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As the executive producer of General Hospital, Frank Valentini has a tough job. As the soap opera’s showrunner he’s in charge of employing cast and crew, keeping the show in budget, and approve the scripts. Since 2012, he’s been in charge of the ABC drama, and his tenure’s had ups and downs. In recent months, his decisions have been questionable, leaving many wondering if a change is needed.
Frank Valentini Is the Main Problem at General Hospital
Valentini is a veteran in the soap opera world. Before General Hospital, he was executive producer of One Life to Live from 2003 until the show’s cancellation in 2012. When he joined the hospital drama, he had his work cut out for him. The show was on the brink of cancellation, but thanks to Valentini, it was renewed, and it recently celebrated its 61st anniversary.
Throughout his years at the show, there’s been few positive highlights. Among his accomplishments are bringing back popular characters such as Laura Spencer. He also added five more Daytime Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series to his portfolio But with the positives come the negatives.
Like most soap opera producers, Valentini has favorite characters that get special treatment. He’s also known to hire his acting friends in miscast roles. Josh Kelly as Cody Bell is a perfect example of this privilege.
Valentini’s decisions are constantly criticized, but the recent writing team shakeups are raising eyebrows. After firing Dan O’Connor and Chris Van Etten, he appointed Elizabeth Korte and Patrick Mulcahey as the new co-head writers. But last week, it was announced that Mulcahey was leaving and Korte would be the sole head writer.
Getting rid of a respected writer like Mulcahey is the final straw for General Hospital fans. On a Reddit thread, viewers are calling for him to be fired.
Ya know…I can’t help but think that the downward spiral of GH in every aspect is 100% Frank Valentini’s fault.
Another commenter is ready for a new producer:
Is there NO one else who can write a soap opera and do it well? Get rid of Frank. Why is this clear to everyone in the world, but ABC/Disney?
One fan believed the producer’s time is up soon:
I think Frank may be on the hot seat as EP. I’m not a Frank Hater nor Fan. I could be wrong but I’m thinking unless something drastic changes which I think is unlikely, Frank is out by the end of the year.
The Soap Opera Needs a New Producer
In the world of soap operas, there’s always a revolving door in the executive producer’s office. General Hospital has went through its share of showrunners, and it’s overdue for a change.
The network might be happy with Valentini’s work and how he keeps production under budget. If they were to fire him, it could be difficult finding another producer who won’t overspend. Yet, that’s a risk they should be willing to risk.
Fans are frustrated with the soap opera and the ratings prove it. Within the past month, viewership has dipped below 2 million. According to Soap Opera Network, the show garnered 1,876,000 viewers for the week of May 6-10, 2024.
With soap operas a dying genre, ratings play a vital role in their staying power. At this point, General Hospital can’t afford to lose any more viewers. If the show wants to remain on the air, it needs to make some changes. The first change is finding a new creative, fair, and money-savvy producer.
