Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[NothinButAttitude]

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Why must Roger and Holly torture me?! As I predicted, the spar between them was heated, tense, and sexual, but I didn't enjoy Roger grabbing Holly by the arm. It didn't get any better with Holly trying to make excuses for Roger's behavior with Daniel. Even at his worst, Holly can't help but make excuses for him. She just could not get that man out of her blood stream. 

 

Nadine v. Vanessa was funny. Though Vanessa was refined by this time, I love how she'd revert back to her old, petty ways to stick it to Nadine; however, it was funny how Nadine took that ugly dress and made into something hot. It was always Vanessa's flaw to sleep on the girls (Nola, Nadine) from the wrong side of the track. 

 

These episodes just get better and better, and though I know how it'll end, it all seems fresh and still entertaining to me.

[Soaplovers]

 

Reading this makes me even sadder that Buzz is soon to arrive and cause Nadine to become isolated from the canvas.  Nadine vs vanessa was good..and I even liked the unlikely friendship between Nadine and Holly.

[Fevuh]

I loved Jean (SP?) Carole - Nadine.  I remember back when they had the SOD Awards (Guiding Light and World Turns fans pretty much never got our way because we just weren't rabid enough to go buy up every magazine and mail in 100 ballots each) - but Jean Carole one year won "Favorite New Character" or "Favorite New Actress" or something.  It was very odd for Guiding Light have someone win a popularity contest/voting contest...was a huge mistake to kill her off.  Of course everyone knows the worst kill-off in Daytime ever is probably Maureen.  But this show went on a penchant for killing off beloved characters....they did it with Nadine and then Jenna also. 

[GH_Girl]

 

I only watched GL 'live' in the late 90s and early 00s, but I've watched a bunch of 70s-90s on You Tube. I'm really liking the Daniel St John story, I think he and Holly have decent chemistry. I know where it's going, lol, but so far I like them. 

 

I can never judge Holly and Ross honestly because I loved Ross and Blake from when I watched live and the idea of him with Holly is so strange to me.

 

As for Roger, once I watched the rape storyline I can't really get into a romantic storyline with him. I love the character, he's complex and wonderfully acted obviously, but the rape made the romance part a no-go for me. Plus he keeps slapping Blake in clips or episodes I watch and that drives me nuts!

 

 

There is one line in some clip I saw where Maureen is flipping out about Holly and she says something about the "skinny, beautiful Holly" being single again. I think Maureen had some body issues or insecurities. 

Edited June 13, 2017 by GH_Girl

[zanereed]

 

Agreed. I appreciated that the writers in the late 1980's and 1990's did refer back to this history of Holly and Ed, but I didn't get the same level of chemistry between Garrett and Peter Simon as I did with Garrett and Hulwsit. It wasn't necessarily sexual chemistry, either, but I believed that Holly did love Hulswit's Ed versus Simon's Ed.

 

I would have loved for Fran Myers to return with an adult Billy to interact with Roger.

Edited June 13, 2017 by zanereed

[NothinButAttitude]

 

That would've been an interesting dynamic to see. Especially, with Holly/Blake being on the canvas too. 

 

Didn't Peggy's son view Roger like a father? 

[zanereed]

He did! You can see Peggy actually mention that to Bert during one of the 1979 episodes on YT (during the period after Roger raped Holly). I would have much rather they went with Billy as the "son" for Roger versus introducing the character of Hart.

Edited June 14, 2017 by zanereed

[Mitch]

 I hated her by the end but by that time she was so tied to Buzz that I was ready to get rid of her. I did think she was funny when she was mixing it up with the rest of SF....(Frank of all characters had one of my favorite lines..."Nadine's idea of a family meal was letting us stay up late to watch Johnny Carson and eat Fried Chicken out of the bucket!")  I think they didn't know what to do with her with Nola on the scene..but the two of them would be wacky Lucy and Ethel fun or competing with each other for a man (in a comedic triangle...) I don't like the violent way she was killed..that was deserved for Buzzard..(God I would have loved to have Brent say. ..."Have some diner food Buzzard..as he threw his body in a dumpster.)

