Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[GLATWT88]

Here's a question I've had for a long time and perhaps one of you soapstorians might be able to answer. Why did GL replace the 2002 opening with an even worse one in Spring 2003? When I started watching GL in 2003, they had just switched over to the new opening (the sliding images with Guiding Light running across) and I only became aware of the previous one on some website at the time. I mean the flying Bingo chips wasn't amazing, but the one that followed was pretty sad. I remember thinking that anyone in my HS graphic design class at the time could probably manage to create that opening. Why was Bingo chips opening replaced when it was in use for such a short time? I'm not sure how soap openings are changed or how that decision is made as they are such long running shows, whether it's arbitrary or when new producers come on or something else. Days has essentially maintained the same opening it started with, others maintained the same theme over the course of their run, and then GL the lighthouse or variations of it and them others did not.  

[RavenWhitney]

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[soapfan770]

 

 For whatever the reason, John Conboy considered sprucing up his new show’s opening a priority. Conboy touted the show's new opening "wanted to capture the essence of the classic Knots Landing theme from the 80’s," but of course whoever produced it was too lazy/cheap to get it right or whatever ideal opening they had in mind. I’m aware that one of the people involved in creating the opening threw a hissy fit of sorts after seeing it dissected on the old WOST message boards. (Of course, if you really worked hard, should you be bragging about how easy it is to change the opening by going on to your hard drive?) 

 

I definitely agree with you on the lighthouse or some form of light should at least be seen in GL's openings, just like the hourglass on Days or the globe on ATWT(it was a bit jarring not seeing it in space from 2002-09 though). 

 

Worst GL opening was that 2007 destiny BS IMO. 

[DRW50]

I didn't mind the change as much as some did - the '02 opening was fine, but the Life Savers always felt cheesy to me. The '03 drumbeats and the way the last shot would segue into the first scene of the day I thought was vibrant and a good way to get us into the action. 

 

Unfortunately so much else budget-blowing from Conboy was not necessary, especially, as @Vee used to call it, the Maureen Garrett Baseball Field.

[GLATWT88]

Thank you for the details. I figured it had to do with a switch in producer and wanting to change the image. Now that you mentioned the Knots opening, I see how it may have been going that route, but the Knots opening from two decades earlier was much more visually appealing. I always felt the early 90s opening was a hybrid of the Dallas and Knots Landing opening with the lighthouse lens thrown in the mix. 

Ha! Lifesavers. That's probably the best way to describe it 

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I agree that the best part of the opening was that it would slide right into that first scene and unlike the other soaps GL started straight with the opening sequence. 

 

How do you feel about the 2005 opening?

[soapfan770]

@DRW50 I had just seen your comments about poor Jean Carol. I remember one of the mags at the time (I want to say it was SPW but it might have been SOU) in praising the Marion Crane story wrote something along the lines of "It's spectacular fun to see they've let Marion go around killing off everyone who wants out of their contract!" Sheesh! Only regret that Brent/Marion didn't off Tangie for her exit immediately soon as he back to town. 

 

 

 

 

You didn't miss much, Buzz being the show diva at the time had been the first one to find Amish Reva.  They later became close with Buzz trying to save Reva from Alan. Later on she married Buzz as a means to let Josh move on with Annie and helped Buzz fight Alan against the destruction of 5th Street but Reva never really loved Buzz more than a friend. Once there was a clear path of reconciliation for Josh & Reva and with Jenna's return they separated. The marriage lasted less than a year and was rarely mentioned much afterward aside from Clone Reva flirting with Buzz. 

[DRW50]

 

I had quit watching by 2005. Watching it since, I would say I am not a fan of having only a few people in an opening or an opening so centric on one "face." I also thought it was very generic and ABC-ish, like much of P&G by that time.

 

The "Destiny" ad is even more generic and low-budget, but I don't mind it as much, since it does go back to GL's original concept, and reminds me a little of a cornier version of a Sisters opening sequence I was very fond of. 

[DRW50]

 

It was pretty stupid at the time to have three men who wanted Reva. I don't even think that was the case when Pam Long was writing the show. It didn't help that the Save Fifth Street story was so uninvolving. 

 

I did think Reva and Buzz were better than they might have seemed on paper. There was one fun scene I still remember when they had yet to consummate their relationship and were sitting in their bedroom, knowing Hawk was listening (as he was trying to prove they weren't really a couple). They were playing cards while making "passionate" sounds. 

 

They were broken up immediately after McTavish and Laibson were let go. Buzz caught her at Cross Creek with Josh and dumped her, as he knew she would never want him the way she wanted Josh.

[SoapDope]

I stopped watching GL in the early 90's after Maureen's death. I did see bits of towards the end before cancellation and it looked like  train wreck.

 

I have been re-watching the late 70's and remember why I loved this show in it's hey day.  The Jackie/Justin/Alan/Elizabeth/Mike/Hope story is one of my favorites. I wonder why Lezlie Dalton left the show in 1981 and never returned as Elizabeth ? Was she ever mentioned in the last years of the show ? The storyline about Phillip was great, but fizzled out when Cindy Pickett as Jackie departed. 

 

[Mitch]

Buzz and Reva were good as buddies...the show post resurrection for Reva forgot that she loved men as friends too,..back in the day she was hanging out friends with Fletch, Phillip, Rick, Johnny..but after she came back every man had to be in love with her. The same with Buzz and Alex..only friends..though BevAlex would have rolled her eyes at Deas Buzz.

 

I hated the what I call "Super Dooper Cooper" opening of Wheelers. The show was telling you this is who we are interested in and this is who are going to see and you can get lost if you don't like it..so most of the audience did just that.  I liked the "Bottle Caps" opening with Joan Alex looking regal yet mischevious and the couple and family units. Hated the next opening which was so exciting you saw Buzz serving coffee to Rick or Coop..Wow.

[soapfan770]

That’s a great assessment. LOL I can’t even imagine Bev with Deas at all, it would have been beneath. 
 

 

LOL I do remember that! At least it took some time for Buzz & Reva to finally consummate their marriage. But yes it was ridiculous three men wanted Reva. One of the worst  moments was when Alan bought Reva that hideous looking futuristic space age self cleaning house or whatever that later burned down. 
 

 

I personally found it decent, a tad on the  generic side and I felt like it was more suited for some lifestyle news show instead but it worked at the time. 

Edited July 9, 2020 by soapfan770

[DRW50]

 

Such a weird house. I preferred it to Reva living in Vanessa's house (that was always Vanessa's house to me), but the stairs in that place always freaked me out. I think someone did tumble down them at one point. 

 

I'm glad Jill Lorie Hurst, or whoever, at least briefly remembered Reva and Philip's friendship in the show's last year. 

[KMan101]

 

Excellent points made about Reva and her male friends. You'd never know it through most of the late 90s and into the 00s. 

 

I thought Buzz and Reva had very weird sexual chemistry but YMMV on that. It was still such an odd pairing though. Yikes.

[All My Shadows]

I’ve been watching 1979, and it’s definitely the same house but with some changes. It seems like there was “more” beyond the staircase in the earlier episode, and there’s a narrow window to the left of the front door that isn’t there later, but it’s the same basic set.

 

1973

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1979

 

 

Edited July 9, 2020 by All My Shadows

[Mitch]

Weidly, I always loved Bert's fireplace as a kid...you could just imagine coming home from school and Grandma Bert would be giving you hot chocolate in front of it.

 

BevAlex and Deas Buzz..I almost wish she would have stayed to look aghast at him..."WHO is this creature? Another Shayne I suppose!"