‘Guiding Light’ Wasn't Canceled, it was Murdered, very Slowly and Very Brutally - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 09-17-2009, 09:21 AM

Every soap opera tells at least one good murder story a year. Next week, the soap “Guiding Light” is the victim. There are several killers.

In today’s New York Times, executive producer Ellen Wheeler says some comical things about how she has presided over the show’s death. But the truth is, as with Michael Jackson, the last person in the room is the prime suspect. Even though other doctors came and went, all giving Michael dangerous prescriptions, the police are investigating Dr. Conrad Murray.

Plenty of bad executive producers lorded over “Guiding Light” before Ellen Wheeler got there. Their names were Michael Laibson, Paul Rauch, and Jill Farren Phelps. They killed off popular characters, ordered ridiculous stories, and, in particular, went so far to clone the show’s main character. Yes, that’s right, human cloning, And no one at Procter & Gamble, which owns the show, had the good sense to stop them.

Lots of other bad things happened, too. The popular actor on the show, Michael Zaslow, became ill with ALS. Rather than embrace and honor him, the show kicked him to the curb. It was miserable.

But Ellen Wheeler is the culprit in the final murder. A year and a half ago, not long after she took over the dying program, she threw out the sets, the video editors and the breakdown writers. The show was suddenly being filmed with shaky handheld cameras. The sound was terrible. There were no production values. The sets were “found” buildings in Peapack, N.J. They were ugly, awful. The people of Peapack should have sued. Their town could not have looked worse on television.

It was clear that under Wheeler, there was no rehearsal, and no respect for the actors, forget the fans. The ratings simply tanked. Wheeler did nothing to correct the situation. She just made it worse, adding loud rock music to scenes. It was impossible to hear the dialogue. It was equally difficult to watch scenes — you thought the camera operators had Parkinson’s Disease.

Procter & Gamble used to produce several soaps under the name Procter & Gamble Productions. When “Guiding Light” is done, they will be down to one: “As the World Turns.” The company changed the name of its production company to TeleNext to distance its big brands (Crest, Pampers and half the stuff in grocery stores) from the anger of soap fans. There’s a theory that P&G has been trying to get out of soap production for the past 10 years, since they canceled “Another World.” P&G is a monolith. They don’t comment on anything. But “World Turns” is definitely in their sights now.

As for Wheeler, her comments in today’s Times show that she is simply clueless, or deluded. She says, fans communicated to her that they liked the new format. This is highly unlikely, unless they were related to her. “Guiding Light,” is dead, and she killed it. If P&G/TeleNext lets her near “World Turns.” we won’t need Agatha Christie to figure out what happens next.

http://showbiz411.blogs.thr.com/guid...eres-a-killer/

catlover79 · 09-17-2009, 12:38 PM

Yes, GL's had a pretty miserable last 12 years or so. I still think what they did to Michael Zaslow (though not under Ellen Wheeler's watch) was unforgivable - and pretty much the beginning of the end.

MickeyMac · 09-17-2009, 05:34 PM

What they did to Michael Zaslow (who was one their best actors, and played one of GL's best known characters) was a big flaw.

This show pulled off two more major blunders. In 1993 when they fired Ellen Parker and killed off the Maureen character. She was one of the best loved characters on the show and could have been another great matriach (in the spirit of her mother in law Bert Bauer).

In 2005 after 26 years GL decides to take Jerry VerDorn (who was on the show longer than anyone in that current cast) off contract and stick him on recurring status. It didnt take long for OLTL to cast him as Clint Buchanan and their gain was GL's loss.

Nice going guys. Is it any wonder you're getting cancelled.

MickeyMac · 09-17-2009, 05:34 PM

What they did to Michael Zaslow (who was one their best actors, and played one of GL's best known characters) was a big flaw.

This show pulled off two more major blunders. In 1993 when they fired Ellen Parker and killed off the Maureen character. She was one of the best loved characters on the show and could have been another great matriach (in the spirit of her mother in law Bert Bauer).

In 2005 after 26 years GL decides to take Jerry VerDorn (who was on the show longer than anyone in that current cast) off contract and stick him on recurring status. It didnt take long for OLTL to cast him as Clint Buchanan and their gain was GL's loss.

Nice going guys. Is it any wonder you're getting cancelled.

Mr. Television · 09-17-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

What they did to Michael Zaslow (who was one their best actors, and played one of GL's best known characters) was a big flaw.

This show pulled off two more major blunders. In 1993 when they fired Ellen Parker and killed off the Maureen character. She was one of the best loved characters on the show and could have been another great matriach (in the spirit of her mother in law Bert Bauer).