 

Speaking of which I know Deas was a FOJ but how in God's name did he hang on all those years after she was gone? Pics of MADD in a Chinese brothel? Through McLaiby to Rauchie on down to Peapack, he clung on and was given material.

[vetsoapfan]

 

While technically a good actor, Peter Simon was always so morose and listless as Ed. The warmth, humor, and passion of Hulswit's portrayal was gone. And bringing back Peggy to stir some complicated feelings of jealousy in Holly would have been great.

[Soaplovers]

Researching the blackout episodes from 1992...am I right to assume Bridget caused the blackout?  I miss early Bridget..full of spunk and confidence.  By 1996...i was praying for her to leave town..careful what I wish for since we traded Bridget for Cassie...ugh

[kalbir]

 

From what I remember, Bridget's hair dryer short circuited and that lead to the blackout.

 

To think that was 25 years ago this month. The buildup and the fallout were amazing. Sadly as we all know the momentum didn't last.

[NothinButAttitude]

 

Yeah, but I guess they did need a young male character for that era and creating Hart was a more logical choice. Billy would've been in the same age bracket as Blake, Frank, Mallet, etc. so there would be no young male (unless you count Dylan) for Bridget and Julie to beef for down the road. 

 

They still could've brought Billy back around this time though as Roger did need more allies around this time. It would've been more interesting to see Billy react to Hart, and like Blake, tried to solidify his position as Roger's golden child. 

 

 

I heard somewhere that Deas stuck around as long as he did to just provide stability within his household and to allow his wife, Margaret Colin (ex-Margo, ATWT) the chance to audition for roles in Primetime more often.

 

 

Even though Peter Simon is the Ed I grew up watching, the more I bounce around watch older episodes with Hulswit in the role, I find myself wishing they would've kept him or brought him back when Simon left the first time. I know people didn't like Richard Van Vleet or Robert Gentry's versions of Ed either, but I find myself liking them more than Simon's version as of late...

 

 

Only Bridget! 

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I love Cassie and Bridget and feel like there could've been enough room for the both of them. Seeing as they were a bit similar, it would've been interesting to see their interaction. Especially, once Cassie got tossed into Hart's orbit. Adding in Dylan, who was with Bridget at the time and is Cassie's nephew, would've complicated matters even more. GL missed so many potential great stories by getting rid of the wrong characters for duds. 

 

Another '91 episode featuring Hart: 

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[vetsoapfan]

 

I was watching TGL in the 1960s, and at that time, I felt that Gentry fit the role of Ed quite well. Later, however, Hulswit added so much more depth, warmth, and substance to the role, and I was never able to accept any other actor in the part. I tried to accept Gentry again when he returned to the show years later, but he was too brusque and cold as Ed. Simon was too morose and listless. Van Fleet was too modelish and Chuck Tylery. The show failed big time by ever dismissing Hulswit, who could and should have become the show's touchstone after Charita Bauer passed away and Don Stewart was fired.

[NothinButAttitude]

 

Do you think Van Vleet didn't fit into the role b/c ABC soap actors were a bit more campy (acting wise) compared to P&G actors? From what I've seen of him, I didn't mind him. I just think his stories during that time were stupid. 

 

I don't even think the show was trying to commit with Gentry's return as Ed. Wasn't he recurring during that time? I feel like Michelle was the only Bauer they cared for at that time, and that's b/c she was needed to fulfill the young teen void. I honestly believe that the show would've removed the Bauers from the show post '95 if they could've.

[vetsoapfan]

 

I always had the feeling that Van Fleet was trying too hard to be sensitive, and it seemed forced, whereas Hulswit projected a natural warmth and vulnerability which drew the audience to him. It did not help Van Fleet, that the writing during the 1980s was generally in the toilet.

 

Yes, Gentry was used on a recurring basis upon his return, which suggested TPTB were not really sure of him or whether or not they wanted to commit to the character. Gentry might have grown on the audience if the show had used him more, or more effectively, but it did not. No one in charge understood the importance of Ed Bauer to the show's core and legacy.