Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[victoria foxton]

The best thing i enjoy from this wonky era is Alex and India. These's two amazing actress always elevated the mediocre material. I like Roxie too. Poor girl was given some awful stories.

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[Soapsuds]

Loved India too and MKA. She and BM and CB held the show together during this time.  Sheri Anderson and Joe Wilmore weren't the best years for GL.

[DramatistDreamer]

MKA should be on a soap today!  I can really imagine her on a soap like Y&R.  With some decent writing, I could imagine she'd play well off of PB, EB, JW and the other soap vets, in particular.

 

Did you all know that the actress who played little Dori is prominent producer in animated T.V. shows? I think she started out doing V.O. for those shows before switching to the production side. 

[Soapsuds]

MKA worked great with TL and EH during her time on ATWT. 

 

She has a lot fans. I remember joining SOC and her fans were large there. That was way back in 2000 or so. 

[Soaplovers]

Not having India visit when phillip came back was a crime.  She and he had a good banter anytime she visited

[NothinButAttitude]

 

Was the cancellation of the show prior to Phillip returning? I thought it was slightly after his return. 

 

 

Phillip should've gotten a medal for ridding us of Grady. 

 

I agree though that the dummy going over the cliff was hilarious and horrendous. I know the show has a shoestring budget but they could've filmed that so much better.

 

 

See I wanted crazed Phillip to be addressed b/c I wanted to see the fallout upon his return. As I've said before, I would've loved for Leah to give her godfather grief for ruining her parent's marriage. I would've loved for Dinah and Blake's kids to wreak havoc on Phillip's life too. It would've been interesting (too) to see Blake revert to early Blake and hop on the train destroy Phillip. While Phillip's exit was trash, his return would've at least provided tons of story if written correctly. And we're only scratching the surface as we haven't factored. in Harley and her kids, who I wanted to be recast after Beth Ehlers left chasing behind RPG on AMC. 

[Mitch]

The Grady kill is hilarious..I wonder if its on You  Tube? Remember when Wheeler was trying to make Grady the new Jonathon...but even Jon was not that hideous or have a death on him? She was going around telling people that the "New Viewers," love him. Oh Ellie, Ellie, Ellie, there were no NEW viewers!

 

A take down of a sane Phillip would have been great with Blake and Dinah actually joining forces.  It would of course end with the reveal that Ross was alive...but what great fall out.   The end result would be something like Kyle comes back with Dinah and Blake and takes over Spaulding, the stress kills Alan (for real and for good)and in the surprise being that Amanda is really pulling the strings with her lover Kyle come in and take it all out from under them...setting up Phillip, Alan Michael and Amanda fighting with Alex acting as the Dowager Countess, referring and making smart remarks.

 

Of course, they would need a budget for that, I would not want to see the Spauldings squabbling at the Peapack Baseball Diamond.

 

And no, God no, no more Harley!

Edited January 25, 2020 by Mitch

[NothinButAttitude]

 

I think that had Harley been recast and not spending all her time whimpering over Gus, it could've worked. Plus, if the town was going to be coming for Phillip (and Rick by default), it would've been interesting to see how Zach and Jude would be affected by it all. 

 

Ooo... and Amanda coming back with Alan Michael would've been juicy. All the Spauldings under one manor backstabbing one another to gain control of Spaulding would've been great. Seeing as they missed the opportunity to bring back Alan's child with Rita (with Gus), it would be interesting to see his other spawn pop up and throw a wrench in things. 

 

 

 

 

[Mitch]

I see Amanda in the likeness of BevAlex...smart, savy, ruthless when needed...but with a heart. Battling the boys for dominance by pitting Phillip and AM at each other. Phillip trying to step into Alan's shoes and finding its not easy to be the Spaulding patriarch. and Alex taking Phillip's side against AM and Amanda and AM having his Bauer side finally coming out and being conflicted with the whole thing.

 

A Harley recast who wasnt whiney and shrill, I don't think I would recognize her..

 

 

[NothinButAttitude]

 

But that might be a good thing--a recast that could've taken Harley in a different direction. Again, I would just want her to be on the canvas for her reaction to Phillip's return and being a sound board for her boys, who are reeling with the fact that both their fathers caused Ross' demise. 

 

All these what if scenarios just saddens me b/c it just shows how this show didn't need all that flash to restore itself to greatness. All GL (and ATWT too) needed was to rest on their rich history and character connections to bounce back. Sucks that the sh-tty writers, producers, network, and P&G didn't see that. 

[vetsoapfan]

Happy Birthday, The Guiding Light!

 

Today, in 1937....

 

Thank you for 45 great years of solid entertainment (from 1937 to 1982), and then another four or so more (1989 to 2003), which were an unexpected but welcome (if temporary, alas) rebirth.

 

49 out of 72 ain't really so bad.

 

The painfully atrocious years with clones and time travel and mobsters and a crappy foreign island will never diminish the light for die-hard fans!

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[DRW50]

Classy tribute - couldn't have said it better. I always said GL had my head and ATWT had my heart...I miss them both dearly and this fucked up country needs them more than ever. Irna, wherever you are, thanks for your creations.

[vetsoapfan]

 

I miss all my favorite soaps so much, but truth be told, TGL really holds an extra special place in my heart and if I could revive only ONE gone-but-not-forgotten daytime gem, I'd vote to see Springfield one more time.

 

Sigh.

 

 

[DRW50]

 

And if it was, with the right tweaks, it would still be relevant. 

[vetsoapfan]

 

Right. At its core, TGL was intended to illuminate the human experience; to showcase community, family, perseverance in the face of adversity, and the fundamental hope of mankind...none of which will ever be irrelevant as long as people exist.

 

I would kill for a chance to reboot and head-write this show. (Although what fan does NOT have such a fantasy?)

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