In 2005 after 26 years GL decides to take Jerry VerDorn (who was on the show longer than anyone in that current cast) off contract and stick him on recurring status. It didnt take long for OLTL to cast him as Clint Buchanan and their gain was GL's loss.

Nice going guys. Is it any wonder you're getting cancelled.

I totally agree with you. I remember when Maureen got killed off. I couldn't believe it. She was the heart and soul of that show. I already commented on what I thought about them when they fired Michael Zaslow. That was the last straw for me. I quit watching. I wasn't around when Jerry VerDorn left the show.

I have to check my channels to see where GL is being aired. I already noticed WUSA replaced it with some show called Dr. Oz or something like that.

MickeyMac · 09-17-2009, 08:16 PM

Tomorrow is the last day.

biffbronson · 09-17-2009, 10:31 PM

This was the only soap opera that my mom still watched Mon-Fri, although in earlier years she also viewed The Secret Storm and The Edge of Night.

She's been regularly watching GL easily since the mid-1970s and probably well before. I'm not much of a Soaps person myself, but I do find myself drawn in occasionally by some beautiful starlets.

I'm still not sure of how she's taking the cancellation. Maybe she'll take my recommendation to watch Perry Mason and Bonanza on weekday mornings, 2 hrs. well spent!

Mr. Television · 09-17-2009, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

Tomorrow is the last day.

I just set my DVR so I won't miss it. I'll watch it tomorrow night. I hope I can follow it. lol

catlover79 · 09-18-2009, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clint Eastwood Fan

I totally agree with you. I remember when Maureen got killed off. I couldn't believe it. She was the heart and soul of that show. I already commented on what I thought about them when they fired Michael Zaslow. That was the last straw for me. I quit watching. I wasn't around when Jerry VerDorn left the show.

I have to check my channels to see where GL is being aired. I already noticed WUSA replaced it with some show called Dr. Oz or something like that.

I'm sure you'll be able to find it online, like on YouTube.

Jude The Obscure · 09-18-2009, 02:50 PM

CBS.com should have it.

I've been putting these last 2 weeks on DVD.

I loved Tina Sloan's comments this morning on The Early Show--"We're gonna miss CBS and CBS will miss US" (and she was cut off at that point

).

Maureen Bauer's death and the treatment of Michael Zaslow were two of the major turning points from which the show never recovered from. Also when Paul Rauch was EP.......ugh, what a HORRIBLE era. The Santos and San Cristobel should have never been introduced! Also the complete decimation of the Reardons and the core family, The Bauers, played BIG parts in the downward spiral.

The final episode is minutes away from airing in my era........another constant in my life is going away this week (first my dad, and now this).

MickeyMac · 09-18-2009, 03:27 PM

I agree that the Santos mafia thing, and the whole San Cristobel storylines were overdone. Cutting out the Bauers (who were the main family since the late 1940's) was a major flaw.

I am watching it now. Its hard to believe that in less than an hour, it will be all over.

Jude The Obscure · 09-18-2009, 04:38 PM

ONE OF THE BEST SHOW FINALES I HAVE EVER SEEN ON TV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

browneyes106 · 09-18-2009, 05:02 PM

I just watched it. I thought it ended well. It was still sad. But I loved the end scene of Josh and Reva leaving town in H.B.'s truck.

MickeyMac · 09-18-2009, 07:44 PM

Everybody got a happy ending, and there were even some new couples made.

Jude The Obscure · 09-18-2009, 08:22 PM

One glaring omission--what became of Jeffrey vs Edmund??? WTF???

