General Hospital Previews

General Hospital Previews

Previews of what is coming up on General Hospital the next day, the next week or the next month can be a boon to GH fans. Whether checking out a message board, a soap opera magazine or watching the video clip of what’s coming next offered at the end of the episode, previews give fans glimpses into what the future holds for their favorite storylines. Previews can get fans excited about changes that are coming to the show. The previews leading up to General Hospital’s Metro Court hostage storyline in 2007 were very exciting for the fans and lead more than one viewer back to the tube for the sweeps month storyline.

Nothing is set in stone until the episode airs, and previews can be manipulated in order to present a ‘tease’ of what could happen without revealing what will actually occur. Episode tag previews are especially frustrating for revealing what will happen, but they do offer fans a way to see which of their GH favorites will be on. For fans of Robin Scorpio, this can mean the difference between tuning in and tuning out. If Robin appears in the preview, fans of hers are more inclined to tune in the next day. If she isn't shown in the preview, sometimes the opposite is true.

Soap Opera Digest

Magazines like Soap Opera Digest (SOD) offer fans previews of what is coming up next on General Hospital. The first edition of SOD hit the newsstands in 1975. Network executives were upset initially by the magazines because they feared that viewers would use previews to know when they could tune out rather than when they could tune in. The attraction of soap operas, General Hospital included, was that fans never knew what to expect. They had to tune in day after day in order to find out what would happen next. Would Laura and Luke end up together? Would Audrey and Steve ever find happiness? Who would Alan or Monica sleep with next?

During the 1980s, network executives discovered that the magazines could be a valuable promotional device. Characters that appeared on the front covers would draw viewers in, particularly when there were pivotal storylines coming up from Luke and Laura’s wedding in 1981 (which was splashed across the front covers of more than just SOD) to Brenda’s return in 2003. The symbiotic relationship enjoyed by daytime television and the magazines that cover it continues to modern day with promotional pieces and insider information provided by executives looking to promote the storylines on their show.

Episode Previews

The problem with episode previews is they do detract from the ‘must-see’ nature of soap operas. By reading the previews in the magazines, the websites and watching the commercials on television, fans can predict with some accuracy what will happen during the next week on GH. Previews can also frustrate fans especially if they are very tunnel-visioned on one character.

Finding General Hospital Previews

Want to find out what will happen next on General Hospital? The best places online to start looking include:

• ABC’s Official General Hospital Site
• TV Guide
• Soap Central Scoops
• Soap Opera Digest Online