Honestly Guza 1996 with Riche excited me again. The show was hot as hot and much more exciting. Labine leaving was needed and ratings went up bigtime. 1996 everyone was calling GH the hottest show. Again Guza was dam brilliant under Riche he never produced better work in his entire career then with her.

Nobody was calling GH the hottest show when Days was still the pride and joy

How long did that parrot last in Llanview, anyway? LOL

Having said that, the bird did inspire at least one classic line. Dorian went to visit Todd for some reason I can't remember and the parrot kept squawking. Dorian finally said, "Watch it - I have a taxidermist on speed dial." LOL!!!

Were there any animals when Labine was at GL?

Great and interesting thread. I loved Labine's writing for GH. The combination of Riche and Labine was just what GH needed. They respected Monty's GH but made it their own. I can't believe it's been that long since GH was good. I rarely missed GH from 1978-1996. And then things changed. Now I rarely watch GH. If only...

I don't think there were any animals during the Labine era at GL, but I could be wrong.

No animals at GL. The Parrot at OLTL was dumb but I think that was when Todd pretended to Have DID

No, I think the parrot was before the DID mess.

Very great article from 2 of the genre's most masterful writers.

She was wonderful on GH with Riche. She let some of those actors shine with material they had never been given before. Grown up, emotional stuff with so much heart. I loved her work on GH.

Which is precisely why I consider her & Riche's era to be the best that I've seen and a main reason why General Hospital was firing on all cylinders 20 years ago.

To me Claire LaBine is synonimous with GH's second golden age (i know i sound like i actually witnessed the first one under GM but i didnt but i would be a total tool if i disregard her work )

Claire knew how to weave plots and characters together so that you wouldnt wanna miss anything because so much over-lapped with the other.

And she never neglected the characters that came before her. I came at the same time Lois was introduced and Lois wasnt just one half of a popular couple she interacted with so many people and she would help new viewers get to know the old folks while still focusing on the old guard.

Nobody was left fiddling their thumbs up their asses while new people were taking over ad nauseam.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

I recognize Keith Hamilton Cobb (I think?) but who are the other two in that avatar? Shemar Moore and?

Story wasnt LaBine's strong suit? O_ô.

Monica's cancer storyline

Stone and Robin's love story

Bj/Maxie heart transplant

Any of these three storylines should convince you otherwise

I'll also add:

Lois & Ned / Eddie Maine

Foster & Annabelle

Edward's trial for Bradley Ward's murder

and of course, my beloved S&B

I disagree, I loved Sonny under Labine. Yes there was the involvement with the mob via Frank Smith but that was about Sonny & Luke bringng him down which they did in late 1994. Then the whole next year 1995-1996 was his relationship with Brenda and the Stone & Robin story which made Sonny Human IMHO. Sonny didnt really become a mini Soprano til Guza returned in 2002

I'll agree to a point, as I thought Sonny declined from his prime (1994-1999) occurred when he'd turned his back on the very people that made him likeable in the first place via CL's wrotomg/