09-17-2009, 09:21 AM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	‘Guiding Light’ Wasn't Canceled, it was Murdered, very Slowly and Very Brutally Every soap opera tells at least one good murder story a year. Next week, the soap “Guiding Light” is the victim. There are several killers. In today’s New York Times, executive producer Ellen Wheeler says some comical things about how she has presided over the show’s death. But the truth is, as with Michael Jackson, the last person in the room is the prime suspect. Even though other doctors came and went, all giving Michael dangerous prescriptions, the police are investigating Dr. Conrad Murray. Plenty of bad executive producers lorded over “Guiding Light” before Ellen Wheeler got there. Their names were Michael Laibson, Paul Rauch, and Jill Farren Phelps. They killed off popular characters, ordered ridiculous stories, and, in particular, went so far to clone the show’s main character. Yes, that’s right, human cloning, And no one at Procter & Gamble, which owns the show, had the good sense to stop them. Lots of other bad things happened, too. The popular actor on the show, Michael Zaslow, became ill with ALS. Rather than embrace and honor him, the show kicked him to the curb. It was miserable. But Ellen Wheeler is the culprit in the final murder. A year and a half ago, not long after she took over the dying program, she threw out the sets, the video editors and the breakdown writers. The show was suddenly being filmed with shaky handheld cameras. The sound was terrible. There were no production values. The sets were “found” buildings in Peapack, N.J. They were ugly, awful. The people of Peapack should have sued. Their town could not have looked worse on television. It was clear that under Wheeler, there was no rehearsal, and no respect for the actors, forget the fans. The ratings simply tanked. Wheeler did nothing to correct the situation. She just made it worse, adding loud rock music to scenes. It was impossible to hear the dialogue. It was equally difficult to watch scenes — you thought the camera operators had Parkinson’s Disease. Procter & Gamble used to produce several soaps under the name Procter & Gamble Productions. When “Guiding Light” is done, they will be down to one: “As the World Turns.” The company changed the name of its production company to TeleNext to distance its big brands (Crest, Pampers and half the stuff in grocery stores) from the anger of soap fans. There’s a theory that P&G has been trying to get out of soap production for the past 10 years, since they canceled “Another World.” P&G is a monolith. They don’t comment on anything. But “World Turns” is definitely in their sights now. As for Wheeler, her comments in today’s Times show that she is simply clueless, or deluded. She says, fans communicated to her that they liked the new format. This is highly unlikely, unless they were related to her. “Guiding Light,” is dead, and she killed it. If P&G/TeleNext lets her near “World Turns.” we won’t need Agatha Christie to figure out what happens next. http://showbiz411.blogs.thr.com/guid...eres-a-killer/
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

09-17-2009, 12:38 PM	#2
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Yes, GL's had a pretty miserable last 12 years or so. I still think what they did to Michael Zaslow (though not under Ellen Wheeler's watch) was unforgivable - and pretty much the beginning of the end.
	__________________ "Jesus loves you and He approves this message." "I'm alive. I'm feeling good. I'm trying to live every moment as much as I can." - Valerie Harper, March 2013

09-17-2009, 05:34 PM	#3
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,004	What they did to Michael Zaslow (who was one their best actors, and played one of GL's best known characters) was a big flaw. This show pulled off two more major blunders. In 1993 when they fired Ellen Parker and killed off the Maureen character. She was one of the best loved characters on the show and could have been another great matriach (in the spirit of her mother in law Bert Bauer). In 2005 after 26 years GL decides to take Jerry VerDorn (who was on the show longer than anyone in that current cast) off contract and stick him on recurring status. It didnt take long for OLTL to cast him as Clint Buchanan and their gain was GL's loss. Nice going guys. Is it any wonder you're getting cancelled.

09-17-2009, 08:16 PM	#6
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,004	Tomorrow is the last day.

09-17-2009, 10:31 PM	#7
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,283	This was the only soap opera that my mom still watched Mon-Fri, although in earlier years she also viewed The Secret Storm and The Edge of Night. She's been regularly watching GL easily since the mid-1970s and probably well before. I'm not much of a Soaps person myself, but I do find myself drawn in occasionally by some beautiful starlets. I'm still not sure of how she's taking the cancellation. Maybe she'll take my recommendation to watch Perry Mason and Bonanza on weekday mornings, 2 hrs. well spent!

09-18-2009, 02:50 PM	#10
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,519	CBS.com should have it. I've been putting these last 2 weeks on DVD. I loved Tina Sloan's comments this morning on The Early Show--"We're gonna miss CBS and CBS will miss US" (and she was cut off at that point ). Maureen Bauer's death and the treatment of Michael Zaslow were two of the major turning points from which the show never recovered from. Also when Paul Rauch was EP.......ugh, what a HORRIBLE era. The Santos and San Cristobel should have never been introduced! Also the complete decimation of the Reardons and the core family, The Bauers, played BIG parts in the downward spiral. The final episode is minutes away from airing in my era........another constant in my life is going away this week (first my dad, and now this).

09-18-2009, 03:27 PM	#11
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,004	I agree that the Santos mafia thing, and the whole San Cristobel storylines were overdone. Cutting out the Bauers (who were the main family since the late 1940's) was a major flaw. I am watching it now. Its hard to believe that in less than an hour, it will be all over.

09-18-2009, 04:38 PM	#12
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,519	ONE OF THE BEST SHOW FINALES I HAVE EVER SEEN ON TV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

09-18-2009, 05:02 PM	#13
browneyes106 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 01, 2008 Posts: 6,097	I just watched it. I thought it ended well. It was still sad. But I loved the end scene of Josh and Reva leaving town in H.B.'s truck.

09-18-2009, 07:44 PM	#14
MickeyMac Member Forum Star Join Date: Jun 18, 2008 Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Posts: 19,004	Everybody got a happy ending, and there were even some new couples made.

09-18-2009, 08:22 PM	#15
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,519	One glaring omission--what became of Jeffrey vs Edmund??? WTF???