Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Mitch64]

She had the hots for Blake? I don't remember that! The only thing I didn't like about it was the dumb thing about Blake being held in the lighthouse (who hasnt been?) and when she escapes, she doesnt call the cops, even to protect her own kids...she goes to do her hair..and we were supposed to think it was "Oh, that WACKY Blake!"

 

 

[Soaplovers]

No, she didn't have the hots for Blake.  She was trying to kill Ross in order to save/free Blake from him.

Downside of the story was that there wasn't any long term effects on Blake or Ross.  

[Khan]

What an odd-ass motivation to kill someone, lol!

[Contessa Donatella]

I have no memory of this. Possibly it's because I detested Tory.

[P.J.]

Without rewatching that insipid storyline, I'd guess that once Tori felt rejected by Ross, she decided to kill him. Thus it was less about "freeing" Blake and more about punishing Ross. 

 

[EricMontreal22]

Were B&E responsible for both the Dolly clone storyline and the time travelling portrait?  I remember I had liked B&E's final months at The City so much that I did try to watch their GL to some extent, but that was such a busy time in my life, adding another soap wasn't really practical when I was a senior at a performing arts school.  (Before then I had temporarily watched GL out of curiousity when McTavish was hired to the show after she was fired from AMC...  But I don't remember much about that time except that it was pretty dark and mean--funny as I think Behr had been concerned that McTavish's AMC was heading too much in that direction already...  Who wrote Ghost Reva?)

[DRW50]

They were there for the Dolly story - I am not sure if that was down to them as someone at the network pushed it (then again, they did supernatural stories at PC). I think Lucky Gold was there for the portrait story. 

Ghost Reva was right before McTavish, I think. Wiki lists her as starting right after Douglas Anderson, but I could have sworn there was some gap in-between. Maybe not.

You're not wrong about the tone of GL at that time.

[Mitch64]

Your right. Anderson wrote the ghost Reva (only because JFP was forced to bring Kimmer on and she didn't want it permanent) E & B were the clone ..though it was forced on them and Rauch (in a rare moment of good taste) by Wendy Fishman (?)  apparently, and in the Locher room writers chat  Taggert said to Brown "Oh, you created the clone right"" and he was kind of annoyed "I wrote for the clone...it wasnt our choice or creation" and Gold was the paintings, which started out as a story in reincarnation (oh my God, Jeva were torturing people through the centuries with their constant break up, makes ups and marraiges) then it somehow morphed into traveling through paintings..( I always wonder if Long watched what they did to her character and what she thought...)

Yea, McTavish was mean spirited..."Have some more diner food, Deenie!"

[kalbir]

Were there any bright spots in the final 15 years? Some have said Annie psycho turn late 1996-early 1998 was, considering it lead to Cynthia Watros pulling off the biggest upset in Daytime Emmy history.

[DRW50]

I think there were a number of little moments, some good performances, etc.

I appreciated the return of Jordan Clarke, an actor I adored and never thought would be back, and somehow, he stayed (off and on) for another 13 years.

I appreciated getting to see Tammy Blanchard and Matt Bomer learn how to act.

I was very glad to see Vanessa written like her old self again (in the last few years of the show), which I didn't ever expect.

Amy Ecklund gave some very strong performances as Abby, from the rape storyline to Abby leaving Rick. 

I liked that the show brought Mindy back several times after the character was consigned to the wastelands when Barbara Crampton left. She was used just enough to remind of what a good presence she was but not enough to be ruined. Ditto for India (I am disappointed we never saw India in the last few years though).

The 60th and 70th anniversaries were well done (better than many soap anniversaries).

Mary Stuart had some wonderful moments in an otherwise very rough period for the show. I'm glad she got to spend her last few years reminding viewers why she had been a soap icon for generations.

I was always glad to see David Andrew Macdonald, even if he rarely got material up to his charisma. Ditto for Paul Anthony Stewart, maybe one of the biggest overperformers in GL history compared to what Danny should have been.

There were good moments here and there with very squandered characters like Holly and Ed. 

I was always glad to see Ross, even if Jerry was so wasted.

I appreciate that the show somehow made me care about Dinah, a character I wanted to shoot out of a cannon for the first 2-3 years of Wendy Moniz's run and a character I blamed in part for the decline of my beloved Vanessa. 

As others have said over the years, I'm glad GL eventually shook off a lot of the gloss and airs put on Reva.

I will always appreciate the returns of the finale weeks, even if some weren't what they could have been. Even after all this time I'm still touched by the beautifully character-true and perfectly pitched farewell for Nola (I'm guessing Lisa Brown did the whole thing, not the script, but I don't care). The show ended with a lot of love and a lot of heart, which is not as common as it should be for soap finales. 

Edited February 8 by DRW50

[Khan]

IDK why, @DRW50, because you're not wrong...but the way you put that just cracks me up, lol.

[DRW50]

It probably does sound very shady, although Matt was mostly just green at first. Tammy was a little more than green, but she did get much better.

[kalbir]

@DRW50 Thanks for the reply. 

I barely got through the 14 or so months from the aftermath of Maureen death until Nancy Curlee left the writing team, so I don't think I could get through the final 15 years.

[DRW50]

To be honest with you if I was just going through episode by episode via Youtube now, I don't know if I could either. I took a number of long breaks (especially in the '00s). And I simultaneously am just as partial to GL as I am critical of it because ATWT and GL were "my" soaps. They'll be with me to my last days.

[Mitch64]

The last week shows what they could have done with the format,  if they put some money it with good cameras and nice sets, lighting and wardrobe (and writing of course.) I actually like the more "naturalized" way the actors had and you can tell that the vets were at the WTH stage and improvising a lot, I can' t believe the writers would write Nola's little put down of the Coopers or her ignoring Lillian totally, and of course the good bye kiss...also the Van/Nola interaction was on point and I would think due to the actors and not any direction given to them ..plus, who woulda thought we would get  Ed/Alan interactions, and finally, Lillian's scene at Mo's grave (I wonder what poor schmuck that was whose grave they borrowed..it looks like their last name was Bauer ..) Great job shaking that bad mojo GL...too late in the last week