GL: Classic Moments from Curlee/Demorest/Reilly/Broderick

[Sylph]

Y&RWorldTurner, tell me one thing: do you think Curlee will some day come back? Or is her return science fiction?

[Y&RWorldTurner]

No, I don't think she'll ever come back. Other than raising her children, I remember hearing rumblings that she left soap writing behind because she hated the corporate interference that had taken over the soap opera genre by the early 90's. But this was years ago, she could have mellowed. Daytime really needs someone like her, but that would be too much to ask I guess...

[Sylph]

Well, I have her e-mail so I will have to ask her.

[Aaron]

As I stated on another thread, I was a diehard Pam Long/Reva fan and thought the show was OV-AH without those two ladies. I can't remember why, but I recorded the first week of 1991, which is when the show sort of transitioned to the new team (complete with the debut of the Hold On To Love lighthouse opening.) Suffice it to say, I didn't stop recording GL until 1997.

Sadly, though, I lost that first year and 1/4 of tapes in a fire, so my personal collection currently starts in March of 1992 (right after Jenna debuted.) But I'm still so grateful to have those years on tape (and am currently converting them to DIVX since the tapes are deteriorating.)

This was, without a doubt, my golden age of GL. Solid storytelling, an amazingly talented and rich ensemble cast, fantastic pacing and plot twists. It had its bumps. But overall the show still stands up to this day.

Whether or not CBS or Nancy and Lorraine kept JER in check, there were a few signs of the madness to come! (And I say that with tongue in cheek... Reilly's either a mad genius or the worst writer in history...) Bridget in the attic had JER all over it. But I loved that story! I still tear up when I watch that Christmas episode where Bridget's making fun of the Lewises by singing "Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem" in an exaggerated southern accent, but then turns really serious and starts singing to her unborn child.

Classic stuff. Great thread!!!!

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Where'd you get that?

Tell her I'm a huge fan of her work on GL from the early 90's, if you do e-mail her.

[Sylph]

Don't ask... I dug for years and I finally found it. And I have been contemplating on what to say, I just have to make it a perfect letter.

And I was going to ask you to help me with something. But this is still on hold because I have tons of other stuff to do that I just cannot find the time to dedicate myself to this.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

OMG, I LOVED THAT! Bridget was one of my most favourite characters at the time and I still miss Melissa Hayden (who won an Emmy for the role btw.)

[Dan]

Oops. I forgot that this thread was here. My bad.

I'll get to work on Part II soon.

But first a quick FYI...

Reilly was gone long before Bridget ever wound up in that attic. Curlee returned from maternity leave, so it was Curlee, Demorest, and Broderick writing.

[Toups]

When did the Nadine/Bridget storyline start and end?

[Y&RWorldTurner]

If I remember correctly, Bridget gave birth to Peter in early 1993, I think I read it was in February, and by the spring of 1993, Vanessa had already gotten Bridget to confess the truth about the baby.

After Vanessa's rape trial, which was in May 1992, Billy and Vanessa were on good terms again and Nadine realized that he really wanted Vanessa, not her. So, she thought the only way for her to hold onto Billy was if she was pregnant. She discovered that teenage Bridget was pregnant, who didn't want anyone to know, hid her in the attic and stuffed her own body with a pillow so everyone would believe she was carrying Billy's child. The plan was that Bridget would give Nadine her child.

So, the Nadine/Bridget story lasted from summer of 1992 to like early spring of 1993.

[Toups]

This storyline just screams of JER. Pillow baby? LOL

JER was already out of the GL credits and in the DAYS credits by late December 1992, but surely his influence was still felt in the long story.

[Jonathan]

I am a diehard All My Children fan, but I remember sneaking a peak at Guiding Light during this time; there was so much buzz around the show and deservedly so. It truly was must see TV and it wasn't hard at all acquainting myself to the residents of Springfield. The storylines hooked you right in. Alas, my schedule was too tight to watch this and AMC, and at the time I believe I was tuning into General Hospital for the return of Luke and Laura so I ended up dropping GL from my radar.

[LoyaltoAMC]

I love Pam Long to death, but some of her storytelling was incredibly weak (the Dreaming Death! Johnny Bauer's Miracle Cancer Cure!), and her hard-on for all things Reva and Lewis related at the expense of the Bauers and some other beloved characters was almost inexcusable. However, I can forgive Long for those shortcomings because she infused the show with so much warmth and humanity. GL, more than any other show IMO, was about family and community, and I think Long got that. That's where Long's strength as a writer lies. When Curlee/Demorest/Reilly/Broderick took over, they retained the warmth that Long imbued in the show and the family/friendship/community ties that she had fostered, but sharpened the storytelling. The Curlee at al era of GL was superlative. By the way, I always got the impression that Curlee was lead, if only because she hand-picked Broderick to replace her during her maternity leave. I always inferred from that that Curlee was steering the ship more than the others.

[Aaron]

LOL, that's what I'm saying... I'd bet my eye teeth that the Bridget story was his brainchild, whether or not he was actually around for the final scripting. In fact, I'd bet that Nadine was Reilly's pet character while at GL. He seems to enjoy writing for stereotypically white trash females; his Bonnie Lockhart on Days was very reminiscent of early Nadine. And then there was Bridget's earlier storyline with a greasy, obnoxious ex named "Elvis".

JER's imagination was just beginning to show signs of madness during those years! :-)

[Y&RWorldTurner]

^LOL! Nadine was like a fusion of Kristen and Bonnie, I'd say. She was desperate, pathetic, white trashy, and thought she was right all along.

The difference was, GL obviously had the best dialogue of any other show JER ever wrote for. Also, stories were paced well and weren't allowed to go too over the top.