General Hospital Scoops and Spoilers
From LoveToKnow Soap-Operas
General Hospital scoops and spoilers are the bread and butter of Internet fan sites, message boards and soap opera magazines. The problem with scoops and spoilers is that they are an entertainment form in their own right and cannot always be taken seriously. For example, General Hospital scoops and spoilers have been buzzing with rumors about Vanessa Marcil’s return as Brenda Barrett for years – usually to no avail.
All About General Hospital Scoops and Spoilers
Spoilers are often little more than conjecture and rumor mixed in with casting news and storyline hints. The Internet has changed the face of soap opera fandom since the mid 90s. Soap Opera Central got its start as a website by fans for other fans where they could share their mutual love of soap operas.
Information Superhighway
The Internet is often referred to as the information superhighway and it is far from surprising today how much television viewing and Internet surfing are linked, but then fans have always been willing to go an extra mile to connect with the characters and actors they love. Networks haven’t always willingly allowed Internet access to their actors, writers or producers, but gradually this has changed over the last decade.
General Hospital ‘insiders’ will post their scoops (whether it’s about a returning favorite or the exit of another) and speculation will run rampant. Fans should beware of ‘griefers’ or people who sign up to the anonymity of the Internet to post ‘false’ spoilers in an effort to raise fan ire. Sometimes the insiders get it right, such as the spoiler that was posted three months before the 2007 November Sweeps that alluded to the fact that actress Natalia Livingston would be leaving the show.
Livingston portrayed Emily Quartermaine on GH from 2003 through May of 2008. During the February sweeps of 2007, the character’s father Alan Quartermaine (played by Stuart Damon a veteran of more than 20 years) was killed off. The attrition of the Quartermaine clan in Port Charles is a bone of contention with many fans. When these spoilers leaked they were denied by actors at fan events (including Steve Burton and Rebecca Herbst), but were later confirmed when Livingston’s Emily was indeed murdered during the Black and White Ball. The actress remained with GH (portraying a hallucination) through May of 2008.
Scoops versus Spoilers
Scoops are startling news bits, often released by the General Hospital publicity office or slipped to the fans via fan events and interviews. For example, the actual return of Vanessa Marcil for a brief stint in 2003 was a huge casting scoop for General Hospital. The repeated stories of her alleged returns that decorate soap opera magazines every week are spoilers.
The major difference between a scoop and a spoiler is that spoilers are not necessarily true. The ideal ‘spoiler’ is one that reveals a storyline or plot point on General Hospital before it happens. The identity of a murderer is revealed on a website or in a magazine before the show can pull off the ‘whodunit’ then it’s a ‘spoiler.’ Spoilers by their very nature ‘spoil’ the act of storytelling by providing the end result before the tale is completed.
News and More Sites
Looking for good GH scoops and spoilers? Remember when checking out the different sites for spoilers, that spoilers should always be read with a grain of salt. While a storyline spoiler may sound like a great idea, nothing is set as cannon until it actually airs on television.
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Comments
Sorry to hear that ShaMe. I'm an old school Liason fan. I was a fan for ten years before I got a real payoff so a little break up is not enough to send me away -- not after the ten years I invested beforehand! Thanks for visiting Love To Know Soap Operas!
-- Contributed by: HVLongWe had a very organized group of 152 General Hospital Soap Fans but the group members are dropping one by one and I'm afraid that by the middle of March, the group will cease to exist. Members have stopped watching because Jason and Elizabeth have split. I seem to agree and I'm about to move on as well. I hope they get back together but I have no control over that.
-- Contributed by: ShaMeHey Lilly, thanks for coming by Love To Know Soap Operas. I think the debate of which woman is better for Jason is what keep Jasam and Liason fans at odds, there are some fans who'd rather he were with Carly and even more who want him alone. It's a testament to Steve Burton's portrayal that so many feel passionate.
-- Contributed by: HVLongThis page has been accessed 12,913 times. This page was last modified 12:38, 30 April 2009.
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