Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[DeeVee]

Yeah, they really wrecked Alan's character when they brought him back in '95. I don't like to dump all over actors because sometimes it's just a case of miscasting and poor writing, but Raines never worked for me as Alan. Still can't believe he lasted as long as he did.

They turned Alan into a two dimensional villain. He was far more complex during his initial run. Probably very few people behind the scenes were still there from when Alan was on during the 70s and 80s. Chris Bernau's portrayal of Alan was as iconic as Michael Zaslow's was of Roger. The two of them in conflict was prime soap viewing.

Many episodes from that period are available on YouTube. From early 1979 (the beginning of the Holy/Roger rape story) through Roger's first exit. I highly recommend you give them a gander at some point.

[Mitch64]

Oh God..yes, I HATE most "kids" on soaps and want them SORASed quickly. The exception was Rachel Minor as Chele and the kid Little Billy..both seemed like real kids..not this annoying toothsome creature auditioning for the lead in Annie.  Now, I am remember "MommyAnnie" and "LOWHAD" !!!

 

No, thats my fanwank...Gilly/Sid/Vicky Spaulding Triangle.Vicky does come back later but she is dull as hell (she wanst blond so what does Rauch want to do with her?)  Instead of NuAmanda they could have brought Vicky on then...say she was dishinerited by Victoria for some reason so Alan brings her back to get her revenge on Alex and Victoria.

[Soaplovers]

Of the Marah's, I actually thought Lindsay McKeon's Marah seemed the most like Josh with little to no traits of Reva in her.  I thought that version of Marah was more interesting when interacting with Reva.. as opposed to the Laura Bundy version that was too Reva and too Broadway for the soap.

[alwaysAMC]

Great suggestion, I'll have to go find them on YT and add to my list

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Haha - I mentioned this awhile back, but I Rachel didn't work for me at all, but I do like Little Billy so far.  He just gave the toast at Vanessa and Matt's wedding   Rachel seems to have been let go with no goodbye.  They sent Michelle overseas for the summer and hasn't returned yet, but I know when she does, it'll be a SORAS'ed Budig in place, which I'm excited about!  Although that must mean the actor playing Billy right now probably won't have much longer.

[Khan]

Ron Raines never worked for me either.  As I've said before, watching him play Alan, I always felt like he was on the verge of breaking into song.  But another problem was that soaps weren't writing characters like Alan anymore with nuance.  You either were a saint or a sinner with no in-between.  Many of daytime's most complex characters have suffered as a result.

I feel the same way whenever I watch GH.  It's bad enough that their EP, Frank Valentini, puts so many kids front-and-center on his show, but why must they be so damn precocious?

On the other hand, I don't believe I've witnessed a more realistic portrayal of a child coping with the sudden loss of a parent than I did with Rachel Miner on GL.  Her performances were nothing short of breathtaking, achieving a level of maturity and clarity that would've been beyond a lot of seasoned, older performers' capabilities, let alone her peers at the time.

[Tisy-Lish]

I totally agree, and it seems all the younger kids on GH have been coached to talk baby-talk. some of them seem to be seven or eight years old, and still talking baby-talk  I can't stand that.  Just let them talk like real kids.   

Edited April 16 by Tisy-Lish

[Contessa Donatella]

Oh, no, you never warmed up to Rachel Minor, that's too bad. I loved Budig as Greenlee but not as Michelle. 

I thought she was the least talented of all the Marahs. I found her performance to be very shallow & in fact the only thing I found credible was when she being a bitch. 

The only one who talks weird now that Violet is gone is Charlotte with her Pah-Pah , which I believe to be universally hated!!! 

Meanwhile I love James. He is perfect. 

The young promise of that Michelle & Bryan Buffington's Young Bill, were so magical!!

[alwaysAMC]

Sadly no, but to be fair, I didn't see a ton of her.  She just seemed stiff and slow to me during Eve's death.  Totally opposite of Kimberly Brown's Marah who probably overacts.  After what Khan said, I'd be interested in seeing her during Maureen's death and maybe change my mind. 

