I don't think I've ever watched an episode of Guiding Light, TV's longest-running soap opera, but I still consider myself a fan of the show. I'm a fan of all soap operas. I love the genre, which I inherited from both my mother and grandmother. I grew up watching the continuing dramas of Search for Tomorrow (with Morgan Fairchild as the evil Jennifer), Another World (with Rachel and Iris), Days of our Lives (with Doug and Julie), The Young and the Restless (with its amusing alliteration of Leslie, Laurie, Lance and Lucas), and As the World Turns (with the wonderful Eileen Fulton as Lisa). I've read what seems like a million books on soap operas, so I do consider myself fairly knowledgeable on the subject. And I think it would be a devastating blow for the daytime soap genre if the low-rated Guiding Light was canceled by CBS.Both TV Week and Entertainment Weekly have recently reported that the show is a likely candidate for cancellation when its current contract expires in September, which would leave its 2.17 million devoted viewers in a state of mourning. And yet another one bites the dust to quote the old Queen song. I've sadly watched over the years as many daytime dramas--some far better than others, but even a mediocre soap can be fun--have ended, including Another World, Search for Tomorrow, Passions, The Edge of Night, Ryan's Hope, Sunset Beach, Santa Barbara, Love of Life, Generations, Texas, The Doctors, Loving, The City, Capitol and Port Charles. And now Guiding Light appears to be on the brink of extinction unless a miracle occurs within the next month. It's possible--especially if fans of the show unite to voice their support. And that's why I'm writing this post--to offer my help in keeping this show alive and kicking. If Guiding Light joins the long list of dearly departed dramas, it will only make the already shaky soap opera genre that much weaker--and a year from now another show or two will be on the cutting block. And that, my friends, is a very nasty pattern that should be avoided at all costs. We gotta keep our soaps on the air any way we can.
So if you want to show your support for Guiding Light, I urge you to contact the following folks (this information is reposted from my friend Patrick Erwin's groovy soap blog, A Thousand Other Worlds, and from the "Keep the LIGHT Shining!" Facebook group:Barbara Bloom
Senior VP, CBS Daytime Programs
CBS Television
7800 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Leslie Moonves
CEO
CBS-TV Entertainment
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
Ellen Wheeler
Executive Producer
c/o Guiding Light
CBS-TV
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
Guiding Light: (866) 695-1895
CBS in New York: (212) 975-4321
CBS NY (Fax): (212) 975-4516
CBS in LA (Les Moonves): (213) 852-2345
CBS Audience Services: (212) 975-3247
Patrick also recommends that fans contact their local CBS affiliate and newspaper TV critic as well as Michael Ausiello of Entertainment Weekly, Michael Logan of TV Guide, Kristin Dos Santos of E!, Robert Bianco of USA Today, and even LGBT press like The Advocate, AfterElton.com and AfterEllen.com due to Guiding Light's current "Otalia" story (the characters of Olivia and Natalia were recently named 2009's Sexiest Couple Alive by TV Guide Canada).Guiding Light began as a radio serial way back in 1937, and it first aired on television in 1952. That's a helluva long time, and over the years it's introduced viewers to many memorable characters, including Bert Bauer and her two sons, Mike and Ed; Holly Norris Bauer and her second husband, Roger Thorpe (played by the late Michael Zaslow), who was one of daytime's greatest villains; the Stapleton sisters, Rita and Eve; business tycoon Alan Spaulding and his adopted son, Phillip (played by fan favorite, Grant Aleksander, who recently returned to the show); Alan's sister, Alex Spaulding, and her son, Lujack; Ross Marler and his wife, Carrie Todd (played by the great Jane Elliot); the love triangle of Nola Reardon, Kelly Nelson and Morgan Richards; Vanessa Chamberlain and her brother, Quint; and, of course, Reva Shayne Lewis, who has been played by the fabulous Kim Zimmer since 1983. Guiding Light is a show rich with history, and it would be a great loss to see it end. Here's hoping the Light keeps shining for many years to come.
5 comments:
I haven't seen GL in ages, but I believe they made some radical changes to the show that may have alienated its core audience with handheld cameras and actual location shoots. Plus, all the soaps realize that they're longtime viewers just aren't bringing in the younger generation like they used to, but for some reason they're dropping well-loved and established characters left and right to cut costs! Y&R dump Don Diamont, DAYS drops Diedre Hall and Drake Hogestyn! Get rid of all the new cast members that have been hired recently because they're obviously not drawing in younger viewers either, and honor those who have stuck with the shows for decades. I think they're just shooting themselves in their collective feet by getting rid of longtime actors to save money instead of trimming the extraneous cast members who haven't done anything to establish themselves with the audiences and are ultimately driving them away.
Should read: Plus, all the soaps realize that their longtime viewers...DUH!
You're awesome, Marc. I owe you a dinner!
GUIDING CANCELED! WHAT CAN WE DO???
BREAKING NEWS - SOAP OPERA DIGEST:
GL Canceled!
Soap Opera Digest has learned that the cast and crew of GUIDING LIGHT were notified today that yes, the 72-year-old show has been canceled. Check back for more details.
http://www.soapoperadigest.com/news/breaking/
Unfortunately, most daytime soaps have been treating their veteran actors like crap for many years ("As the World Turns" is the one that immediately springs to my mind). It's a shame that the people in charge of these shows are such idiots.
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