Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

Leonard Staab and Jocelyn Seagrave in cowboy gear on a Regis and Kathie Lee fashion show.

https://archive.org/details/live-with-regis-and-kathie-lee-february-4-1993

[Soapsuds]

Does anyone have news on him? He was such a hunk.

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Edited February 11, 2023 by Soapsuds

[cassadine1991]

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[Maxim]

I see that youtube has pretty much all years after 1992... Which period do you guys reccomend to start watching. Which period will be good to get into without being too confused of what is happening

[dmelvinwalker4]

Does anyone has pictures and scans of John Driscoll as Coop?

 

[Soaplovers]

When people talk about Reva driving off the bridge (suffering from post partum depression)... I always remember this set of scenes as a very very small child..and my mom having to explain what was going on...as she rooted for Reva to climb up the ladder.

One of the commenters on this video mentioned Kim Zimmer didn't get this story...but it seemed in character for Reva...who always jumped first and asking questions later.

And what was interesting was the voices she heard as she was in the water (where she was loving herself...and voices of her future kids).  Sadly this was just as Pam Long was leaving the show the first time so we didn't get to see what her plans were for Reva post suicide attempt.

 

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[DRW50]

The early material with that Jerry Lanning character was probably hers.

[antmunoz]

You are correct. I interviewed Kim for a local paper in 1985, and she told me that she was vehemently opposed to Reva’s suicide attempt.  She lost that battle and had to play it. 
 

The Cain story was also supposed to be different. He was supposed to be a true mountain man whom Reva would civilize and tame.  Kim was intrigued by this. (She always embraced the most bizarre storylines because she got to ACT!!! and play something different, and I get that.) This isn’t what we got, though.  The show moved away from this story rather quickly. Kim didn’t like it either, and she and Jerry Lanning weren’t really hitting it off or setting the world on fire. 
 

Of course, the story, like so many others on GL (Susan Piper/Carrie Carruthers; Reva is Rebecca/Catherine; Reva gives up a son, Dylan/Jonathan), was repeated when Reva was stranded on the island by Annie with Sean, who had a way off but didn’t want to let her go, although his obsession was less than Cain’s. 

[Darn]

Watching a lot of San Cristobel clips lately and MAN, this is bad soap. Laughably bad. Everything is arche and nonsensical and not in a fun way like Days in the 90s, it screams desperation. Characters squeezed into situations that don't read as authentic for any of them. I started watching just before story kicked off (and didn't stick with it at the time), I can't even imagine being a long time fan and having to suffer through this.

And listen, no hate to Kim Zimmer but she sticks out like a sore thumb in this story. It's like "whose mom is this?" every time she pops up in a scene.

The amount of money they invested into this stupidity is astounding. The set they built for Richard and Cassie's wedding was enormous (I don't even know how they found that much room in NY) and hideous. It's crazy to think even the lowest rated soaps could still afford this sort of opulence.

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Actually what were the ratings like during this period? I wonder how many rubberneckers they attracted.

[Vee]

I've said it many times, but I started looking in on GL for rubberneck value: Cynthia Watros as Annie, the clone and later several of my beloved OLTL alumni who moved to the show for the San Cristobel story (Chappell, Thom Christopher). The insanely overly-lit sets, OTT performances, peroxide blonde stylings and general air of sheer tackiness turned me right off, but the biggest issue was San Cristobel. I did not understand how or why so much of a supposedly down to earth show centered around a clearly fake and silly fairy tale island kingdom, and I've made it clear how ludicrous I felt the aging Reva being presented as the unattainable sex goddess of the show was during this. It's as ridiculous a story now as it was then.

[DRW50]

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Edited February 17, 2023 by DRW50

[vetsoapfan]

Thank for the links to the episodes from 1980, @DRW50, when our show was still...the show we loved and recognized!

Edited February 17, 2023 by vetsoapfan

[DRW50]

Thank you for replying. I didn't want to tag people because they weren't new, just reuploads of some of the DVD releases, but I hadn't seen them on Youtube lately. I'm always impressed at just how well the Roger "death" location shoot holds up - it feels much more stark, and less glossy or goofy, than later '80s location shoots. It's beautifully directed (like the scene of Ed and Holly embracing, Holly clinging to him for dear life, after Roger is gone) and has the weight of whether two good, moral characters can kill to survive (unlike later years on soaps, where murder isn't a big deal...complete with a shootout in the Bauer kitchen). Yet Alan and Mike worrying over Roger's lost documents reminds that the story isn't fully over. 

The moments of Bert praying for her sons are also very effective - reminding of the amazing yet very down to earth talent and presence of Charita Bauer.

(I love Diane's whole look in that April episode, especially her necklace...I never know why Marland thought she should be killed off)

Edited February 17, 2023 by DRW50

[Vee]

I've been on a GL binge of late in addition to my other COVID-era classic binges* and maybe it's me but the Dreaming Death virus is really, really creepy to me. Lesley Anne's death spiral hallucination of her last dance with her con man husband and moving off into the light with the spooky music is really, deeply disturbing. I can see why GL might've been the wrong show for this material but I think the idea of a killer virus which induces these hallucinations is good stuff for GH or something.

I also don't understand why they put so much time into hiring and building up Michael Woods as Jim Reardon and then he leaves like a year later.

(* apologies to Knots Landing fans, I promise I will get back to it shortly; it's just such a dense show and I want to give it my full attention when I'm not so busy. Also I am kind of hoping it starts going up in HD like Dallas sooner than later.)

Edited February 17, 2023 by Vee

[DRW50]

I am kind of glad you're taking your time as I think that era is better for a viewer when they let it savor. 

Woods was probably just hit by so many of his co-stars leaving (and the bad choice to fire Marsha Clark).

Have you seen the Roger death episodes? You probably have, but if not, I'd recommend the two I posted above.