Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[DramatistDreamer]

A charitable contribution by Dame Collins?

[soapfan770]

LOL that remind me of why I save this review from a Tom Smith of Soap-News date 5/22/2003:

GUIDING LIGHT: Yeesh. I was prepared to totally rip this apart, but I’m aware that one of the people involved in creating the opening threw a hissy fit of sorts after seeing it dissected on The World of Soap Themes message board. Okay. It’s not nice to see something you worked hard on shredded by people who have no experience in music or television. 

Of course, if you really worked hard, should you be bragging about how easy it is to change the opening by going on to your hard drive? Let’s just say it: The theme song is brash and tuneless, and the opening graphics look cheap and scream computer-generated. The whole thing looks like someone wanted to capture the essence of the classic Knots Landing theme from the 80’s, but was too lazy/cheap to get it right. 

Of course, Guiding Light plays like someone’s too lazy/cheap to get it right these days.

Edited January 4, 2022 by soapfan770

[Khan]

TBH, I don't remember Conboy's other series, CAPITOL, having very good openings either.  In fact, the first one in particular played like the introduction to a video on D.C. tourism.  I guess he just got lucky with Y&R.

[Soapsuds]

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[Khan]

And that final shot of smiling Reva twirling into also-smiling Josh's arms?  Woah my God!

[FrenchBug82]

Is he even listening to her when she talks?

Cynthia *starts telling an anecdote about the plane scene*

Alan *Interrupts halfway through to say how great the scenes were*

Does he know what an anecdote is? Let her finish to the kicker, for God's sake!

[Dan]

Lolol. I remember that. Rick Rhodes had a big fit that his opening rightly got trashed. 

[Faulkner]

Murray Bartlett just got nominated for a Male Actor in a Limited Series SAG award for The White Lotus. The nominees in his category:

Murray Bartlett (“The White Lotus”)  

Oscar Isaac (“Scenes From a Marriage”)  

Michael Keaton (“Dopesick”) 

Ewan McGregor (“Halston”)  

Evan Peters (“Mare of Easttown”) 

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Edited January 12, 2022 by Faulkner

[MichaelGL]

I remember that, it was brilliant to witness in real time. I don't know who at GL told him it was great or even rivaled the HOTL theme (I'm thinking Conboy). 

Edited January 12, 2022 by MichaelGL

[Soapsuds]

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[victoria foxton]

We desperately need the anti Alan Locher. This prissy inept buffoon ain't cutting it.

[danfling]

Faulkner, actor Michel Keaton (who was nominated) is the former husband of the late Caroline McWilliams (Janet Norris) on The Guiding Light.

Edited January 13, 2022 by danfling

[Soapsuds]

The directors one today with Bruce Barry was good. Yes Alan interrupted the guests again. Apparently Alan reads this board because the videos aren't able to embedded here anymore.

Edited January 14, 2022 by Soapsuds

[NothinButAttitude]

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So adorable. 

 

Makes me wonder why the show never tried to recast Hope and humanize Alan (once again) in later years when all he did was become more and more or a caricature. 

[zanereed]

An excellent question. People were asking that while the show was still on the air.

I think in the late 1980's and early 1990's, they didn't do that because they had SORAS'd Alan-Michael so quickly (and probably too quickly looking back at it). Part of the Alan/Hope love story was that Alan fell in love with the daughter of his arch nemesis (Michael Bauer), who was supposed to be around 20 years or so *younger* than Alan. With Alan-Michael having aged 15 "soap years" in the course of 4 "real years", that logic wouldn't be possible any longer.

Of course, it isn't as if TGL was ever adherent to their own history. I personally think in the mid 1990's, once Alan had been established again in Springfield, it would have been easy to bring back Hope. In fact, they could have done that during the 60th Anniversary Celebration, with both Mike and Hope returning to Springfield to honor Bert/Cedars, and Hope deciding to stay in Springfield.