Guiding Light Discussion Thread

[Contessa Donatella]

Yes, a great book, even though some of it is now dated. I did blogs with permission for 3 of the essays, I believe. 

This one & Scardaville & Casiello. Others included in the book: Bielby & Harrington & Ford, of course. Bibel, Chris Scodari, Liccardo, Elana Levine, Roger Newcomb, Mary Cassata, Patrick Mulcahey, etc. 

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[China Jones]

I also want to thank you for this excerpt, Donna! A very interesting read.

[Contessa Donatella]

You are more than welcome. Here is an excerpt about the whole book: 

SURVIVAL OF SOAP OPERA: TRANSFORMATIONS FOR A NEW MEDIA ERA Edited by Sam Ford, Abigail de Kosnik and C. Lee Harrington. University Press of Mississippi, Jackson. © 2012

I can’t say enough good about this book. First, it is a scholarly examination of the U.S. daytime drama at one of its most crucial time periods. But, the use of language is also fan accessible, friendly, etc. Its scope is the whole enchilada, drawing together experts from every field you can think of and then maybe a few more even. It’s a joy to read.

Contents

Acknowledgements

Section One

Challenges to the Future of Soaps

INTRODUCTION: THE CRISIS OF DAYTIME DRAMA AND WHAT IT MEANS –Sam Ford, Abigail de Kosnik and C. Lee Harrington

PERSPECTIVE: SCHOLARS BARBARA IRWIN AND MARY CASSATA ON THE STATE OF U.S. SOAP OPERAS (Based on an Interview by C. Lee Harrington)

PERSPECTIVE: HISTORIAN WILLIAM J. REYNOLDS ON MEMORIES OF “THE EDGE OF NIGHT” (Based on an Interview by sam Ford)

PERSPECTIVE: WRITER PATRICK MULCAHEY ON CHANGES IN SOAP OPERA WRITING CONTRACTS (Based on an Interview by Giada da Ros

PERSPECTIVE: ACTOR TRISTAN ROGERS ON CHANGES IN SOAPS’ INDUSTRY, AUDIENCES AND TEXTS (Based on an Interview by Abigail de Kosnik)

DAYTIME BUDGET CUTS — Sara Bibel

AGNES NIXON AND SOAP OPERA “CHEMISTRY TESTS” — Carol Traynor Williams

GIVING SOAPS A GOOD SCRUB: ABC’S “UGLY BETTY” AND THE ETHNICITY OF TELEVISION FORMATS — Jaime J. Nasser

THE WAY WE WERE: THE INSTITUTIONAL LOGICS OF PROFESSIONALS AND FANS IN THE SOAP OPERA INDUSTRY — Melissa C. Scardaville

Section Two

Capitalizing on History

PERSPECTIVE: SCHOLAR HORACE NEWCOMB ON THE PLEASURES AND INFLUENCE OF SOAPS (Based on an Interview by Sam Ford)

PERSPECTIVE: SCHOLAR ROBERT C. ALLEN ON STUDYING SOAP OPERAS (Based on an Interview by C. Lee Harrington)

GROWING OLD TOGETHER: FOLLOWING “AS THE WORLD TURNS'” TOM HUGHES THROUGH THE YEARS — Sam Ford

PERSPECTIVE: WRITER KAY ALDEN ON WHAT MAKES SOAPS UNIQUE (Based on an Interview by Sam Ford)

PERSPECTIVE: SCHOLAR NANCY BAYM ON SOAPS AFTER THE O.J. SIMPSON TRIAL (Based on an Interview by Abigail de Kosnik)

OF SOAP OPERAS, SPACE OPERAS AND TELEVISION’S ROCKY ROMANCE WITH THE FEMININE FORM — Christine Scodari

THE IRONIC AND CONVOLUTED RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DAYTIME AND PRIMETIME SOAP OPERAS — Lynn Liccardo

PERSPECTIVE: SCHOLAR LOUISE SPENCE ON COMPARING THE SOAP OPERA TO OTHER FORMS (Based on an Interview by Abigail de Kosnik)

PERSPECTIVE: SCHOLAR JASON MITTELL ON THE TIES BETWEEN DAYTIME AND PRIMETIME SERIALS (Based on an Interview by Sam Ford)

PRESERVING SOAP HISTORY: WHAT WILL IT MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF SOAPS? — Mary Jeanne Wilson

DID THE 2007 WRITERS STRIKE SAVE DAYTIME’S HIGHEST RATED DRAMA? — J.A. Metzler

Section Three

Experimenting with Production and Distribution

“THE RHETORIC OF THE CAMERA TO TELEVISION SOAP OPERA” REVISITED: THE CASE OF “GENERAL HOSPITAL” — Bernard M. Timberg and Ernest Alba

IT’S NOT ALL TALK: EDITING AND STORYTELLING IN “AS THE WORLD TURNS” — Deborah L. Jaramillo

“GUIDING LIGHT”: RELEVANCE AND RENEWAL IN A CHANGING GENRE — Patrick Erwin

THE EVOLUTION OF THE PRODUCTION PROCESS OF SOAP OPERAS TODAY — Erick Yates Green

FROM DAYTIME TO “NIGHT SHIFT”: EXAMINING THE ABC DAYTIME/SOAPNET PRIMETIME SPIN-OFF EXPERIMENT — Raquel Gonzales

“WHAT THE HELL DOES TIIC MEAN?” ONLILNE CONTENT AND THE STRUGGLE TO SAVE THE SOAPS — Elane Levine

THE EVOLUTION OF THE FAN VIDEO AND THE INFLUENCE OF YOUTUBE ON THE CREATIVE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS FOR FANS — Emma F. Webb

