'General Hospital' Creative Team Talks the Best of 2016

Michael Fairman recently sat down with General Hospital head writers, Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante, and executive producer, Frank Valentini, to talk about the major events that took place on the show during 2016. Below, are their thoughts on some of what they thought worked the best during the last year.

Passanante on James Patrick Stuart as Valentin, "He is such a wonderful actor, and he gives us everything. You know he is a bad guy, but boy can he be charming and loving!"

Altman on Finola Hughes, "We want to see Anna Devane being the strong woman she has always been in the past. We love Finola. She is an important element on the show for many people. Increasing her relationships with the addition of Griffin (Matt Cohen), and the occasional return of Robin as often as we can have her, we felt was re-grounding her in Port Charles society. We admire strong women in the world, in our lives, and on our show. So it’s fun to invent situations for Anna to be in."

Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante Named Co-Head Writers of 'General Hospital'

Shelly Altman (center) at the 2014 Daytime Emmy Awards.

Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante were named Co-Head Writers of ABC’s Emmy Award-winning series General Hospital, it was announced today by Vicki Dummer, Executive Vice President Current Series Programming. The scribes will take the reins of the network’s long-running drama series starting August 10, 2015.

In making the announcement Dummer said: “We are pleased to welcome back two esteemed writers to our General Hospital family. Shelly and Jean’s combined talents and experiences promise to continue the show’s legacy of compelling storytelling that will resonate with our impassioned viewers. We’re delighted with what they have in store for the show as they continue honoring the rich, diverse environs of Port Charles.”

Altman is a multiple Emmy award-winner for her extensive work on soap operas, including One Life to Live and The Young and the Restless. Prior to her work on serial dramas, Altman wrote for several primetime shows, including Kate and Allie, Counterstrike and True Blue. She is also an accomplished film writer whose credits include the award-winning, Sweet Lorraine.

Passanante previously served as head writer and co-head writer for several daytime dramas, including The Young and the Restless, All My Children and As the World Turns. She has won four Daytime Emmy awards, six Writer’s Guild awards and five GLAAD media awards. Passanante also has an extensive theatre background, having served as administrator of the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center’s National Playwright’s Conference and artistic director of New Dramatists and New York Theater Workshop, among many other creative roles.

Altman and Passanante replace Ron Carlivati, who has been with GH since early 2012.

Gina Tognoni Debuts as the New Phyllis Newman on 'The Young and the Restless'; Can Daytime's Top-Rated Soap Regain Its Magic?

Near the end of the Monday, August 14 episode of The Young and the Restless, Jack Abbott (Three-time Emmy winner Peter Bergman) arrived in Georgia to visit his fiance Phyllis Summers Newman. Well, they were engaged a year ago when Phyllis tumbled down a flight of stairs and went into a coma, and before he fell in love with Kelly Andrews (Two-time Emmy winner Cady McClain). But a lot has changed over the past 12 months, and he's come to tell his comatose love that he's moving on. This wasn't the same Phyllis that left Y&R after a reunion with Jack; Michelle Stafford has moved on to General Hospital, where she's giving a fascinating performance as Nina Clay (coincidentally another character that recently came out of a coma). As Jack settled in next to the woman he has loved on and off for years, viewers heard the voice of Jessica Collins (Avery) say in that old school soap opera way, "The role of Phyllis Newman is now being played by Gina Tognoni," and saw her face. The two-time Emmy Award-winning Tognoni had finally made her first appearance on daytime's top-rated drama.

Just before Jack took Phyllis' hand, he said, "It's good to see you, Red."

Yes, it was!