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CBS
So, go ahead and call me slightly 'Otaliacentric' and 'Guiding Light obsessed these days but the reality is that I still cannot quite grasp the fact that the beacon on that lighthouse seemingly appears to be going dark very soon. The summer months typically vaporize before we even realize it and by the time those screeching yellow school buses begin to pick up kids every morning for school in September, Guiding Light just might be history. The loss of Springfield will surely leave a huge void for several fans whether they have invested a lifetime of viewing or are relatively new to the show after being lured in by the magical and sometime ludicrous scenarios occurring all over town with the Spauldings, Reva, Josh, Jeffrey, Bill, Dinah, the Lewis family and--of course Otalia along with a host of other characters who hang out at that landmark lighthouse.
It is unfathomable at times that this show could burn out at this point, but it's looking more and more like that every day. Therefore, I have chosen to pump up the coverage of this show while there is still time and mega interest. Don't lose your passion to save this show because maybe we will ultimately be surprised. Call me a dreamer if you will.
I have been blown away by fan loyalty and the emotion that has come with it through posts by those who have commented about the ultimate demise of this iconic daytime drama each time I choose to write about it. I have met so many Guiding Light fans simply by writing about this show that is on such a big roll lately largely due to incredible writing and the tastefully done storyline between Olivia and Natalia just to name one small component of the magic. Fans have been vocal and prolific in terms of letter writing campaigns and have even held rallies in an attempt to salvage GL but still there has been no word that there is any hope left for this show. It's a bitter pill to swallow for sure.
I would like to thank all of you for supporting my efforts to showcase this show and since I needed a laugh today, I thought I would share this You Tube clip sent me about a Rafeless world for Natalia and Olivia by one GL fan who clearly needed a laugh as much as I did.
This was totally too amusing and when Olivia told Natalia if they never had sex she wouldn't love her any less it got me to thinking about how special their relationship really is. I know for a fact a man would never say that to a woman.
So, I am continuing on that roller coaster ride that has become the fate of Guiding Light and I intend to showcase this show until the bitter end because its history and endurance managed to touch generations of daytime drama fans and it deserves to somehow be remembered.
Maybe I have become too devoted to this show, but for now, I intend to go down with the ship if that's what it takes to preserve just a few Springfield memories. It's about all I can do at this point.
Comments
Mary a million thanks for your GL articles! It's been an emotional past few days for me. Monday's episode was just phenominal, breaking my heart all over again. The Otalia story has truly been a gift. It's brought so many people together and maybe opened some eyes along the way. I will cherish these next few months, taking it all in, but my fight to save the show will continue. I'm in it until the end and will most definately support CC & JL into the future as they have given so much back to us.
Loved the video...that's how it should have been to begin with. : )
"This was totally too amusing and when Olivia told Natalia if they never had sex she wouldn't love her any less it got me to thinking about how special their relationship really is. I know for a fact a man would never say that to a woman."
And you are so right on with this comment!!!
Again Mary Thanks so much!!!
Thanks so much Mary,
I am beyond words about losing my Fav. soap and my fav character (Olivia Spencer). I honestly don't know what networks are thinking these days.
Why wouldn't anyone in their right minds want to say the longest running soap? I've never seen so many talented actors on one show and to think that it's coming to an end breaks my heart. I'll just say that Crystal Chappell is a Goddess! Olivia Spencer is a Heroin!
Thanks Mary. I always look forward to your articles. I think all our emotions are running rampant for fear of losing Guiding Light and Otalia. I have only been watching since March, but I am just as invested as everyone else. I have cherished every moment and will continue to cherish every moment. My thanks go out to Ellen Wheeler, Jill Lorie Hurst, Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia for the beautiful gift of Otalia. I will continue in the campaign to save Guding Light and Otalia.
Mary
thanks for the extra coverage. i hadn't seen that video and its fantastic. I grew up with GL but only watched occassionally over the last decade. Since the beginning of 2009 I can't miss a show! What makes it all that much harder to say goodbye is that the show is just really, really good now. If CBS had made them stop filming in 2008 I don't think I would have felt nearly as many emotions about it. Yes, I am invested in Otalia, which is a big part, but the show overall is magical.
Thanks for your coverage and every word is true. Not only do we love Guiding Light and greatly respect the characters and the actors who play them, we have developed great family around this series. The writers have such a way of bringing each episode to a place unimaginable. We have emailed, phoned, written everyone we can find asking for the continuation. Inboxes and postal boxes should be fuller than ever before but we don't appear to be heard.
Mary, HANG WITH US. SAVE THE LIGHT!
I love the idea of amping up GL coverage! With so little time left we might as well wrench out as much fun, meaning, and memories as we can. Thanks, Mary!!!
I will continue to make my calls and sent my emails, but I have to admit my heart is alittle sad right now
you wont be the only one going down with the ship...I love this show it's so good. Thanks for the Guiding Light LOVE.
Mary, you won't get any complaints from all the big purple peeps out here about stepping up the GL coverage. We CAN NOT get enough. We love GL and Otalia, and we love YOU for being so good to us!
I find it hard to believe that GL won't find a new home or make the leap to webivision, but I recognize that junkies are expert at denial -- and there I am.