Section Four

Learning From Diverse Audiences

SOAPS FOR TOMORROW: MEDIA FANS MAKING ONLINE DRAMA FROM CELEBRITY GOSSIP — Abigail de Kosnik

SOAP OPERA CRITICS AND CRITICISM: INDUSTRY AND AUDIENCE IN AN ERA OF TRANSFORMATION — Denise D. Bielby

HANGING ON BY A COMMON THREAD — Julie Porter

PERSPECTIVE: FAN SITE MODERATOR QUEENEVE ON FAN ACTIVITY AROUND AND AGAINST SOAPS (Based on an Interview by Abigail de Kosnik)

THE ROLE OF “THE AUDIENCE” IN THE WRITING PROCESS — Tom Casiello

THE “MISSING YEARS”: HOW LOCAL PROGRAMMING RUPTURED “DAYS OF OUR LIVES” IN AUSTRALIA — Rahda O’Meara

“AS THE WORLD TURNS'” LUKE AND NOAH AND FAN ACTIVISM — Roger Newcomb

CONSTRUCTING THE OLDER AUDIENCE: AGE AND AGING IN SOAPS — C. Lee Harrington and Denise Brothers

REFERENCES

INDEX

Edited December 7, 2023 by Donna L. Bridges
typo

[kalbir]

The trouble might have even started in 1982 after Douglas Marland left. In the 1980s rating thread we saw during the second half of 1982 Y&R becoming CBS's highest rated show and GL dropped to 2nd among the CBS shows.

Yes, Spring 1983 to Summer 1984 Gail Kobe/Pamela Long got the ratings up but it was too much chasing 1980s trends. We saw that wasn't sustainable and the ratings from Fall 1984 onward reflected that.

[Mitch64]

Who knows, but Kreizman sure was kissing Harley/Ehlers ass in the writing...when he wasn't blowing Jonathon/Pelphery in the writing.  Who was her almost brother? 

Jim Lemay, I have no idea...was Bridget even mentioned when NotDylan came back? And Susan wasn't nearly as bad as Leah, suddenly being older then her older brother, which made a hash out of the timeline..so Rick did not get drunk and sleep with Harley after Abby left him, he screwed her when he was married to Mel???? Did Leah find some of Cleva's growth serum laying around? Did anyone give a damn about anything at the end?

God how I would love to see Chappell and Zimmer having a physical cat fight over a GL prop!!! My money's on Kimmer!

[China Jones]

James Spaulding is the son of Beth Raines and Phillip Spaulding. However, he was conceived while Beth was married to Susan Lemay's adopted father Jim, after whom James is named. So, during GLs last year, Susan aka Daisy was sleeping with a boy that would have been her half-brother had he truly been Jim's son. (I realize Susan was Jim's adopted daughter, but still...)

[Contessa Donatella]

Uh, I don't think Crystal would have a physical fight with someone else in the cast or crew for a GL prop. Try to arrange ahead of time to get it, sure. Fight over it, no. So, in your scenario, yes, KZ walks away with the prize. As to who was still there at the end, a lot of people. Here is the bitter end, I believe. 

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But I know this was everyone & near the end. 

[Franko]

Ended up watching the two 1981 episodes (interrupted by Reagan's inauguration) where Jennifer reveals in court that she and Alan are Amanda's parents. As excellent of work as Geraldine Court did, my favorite moments were (a) Diane finding out (and this being so soon after Alan and Hope's wedding) and (b-c) Nola's interactions with Morgan (including trying to throw Hillary under the bus for closeness with Kelly) and Kelly (including fangirling over A Summer Place).

[P.J.]

Lately I've fallen down the rabbit hole, and catching a lot of early Vanessa. (OH. MY. GOD. I'd forgotten what a trouble maker she was.) There's a lot of early 80's up, but I can't find her arrival in Springfield. Is it up?

[Contessa Donatella]

Constance Ford is my favorite actress & I never fail to marvel at her performance in that movie & that slap scene is so amazing. She not only knocks her daughter off her feet but causes the Christmas tree to fall. Those people are something, though. The husband is such a horrible person but then so is the wife. 

[Mitch64]

I wish they had brought Van's edge back after her dumb coming back from the dead storyline...I hated her kowtowing to Billy and sighing over Matt. Maeve could play a cold a** b*tch quite well. 

[P.J.]

Man, let me tell you. In the back of my head, I knew that Vanessa and Ross started out as schemers. But I missed a lot having to go to school. Vanessa is scheming for the likes of Ben McFarrin while Ross is setting his sights on Amanda is blowing my mind.

[DRW50]

No. The earliest I've seen is the episode where Hope and Amanda are throwing a party and bitching about her.

[vetsoapfan]

It was disheartening to peruse the two recently-posted cast pictures and realize how many totally irrelevant, pointless characters were taking up space on the TGL's canvas, while so many beloved, essential-to-the-show's core were nowhere to be seen.

I really am surprised this soap lasted as long as it did, after being on life-support for YEARS.

[Khan]

I agree.  I might have said this before, but I think Nancy Curlee was GL's last, best hope.  When she left, GL was finished.