[Mitch64]

I agree...and I have to say, I agree with them recasting Chele a bit older...I could not see RM in a soap romance...I had a hard enough time when she was in that movie where the kids killed someone in Florida and she was naked all the time..I spent the whole time yelling "Michelle Bauer you go put some clothes on!" that my partner came down and said, "Who the HELL is Michelle Bauer?"  I think that shows that RM did a great job as Chelle, and again I HATE kids on shows..Aunt Clara or Mrs. Trumble need to be watching them off camera.

However, Budig was a miscast..she was way too chirpy and happy (not to mention they wrote Chelle with nothing but "boys" on her mind.) Too bad they didnt jump to someone like Lenz right away. I would have explained that she spent that time with her Aunt Nola and came back with a different tude then shy Chele...(I would have written that Dinah spent time with Nola and Quint so she came back different, with a definate tude towards Van encourged by Nola.)

Eh, I dont want to watch two kids I saw grow up bang each other....recast!

[Contessa Donatella]

Agree about Budig, even though I adored her as Greenlee. 

They were magical without sex. Recast? NO. Wait. Not all SORASES are created equally!

Well, maybe some day, right?!! We all loved her & she seemed like a real kid.

[chrisml]

I don't like kids in general (not even when I was a kid), so I don't usually like them on my television shows unless they're realistic dimensional characters. I don't want the precocious ones that are five going on fifty and you expect them to pull out a cigarette and regale you with all of their audition stories. Not a fan of the young characters being SORAS'ed. That drives me nuts because I think a child can actually  humanize and add to an adult's storyline if done well. Problem is daytime doesn't usually do the kid thing well. They also don't do the teen thing well and teen stories are more annoying at least in my book. I'm not interested in another teen first love story or mouthy teens. Spare me.

I thought Linsday McKeon was robbed of the Emmy the year she was nominated. She was much better than Jennifer Finnigan/Flannigan (whatever her name is from B&B) whose appeal eluded me. The only thing that annoyed me about McKeon is that the costume designer was always putting her in ridiculous winter hats even when the scene was set inside. I always wanted another character to shout, "Take off your d*mn hat!"

I never saw a second of Laura Bell Bundy so I have no idea what she was like. I remember people were outraged she was fired, butI just know her from her stage work.

Edited April 16 by chrisml

[DRW50]

She reminded me of Josh in that they both bored me to tears, although I have seen good work from McKeon elsewhere (like Supernatural).

Bundy wasn't fantastic, but she was likeable and had a spark, which the show was struggling with at the time. It didn't help that rumors swirled she was fired because of her weight.

Bundy and Billy Kay both had somewhat distinct personalities. After they were moved out (or Kay may have quit, I have no idea) Marah and Shane become Identikit.

Edited April 16 by DRW50

[P.J.]

Sid came to town as Vanessa's lawyer in her custody fight with Bridget. Although I guess they didn't play that connection for long.

Alan was always a user bastard who manipulated people like balloon animals, but Chris Bernau was a master at showing Alan's layers. 

[DRW50]

My main memory of Sid was some backstory of him starting fires in Chicago (?) and this being used to make him a suspect in the Fifth Street Fire. 

Lots of very iffy writing surrounding him as well as Griffin a year later.

[Mitch64]

Probably????LOL..Shirley Temple would have batted her ass of her set for trying to grand stand her in the cuteness area!

"GRAND-DAD!!!! What did you bring a sweet pudding pie like me..or I shouldn't ask, but DADEE, I'm a little rascal!"

"Oh are ALL our wishes, hopes and DREAMS going to be answered right HERE..daddee? On this weird carrousel in our living room????" 

"Oh Mommie Annie, I LUVS you SOOOO!"

"Oh Mommy Reva, I luvs you but I do luvs Mommie Annie, can you go and marry that greasy midge on 5th street so I can be EVER so HAPPY with Daddy and Mommie??That's right, go live over that diner or wherever poors live and pretty pwease...can you make sure you wears clean clothes that don't stinky poo like grease....and use the back entrance so none of my fweinds know your my other mommie! Oh, and bring a bag of tatter tots when you come? Gosh, thanks EVER so MUCH!"

Not to mention her constant running away when it would be a major pain in the ass for the adults to look for her.

The only time I liked her,,,theatrics, was when she saw Reva alive for the first time and only wanted Annie...Zimmer was actually playing it down cause the kid ate all the scenery!!!

Thank you for reminding me how much I couldn't stand this precious little ole Marah! LOL.

 

Edited April 16 by Mitch64