Guiding Light Goes Dark

This coming Friday, September 18, 2009, the light will shine no more for the oldest soap opera on the air. "Guiding Light," which began as a radio broadcast with religious overtones in 1937 will go dark after 72 years. Understandably, longtime fans are a bit nostalgic and even angry at the demise of their old friend. To add salt to the wound are the persistent predictions that the genre of soap operas will die altogether in the next 15-20 years. Though I don't watch soaps anymore, losing soaps would be a blow to the television landscape. I'm not sure what the solution is, but hopefully someone will develop a creative and innovative way to keep the genre alive.

My own history with "Guiding Light" is somewhat spotty. I was raised an ABC girl. The classic 1980's "Love in the Afternoon" lineup of "Ryan's Hope," "Loving," "All My Children," "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital" is what I cut my teeth on. I loved Erica Kane's antics and my grandmother used to call me "Dorian," as in Dorian Lord on "One Life to Live," given my penchant for prancing around in my mother's heels and costume jewelry. And of course like the rest of the country, the names Luke and Laura were always on my lips. I never thought anything could turn my head from ABC.

Until one year when I spent the summer with my paternal grandmother. Given that there was only one TV in the house and all her "stories" were on CBS, I wasn't left with a whole lot of choices. My grandmother faithfully watched "As the World Turns" and "Guiding Light" and I begrudgingly began to watch as well. I liked "As the World Turns" okay, except the canvas seemed to be filled with an inordinate amount of characters and it was hard to keep track of who was doing what (strange words, I realize, from a soap opera viewer).

However, there was something about "Guiding Light," that captivated me. I never thought anyone could do "Diva" better than Erica Kane and Dorian Lord, but Reva "the Slut of Springfield" Shayne sure gave those gals a run for their money. She married the father and both brothers of the Lewis family and generally got every other man in Springfield hot and bothered, though her true love was Josh Lewis (she even married him three times). There were the Four Musketeers; privileged son of the wealthy Spaulding family, Phillip; Phillip's true love, fragile Beth Raines who was being sexually abused by her slimy stepfather; spoiled Melinda Sue Lewis who desperately loved Phillip, nice guy Rick Bauer who was in a losing battle for Beth's affections. It was teen angst at its best and in those days, no one did it better than "Guiding Light." There was impetuous Nola Reardon and her unconventional yet wildly popular romance with Quint Chamberlain; Nola's epic rivalry with Quint's sister, the haughty Vanessa Chamberlain. Not to be forgotten are the machinations of siblings Alan and Alexandra Spaulding, the adventures of dashing journalist, Fletcher Reade and the stability of core family, the Bauers. Then there's the storyline I'd like to forget but can't, the infamously bad "Dreaming Death." "Guiding Light," was 80's soap opera at its best and for a time, I sacrificed my beloved ABC for the goings-on of Springfield.

Summer ended and in time, I returned to "Love in the Afternoon." It would be the early 90's before I returned to Springfield. I happened upon it one day a few weeks before I left for college. It was the big blackout in Springfield and the night Mindy Lewis left her fiancé, Lujack Spaulding look-alike, Nick McHenry (and long-lost twin it later turned out) at the altar due to the manipulations of longtime enemy, Alexandra Spaulding. As I watched the heightened drama and tension unfold in those scenes, I was hooked all over again. Many of the old familiar faces were there, along with some new ones. Quite simply, the show snapped, crackled and popped with such intensity and heat, I couldn't wait for 2 p.m. to come each day so I could find out what happened next. With its powerhouse company of actors, compelling characters and strong, decisive storytelling, "Guiding Light" was must-see TV for daytime.

Through the years, the soap opera press has pinpointed one specific action as the death knell for the show. In 1993, Springfield matriarch, Maureen Bauer, wife of Dr. Ed Bauer, confronted her husband about his affair with her best friend, Lillian Raines. As a result of that argument, Maureen later died in a tragic car accident. Famously, focus groups didn't respond to Maureen's character and then-executive producer, Jill Farren Phelps made the controversial decision to kill her off. In one fell swoop, the show lost its heart and soul and in that one shattering moment, "Guiding Light" was never the same.

I watched "Guiding Light" for a few more years; likely a combination of life getting in the way, character departures and poor storytelling contributed to my diminished interest in the show. In the ensuing years, I'd heard about the falling ratings and wacky storylines (Dolly the Clone, anyone?). In a bid to reinvigorate itself and thus the soap opera medium, "Guiding Light," began to shoot outdoor scenes on location, dumped studio cameras for handhelds and went for extreme close-ups. The grand experiment failed and the show was cancelled.

Although I haven't watched "Guiding Light" for many years, I will be watching this, its final week. I can't help but feel a sense of loss at its end and have a need to visit Springfield one last time before it's gone for good. It's strange to think that a game show will replace the rich tapestry that was "Guiding Light." However, nothing can ever really replace daytime's grande dame. While the light may be gone, it will live on forever in our memories. Farwell, "Guiding Light." Farewell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guiding_Light

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_Emmy_Award_for_Outstanding_Lead_Actress_in_a_Drama_Series