Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Darn]

Thanks @DramatistDreamer! Wow they let the black people open the show AND they got the big orchestral romantic music? Ana can’t even get a love interest after nearly a year.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

At least TPTB were smart enough to appreciate what they had and actually wrote compelling material for them for a time.

Betty Rea, who also did casting for As The World Turns, really know how to pick talent. Sharp and Long not only had wonderful chemistry with each other but they fit seamlessly within the group of college age/early 20s of Bridget (Melissa Hayden), Julie (Jocelyn Seagrave) and Dylan (Morgan Englund). It's a shame it had to come to an end.

Glad you enjoyed that episode.

 

 

I'm on a serious nightly GL binge everybody, and I can't seem to get out of it!

I'm watching an episode where Nick McHenry compares Roger Thorpe to Rupert Murdoch.

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The episode

[Forever8]

I know what you mean @DramatistDreamer Since Last Summer I've been on a GL binge of my own too. I had stopped for awhile but decided to pick it back up partly because it was time to do so again and your comments inspired me to do so too. 

 

I'm on October 1991 Part 13: I mean imagine a soap these days playing half of an entire Bonnie Raitt song (which made me dance and sing along.) It was during Harley and Sam talking about going out as girls on the town that night. I mean it seems none of the younger characters on soaps go out anymore and if they do it is just to dance to bad dance music and display a terribly written romance. 

 

Meanwhile, you feel the good rapport between Kat and Bridget. Kat is becoming jealous of Bridget "befriending" Julie and is getting tired of being used by her. Whilst, Bridget at first is making no big deal, however you can tell she really appreciate her friendship. I mean what was the last modern day teenage friendship you enjoyed on a soap like this? Melissa Hayden went from comedy to sadness when Dylan was brought into the hospital after an explosion.

 

This is my first time watching these episode since I was only 1 year old when they were premiered.

 

Chemistry alone, Mindy and Mallett should've been the couple instead of Harley/Mallett and Nick/Mindy. Mark Derwin and Kimberley Simms had chemistry together as friends and potential lovers too.  

 

Let the Guiding Light Binge Continue!!! 

[Emma1420]

David and Gilly Grant were fantastic characters, and Monti Sharp had so much chemistry with everyone.    I'm a little surprised that he didn't end up on another soap because he was such a great soap actor.  He was a good actor in general, but not all good actors are good soap actors.

 

The casting in the early 90's especially for the under 30 crowd was pretty terrific.  Monti Sharp, Melissa Hayden, Nia Long, Rick Hearst, Melina Kanakarede, etc.

 

Even Jocelyn Seagraves and Morgan Englund, who I thought were weaker actors, generally had good chemistry with their fellow actors, and worked well on the canvas.

 

I think the fact that GL had such a long string of great casting made the rotating Hart's stick out more.   I never understood why they recast Eleni.  They should have killed off that character when Melina Kanakarede left.   Because the writers clearly had no real interest in the character once MK left.  

[glfaninnyc]

I always loved this scene for many reasons. One was the totally in character and very different reactions from Kat and Bridget.

 

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[Khan]

 

Well, he was on GH, briefly, as Justus Ward; but, as usual, JFP and her HW, Robert Guza, Jr., wasted him.

[Emma1420]

 

I didn't realize that.  But, not shocking as Guza refused to really write for any African American character.  Mind you he also had zero interest in writing for any character not named Luke, Sonny, Jason, or Carly.

 

 

 

 

[BetterForgotten]

Monti played Justus 98-99, under Wendy Riche and Guza. Still wasted though.

 

M'Fundo Morrison was the Justus that JFP and Guza wasted (he played Justus 2003-2006).

Edited June 5, 2019 by BetterForgotten

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Only recently, did I find out the Melina Kanakaredes' middle name is Eleni!  MK speaks fluent Greek so when she'd be murmuring in Greek, it was authentic-- she put so much of herself into that character!

 

I do agree that they had no interest in the character after MK's departure, which is a real shame but had they looked hard enough, perhaps they could have found someone who at least had great chemistry with Frank Dicopoulos.  The recast might not have been as perfect as MK but I got the distinct impression that they were going for just another woman, who kind of had ethnic features with long dark hair.  They were focused on the wrong aspects.  Perhaps they believed that lightning could not have struck twice, so they gave up trying altogether.

[Emma1420]

 

I think that role was pretty close to impossible to recast.  But, I do agree finding a decent actress who had great chemistry with Frank Dicopoulos or even Rick Hearst would have helped.  The problem with the recast wasn't necessarily that she was a bad actress, she seemed fine, she just lack chemistry with her co-stars and was kind of bland.

 

And at least for me, I'll take an average or even mediocre actor that can generate good chemistry and has some spark on screen over better actors who can't do that.  I get over a crappy performance from time-to-time, I can't get over being boring.   I think that is why Marcy Walker's Tangie always fell so flat to me.  She was so bland and lacked chemistry with pretty much everyone, even though I though MW was a good actress.

 

 

[Khan]

 

Oops.  My bad.  Thanks, BF!  

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[victoria foxton]

Guys i just remembered the Vinny Morrison story will soon start on BandstandMike's channel. This was a wonderful showcase for Monti Sharp. If i remember correctly Vinny Morrison's murder was juxtaposition with Gilly's past with Miles Davenport. 

Edited June 5, 2019 by victoria foxton

[BetterForgotten]

And Vinnie Morrison was played by FOJ Kevin McClatchy.

 

It's sad to think that whole story is incredibly timely in today's word, yet no soap today would even dare to tell it. 

[Emma1420]

 

Most soaps today are so terrified of losing viewers that they won't dare do anything contemporary.   Plus a good story needs to be well paced, and that is something that all four of the remaining shows struggle with.

 

I mean Emmerdale in the UK has a storyline about a teacher who groomed and abused one of her students and then a date rape story that has resulted in a pregnancy (and a rape that at least at this point isn't being used as a catalyst for a romantic pairing).   I don't believe there is one US soap that has the guts or ability to tell those type of stories anymore.

[kalbir]

Over the last few months I've been watching Fall 1992 through to Summer 1993 that have been uploaded on YT. Fall/Winter 1992 was alright but after Maureen's death it's been a chore to get through the episodes. I'm planning to watch through the end of Summer 1993 as I want to see the storyline surrounding the episode that got Michael Zaslow (RIP) his long awaited for Lead Actor Daytime Emmy.

 

Does anyone know what Michael Zaslow's second episode for his 1994 submission was? I know the episode who's clips were shown on the 1994 Daytime Emmys was rebroadcast in December 1998. I think the second episode might have been when Roger visited Maureen's grave but I could be wrong.