Guiding Light to end its 72-year run in September

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NEW YORK (AP) — The soap opera "Guiding Light" is switching off after a 72-year run that predates television. CBS says the show will have its final episode in September. Like most daytime dramas, "Guiding Light" has suffered from declining ratings and CBS is looking for a lower-cost alternative to the hour of programming. The Guinness Book of World Records has cited it as the longest-running television drama.

I haven't watched a GL episode since I was a kid, but wow...I never thought I'd see it end. That's just like telling grandma she's no longer welcome.

[LaneSig]

I am right there with you.

While everyone else in college watched "All My Children" and "Days of Our Lives", I watched GL. I got hooked in the summer of my 8th Grade year. I can't believe it's being canceled. Wow.

[AsimovIsaac]

sound intersting ....nice post tnx to share..

Originally Posted by LaneSig

I am right there with you.

While everyone else in college watched "All My Children" and "Days of Our Lives", I watched GL. I got hooked in the summer of my 8th Grade year. I can't believe it's being canceled. Wow.

If there was a CBS soap that needed to be cancelled, B&B should have been the first one to go. That show's just utter trash.

If they cancel Y&R or ATWT, someone's gonna get hurt!!!

[ForeverRoses]

I used to watch GL with my grandma when she would visit us every spring. I don't really watch it anymore, but it is going to be sad to see it gone.

[Senusret I]

NO NO NO!!!!!

Wait til I call my grandma!!!!

Although it DOES suck now.

They should move Days of Our Lives over to CBS and put the Guiding Light on the Internet, so it can be the first (and I guess only?) television show to have lived on radio, television, and the internet.

But I guess that would be hella expensive.

[Kappamd]

I saw the headline on USAToday "CBS cancels longest running soap" and panicked because I thought it was Y&R. I WOULD HAVE CRIED.

[Dionysus]

This has to be an April Fools joke, right?

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

NO NO NO!!!!!

Wait til I call my grandma!!!!

Although it DOES suck now.

They should move Days of Our Lives over to CBS and put the Guiding Light on the Internet, so it can be the first (and I guess only?) television show to have lived on radio, television, and the internet.

But I guess that would be hella expensive.

It doesn't sound like it would be. IF they sold DoOL they could use some of that money to defray the cost of inetting GL

[33girl]

Originally Posted by OTW

If there was a CBS soap that needed to be cancelled, B&B should have been the first one to go. That show's just utter trash.

Unfortunately, it is MEGA MEGA HUGE in Europe so it's not going any time soon.

I have gotten to the point with this that it's like letting someone go that you love so they don't suffer anymore. The writing has gotten better lately, and my man Phillip is back, but the production style is just awful - it doesn't fit a soap at all, not to mention hwo bad it makes some of the actors look - and the network doesn't want to put any money into it to make it better.

Sad to say, I think the soap in general is dying. When you can take reality TV and contort it into a "soapy" storyline, without really having to pay actors or writers, why bother with the real thing?

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by 33girl

When you can take reality TV and contort it into a "soapy" storyline, without really having to pay actors or writers, why bother with the real thing?

Nice twist of words!!

[agzg]

I wish I could remember which soap opera we watched my freshman year of college. After that I haven't really watched many because reality TV has become my soaps.

Still, it is kinda sad that Guiding Light is going.

[amanda6035]

Originally Posted by Kappamd

I saw the headline on USAToday "CBS cancels longest running soap" and panicked because I thought it was Y&R. I WOULD HAVE CRIED.

Yeah. Me too.

[jitterbug13]

CBS is notorious for getting rid of soaps when they start to get good (Capital, Falcon Crest). I'm sad that GL is going off and I hope they at least hook up Josh and Reva before it goes off.

BTW, I really expected Days to be canceled before GL and won't be shocked if NBC cancels that show in the near future.

[paulam]

Originally Posted by OTW

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I haven't watched a GL episode since I was a kid, but wow...I never thought I'd see it end. That's just like telling grandma she's no longer welcome.

When my youngest son was born in 1976, I was fortunate enough to be able to stay home with him for a while. When I went back to work, I missed watching the "soaps" (this was before we had VCR's and, of course, DVR's). In 2003, I became ill and had to retire. The one perk was that I could turn on Guiding Light. The first thing I heard was, "Later, that same day." I apparently hadn't missed anything!

Just kidding. That is an old joke (older than I)! It is a shame to lose such a long running show, although I do not watch it anymore. The only daytime show I watch now is Y& R...great writing, fantastic acting (Phyllis, Katherine and definitely Kevin in particular) and good story lines, although they can be very drawn out, making me yell, "Come on, already. Put him or her out of his or her misery!"

I remember my mother telling me that she would call her mother, who would tell her she was listening to her story called One Man's Family on the radio and she would call her back. I would call my mother and she would tell me she was watching her story, All My Children and she would call me back. Now I tell my sons I am watching my story and I will call them back. Please don't call me between 11 a.m. and noon M-F CST when Y & R is on (emergencies only).

You cannot believe how boring it is being home during the day. Luckily, I love to read and to write which makes the time pass quickly.

So long Guiding Light.

Paula M.
Sigma Delta Tau
Patrae Multi Spes Una
One Hope of Many People