Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[P.J.]

As much as I hate character centered playlists, I wish there were more for stories '94 to the end. I'd like to revisit some stuff, (Davd/Bridget's antics, the Marian Crane story, the Peter custody fight, Phillip/Harley, Ross and Vanessa) I don't want to get bogged down by what I don't care for (Matt, Reva/Josh, Cassie, and a host of other stupidity).

I occasionally dip my toe in, but it's hard. Jordan's departure in '93 is like the first domino in a host of bad things that drags out to the end. I know there were other bad decisions through the years, but now it just breaks my heart.

[Soaplovers]

The whole finale story had Tory deciding to kill Ross because he rejected her...but she also felt he also treated Blake badly as well.  So she decided to free Blake from the man since she didn't think Blake had the strength to divorce/leave him (in her defense, she only saw the Blake of 2001/2....not the Blake of the late 80s/early to mid 90s).

Blake even mentioned Roger and his not being in her life as evidence that men had left her and she still carried on.

The scenes were pretty good...but I didn't like that there was no fall out or long term effects for Ross/Blake. 

Blake could have been conflicted because she had cheated on Ross in the past and so she could have been conflicted over whether she had a right to be upset with being cheated on....and Holly, instead of being totally team Blake, could have felt for her daughter...but also felt a bit of satisfaction that Ross cheated on her as well. 

Pam Long or Nancy Curlee would have played those beats if they were headwriting the show during that tike...imho

Edited February 8 by Soaplovers

[kalbir]

For me it began with the summer 1992 departures of Kimberley Simms, Sherry Stringfield, Beverlee McKinsey within a few weeks of each other. While September-December 1992 wasn't bad, the departures left a void in the canvas. Then came Maureen death in January 1993 and that felt like the beginning of the end.

That 14 or so months from aftermath of Maureen death until Nancy Curlee left the writing team was a chore to get through, mainly because of too much Buzz. The only bright spot in that era was Michael Zaslow finally getting his long-awaited for Lead Actor Emmy.

[P.J.]

I actually like Liz Keifer in the role of Blake. Losing SS was a loss, but the role wasn't gutted by horrible recasting like Mindy was. Why they stuck with Crampton is inexplicable to me. 

While I like Dusay, I do wonder how the stories would've changed had Beverlee stayed. 

Of course Zas getting the emmy was wonderful. I'm just sorry (and somewhat amazed) that Jordan was never nominated as Lead Actor.

 

[Contessa Donatella]

It's always seemed odd to me that Beverlee's departure fits in with others since her rationale was so distinctly individual. 

Love Liz & she apparently has a portrait in the attic. 

Absolutely the stories changed when Bev left. But, Marj was recognizable as Alex!

Zas, yes, hooray!

[kalbir]

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Starts with the Emmy speech, then the clips.

[AMCOLTLLover]

The Jonathan storyline was amazing! Tammy and his romance was a bonus.

Lizzie got added to that storyline and it was pretty good!

the Bill and Lizzie storyline was some classic soap opera telling and I liked that and thought it was great.

I even have to say that from the CBS Line UP GL was stronger story wise  than B&B/ Y&R between 2003-2009

That’s a good move. I’ve decided I started with Jonathan’s first episode from 2004. Someone commented on the episode that GL lost 8 characters that year.

Which 8 Characters left during 2004? I mean 8 is quite a lot

[DRW50]

I grew to accept Keifer, but I don't think she ever had the haunted quality Blake should have had, considering her parents. She did try very hard, even when later writers seemed to think Blake should be daffy, which was a stupid idea.

I think the decay of Alex was already there even under Beverlee - there was less and less respect for her in the writing. Dusay just couldn't go up against that. I notice when on Capitol, her Myrna always had Sam Clegg to chide her as she spun out of control. Marj often played Alex as if she was still waiting for that partner to chide her. That wasn't what Alex should have been. 

[Khan]

Ironically, when Beverlee McKinsey had left GL, and they were casting about for a new Alexandra, I thought Marj Dusay would've been perfect, because Alex and Myrna had so much in common.  However, I failed to realize that a lot had changed BTS since 1987 - namely, the fact that directors didn't have the time anymore to modulate actors' performances; and that even the worst writing on a miserable show like CAPITOL was still miles ahead of what GL was capable of bringing forth at that point.

[DRW50]

That's true. A lot of her time on GL also felt feverish, which isn't a word I would use for Capitol.

I do think the first weeks or months of her run felt closer to what she could have been. And I enjoyed her banter with Buzz for that reason.

Do you think Conboy did any better with her Alex when he was producer?

(I know that period had Alex as a stalker and drug dealer but I'm not sure if that was his work)

Edited February 9 by DRW50

[Khan]

I could be misremembering, but I do think the drug storyline happened under his watch.

Overall, I'd say Conboy didn't do any better with Alex/Marj than any other EP on GL.  In fact, I'd argue that the biggest damage done to Alexandra occurred under his watch (again, the drug storyline). 

But Conboy's BIGGEST problem as an EP - not just at GL, but at every show he produced (save for Y&R, of course) - was that he was only as good as his HW at that moment.  When he had a strong HW working with him - Bill Bell at Y&R, Peggy O'Shea and Henry Slesar at CAPITOL, maybe even Ann Marcus at LIAMST - he could concentrate on what he did best: lighting, set decor, etc.  It's only when he DIDN'T have a good HW that you noticed how truly ineffective he was as a showrunner.

[DRW50]

Thanks.

I wonder what might have been with Millee Taggart, as I felt strong work from her was just starting to come in after a somewhat rocky period through summer/early fall 2002.

[Khan]

I think Millee Taggart was great at writing scripts, but HW'ing...?  I dunno.  Sometimes, she seemed inspired; other times, her HW'ing was very paint-by-numbers.  And that's true, I think, of all the shows where she worked in that capacity, and not just GL.

Edited February 9 by Khan

[DRW50]

That was one of my complaints about the story we were presumably meant to be most caught up in (Rick's heart troubles and Richard dying, the trial, etc.) - I saw better versions of this on GH and St. Elsewhere. And I hated the Philip/Harley custody stuff. When those stories were resolved I did think the show improved, but it wasn't meant to be. If only they'd had guts to make other decisions like recasting Michelle.

[Soaplovers]

The Alex story content in 1993 and 1994 was exactly the reason why Beverlee opted to quit when she did in 1992.  She correctly predicted where the show was taking Alex and bailed.

I do recall Marj mentioned that when she first started on GL, she said the writing was pretty good..but mentioned within a short amount of time that wasn't the case.

Her fall 1993 material did show a more subdue Alex that could be warm, but also icy when provoked.  In fact, her first scenes was trying to be cordial to Mindy...and Mindy kept poking the bear.  Then Mindy would play victim when Alex responded.  I think Mindy was on edge since this was after the Eve ordeal..but the writing wasn't in depth enough to examine these elements.

I think once Nick/Mindy broke up..and Mindy was moved out of the Nick/Alex orbit was when Alex and Mindy could function and allow both new performers to put their own stamp on the characters.