Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Franko]

I also feel like Kelly-Nola could have been Bob & Lisa for the '80s.

[wonderwoman1951]

wasn’t watch when she was playing michelle, but found this fascinating.

gift link. 

bethany joy lenz memoir

[Mona Kane Croft]

Agreed.  Marland certainly kept Duncan active on the canvas for nearly his entire run as head-writer.  The gothic stuff was something fairly unique to Marland.  Marland had a way of writing compelling and engaging gothic characters and plots without taking them too far away from believable drama.  He was able to balance a small but significant gothic element in both GL and ATWT without allowing them to eat the show(s), and without turning either show into a clone of Dark Shadows.  I wonder if Marland might have been the best choice to replace the Corringtons on Search for Tomorrrow...   They had very successfully introduced Louisiana gothic elements to Search, which helped to update the show and bring it into the modern soap opera era. But later head-writers seemed completely unable to continue their style of work, and by dropping those elements, SFT sadly became "your grandmother's soap" again. Tragic, in my opinion.  Marland probably could have retained the Corringtons'  flavor on Search, if he wanted to.  But I'm not sure he would have accepted a 30-minute soap gig at that point in his career.

Back to Quint -- do you believe Quint being Henry's son was Marland's original plan for the character?  Or did Marland do a retcon, because Quint became popular and needed to be connected to a Springfield family?    

Edited October 22, 2024 by Mona Kane Croft

[P.J.]

It had to be the original plan. Henry is already looking for his son when Quint arrives in town.

[Mona Kane Croft]

Interesting.  It has been said, Marland never began a storyline without first knowing the way it would end.  I don't think there is one soap opera in 2024 that handles writing in that fashion.   

[P.J.]

Which leaves me wondering what direction he had planned for Vanessa. When he leaves in 1982, she's kind of directionless, at least imo. He couldn't have been serious about the pairing with Tony, fcol.

[Mona Kane Croft]

I think there is a difference between knowing where you are going with a plot (which Marland typically did, in my opinion), and knowing where every individual character is headed.  I wasn't a daily viewer of GL during Marland's run -- but if Vanessa had been involved in a heavy storyline, Marland probably would have had a clear direction for her.  But if, during this period, she was not featured in a major plot or was perhaps on the back-burner, it is possible Marland may have been undecided regarding Vanessa's immediate direction.   

[GL Oldtimer]

I realize this was discussed nearly two weeks ago, but I'm just catching up!

Holly is indeed a queen!

It pained me to see what became of the character after 1995. One of the reasons why I stopped watching Guiding Light was because I grew so tired of the lack of storylines for some of the veteran characters at a time when the show was introducing new character after new character. There was plenty that could have been written for the vets, but the show lacked imagination and inspiration. I love some of the ideas posted on here as to what the writers could have done with Holly and others.

Annette

[P.J.]

True enough. And she's involved in the Quinton reveal. 

[DRW50]

I think Vanessa was there to take Diane's place as an insecure plot mover, in love with men who never would love her. I think someone here mentioned a potential Derek/Vanessa pairing if Marland had stayed. I would have enjoyed that. Derek was just about the ideal guy in the Marland era (any lady should have run a mile from Tony).

[Soaplovers]

Oddly, I think Vanessa became more well rounded and less of a character trope once Marland left.

I liked the Taming of the Shrew story between Vanessa and Billy...and I do agree she became too watered down by 1984.  I think the pill addiction story was a good idea..but it should have been the result of Vanessa repressing her true self and taking pills to cope.

I think her return in 1989 was perfect.  She was a combination of the Vanessa of the Marland era and the Vanessa of the Long era.

That Vanessa stays around till the start of Matessa.  It was in character for Vanessa to enjoy a fling...but out of character to marry her younger lover.

[P.J.]

I do bless the Quolas for preserving what they did, and sharing it. Even if it's occasionally frustrating to have Vanessa scenes all chopped to hell. 

 

It's funny, Tony is slinging it all over Springfield, and not one pregnancy scare. 

I agree--Vanessa's basically a walking plot device for the first two years. She's not even in love (other than Ross, who treats her like crap, although arguably not without reason) as much as she's desperate for attention. While Tony is at least a decent man and available(even if I agree any sane woman should've run far and fast) Mark and Andy are creeps, and she knew Ed was still married and hung up on one if not two of his ex-wives..

Edited October 24, 2024 by P.J.

[P.J.]

Totally agree. Not that she wasn't layered, but Marland sure wasn't rushing to reform her either--much like Josh, actually. 

The pill story just kind of blew up out of nowhere. I honestly don't think Long cared enough about the why of it, as much as she needed a fast way to free Reva up for the romance with Kyle. I guess slipping on ice wasn't tragic enough for whatever reason.

Vanessa's return in '89 is pitch perfect.

The less said about Vanessa A.B. (after Billy) the better. The only thing about that relationship that I think rings true is Vanessa acting on what she thinks is right for her. Matt's opinion isn't changing her mind. I never bought that she would've given him the time of day. Not even as a fling, other than he should've been easily disposed of.

[Mona Kane Croft]

When Vanessa and Henry joined GL, did they move to Springfield from somewhere else?  Or were they said to have always been in Springfield?  Were they already acquainted with some characters?  Or did they have to be introduced to everyone (in the script dialogue) as if they were new in town?  

[Mitch64]

Van and Henry were from Chicago, as the Spauldings originally were. It was rewritten during Long that the Spauldings were always in SF as Henry was.  I can accept that the Spauldings had their mansion in SF and a place in Chicago where the corporate headquaters were.

After Vans first go around with Billy, I don't think she would have gotten involved again with him...I think her only real love was Ross.