Rafeless...so well said and yes...made me laugh!
Thank you for your amazing articles and for being a part of Otalia. It is sad it's ending...Just really sad. Was an amazing experience and will be for as long as it last! I wish we could do something to change things but it seems we don't really count for those that could really save GL.
Mary, thank you for your continued support and love for Guiding Light. Though its future is unknown one thing is certain and that is that the fans will fight to the end to save this incredible soap.
Great Mary. Best soap out there. Can't imagine it not being on. Appreciate your coverage and sentiments.
I'm on that Titantic ship with you playing the violin amongst my purple huddle of friends. Actually the Titantic is too tiny to fit all the GL fans on it.
I truly appreciate your passion and dedication to continue your coverage of Guiding Light. GL has so many beautiful and strong storylines and Otalia is my personal favorite.
Keep the Light Shining! Thanks so much, Mary.
You are totally right on...continue the coverage...let's enjoy the ride until the end!
Thanks Mary. I always enjoy your articles. You have been a great supporter of Guiding Light and Otalia.
Cajun70503
Mary please continue to write about GL. This is the best show out there and we are all so sad that it might end. We are all still fighting to Save the Light. Once again thank you for your continued support.
Oh, if there was a way to let TPTB know that this show has touched so many of us, world-wide! What wonderful story-telling and honestly, while Otalia is what got me hooked, I love watching all the other story lines. Grant Alexander's Phillip is so great these days and he makes me want to learn what happened to his character years ago! Anyway, Thank you Mary for the extra coverage...I'm sure we'll have as much fun reading/commenting as you will writing about it! :)
Thank you so much for covering Guiding Light and Otalia. I am still letting TeleNext/P&G know that I want the show to continue. It is hard to let go.
But I am on the ship with you! Again, thanks!
Thank you Mary ~ And for all of you BUSINESS MONGRELS out there, since this show has so many viewers compared to cable hits like Gossip Girl, WHY HASN'T IT BEEN PICKED UP? I seriously don't get it from a mongrel standpoint, not to mention that it is one of the best shows on TV, where garbage masquerades as entertainment on the "public" airwaves.
All of you are amazing and you will never know how much I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
Perhaps we could all pitch in $10.00 a month and have Destini launch the 'Big Purple Dreams' production company to create an Internet version of Springfield. We could give the actors a few bucks for a short amount of their time right?
Sorry Destini--I just thought you would be the perfect producer to take this show into uncharted territory.
You think I'm a dreamer?
Thank you for your coverage. We need to continue to pimp GL and Otalia, the girls deserve a happy ending no matter what happens with the show... even Mayor Bloomenberg thinks so!
I'm so sad at the moment but thanks to you wonderful GL lovers out there I am not feeling alone...and also thank you Mary. You guys are the best!! Please lets keep doing what we are doing to save the show, its not the end until we have something more definite.
Hi Mary,
Please bare with me as I just combine a bunch of thoughts strung together...I just wanted to say thank you for your upcoming coverage of the Guiding Light and Otalia possible end and the past as well. Your phrase of going down with the ship means so much to me... and all of us especially now as the time nears. How can I put into words how much it means that you as a media person could take the time to spend a big percent of your time covering the campaign for GL. It means alot and all I can say is that you have my dedication for a lifetime for your honesty and your need to go down with the ship with us fans that wish to save the show/Otalia.
Love Always,
Tasha
I don't understand why there hasn't been more news about someone else picking up the show. At least saying they weren't picking up the show. It has all been silent.
Could they go back as a radio show or a much scaled down version for an online show?
A series of book? Or a series of 65 shows for soap net like Night Shift?
Could Soap Net even have the last week or last show as a special?
Would Logo even consider a spin off of Natalie and Olivia? (This is a good storyline but this story is not why I am sad to see the show end....only one reason that I am sad to see it end.)
I hope that they will think about putting out a dvd of the best of Guiding LIght or a new book.
Thanks Mary for continueing to cover this great show. The soap opera world will lose something very special come this fall.
Thank you Mary. You are the best. We all appreciate you articles about GL. I cannot understand why some other network hasn't jumped at the chance to pick up GL. Ugh! It does my heart good to be able to read your kind and supportive words for the show and especially Otalia.
Mary, you are a friend who knows what we are going through and assures us that everything is going to be okay. If the fat lady has sung, I am really hoping it was at Olivia and Natalia wedding. Otalia HAS to have a happy ending.
Thanks so much for your support of the show and especially Otalia. The powers that be really need to wake up and realize what a gem and pioneer GL is. There are many international fans of this show. TeleNext, get to work and confirm a new venue, the fans are ready and waiting.
Thank you for your devotion to the show Mary and all of the wonderfully supportive articles you have written...Only love can save The Light and Otalia :)
Thanks for all the GL support Mary, keep it up. Otalia drew me in and now I'm hooked on all of Springfield. Don't want it to end. Isn't anybody listening? Save the Light.
Thank you so much for expressing how I feel. Right now, Otalia is the most touching story on TV, daytime or primetime. It's so sad that apparently it will all end on Sept. 18.
