General Hospital Annual Ball Gets Cringier Every Year
The only episode a year that makes fans want to turn their TV's off.
It's always sad to see failed attempts at creating something heartwarming and beautiful, especially when the cause really calls for a celebration.
General Hospital has been around for 60 years, the number that no other soap opera has beaten, and yet the celebration of its existence looked so awkward that viewers were almost ready to turn it off.
The idea of an annual Nurses Ball is a beautiful one, as it not only allows the cast and production to celebrate their milestones with lavish performances in beautiful gowns but also brings attention to the important cause.
Each ball shines a spotlight on HIV/AIDS awareness. The tradition was born in 1994 and continued through 2001, only to return in 2013 for the show's 50th anniversary.
Since then, the balls have been taking place annually with the only exception being the year 2020, when it had to be canceled due to COVID.
With each passing year, however, fans have become less and less satisfied with the quality of the ball and have begun to question how much awareness it really brings to the cause.
"What happened to it being about HIV/AIDS? They're doing the cause some lip service by having the characters remind each other (and us) what the ball is about frequently, but where are the quilts, posters, and testimonials we used to see in the 90s?
Back then there was heart & soul to the ball that could make you cry. Now it's just a flashy, loud, yet small affair pretending to be much larger than it actually is," Redditor Matuatay said, explaining how their feelings toward the Nurses Ball have changed since the '90s when it all began.
Between the very cheesy numbers, the mediocre singing, and the second-hand embarrassment of watching, more and more fans agree that it's just not worth it.
Even the 2023 event, which was supposed to be a bigger celebration of another impressive anniversary, found some viewers fast-forwarding through it rather than enjoying it.
The episodes are back to normal now, and viewers are safe from the musical performances for at least another year.
So don't be afraid to tune in to ABC during the week to see General Hospital's new storylines and character development.