring, beautiful narrative, paved with tragedy, but always based on love and redemption.
Worst: Alexis & Julian
Sometimes, even if two people still love each other, it's better that they stay apart. When they first became a couple, Alexis and Julian were beloved by fans and cheered by audiences. Everything seemed like it was going to work out for the best, and these two would be allowed to live a happy life, surrounded by nothing but love.
Things took a turn for the worst once they got married. With Julian falling down the rabbit hole of crime life and attempting to kill his wife, there was nothing that could be done for this once great couple. Attempted murder is already horrible, but when it's against your spouse? Nope! Toxic is the word.