General Hospital poster

General Hospital

TV Show TV-14 1963 5.7 /10 Returning
ABC A ABC Original
Created by Frank Hursley, Doris Hursley

General Hospital unfolds around the residents and staff of Port Charles, an upstate New York city where a busy hospital sits at the center of everyday life. Medical crises intersect with messy personal relationships, and public places like an upscale hotel, a local diner, and a waterfront bring... Read more

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Streaming availability last verified: January 29, 2026

About General Hospital

General Hospital unfolds around the residents and staff of Port Charles, an upstate New York city where a busy hospital sits at the center of everyday life. Medical crises intersect with messy personal relationships, and public places like an upscale hotel, a local diner, and a waterfront bring together families, friends, rivals and lovers. Behind the scenes there's a persistent criminal element whose schemes ripple into hospital corridors and living rooms, forcing characters to juggle professional duties, romantic entanglements and moral choices. The show moves between sudden emergencies and slow-burning interpersonal drama, keeping storylines tied to both large-scale events and intimate moments without revealing key twists or finales.

Premiered in 1963, General Hospital was created by Frank Hursley and Doris Hursley for ABC daytime television, and it grew into a long-running soap with many directors and producers over the decades.

General Hospital has earned a steady stream of Daytime Emmy recognition, with numerous nominations and wins across acting, writing and technical categories, underscoring its long-term presence in the daytime awards landscape.

The series left a clear mark on popular culture, from landmark episodes that drew massive attention to recurring mob-centered plots, to memorable weddings and character pairings that fans still reference. Its characters and stories have inspired spin-offs, parodies and frequent tabloid coverage, helping shape how soap operas are discussed in broader media.

Reception has been mixed among critics while the fanbase remains devoted, reflected in a Vote Average of 5.7/10 from 213 votes. Major themes include family loyalty, romantic betrayal, the clash between duty and desire, and the impact of crime on ordinary lives. The show balances medical procedural elements with melodrama, and it continues to evolve while keeping longtime viewers invested.

Details

Release Date
April 01, 1963
Rating
TV-14
User Ratings
213 votes
Type
TV Series
Seasons
63
Episodes
10694
Network
ABC
Status
Returning Series
Genres
Soap
Country
United States
Studio
Walt Disney Television +1 more
External Links
View on IMDB

Cast

Maurice Benard

Maurice Benard

Sonny Corinthos

Rebecca Herbst

Rebecca Herbst

Elizabeth Webber

Nancy Lee Grahn

Nancy Lee Grahn

Alexis Davis

M

Maura West

Ava Jerome

Finola Hughes

Finola Hughes

Anna Devane

Donnell Turner

Donnell Turner

Curtis Ashford

Cynthia Watros

Cynthia Watros

Nina Reeves

L

Laura Wright

Carly Spencer

E

Eden McCoy

Josslyn Jacks

Josh Swickard

Josh Swickard

Harrison Chase

Created by: Frank Hursley, Doris Hursley

Seasons (63 seasons, 10694 episodes)

S1

Season 1

2 episodes - 1963

S2

Season 2

0 episodes

S3

Season 3

0 episodes

S4

Season 4

0 episodes

S5

Season 5

0 episodes

S6

Season 6

0 episodes

S7

Season 7

0 episodes

S8

Season 8

0 episodes

S9

Season 9

0 episodes

S10

Season 10

0 episodes

S11

Season 11

0 episodes

S12

Season 12

0 episodes

S13

Season 13

0 episodes

S14

Season 14

0 episodes

S15

Season 15

0 episodes

S16

Season 16

0 episodes

S17

Season 17

30 episodes - 1980

S18

Season 18

0 episodes

S19

Season 19

0 episodes

S20

Season 20

0 episodes

Season 21

Season 21

261 episodes - 1984

Season 22

Season 22

260 episodes - 1985

Season 23

Season 23

261 episodes - 1986

Season 24

Season 24

260 episodes - 1987

Season 25

Season 25

259 episodes - 1988

Season 26

Season 26

256 episodes - 1989

Season 27

Season 27

259 episodes - 1990

Season 28

Season 28

257 episodes - 1991

Season 29

Season 29

259 episodes - 1992

Season 30

Season 30

260 episodes - 1993

Season 31

Season 31

258 episodes - 1994

Season 32

Season 32

258 episodes - 1995

Season 33

Season 33

261 episodes - 1996

Season 34

Season 34

258 episodes - 1997

Season 35

Season 35

256 episodes - 1998

Season 36

Season 36

258 episodes - 1999

Season 37

Season 37

257 episodes - 2000

Season 38

Season 38

254 episodes - 2001

Season 39

Season 39

258 episodes - 2002

Season 40

Season 40

257 episodes - 2003

Season 41

Season 41

258 episodes - 2004

Season 42

Season 42

257 episodes - 2005

Season 43

Season 43

257 episodes - 2006

Season 44

Season 44

256 episodes - 2007

Season 45

Season 45

254 episodes - 2008

Season 46

Season 46

251 episodes - 2009

Season 47

Season 47

63 episodes - 2010

Season 48

Season 48

248 episodes - 2010

Season 49

Season 49

255 episodes - 2011

Season 50

Season 50

248 episodes - 2012

Season 51

Season 51

248 episodes - 2013

Season 52

Season 52

251 episodes - 2014

Season 53

Season 53

253 episodes - 2015

Season 54

Season 54

249 episodes - 2016

Season 55

Season 55

250 episodes - 2017

Season 56

Season 56

246 episodes - 2018

Season 57

Season 57

246 episodes - 2019

Season 58

Season 58

298 episodes - 2020

Season 59

Season 59

244 episodes - 2021

Season 60

Season 60

245 episodes - 2022

Season 61

Season 61

250 episodes - 2023

Season 62

Season 62

251 episodes - 2024

Season 63

Season 63

117 episodes - 2025

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Frequently Asked Questions

General Hospital is available to stream on Hulu. You can also rent or buy it on Google Play and Amazon Video.

Yes, General Hospital is available to stream on Hulu.

Yes, you can buy on Google Play and Amazon Video.

General Hospital has 63 seasons with a total of 10694 episodes.

With a rating of 5.7/10 from 213 viewers, General Hospital is a mixed bag - check out reviews to see if it's right for you.

General Hospital unfolds around the residents and staff of Port Charles, an upstate New York city where a busy hospital sits at the center of everyday life. Medical crises intersect with messy personal relationships, and public places like an upscale hotel, a local diner, and a waterfront bring t...

General Hospital stars Maurice Benard, Rebecca Herbst, Nancy Lee Grahn, Maura West, and Finola Hughes.

General Hospital was created by Frank Hursley and Doris Hursley.

General Hospital was released on April 01, 1963.

General Hospital is a Soap series.

No, General Hospital is a work of fiction created by Frank and Doris Hursley. Its stories and characters are dramatized soap opera plots set in the fictional city of Port Charles.

General Hospital has won numerous Daytime Emmy Awards over the decades, including multiple wins for Outstanding Drama Series and acting honors for several cast members. It's one of the most awarded daytime dramas in U.S. television history.

The show is produced by ABC and filmed in Los Angeles, with much of its production taking place on studio sets, including long runs at Prospect Studios. Location shoots around California are used occasionally for exterior scenes.

Yes, notable spin-offs include Port Charles, which aired from 1997 to 2003, and General Hospital: Night Shift, a prime-time companion series that ran in 2007 and 2008. The show has also inspired web series and special tie-ins over the years.

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