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80's GH
Topic Started: July 23, 2011, 11:52 am (4,706 Views)
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Cultural phenomenon and supercouple pairings (1980–1989)

The supercouple pairing of Luke Spencer and Laura Webber would eventually become the most popular storyline in soap opera history. Their November 16/17, 1981 wedding was watched by about 30 million people, making it the highest-rated episode of a soap opera in American television history. They were so popular that even Elizabeth Taylor wanted in on the action; she guest-starred as Helena Cassadine and adorned People Weekly magazine with Francis and Geary. Luke and Laura's relationship was not without some controversy, as Luke had raped her in 1979. Laura was traumatized and went to counseling, but after her popularity with Luke flourished, she claimed the rape was "seduction." In 1998, the issue was revisited and Laura finally admitted to herself that Luke had raped her.

The success of Luke and Laura led General Hospital (and other soap operas) to try and emulate the formula. GH was very successful in creating pairings, and after Luke and Laura, other 80s pairings were popular:

* Robert Scorpio & Holly Sutton (Tristan Rogers & Emma Samms)
* Duke Lavery & Anna Devane (Ian Buchanan & Finola Hughes)
* Frisco Jones & Felicia Cummings (Jack Wagner & Kristina Wagner)

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Tristan Rogers is back and Scorpio is On the Loose and Looking for Love (Daytime TV 1987?)
"Well ladies, the good news is that Tristan Rogers, the sexy Aussie who plays sexy Aussie, Robert Scorpio, is back on GH. The bad news is... hmmm, there isn't any bad news! Unless, of course, you think the idea of Robert without Holly is like Christmas without Santa Claus, or a hot fudge sundae without the hot fudge, or Romeo without Juliet, or... if that's the case, then there's plenty of bad news because General Hospital killed off Holly Scorpio in a plane crash!

No sooner had Gloria Monty hired Tristan Rogers to play dashing WSB agent, Robert Scorpio, than he became a heartthrob to millions of women. He had love affair after love affair, but until Holly Sutton came along, no one could really totally capture his heart. Their marriage and love affair (in that order) was one of the most popular in GH history.
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October 30, 1990 SOD with Knot's Landing Gary and Val on the cover.

12 Greatest Love Stories - Ever!

One couple from General Hospital - Robert & Holly
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August 15, 2011, 5:55 pm
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August 15, 2011, 5:32 pm
Soap mags refer to Zendall and JaSam as supercouples too. Doesn't make it true. Honestly the supercouple thing is so hackeyed anyway. It's just a label for a certain type of writing that existed in the 80's "us against the world" yada yada yada.
I don't think all the GH super couples were us against the world. Robert and Holly went down a totally different path then the others. Robert and Holly did the one thing the others couldn't seem to accomplished onscreen.Stay happily married for a few years and keep it interesting with no infidelity.


Those adventure storylines were very much us against the world dealing with super villians.
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Summer 1992 Soap Opera Digest Special - Super Couples Special

Among the GH couples that were featured: Luke & Laura, Robert & Holly, Frisco & Felicia, Duke & Anna and Robert & Anna. Also, both Genie Francis and Emma Samms were interviewed at length on what it was like to be "part of a supercouple". Emma Samms: "Being called a supercouple was very flattering".

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August 15, 2011, 11:28 pm
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August 15, 2011, 5:55 pm
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August 15, 2011, 5:32 pm
Soap mags refer to Zendall and JaSam as supercouples too. Doesn't make it true. Honestly the supercouple thing is so hackeyed anyway. It's just a label for a certain type of writing that existed in the 80's "us against the world" yada yada yada.
I don't think all the GH super couples were us against the world. Robert and Holly went down a totally different path then the others. Robert and Holly did the one thing the others couldn't seem to accomplished onscreen.Stay happily married for a few years and keep it interesting with no infidelity.


Those adventure storylines were very much us against the world dealing with super villians.
Are you talking about Adventure stories with Robert & Holly? Which ones were us against the world?
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August 15, 2011, 11:28 pm
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August 15, 2011, 5:55 pm
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August 15, 2011, 5:32 pm
Soap mags refer to Zendall and JaSam as supercouples too. Doesn't make it true. Honestly the supercouple thing is so hackeyed anyway. It's just a label for a certain type of writing that existed in the 80's "us against the world" yada yada yada.
I don't think all the GH super couples were us against the world. Robert and Holly went down a totally different path then the others. Robert and Holly did the one thing the others couldn't seem to accomplished onscreen.Stay happily married for a few years and keep it interesting with no infidelity.


Those adventure storylines were very much us against the world dealing with super villians.
Adventure story? Wrong couple..Robert and Holly weren't that kind of couple. You getting them confused with either the DOOL super couples or GH LnL or FnF...R&H were pretty unique, they weren't like the other super couple. They didn't follow the usual super couple ritual. They had an entire different make up.
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Robert was the 3rd most popular character in GH history after Luke and Laura. Clearly a clue on how pop his romantic pairing with Holly were, they were mega popular...TR himself, had A TV IQ only third to Henry Wrinkler (#1)and Tom Selleck(#2). I know the youngins probably doesn't know who those guys are but us, old folks know how popular the fonz and Magnum PI were and TR was third to them. R&H were definitely a super couple!!
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August 15, 2011, 5:32 pm
Soap mags refer to Zendall and JaSam as supercouples too. Doesn't make it true. Honestly the supercouple thing is so hackeyed anyway. It's just a label for a certain type of writing that existed in the 80's "us against the world" yada yada yada.
Yes, but that is incorrect or wishful thinking. There haven't been any supercouples since the early 90s. It is a now just a nostalgic term.
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Cultural phenomenon and supercouple pairings (1980–1989)

So I guess any pairings after 1989 couldn't be classified as a super couple?
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