Soapers Luke and Laura in marriage sequel

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- Producers reportedly expect a ratings spike for ABC's "General Hospital" when the U.S. soap opera shows the remarriage of classic characters Luke and Laura.

The network says 30 million Americans watched the couple exchange wedding vows 25 years ago, the largest audience ever for a daytime drama. ABC said "General Hospital" producers hoping that the episode -- set to air Thursday -- will attract "lapsed" viewers who "haven't watched the show as often or in a while."

Luke Spencer and Laura Webber Spencer are fictional characters, of course. Luke is played by Anthony Geary and Laura is played by Genie Francis.

For anyone who may have missed the last 25 years of "General Hospital," Luke and Laura divorced after two decades of marriage and -- as fate would have it -- just when they were on the cusp of reuniting, Laura went and killed her mother's ex-husband, Rick. The violent act left her in a weird state of "psychomotor disassociation."

But with a magical, experimental drug, Laura is once again in the real world and she's going to marry her former husband Thursday.

"General Hospital" airs on ABC, a division of The Walt Disney Co., which is also the parent company of ABC News.