Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[robbwolff]

I thought the plan was to introduce Annie's ex Jake. He could have been the one in a triangle with Josh and Annie rather than Rick. I vaguely recall that Kin Shriner was rumored to be under consideration for the role of Jake.

[DRW50]

Oh that's right. I forgot he used to be called Jake.

I guess Kin would have had better luck than he had on ATWT. 

[P.J.]

I can appreciate Kin....but the thought of him and Deas in a scene together frightens the hell out of me.

[Mitch64]

Yea, Quint only worked well as a short term character..an archeologist really has no long term story potential.  When Lisa came back in 95 it was the perfect time to just have them break up without any third party, Nola always resented having to twist her life for Quint and Quint really just was an egg head archeologist/adventurer and was bored being a family man (I always thought Nola was really looking for a replacement for the dad she never knew and Quint wasn't it..) When Henry died they could have brought Quint back for the funeral and show that there was no animosity between them, they just "grew apart" as Marland would write..

Lee was back on recurring until Long came back and Bea just disappeared. Again, having Bea around at the Boarding house as support for all the young characters living there made more sense then Sarah Shayne, who was just stuck listening to Reva, though I did love her giving Hawk hell.."You old FOOL!"

They did some chemistry testing with Josh and Jenna, they even had Vanessa teasing him about her..."So you think she's pretty???" (I always liked Van and Josh's sister/bro chemistry,,, I am glad they never screwed the up with having them together....)

 

[P.J.]

Quint had potential, Long was just too busy establishing Alexandra as the HBIC. Quint had been established as a shrewd investor when he snapped up Diane's shares of Spaulding. After Alan disappears in San Rios, there's a scene where Alex is clearly maneuvering Vanessa and Henry to name Ross as president, and it's clear that Quint is the only one who sees the strings she's pulling.

Given how Reva, Blake and Harley slept through entire gene pools, I'm amazed Vanessa and Josh never crossed a line.

[Paul Raven]

By Mid 85 the transformation of GL under Kobe/Long was complete.

The departure of Trish and Katie meant the last of any characters from previous regimes onscreen had been pretty much completed.

Only Ed (recast) Ross, Maureen and Vanessa remained as main characters.

I don't count Phillip or Rick as they had been children in the past.

In two years to have pretty much decimated the cast was no small accomplishment.

 

[kalbir]

GL became another Dollar Store Dallas.

[Contessa Donatella]

HBIC looks like a bad name for a new bank 20 years ago. I'm sure that is not what it is. But, wht is it? I would guess Head B*tch In Charge. 

[P.J.]

Yep.

I was unaware that writer Roger Newman was married to Fran Myers.

[Contessa Donatella]

News to me. Still together?

[Paul Raven]

Roger and Fran met when he played Ken and she played Peggy.

[DRW50]

Roger passed away 15 years ago.

[P.J.]

They were still together at his passing.

[Contessa Donatella]

As I typed that I was having that thought.

[Paul Raven]

I think the wholesale cast changes were the result of a few factors.

The belief that faithful viewers would stick by the show no matter what (usually an older, less desirable demographic).

A misguided belief that a bunch of new young characters in more plot driven stories would attract new younger viewers.

Well a chunk of long term viewers did stick with GL but I would wager a number gave up when their favorites disappeared one by one.

Some new viewers enjoyed the goings on but perhaps weren't as faithful as the old guard.

If you enjoyed Tony and Annabelle for example, they were done and dusted in a couple of years. Beth and Phillip, Rick and Mindy, Reva and Josh, Quint and Nola were also split up or moved on. Shorter storylines meant less engagement.