It was great to get the chance to see so much of the cast out and about (in the warmth of Florida) this week! But while I enjoyed the stories, and how most of them were able to be woven together with some authenticity, knowing CBS has cancelled GL took some of the fun away.
I've been a Bizzie (Bill/Lizzie) fan for a long time, and was glad to see this relationship finally get back on track. Fans have seen this couple go through so much and are looking forward to them reuniting. With the return of Grant Aleksander (Philip), Lizzie finally has a buffer from the interference of Alan. And Alan, in turn, has someone in the family who can finally stand up to his nonsense.
When Alan arrived at the park, while I knew from the spoilers he was coming, I felt a sense of dread. Lizzie's reaction to his arrival mirrored my own - why would Alan invade a magical time for his granddaughter? Of course, knowing Alan, you couldn't be surprised, even if you didn't read the spoilers that he would show up to try to ruin her time with Bill.
But what I really liked, was the fans got to see Alan the stuffed shirt, and a little bit of the mischievous Ron Raines, who loves his cast-mates (who love him right back). I loved the interaction with characters who don't always interact, and the chance for fans to see a little more of the actors themselves - even while "in character". The story of Bill and Lizzie moved forward with a very sweet Phillip and Beth worthy proposal that so many of you seemed to love. With the cancellation looming, I only hope that the two will finally get the "happy ending" they deserve.
And speaking of couples, I know long time GL'ers were thrilled to see Beth and Phillip interact more and more. Even though she is getting over Coop, will she return to her true love? It was so nice to see Beth with a smile on her face - and mocking Alan's dunkings - in sunny Florida. Only time will tell what the writers will do with this epic GL couple.
While I'm thinking of all of the stories that are happening now, I have to wonder how the cancellation will affect the stories - which are really improving. I would hope that this year's Bauer bar-be-que will be very memorable (maybe with some return visits of fan favorites and open to fans serving as extras?) . Just a thought - but it's not like the network can threaten you with anything now - go for the moon! The current network might be our short-term host, but I think the show needs to (and seems to be going for) the long run gain. And I think the fans will certainly benefit from this.
This week Otalia fans will see more of their couple - one of the few not involved in the Florida story (although it would have been nice to take Emma - I'm sure the actress has very real school deadlines that might have made it difficult). Poor Frankie was the last to know that his ex-fiancee' has a new love (who is HIS old love). I was a little upset that Doris spilled the beans on something he should hear from Natalia herself, but it did get Frankie in the hospital, where he'll have a showdown this week with Olivia over her relationship with Natalia. Hopefully poor Frank can find true love soon! From what I hear Frank will finally get a little more spunk and be more like the Frank of old, who had a little more edge. I say bring it on, Frankie!!
Shayne and Dinah's story is moving along with some interesting twists and turns. So many of you figured out the truth about his family. But how will Shayne feel when he learns the truth? Or will Dinah keep it from him? And how about baby Henry? Will the news mean Marina and Mallet lose the baby they fought to get? Stay tuned!
So while I will try to focus here on the show, I want to remind fans to keep the letters, calls and posts coming!! We have to work fast to save the show. CBS is a dead issue, but Lifetime and SoapNet are certainly places where we can Keep the Light Shining! And don't forget if you aren't a Nielsen family (I'm not, either) to watch the show online, too. Check it out at: http://www.cbs.com/daytime/guiding_light/video/
Many of you want to know where to write/call to save GL so, click here for all the addresses you'll need.
I know that so many of you have written and posted about the cancellation and are doing everything possible to save the show. There are lots of stories about the show out there and we're trying to make sense of it all and find out where the show can go from here. I encourage all of you to keep writing and calling, posting on message boards and asking your friends to do the same. My Facebook account is G L Scoop so please introduce yourself and join the group "Keep the Light Shining - Save Guiding Light" at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=67476745670&ref=ts. The more traffic on this, and any board, the better!! There are a number of groups out there on Facebook and other sites, so please let your voices be heard. I'm working on putting together a comprehensive list on the Facebook page so if you have any info, please send it to me! We need to all work together to show the networks that GL fans are serious about saving the show!!
Whether or not we know how this story - and this show ends, it is important for all of us to stay focused on working to promote the show in a positive light for as long as we can...
Together We Can...Keep the Light Shining!
Kimberly
