The Guiding Light: End of an Era

[maggiethecat]

We’ve talked about all sorts of television favorites over the years on this board but, to my recollection, we never talked about soap operas. And let’s confess, we’ve all watched one at one time or another in our lives.

The only soap I ever followed with any sort of passion or interest was The Guiding Light,* which, on Friday, September 18th, ended a 72-year run, a victim of sagging ratings, the fact that women are working and not home watching soaps, and the current predilection for reality shows. Sigh.

I started watching “The Light” back in the early 80s when they brought on the Lewis clan, a clear steal from Dallas but with [ahem] better actors! I’ll put Robert Newman as Josh Lewis up against Patrick Duffy’s Bobby Ewing any day, and Kim Zimmer has been proving for the past 28 years that she can out-act Linda Grey and Victoria Principal put together (not all that hard, I’m guessing ).

I hadn’t followed GL for years, actually, but this spring when my mother broke her back and became essentially housebound, we started watching it again, together. For a senior citizen whose main source of entertainment during the day is TV or reading, a “continuing drama” with a scripted storyline is infinitely more satisfying than chat shows or (oi veh!) game shows. And so we were very sorry to see GL end.

Did anyone else out there ever watch this show?

Or, for that matter, another soap?

Now’s the time to come clean! I’d love to talk.

* Okay, not completely true: I also followed -- but not as devotedly -- an NBC soap called Another World, which was also cancelled, years ago. I seem to have an attraction to cancelled shows.

[hoosier]

I haven't watched a soap in quite a while since I am at work when they are on. I did watch Guiding Light and loved the Nola and Quinton story. And then there was Lujak

[rducasey]

Sept 19, 2009 14:14:49 GMT -5 maggiethecat said:

* Okay, not completely true: I also followed -- but not as devotedly -- an NBC soap called Another World, which was also cancelled, years ago. I seem to have an attraction to cancelled shows.

Maggie I too used to watch Another World with Alice, Steve and Rachel. I remember that I was expecting the same time as Rachel. We had our babies together. But by the time my son was going to Kindergarten, Jamie Frame was going to Med School.......only in soaps could this happen. The only other thing I remember was the name of the fictitious town - Pine Valley. It is quite amazing how many famous actors got their start in soap operas. (and many not so famous actors...who shall remain nameless.)

[matilda]

Well I'll fess up - The Young and the Restless. Haven't watched it for years, since Teachers College twenty five years ago but it's on cable here now and sometimes when I surf I stop and I swear some of the same characters are there.

I have mentioned the late, lamented The Restless Years on this Board before, the focus of my life from 1977 until about 1980. Really a pioneer in what was to become the Australian soap genre, exemplified best by Neighbours and Home and Away.

And Mary, in my days at home with bubs it was Rikki Lake at 3 pm and what was then the McNeil-Lehrer News Hour at 5 pm that got me through the first time, and the second time it was waiting for the animated version of Madeline at any time to hear Christopher Plummer's voice and then the second round of 5 pm (the beginning of what we call Arsenic Hour with young kids in Australia) with the Jim Lehrer News Hour. You US mob can have no idea the service PBS has provided to many a new mother hungry for international news here in the suburbs of Sydney, our SBS here have always shown it the day before's edition JUST at the right time!!

As for young actors getting a start on soaps, they are huge for it here - Big Rusty, Guy Pearce and Heath Ledger (bless and rest his lovely soul) among many others.

And maggie - huge discussion starter - have reality shows replaced the sopa opera? How interesting and how huge is this topic - let's go ...

M

[bjobsessed]

I watch Days of Our Lives and have for years. I know some of the stories have been wayyyy out there but old habits die hard. I tape it and watch it when I come home from work. That way I can skip all the dumb stuff too.