Wendy Riche came aboard as executive producer in 1992, at a time when the series was struggling. She told "Entertainment Weekly": "I will say that the show needed to be more character-driven rather than plot-driven. It needed to be more relatable in its story pursuit. It needed to balance fantasy and reality better. And it needed more romance." Riche hired Claire Labine as head writer in 1993. Both were said to bring "General Hospital" into an era of "womansense". Under their reign, the series returned to medical focus and gained critical acclaim for its sensitive handling of social issues. Labine stated Riche said her first concern was bringing more depth to the characters, and making their family members seen, something the audience could relate to. She stated, "That's why we created the Karen/Jagger/Brenda triangle. To get some new young characters into the show who could relate to the adults, or who would be tied to the adults. That was a priority as well as getting the main characters back on track, like Luke and Bobbie."