Daytime soaps get a bad rep when it reality they can be quite good. I knew about General Hospital for years, but I never gave it a try until this past January. And to my surprise I enjoy the show. I like it more than many shows airing in prime-time. It has its ups and downs, but when it is going strong it is a can't miss series.
Also, daytime serials aren't so different from some nighttime serials. I instantly picked up on some story-telling techniques used in daytime TV that have been transferred over to nighttime TV.
As for Kristen she is a decently talented actress. Perhaps she could be doing prime-time TV, but I think she is just as well off working on daytime TV. I will say though that her character on General Hospital is pretty weak. She is definitely one of my least favorite characters, so in a certain way maybe she deserves better?