The good news: Jonathan Jackson's return as Lucky Spencer caused a nice jump in ratings for General Hospital for the last week in October.
The bad news: The show was so far down, it still hasn't recovered.
In total viewers, GH is in fourth place despite picking up 163,000 new viewers. In total households, it's tied in fourth place with All My Children, a soap opera which has seen a growth spurt lately.
Where Mr. Lucky has been most helpful is in the 18-49 demographic, where GH sits at #2, with 76,000 new viewers. This is the demographic that keeps the show alive, and in past weeks, it had dipped. For girls 12-17, it stayed the same at #1.
Photo: American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
Comments
The writing and mob storylines suck! That is why the show is tanking! Can’t the producers and writers get a clue? Are they trying to sabatoge this show?!!
I don’t understand how the ratings went up unless people tuned in to see what he looks like these days.
Other than trying to arrest Luke for disorderly conduct for having his music turned up, what has he done?? NOTHING.
Lucky definitly got me to tune in even more. I wish this mob story line would die down a little bit. I want more of the hospital. Elizabeth story line = disgusting.
i have been a fan of this show for years. we have seen the men of port charles in the opening scenes for some time now. i think the ladies should now get equal time in the opening scenes.
I seriously doubt that the “original” Lucky was the reason for higher ratings. How do the people that are getting these statistics know that he was the reason. I sure haven’t tuned in for him. In fact, I forward all his scenes. I think that people just happen to be watching GH at the time of his return, because they wanted to see what would happen with Claudia.
I haven’t watched in years and the only reason I tuned in was to see Jonathan Jackson return. However, I do agree that the show needs much better writing… badly.
I have been watching GH since 1977 or so. I miss the hospital setting. They really need to do away with the whole mob thing (But keep jason, One of the better characters on the show) I hate J.J as Lucky. His scenes are awful. he is very monotone in his speaking and I see no emotion!! I do not know what GH was thinking when they fired the better “Lucky” Just because J.J started the character as a kid does not mean he can act as an adult
I love Jonathan Jackson as Lucky. I always have. No one has ever been able to keep me interested in the Elizabeth and Lucky story as Jonathan Jackson. They have that connection. Before Jonathan Jackson came back I have always wanted Elizabeth and Jason together and part of me still does, but Jackson’s return questions that. I can’t stand Elizabeth and Nicholas. That was a stupid mistake on the writers part. They have absolutely no chemistry!
I love that this Lucky is back. I really missed him. I can’t understand why his film career never took off. He is great as Lucky Spencer. Welcome back Jonathan!
I’m glad JJ is back. For me, it’s like one of the things that was broken with GH is finally fixed… but to expect that one actor would raise the ratings – that’s a lot of pressure. As others have said, consider improving the storylines, and maybe the ratings will soar. I think they’re on the right track – they’re being more respectful of GH history. Maybe a few more and frequent vet sightings…
Not on my account- he looks like a child compared to Greg Vaughn- loved him as a teen in this role but those days are over- come on folks- really…. we had Jacob and Greg, Steve and Chad all with Liz at some point, and now Nicolas!! Sorry Jonathan, you are low on the hunk scale after all the others.
Thats helps getting JJ back. I miss Greg but he is gone. I love the gangsters are freaking out. I almost died at the end of todays show when Claudia said “Can I get up now?” Holy cow!
I think it’s pretty evident by now that more people are thrilled with JJ’s return than not. If you can’t get into him, I’m sorry for you, but now maybe you have an idea of how I felt with JY and GV in the role. For me, it’s like Lucky Spencer has come home and the entire tone of the show has improved because of it.
I’m watching GH again regularly and that hasn’t been the case in a long, long time.
I agree Jonathan returning did not improve the story line,and I don’t care much for the way he talks. I been watching GH for30 years and am having a hard time understandin him.And Elizabeth must have slept around more than any body I can remember,wish she would make up her mind all ready.Yes Get Back to the Hospital story.Doesn’t anyone get sick or injuried. Transplants were a good thing.
i have been watching live now because of JJ as lucky… dont hate GV just never liked him as lucky why they got someone so old to play lucky is beyond me… i am glad Gv doesnt play lucky anymore he really was taking the character nowhere… luke & laura’s son should be a bigger part of the show… JJ is just the man to accomplish that he is an outstanding actor…
I have been watching General Hospital for about 35 years, and having the old Lucky back feels like he never grew up. He talks and acts very feminine, like a young boy. If you close your eyes he sounds like a girl. He is a very good actor, but maybe he should have come back as somebody else. He doens’t seem mature enough to take his old role back. A lot of people I talk to agree.
i liked the more muscle bond lucky now we got skin & bones p.s please keep the shirt on!
I loved the scene where Sunny tells Dominic that he can leave if he wants to get out of the mob and explains his past life to him. You could almost see the wheels turning in Dominics head, and I’m thinking did Claudia leave behind some hint that Dominic is Sunnys son. I hope they don’t ruin this
I love that JJ is back!!! I couldn’t stand Greg Vaughan as Lucky. He had no chemistry with Elizabeth at all! Everytime he was on I would hit fast forward. I wanted Elizabeth and Jason back together, but now that they brought JJ back I’m starting to lean toward an Elizabeth and Lucky reunion! Now all they have to do is get rid of Sam and I’d be a happy camper!
I’m thrilled that the original Lucky is back. JJ brings a breath of fresh air to that storyline. As for the writing on the show goes, I think they’re trying to tie up a lot of loose ends before moving on to something else. I’m not a fan of the Franco storyline, either. LOVE Jason and Sonny, tho. Always have, always will. I am glad to see that Jason is trying to step back from the violence, tho. With him being able to keep his emotions in check (for the most part), he makes the perfect enforcer for Sonny. I would love to see him join Sam and Spinelli in their PI firm. He solves most of the crimes in PC so why shouldn’t he? I’m hoping that Olivia will tell Dante and Sonny the truth and SOON. I’m worried that Sonny will find out he’s a cop first but not that he’s his son. He’ll hold a gun to his head and Olivia will do the “don’t kill him, he’s your son!” deal. Kinda reminds me of the scene on DAYS where Bo does the gun to Victor’s head and Caroline screams that he’s his father. Yikes!
So what? A man being soft spoken means he can’t play a man? Um…Michael Biehn is soft spoken too and he played Kyle FRICKIN Reese of all people! Being brawny with a baritone voice does not a man make. Just look at GV’s Lucky, who was, for all his “hotness,” a big, dumb chump! Lucky is now 1000x more intelligent, sensitive and SPENCER than he has been in 10 years.
JJ owns this role. The very fact that he could come back and reclaim it after 10 years just speaks to that. Yes, he is younger and smaller in comparison with Greg Vaughan, but is he younger and slighter where it pertains to who Lucky Spencer is and should have always been? Nope. He’s perfect. Know why?
HE’S Lucky.
I missed the past two weeks. Does Lucky know about Elizabeth and Nicholas? If so, when and how did he find out.