Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Maxim]

What month of 1983 does this change happen? I am scared

[Reverend Ruthledge]

No, she wasn't but she had a very hard life. To sum it up, Meta told Paul, when she was trying to comfort him for feeling guilty about Robin's suicide, "Robin's life was conceived in tragedy, lived in tragedy and ended in tragedy". 

[Sapounopera]

Once Allen Potter is gone and Gail Cobe takes over GL begins to morphe into a brand new. By 1985 it is unrecognizable. 

I had the same feeling.

[kalbir]

1983 was the transition year. February 1983 was EP change from Allen Potter to Gail Kobe, and HW change from L. Virginia Browne to Richard Culliton and Pamela Long. September 1983 Pamela Long became sole HW. If the dates are wrong, please correct.

I recognize that from Spring 1983 to Summer 1984 Gail Kobe/Pamela Long set in motion characters and storylines that would carry GL through its final 25 years, but it was too much chasing 1980s trends which wasn't sustainable in the long term and the ratings from Fall 1984 onward reflected that.

[robbwolff]

A few characters are phased out during the L. Virginia Browne/Gene Palumbo stint, which pretty much runs from early December 1982 to early March 1983. Then there's an interim head writing team with Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, and Gary Tomlin for a couple of months that sets the stage for the arrival of Pamela Long Hammer. They wrap up some storylines and introduce Annabelle Sims, who will be a major player. Then the big changes start happening in May 1983. Beginning in May, about 10 contract characters are written out by the end of the year, while 12 new contract characters are introduced. I had only been watching Guiding Light for about a year when the changes started, but some of the decisions made are truly mind boggling. And the departures continue thoughout 1984 and 1985 with another 12 contract characters who were on the canvas in 1982 being written out.

Edited April 15, 2024 by robbwolff

[VelekaCarruthers]

The Cullitons, Tomlin, Walsh and Kuntz were immediately brought over to GL after Texas was cancelled with their names appearing in the credits in March.  As someone posted above, the Cullitons and Tomlin were there to tie up stories as Pam worked on her long term bible.  Pam was sole HW from May to December 1983.  Richard didn't stay long, but his wife stayed well over a year as an outline writer. Ryder came on in early Jan 84.  Hammer left in Jan 86 (air shows) and Ryder left in June 86 (air shows), having sole head written from Jan to May, after Mary Ryan Munisteri was brought in for a mini run of three months. Then it was Joe Manetta an old soap producer who happened to be married to Sheri Anderson who wrapped up her Days run and joined her husband in Nov 86. They were replaced by Pam who returned Sept 87 and left again in Jan 91 (3.5 years with strike lasting five months but her stories aired during that time). Pam wasn't always great at creating memorable long term arcs (especially in early years she ripped off nighttime and movies); but she raised the dramatic stakes and milked very plot turn and scene. In addition, most of the acting was beyond fantastic as was the directing, sets, silent fade outs, music cues, casting/acting.  It wasn't always predictable and it was refreshing if one had been on a steady Monty/GH diet for the Luke/Laura/Robert/Holly years.  I always found Pam's second run lacking, especially in the beginning.  Things also got rocky after Bernau had to leave. The stories seemed to finally gel with Alan very much in the center of things but his first replacement was a jolt (even though I now think he captured Bernau better than Raines despite Raines being fantastic when he remembered his lines; but of course he remembered more lines that Marj!).  Plus the Jonny Bauer (a clunker of a character by Anderson) cancer miracle story was barely passable (at the time).  It felt shoe horned in and inauthentic to me.  Then there was Rose and Rusty and some other lame, forgettable characters. But today it holds up as classic compared to the crap we have now with the four remaining shows.

Edited April 15, 2024 by VelekaCarruthers

[Keri]

I'm watching GL for the first time. I'm on 1993. This thing with Hart and Jenna is so weird. Like Hart in general is a weird character.

So goes from 100% pure naive innocent, to some complete ahole, seems a bit much but ok. Still boring lol.

But this thing with Jenna is weird. Were they trying to hint at some sexual tension or something?  I don't really get why Hart instantly hated her, she didn't do anything to him unless I missed it. I also don't buy original recipe Hart blackmailing anyone, no matter what Roger did.

Anyway it all seems weird and poorly done with the character. I won't even start on the actor 

Edited April 15, 2024 by Keri

[Paul Raven]

Pam Long's first tenure worked because there were a lot of new characters but still some presence of the old and as stated the stories were fast moving and interesting. The problems arose when long term characters started disappearing eg Hope, Mike, Hilary, Justin etc and suddenly everyone onscreen was a newbie. 

There was no foundation left.

[P.J.]

In some respects, the changeover is almost as dramatic as when Bill Bell switched the focus of Y&R from the Foster/Brooks  to the Newman/Abbotts. 

It didn't strike me at the time, but on GL's last episode, Maeve Kinkead is the actor who'd been there the longest (aside from the cameos by Maureen Garrett and Lisa Brown).

[DRW50]

It's probably even more dramatic, as you at least had Jeanne Cooper for continuity. 

I've said this so many times now, but much as I adore Ross Marler and Jerry ver Dorn, in no logical soap world is a 5-year character the elder statesman of a 45 year old show.

Edited April 16, 2024 by DRW50

[P.J.]

I'm not disagreeing, athough I thought Ed split those duties. Or maybe would have, if Peter Simon hadn't been so ...Peter Simon.

[kalbir]

The big difference though is that Y&R had been on less than 10 years when Bill Bell shifted focus whereas GL had 30 years of history (I'm counting from the first television episode).

[DRW50]

If we were talking about the 84-85 turnover, Peter had left during that period.

Edited April 16, 2024 by DRW50

[Paul Raven]

Also, Y&R pretty much settled on a new course whereas GL continued to drop characters...all of the Bauers save Ed/Rick, all of the Reardons save Maureen, and various other newer characters.

And Ed was Richard Van Vleet, Phillip was John Bolger

Only Ross, Vanessa were around from a few years before.

[Reverend Ruthledge]

Hey kalbir, 

Just curious. No antagonism intended at all. Why would you only consider the TV years and not the radio years. I ask because I know several people do this when talking about GL and I'm genuinely curious as to the reason for this. It's like some people refuse to even acknowledge the radio years. I don't get that. It's the same show, just different medium. It's almost like people have an aversion to the medium of radio or something. I've never understood it. 

Edited April 16, 2024 by Reverend Ruthledge