You expressed what I feel to the letter. I love this show, I love the Otalia story and I don't want to loose it! I still have hope. It might be in vain, but nevertheless, it's still there, small and fleeting, but there...I will continue to have hope, as well as say as many novenas as I can (Channeling Natalia *smiles*) to St. Rita, St. Jude, heck even the big Holy Spirit, patrons of hopeless causes, if it would help GL stay on the air, because I am a fan until the Light goes out on Sep 18...I mean I've tried everything else to this point, and considering how close we are to the deadline, prayer couldn't hurt, right? *smiles shrugging*
Great writing as always and we all want to believe that the show can be saved. Although, I'm a relatively new follower of the show, I will be just as saddened as the next person if it doesn't find a home after 18th September. And eh, Mary, you're a dreamer (well you asked you to call you that!:-)). But as they say, if you point one finger at someone, three are always pointing back, so that makes me dreamer too. I, like many others, continue to appreciate your support for this wonderful show.
I challenge any soap out there to counter GL's fan support right now. On the web now there is more written by both professionals and us amatures alike to fill the White House press room to it's rafters. Even today, GL got a shout out from the Mayor of NYC.
Thanks so much for keeping the show a focus of yours. Every little bit combines to become a bigger force. We as fans can only hope that force becomes so great that it will realize all of our dreams to come true.
Thanks again!
Thanks for writing this Mary. I have become addicted to this show due to OTALIA. I have never been so invested in a show let alone daytime TV. It's just that this is the most beautiful love story I have ever seen & believe me you do not have to be gay to say that. I hope GL gets picked up by another station. I also hope if it ends that the Otalia story will be a HAPPY one. People need to believe in true love & as far as I'm concerned this is as true as it gets!!!!!
Amazing how articulate and intelligent you are. You see just as clearly as the rest of us GL and Otalia fans. This show should not be looking at it's eminent demise. It should be looking forward to Daytime Emmy's for it's innovative and progressive storytelling and magnificent talent, bringing their stories to light. When you have a choice to watch GL now or something like,Oh, I don't know, "I'm a celebrity,get me outta here". What would you rather watch. Mary, you are tops in our book. You are so right about GL, maybe someone will have the good sense to listen to someone as talented and intelligent as you. Big purple hugs to you!!
i, once upon a time, was a fan of a soap opera until the bad writing of far out storylines caused me to paint the entire genre as sucky until Otalia led me to Guiding Light. Is it possible that a soap opera can be good? Heavens (or P&G, Telenext), please let GL continue to entertain us - I will buy your products! Quality programming = quality product? Show me! Love the look of the show, the great writing & acting.
that YT vid is HILARIOUS
Once again I thank-you Mary for your dedication and amazing insight. To say that I am shocked that it appears Guiding Light may trully be cancelled is an understatement. I do not understand this from business standpoint and I really feel that CBS is making one of the biggest mistakes I have seen in years. This show is only getting better every day and I find myself sitting in front of my television trully in awe at the amazing writing and acting talent that is currently on display. I hope that the actions of the fans pays off in the end and that a last minute hail mary pass saves my show. For a dreamer like me, that's all I can hope for.
Thank you so much Mary. I cannot imagine GL off the air. I know many people have similar stories about first watching with there Grandmother and Mom, as was the case with my sister and me. I remember Nola and Quint was wine of our favorite storylines in the day. Mom, Debbie and I couldn't wait to see what happens next. My Mom passed away almost 13 years ago, and I miss her Everyday. The thought of GL ending saddens me greatly, and I'm doing all I can (write, emain, call) Telenext & Proctor and Gamble to let gem know how much I love this show. And although Otalia may not continue, I would still follow the light anywhere it was available. I firmly believe that GL will continue in some form after Sept. 18. Let's do what we can to make it happen.
I have enjoyed The Light since I was a small girl in the 70's watching it with my grandma. I think the show with its new taping style is absolutely awesome. Thankfully, it was finally made available online. Many of us can't watch during the day but would love to see it some evenings and weekends. We have got to see the light doesn't go out!
My first time posting on here, and I have to tell you I have been a fan of GL since Roger swooped in to Blake/Phillip's wedding around 1990 or so, and I have been hooked ever since. I am in my grieving period because I don't think GL will find a new home. Mary, I was wondering did NBC even consider picking up GL? It is where the show started, it could be a companion to their lone soap Days of our Lives. There is so much life left in the show even without Otalia (AS MUCH AS I LOVE THEM).
Hi Nathan - nice to meet you. As the Rumors Rumbled about the fate of this show, I can honestly tell you I never heard one about NBC picking up GL. I think they decided to pick up Crystal Chappell instead to save Salem. It's such a sad situation. Hope you visit again.
Thanks again to all of you for sharing your thoughts and showing your support for GL. I keep thinking of that old Woodstock song where they sang "By the time we got to Woodstock, we were half a million strong." I somehow wish we could hold a peace rally in Peapack and just march onto the set in Woodstock fashion.
I totally need a life, don't you think?
I also invested" on the show and OTALIA..
Thanks you for the coverage of the show..Some network have to listen..don't let the light fade..
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