How You Can Watch Classic Episodes Of General Hospital For Free (Without Turning To YouTube)

For years, "General Hospital" fans have found it difficult to watch or purchase older episodes. The show started in 1963, and many television programs from that era have been irrevocably lost because producers either didn't have the ability to record them, or the tapes were wiped clean and used again. Many "GH" episodes from the first year are gone, although a DVD does exist called "General Hospital: Series One" which contains the surviving episodes from 1963. Sadly, because it is classified as Region 2, the DVD will not play in the U.S. Two official VHS tapes do exist: "General Hospital — Daytime's Greatest Weddings," and "General Hospital: Luke & Laura (Lovers on the Run)," from 1993 and 1994 respectively, containing clips from particular stories, not full episodes.

Aside from the fans' ability to record soaps on videotape back in the day, from 2000 to 2013 SOAPnet was a cable network that aired classic sudsers as well as replaying same-day broadcasts in the evenings — making the shows more accessible to people who weren't home in the day or couldn't record them. "GH" fans could relive older episodes and marvel at the stars they forgot began on the show. However, since the network's demise, soap fans have had to watch poor quality recordings on YouTube, or acquire bootleg tapes or DVDs, most of which are also low quality.

ABC has now remedied the problem with a new venture that will thrill "GH" fans.

ABC made an announcement on the "General Hospital" Instagram page, writing, "Introducing the all-new #GeneralHospital Spotlight Channel, streaming exclusively on ABC.com and the ABC app. Relive unforgettable stories, like Mike's dramatic battle with Alzheimer's, in this new live channel. Watch free –- anytime, anywhere. Click the link in our bio to get started." Much like Pluto TV, which acts like a cable provider offering several channels playing in real-time, ABC has a live-streaming television feature also, with several channels available to watch 24/7 including the General Hospital Spotlight Channel. It can be accessed via computer at the ABC website, or on a device app.

This is not a service in which viewers choose episodes on demand, but rather they are at the whim of the shows being broadcast on the stream. Every hour, a different episode of "General Hospital" from different seasons plays live. The service has several other channels including a few local ABC affiliates, as well as the various National Geographic and FX family of channels. Instagram users responded by asking to see various storylines throughout the show's 60-year history. One enthusiastic viewer exclaimed, "Would love to watch it from episode 1!! Send me 60 years back so I can relive it all."

It seems like a "GH" fan's dream come true, and we're looking forward to seeing how this new channel evolves.