You're probably going to think I'm crazy after this post, but ... oh well!! This week has been a tough one for me. You see, I am a devoted fan of the soap opera, Guiding Light. And, today was the final episode of the longest running soap opera (for that matter tv show) ever!! 72 years!! Guiding Light" debuted on NBC radio in 1937 as a 15-minute serial, then moved to CBS television on June 30, 1952. In 1968, "GL" expanded to 30 minutes and, in 1977, became a full hour. Once there were a dozen or so daytime soaps on the TV networks - now there will be seven.
I remember my Great Aunt Lou watching soap operas - Guiding Light, As the World Turns and Edge of Night. How many of you watched these shows with grandmothers, moms, aunts, etc? They were real to them. Well, today I feel like I lost part of my family. Guiding Light reminded us every day that family is where the heart is, or where it should be.
The family at the core of the show was the Bauers, but over the decades the Spaulding, Lewis and Cooper clans also have helped populate the mythical towns where the drama took place. I have loved with them, laughed with them, celebrated with them and cried with them through their own life events year after year. I have grown up with those characters, so it's very easy for us fans to feel as if we know them and think of them as part of our families. When it's off, we will grieve and miss them.
Along with veteran cast members, the show played host to many actors who left to find larger stardom elsewhere. These include Kevin Bacon, JoBeth Williams, James Earl Jones, Allison Janney, Brittany Snow, Hayden Panettiere and Melina Kanakaredes.
Considering the years the show had leading up to cancellation ... talk about some low points. From Josh and Cassie to Grady Foley and everything in between, I honestly considered taking a break from the show because I couldn't stand to see it be destroyed any longer. Obviously that didn't happen, and the show eventually made a huge turn around starting with the events surrounding Coop's death and Phillip's return. Things were truly looking up for Guiding Light and then the rug was pulled out from under them.
To the writers credit, they did a good job these past couple of weeks "tying up all the loose ends." I can't say that I was thrilled with .... oops can't say what happened. My daughter is also a big fan of the show - she grew up watching it with me!! She is visiting her cousin this weekend and hasn't seen the final shows.
Guess I'll have an extra hour in my day now to be creative. But, I'll sure miss that beacon of light that guided those actors each day.
