We've all hoped and yearned for years for something that would save daytime soaps. The last few months, the formula for it was right under our noses in the surprising form of "General Hospital: Night Shift 2." Specifically Marlena De Lacroix says.....

"What I liked the most about Night Shift 2 is that it expertly delivered traditional soap opera in a modern form while reinforcing love as the center of the medium, instead of devaluing it as so many soaps do today."

http://www.marlenadelacroix.com

Also at http://www.marlenadelacroix.com:

Ed Martin, Marlena's Monty Man (longtime fervent fan of GH) rates the show's last episode and its run as to its faithfulness to GH History. Read what he has to say about Robert's dream sequence starring Anna, Robin, Sean, Tiffany, Luke and Mac in " GH:NS Serves Up That Old GH Magic as The Sublime Second Season Ends"

Edited October 23, 200817 yr by marlenadlc

Sure.

I haven't devoted too much time to watching NS. Didn't have SOAPnet during the first go round and even now, I still haven't purposely sat down with the intention of watching a whole episode. I've seen maybe 5-10 minutes tops.

The promos just do not interest me at all. It always seems the same as daytime GH. This last week, what have they been promoting like crazy? Some kind of disaster plot something-or-other? How many fucked up things have to happen to Port Charles before all those folks just pack up and leave?

I do like the fact that it isn't FilmLooked or anything like that, that it still looks like a daytime show even though it's primetime. I'm the type who just can't bear the thought of soaps not being done on tape anymore. It takes away so much.

I was genuinely moved by the finale...and that NEVER happens anymore for me.

So, I totally connect with Marlena's point on this one. This was a hospital-based drama that was all about relationships. If that is your taste, then GH:NS was well done.

The irony is...IMO...GH hasn't really been that since the late 70s/early 80s. The Claire Labine era sort of went there, I guess.... and NS was faithful to that era.

For me, the 13-week dose was just right. I'd like to see Soapnet commit to doing a quality show like this annually.

Now, more than ever, I'd be very interested to see them extend this approach to their other soaps as well...I'd especially like to see them find someone to try to do something interesting for Y&R.

Marlena makes good points, but Mark I kinda agree. I'm not a big GH fan so maybe the wrong person to ask but when fans complain that it's not set in the hospital enough despite its title--I wonder when they were fans... I mean the early 80s were nearly ALL action adventure, borderline sci fi, stories. I've been watching a lot of 81-84 AMC, and they ALWAYS have promos for Gh and every promo has someone with a gun it seems chasing someone else--no hospital... And this was when it was THE top rates soap and an institution.

What were NS2's ratings like relatively speaking?

Night Shift did what no soap can do. Went back to basics, kept it simple, and used the history the mothership show gave it. They also used a very diverse cast, told a gay storyline, and actually brought up the fact that the heroine of the show is HIV+. Was it soem groundbreaking daring breathtaking primetime drama? No. but it was a classic soap for a modern audiance.

I very rarely, if ever watch GH, but I NEVER miss NS. It's great.

Relationships, family, friendship — these are fueled by love,

This is what's missing on GH. Instead, we get "romance in wartime."

Like hundreds of thousands (or could it be millions) of GH fans, I have felt increasingly beaten down by the show’s dark, dreary and sometimes depraved storytelling during the last ten years, which has glamorized criminal activity and pathological behavior while dishonoring doctors, nurses, police officers, military personnel and other everyday heroes. But Night Shift lifted me out of that abyss and allowed me during the last three months, if only on a weekly basis, to experience some of the perfect pleasure that GH served up on a daily basis until it went so terribly wrong.

I couldn't have said it better!

But I’m glad they are far away from the hit men, harpies and hoors that have taken over the town over on GH. God knows what would happen to them if they stuck around and remained on the main show, where beloved characters from years gone by routinely return only to be ruined.

I'm glad too.