Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Contessa Donatella]

No, it was a whole year prior to Goutman deciding to burn her. She was in no danger at the time. And, then, the next year when he did so, it came entirely out of the blue. She had no clue, no warning, etc. 

[titan1978]

I watched GL off and on in the late 90’s- early 2000’s, so my perspective is skewed compared to a longtime fan of the show. But I did follow the soap mags at the time, so I know what the stories were.

I think the show had one real chance at regaining its footing and that was the first year or so of Barbara Esenstein and James Harmon Brown. Which in itself was a miracle after the two years before then.

The show had dimension again, it had an almost excellent and very watchable cast across the board, and an engine with Annie that was both attention getting and a proper story for the talents of Zimmer and Watros. Everything big they did after that to me just chipped away at the show- the Clone, San Cristobal, Nursery Rhyme Stalker, Harley as central heroine, etc. Labine was miscast as HW.  I felt a few worthy sparks until Conboy, then it was truly a shell of a show, limping along until it was cancelled. P&G ended their time with soaps with two of the worst EP’s (GL’s being incompetent, ATWT’s being egotistical).

I cannot blame Zimmer for sticking to her negotiated contract, no matter what that meant to the show’s budget woes. These people have lives too- they pay mortgages, college tuition for kids, and any agents/managers they have. That part of the country was expensive to live in, even back then. Even outside New York was still expensive because of the commuters to New York. Anyone that did take cuts mid cycle should have been looking for their exits- that was a huge sign to me that the show had limited time left.

I feel this way about GH too, which is the show I have the most love for and have paid the most time from my own life keeping up on. Right now it feels very much like watching GL in those last few years felt- except better sets and more vets. But the stories just don’t build and the production doesn’t try to make any real emotion play out. And other than the vets, the cast is full of good looking people that all are just there.

During COVID I watched almost all of the Curlee era of the show- and while it does take a wrong turn during JFP’s tenure, it was still very watchable and felt like a whole show. I now believe that Curlee/Reilly/Demorest when Calhoun was there through the Blackout is possibly the best soap I have ever seen when it comes to range and everyone having a place and purpose. I am glad I didn’t know that when I saw the show by 2000.

And I can never rant about Conboy without mentioning that stupid baseball diamond set.

[Contessa Donatella]

Labine: Every single thing she pitched Rauch shot down. (Michael Malone at AW: Same, except it was Savitz shooting down.) Labine pitched a love story between Holly & Olivia. Labine & her children left. Rauch could not find anyone who would work either for him or for what they were paying & called Labine to come back. Which they did. 

So sad. 

I am in love with Nancy Curlee's "alternate version of what happened to Mo" which is what she'd have written if they'd let her. (Locher room chat) 

Stupid baseball diamond. I'd forgotten. 

[titan1978]

It was even more embarrassing for Rauch than that. He fired them, they didn’t leave. The end date was nearing and he had to ask them to stay on because they couldn’t find anyone who was willing to HW for the show.  Labine described it as doing them a favor.

Which to me was a sign back then- if nobody wants the job, is it because they don’t want to work with Rauch, P&G, CBS or all three?

[Contessa Donatella]

Oh. I see. I thought it was a mutual decision.

I would bet that they didn't want to work for Rauch & P&G didn't pay well enough to overcome that. I mean who would want to work for someone when everyone agreed that he would argue with someone who agreed with him. Patrick Mulcahey told me that he still doesn't understand why Pete LeMay didn't kill him. 

[kalbir]

Of the EP's GL had in it's final 25 years, Paul Rauch had the longest run (6 years).

[Contessa Donatella]

And, together, he & MADD were called this amazing power couple (Mary Alice Dwyer Dobbin) & the only good thing said about them was that they fought tooth & nail for their shows. 

[GLATWT88]

Any time period in specific you can recommend for the Curlee era. I might do a revisit as I have some time.

Funny you made that comparison to GH, as I was just thinking the same thing today.  GH is getting Peapack numbers currently but with lower demos, but it visually looks pretty impressive all considered. Granted, this is 2023 vs 2008/9...so not a fair comparison. GH getting just over 2 million viewers, 15 years after GL was doing those same numbers isn't too bad. Also, I wonder if delayed viewing is also helping. I wish there was more transparency with these numbers. Another factor may be the steady decline in viewership across daytime and primetime which may have made networks a little more generous with budgets especially with soaps which bring a consistent number of viewers daily. 

[titan1978]

Once Pam Long leaves (although I think that period of her with Curlee in a position of power on the HW team is very watchable).

Things really get good for me when Rick Hearst arrives as Alan Michael. From that point through the Blackout it’s just a really great show. So summer 1990 to the end of 1992? There are still amazing days after that- Nadine faking her pregnancy and hiding Bridget, Maureen’s death (not a good idea at all but executed beautifully), David Grant’s trial, plenty of great stuff until Curlee can’t take it any more with JFP P&G/CBS. I think Curlee really got Vanessa in a way nobody else did after that, and certainly Holly. I can’t say there is a character that has story that I don’t like during this run.

It kind of falls apart with the recasts- I am just really partial to Sherry as Blake, Beverlee as Alexandra, and Kimberly Simms as Mindy. So 1993 is a tough year to enjoy fully, and it just gets worse IMO.

[kalbir]

 

It was the combination of Roger's return and Robert Calhoun becoming EP that ushered in the early 1990s golden era.

The best period was June 1989-July 1991 Robert Calhoun/Pamela Long/Nancy Curlee.

July 1991-August 1992 JFP/Nancy Curlee is still good but it's coasting off the groundwork laid during the Robert Calhoun years.

September-December 1992 is not bad, but the big cast departures of the summer (Kimberley Simms, Sherry Stringfield, Beverlee McKinsey) left a noticeable void in the canvas.

Of course January 1993 Maureen's death changes the show forever. The whole period from the aftermath of Maureen's death until Nancy Curlee leaves the writing team in March 1994 was a chore to get through. At least Michael Zaslow got his long-awaited for Lead Actor Daytime Emmy during that period.

[Contessa Donatella]

I thought she said she left because she was pregnant. Of course I guess being pregnant she might have had a lowered threshold for tolerating JFP & her stuff & the company's stuffs. 

So, what is anyone's opinion of Robert Calhoun saying to Maureen that Holly was partially to blame for the rape? 

[chrisml]

As much as I disliked Ellen Wheeler's tenure (and I stopped watching full time before the Peapack nonsense so my memory of that time is spotty), she didn't kill the show. The execs did by their inattention and idiotic decisions even before she took over. I'd like to blame her, but P&G wanted out of GL.

I agree that Weston's material could be a mess, but the episodes themselves would be watchable, but there was no story that kept me glued to the set. I was a fan of the Conboy opening in theory if it didn't look like something you'd make with imovie. It should have been so much more attractive, and it's a surprise that Conboy allowed it.

I actually don't remember what Michael Laibson did on the show. It was only a year so perhaps that's why. I don't know if I returned to the show at the time. Once Maureen was killed off, I stopped watching for a few years so only saw the show occasionally (usually when Tangie was on and I was so confused by what was happening with her). Don't think I even saw the Reva/amish stuff.

Was it during Labine's reign there was some gum-chewing waitress? Ugh. 

 

 

[titan1978]

Gross and inappropriate. It is fair to say they were two volatile people who should not have married at that time in their lives from what I have read and seen. But Holly’s physical assault and rape by Roger are in no way her fault.

[Contessa Donatella]

Could you mean Mae the cigarette girl? 

[titan1978]

Who was there as EP and HW for the Lucy story with Brent/Marion?