Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Khan]

 

 

In retrospect, it was apparent, especially in the latter part of his OLTL run, when everything -- the lighting, the sets, the hair and wardrobe, the makeup, everything -- was OTT and overblown.

 

 

I remember when she was introduced during the "Reva helps illegal immigrants" story (which was ahead of its' time when you think about it today) as Claire Labine's token, poor-but-proud, Hispanic character; similar to Ana-Alicia's character on RYAN'S HOPE, but perhaps more naive.  Then, after Lloyd Gold had succeeded Labine as HW, Catalina transformed into this scheming b***h who'd even lost her accent seemingly overnight.

 

Kinda says something about what living in America does to immigrants seeking a better life, doesn't it? 

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Edited January 7, 2020 by Khan

[Mitch]

God I loved that and I loved Abuela..the only Santos of interest who  looked like they could actually be dangerous. Remember the weird scene with Selena I think where she got up out of her wheelchair and started walking around and then sat back down, never to be mentioned again. She made Carmen look like Catalina.

 

I wanted to see Abuela vs. Aunt Meta..the evil matriarch vs the good matriarch..and both knew how to use a gun.

[SFK]

In her archive interview, Ellen Holly speaks highly of Míriam Colón, a very talented unsung actress. Ms. Colón did receive the Medal of the Arts from Obama.

[soapfan770]

That would be have be fun!! The show did good nabbing Miriam Colon for the role of the twisted matriarch, although I did hate what went down with Selena’s exit. Thank god the lost Santos brother never resurfaced as planned.

 

About the only story from 2001 I remember liking was the Billy/Holly/Buzz triangle which was rather fun when they were actually on and Alan dumping Claire for Olivia. 

[victoria foxton]

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Guiding Light Character Profiler Simon Hall

[KMan101]

 

I agree on LK. Also agreed on the Blake/Frank friendship. Didn't they end up together at the end of GL because the show had no one else to pair them with? lol

[Mitch]

Good lord I almost fell asleep just watching that...Simon and Jesse, the hallmark of that really bad time in GL history.

 

[KMan101]

 

I loved Miriam Colon.

 

Saundra Santiago was a great addition, in all honesty, but Carmen was ... a messy character. They could have done better and maybe done something different with her, but that takes talented writers. Imagine if Curlee invented Carmen and wrote her as flawed and as awesome as the other women she wrote for? Imagine Maureen alive and going toe to toe with Carmen while Meta faces off with Abuela? But give me much better writing.

 

EDIT: Totally random but did anyone else hate the trashing of Rick/Abby and Abby's exit? Awful. And then they gave him insta love with boring ass Mel (who should have been a recast Vicky)

Edited January 9, 2020 by KMan101

[Mitch]

They ended them together like when they put Holly in a kinda triangle with Billy and Buzz, just because they were people in the same age range. Poor Blake, ending up marrying the dullest guy in town.

[KMan101]

 

Well, she became as dull as he did so ... lol. It was always a shame to see Blake basically die as a character. LK, looks wise, was a smart choice to replace Stringfield with but LK plays certain roles better than what Stringfield did. 

 

I was never sure what to make of the Buzz/Billy/Holly triangle. I remember thinking Holly/Ed should have been happening instead. But I remember liking the fact that they were at least being used, but it reminds me of what Carlivati does with some vets, they become comic relief, basically. Holly/Billy wouldn't have been awful if better written. I wish no one on Buzz. EDIT: I was recently rewatching Cassie's entrance in 1997 and I forgot I actually kinda liked the character then. What a shame Cassie turned so annoying overtime and Wright changed her portrayal. I liked the idea of Billy/Cassie. Much better than insta love with Hart.

 

I also agree with @DRW50 on Wendy Moniz's Dinah. I know Moniz popped up as Mayor (or was it DA?) on OLTL in what, 2011? Would have been interesting to see her take on an older Dinah if GL were still around. I was never 100% in on Gina's Dinah, but in rewatching some things, I think I dismissed her too fast in the role at the time. I was just stuck on "I want Gina as Kelly Cramer and Wendy as Dinah" at the time ...

Edited January 9, 2020 by KMan101

[DRW50]

 

I didn't like all the baby drama. I would have rather they just focused on her still being a fish out of water and deciding to live more of her own life. I did like her exit in that she immediately saw through Claire's sick games and that wasn't why she was leaving Rick. That whole "did Claire fake Rick's medical boards" story was so dumb though. The show really wasted Claire's return. 

[KMan101]

 

Claire's return was such a disappointment. I kind of liked Alan/Claire at the time. Not sure how I'd feel on rewatching it.

 

You bring up a good point on her exit. I just remember being really annoyed at the time (with the whole show, honestly).

[DRW50]

 

The wheels were well and truly off around that point - I think this was also when we had 'stories' like Beth calling Vanessa old and Vanessa wanting to get plastic surgery. I still enjoyed some parts of the show, but it was like a pulpy, queasy entertainment, not quality. That pulpiness kept the momentum until around the time B&E were leaving, but it got pretty ridiculous to where I just started to get too disconnected - like the hostage crisis that led Reva to get her own talk show. (I did like the actress who played the woman that started the Company hostage crisis - I think they had her in a 5-minute filler triangle with David and Vicky before they all disappeared)

[Gray Bunny]

 

Yes. It was a quick, lazy way to write off Amy Ecklund. 

 

Speaking of, recently I was watching some GL on YouTube circa '96 and I had no idea Abby was supposedly 18 years old when she first appeared in Goshen in '95! 

[DRW50]

Did Claire and Ed interact any in her return? I have a vague memory of her crossing paths with the old/new Ed briefly but I may be making that up.