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For decades, General Hospital has been one of daytime television’s most loyal fixtures. It’s given fans unforgettable love stories, over-the-top villainy, and emotional gut-punches that keep people talking long after the credits roll. But even a soap with its kind of staying power has stumbled.
There have been storylines that dragged too long, characters who vanished without real payoff, and choices that felt less like bold moves and more like missed opportunities. Fans have never been shy about pointing out when something doesn’t work, and with a show that airs five days a week, not everything will hit.
Some plotlines have left longtime viewers scratching their heads, wondering what the writers were thinking. In other cases, characters were either written off too quickly or pushed far past their expiration date. The beauty of a soap is that it can always course-correct—but sometimes, those missteps linger.
Whether it was a poorly timed exit, an unpopular pairing, or a twist that made no emotional sense, General Hospital hasn’t always stuck the landing. Here are seven times the show completely missed the mark with its audience—moments that fans still talk about, not because they loved them, but because they couldn’t believe they actually aired.
7 times General Hospital missed the mark with viewers
1. The Jason and Britt Romance That Went Nowhere
In 2021, General Hospital gave Britt Westbourne an emotional turning point by pairing her with Jason Morgan. Their dynamic offered something new—Britt was vulnerable, Jason was softer, and the storyline had real promise. Fans quickly bought in, especially after Britt’s ALS diagnosis revealed her emotional depth.
But just as their bond gained steam, the show dropped it. Jason was presumed to be off via a tunnel collapse and presumed dead. Britt didn’t even get to grieve properly. She was tossed into separate arcs with little mention of Jason, and her eventual murder a year later had nothing to do with her past growth or their relationship.
It missed the mark by completely ignoring what was built. Their story had momentum and fan support, but there was no payoff or emotional closure. Britt’s arc stalled, Jason’s exit felt rushed, and both characters were shortchanged in a way that still bothers longtime viewers.
2. Nina Keeping Sonny’s Identity a Secret in Nixon Falls
After Sonny Corinthos was presumed dead, he surfaced alive in Nixon Falls with amnesia, living as a bartender named “Mike.” When Nina found him, she made a choice that shifted her character—she kept his identity hidden, deciding not to tell him or anyone else.
The lie dragged on for months. Nina repeatedly chooses silence even when people like Jax or Phyllis suspect something. Instead of growing tension, the plot looped. When Sonny finally regained his memory, the fallout was brief. The emotional weight of that betrayal never truly landed, and Nina remained at the center of forced drama.
The story missed the mark by making Nina’s deception feel more tedious than shocking. It hurt her character long-term and didn’t deepen her dynamic with Sonny in a satisfying way. Viewers wanted payoff, but they got a messy triangle, inconsistent consequences, and a storyline that overstayed its welcome by several months.
3. The Peter August Overexposure
Peter August was introduced as a layered character with a mysterious past, tied to legacy villains like Faison and Anna. He started with potential, especially when his relationship with Maxie became central to the show.
But as time passed, Peter kept surviving. He committed murder, lied, manipulated, and evaded justice for over three years. The show leaned on him so heavily that it began to derail other characters’ stories. Anna, Maxie, Valentin, and even Liesl were trapped in repetitive arcs centered around Peter’s latest scheme.
Fans were frustrated by how long the show dragged it out. By the time Peter was finally killed in 2022, viewers weren’t shocked—they were just tired. The payoff came far too late, and instead of being a memorable villain, Peter became a symbol of poor pacing and resistance to audience feedback. His story took oxygen from the rest of the canvas, and it showed.
4. Killing Off Sabrina Santiago in 2016
Sabrina Santiago had grown into one of the show’s most likable characters. Her relationship with Michael gave her stability, and fans were invested in her arc as a working mother rebuilding her life. She was warm, grounded, and deeply tied to core hospital characters.
Then, she was strangled to death by Paul Hornsby during the hospital killer storyline. It was abrupt, brutal, and completely out of sync with her recent growth. Her murder didn’t serve any greater purpose beyond shock, and Paul was taken down shortly afterward. There was little time spent honoring her character or grieving her properly.
This missed the mark by treating a beloved character like a disposable plot device. Sabrina’s death was unnecessary, and it alienated viewers who felt her journey was finally hitting its stride. Her loss added nothing long-term and created a gap in the show’s heart that was never quite filled again.
5. Elizabeth’s Repressed Childhood Trauma Plot
In 2022, Elizabeth Webber’s sleepwalking, blackouts, and strange behavior hinted at a long-buried trauma. Fans expected something big. After decades on the show, Elizabeth deserved a meaty, personal storyline. The setup suggested something major was coming from her past.
Instead, the story revealed that as a teen, Elizabeth pushed Reiko Finn—Hamilton Finn’s wife—down the stairs during an argument. It felt random and disconnected from Liz’s adult life. The pacing was slow, red herrings dragged it out, and the emotional impact of the reveal was minimal. There was little fallout or reflection once the truth was out.
It missed the mark by failing to deliver the emotional weight that viewers expected. Elizabeth’s fans waited years for a front-burner plot, only to get a rushed, underwhelming conclusion. Rather than deepening her character, it left her in the same place she started—unmoved, unresolved, and sidelined just when she should’ve been in center stage.
6. Killing Kiki Jerome for Shock Value
Kiki Jerome had evolved into a strong, independent presence on the show. As Ava’s daughter and a driven med student, she had roots in major storylines. Hayley Erin brought depth to the role, and her recent Emmy win showed how popular she’d become with fans.
Then came Ryan Chamberlain’s killing spree, and Kiki was murdered. It was shocking but also frustrating. Her death severed key relationships—with Ava, Franco, and Griffin—and none of them got meaningful follow-up. It also cut off her growing rivalry with Ava, which had years of potential. The show moved on quickly.
This missed the mark by choosing shock value over long-term storytelling. Kiki’s exit closed off several promising arcs and weakened the younger generation of characters. Fans saw it as a waste, especially since Ryan’s return could’ve fueled drama without eliminating someone so essential. Years later, viewers still bring up how unnecessary it felt.
7. The Mishandling of Luke Spencer’s Death
Luke Spencer wasn’t just a General Hospital character—he was part of the show’s identity. His decades-long history with Laura, Tracy, and so many others shaped what the show became. That’s why his 2022 offscreen death felt like a slap to longtime fans.
He was killed in a vague “cable car accident” and declared dead in one conversation. No flashbacks, no memorials, and no returns from key characters like Lucky or Lulu. Tracy mentioned that people were sad for a day, and the show moved on. For someone of Luke’s stature, it wasn’t just disappointing—it was careless.
It missed the mark by completely minimizing a legacy character’s impact. Fans who watched him for decades expected some sense of closure or celebration. Instead, Luke was written off like an extra, and the moment landed flat. Even some cast members expressed frustration, proving how widely this decision backfired.
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