Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Bright Eyes]

Paul Wesley used his surname, Wasilewski. 

[P.J.]

I actually didn't mind Maeve apart from the Reva/Kyle disaster. She actually had a nice dynamic with Fletcher. Being one of Reva's also-rans is never an enviable position. LOL...a howitzer would be "quiet" compared to Reva.

[DRW50]

I think Leslie was a competent, likeable actress. She was a good balance with Fletcher, as @P.J. mentioned, as he was go-go-go and she wasn't. I just think such a wan role needed a performer who could give more of an inner life. I'd say someone like Cindy Pickett, who made Jackie such a vibrant character even though most of her stories were about pining and suffering.

[VelekaCarruthers]

Both Meredith and Mauve were uninspired Long creations. I always felt that Long was looking to recreate her Ashley character from Texas with both of these women.  

[Chris 2]

There’s a reason we didn’t hear much from Leslie Dennison after GL.

As for Meredith: she was played by Nicolette Goulet, the queen of the bad recasts (I don’t think we ever would have heard of her had it not been for her famous father). So Meredith never had much of a chance.

[vetsoapfan]

I found her to be quite colorless and unsubstantial as Mary Ryan on RH and Kathy Phillips on SFT. She was far too green ever to replace strong performers like Kate Mulgrew (especially) and Courtney Simon.

Her Meredith didn't do anything for me, either.

It's amazing to consider how many irrelevant and disposable characters TGL foisted on viewers in the 1980s.

That's what I thought, too. And frankly, I much preferred Maeve's quiet and demure tone to Reva's endless loud-mouth, ham-in-the-can behavior.

Edited May 24, 2024 by vetsoapfan

[kalbir]

Perhaps due to the numerous regime changes and the new regimes wanting to put their own spin on the show.

 

[vetsoapfan]

Yes. All soaps fall into the same trap at one time or another: new PTB come in, decide to reinvent the wheel, and sweep away the old to make way for the new. When the changes invariably fail miserably, another set of PTB descends upon the soap do the exact same thing.

It's ridiculous, but nobody who actually understands soaps and the audience has worked in the industry for decades.

[DRW50]

That's probably why there were claims for years of writers getting money for every new character they create. It was probably just more about laziness - it's easier to write your own characters and not have to deal with what fans might say or the actors might say.

[bboy875]

During their youtube interview with Alan, Curlee and Demorest briefly brought up the numerous EP and HW changes in the mid to late 80's, but Alan interrupted and that ended the conversation. I always wondered had chaotic the changes were for the staff writers. 

[Khan]

See, that's why I can't stand to watch any of Alan Locher's interviews.  He won't go with the flow of the conversation, and he won't allow anyone to speak even somewhat negatively about these shows, even though most are long off the air with absolutely no chance of repercussions.

[NothinButAttitude]

This.

Don't forget he is always interjecting (too), thus resulting in many of the guests forgetting what they were previously saying. One of the many reasons why I miss WeLoveSoaps being an entity b/c Roger & Damon both knew how to interview their guests properly. 

But I don't know why he is protecting these shows nowadays. They are long gone. Most of the people involved with the shows have moved on and retired. Let them come out and speak their truth. Them shining a light on stuff behind the scenes will allow to us better know why a lot of these shows went haywire. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Sometimes stuff does come out. But it's not because of Alan, but in spite of. That said, he is still a good venue for this stuff. And, he means well. And, he loves the genre. 

[TEdgeofNight]

Locher gets SO much wrong, even shows that he was doing pr for. He means well, Bless his heart. 

[TEdgeofNight]

I met Laiby (Michael Laibson) at the GL fan club gathering in 1996. He didn’t impress me. He was arrogant. Why he went to this gathering of fans who loved the show and came in with an attitude astounded me. GL was not in great shape so why the attitude. Maybe because his job was on the line. He was thankfully fired soon after. I do have to say that his wife, Holly, was there and she was SO lovely! She was almost apologetic. Holly Laibson has since passed. She was a kind person. Michael, not so much.