I’ve watched some wretched characters on Guiding Light through out
the years. Sandy Forester, the dull would be son of Reva, Shayne, or
Joey Lupo, the baseball player with dimples the size of the Grand
Canyon. Yet for some reason I wish those lackluster teens were back
in Springfield instead of one Grady Foley. I’ll admit I enjoyed his
brief visit as the evil hired killer back in early 2007. He was
written one dimensional and I felt that the actor played Grady as if
he had nothing to loose. Grady was a really dark character that
wisely came in and out of the story, much like the guy who shot
Dinah a few months later. I thought Grady was rotting a way in
prison, never to be heard from again; but Ellen Wheeler, the savior
of soaps, has decided that Springfield needs a dark knight and Grady
is just the guy for that job.
If Ellen Wheeler,
the savior of soaps, would have brought Grady on for a month or so
to cause trouble and then wisely disappear again, his story might
have had a little merit. It might have propelled many characters
into new exciting story…but no! The savior of soaps thinks that
today’s soap viewer wants to see a killer sleep with a teenager,
flaunt his freedom around his victims family, and even make GL’s
other jerk villain Alan Spaulding look like a good guy in
comparison. It is enough to make even the occasional viewer rethink
their occasional viewing of Guiding Light.
Needless to say I
wasn’t happy with Monday’s episode that showed Grady’s trial.
Combined with Daisy lying to protect Grady, Reva’s very week rant
towards Daisy about her actions, to the lack of having this big
outcome with the most important character Jonathon MIA, Monday’s
episode was horrendous to watch. Luckily or unluckily, depending on
the character, we didn’t see any reaction to what should have been a
big moment. It was right back to scenes at the duck pond and the
garbage dump were the citizens of Springfield do nothing.
The savior of
soaps, Ellen Wheeler might argue that soaps have always had bad guys
on them with whom the audience roots for. In her mind Grady Foley
fits right there along such historic characters as General
Hospital’s Luke Spencer, One Life to Live’s Asa Buchanan and Guiding
Light’s own Roger Thorpe. What Ellen doesn’t realize is that when
the writers of these soaps created these characters they wisely gave
these bad guys motives and reasons for their actions. The audience
might not have liked the characters actions, but they understood why
these characters did what they did because they knew them inside and
out. Take Roger Thorpe for example. Not only was he played by a
very 
talented actor, the late Michael Zaslow, but Roger’s back story
was wisely discussed for years. It was the whole makeup of the
character. Even after he came back from the dead, GL kept Roger the
same. His motives were the same no matter what. That is why the
audience, and eventually some of the characters Roger hurt could
accept him. Guiding Light’s audience wanted to see more of Roger
Thorpe because they were fascinated by him, the cared about him and
the people around him. I doubt anyone in the audience cares about
Grady Foley.
Sure GL has
thrown out some comments about Cyrus abandoning his little brother
Grady, and life down under was hard for the little koala bear, but
what the current regime forgot to do was make the audience care
about Grady. A few stories from a character like Cyrus, a character
which teeters on hatred for many viewers, just won’t cut it. We
cared for Tammy, the character Grady killed, we understood her and
knew her back story. With Grady, a few tears don’t mean a thing.
He was brought on as a cold hearted killer, and that is all I will
ever see him as.
So Beth is going
to law school. When did she have time to study for the LSAT exam?
Although it is really far fetched, and I know Beth will be a
practicing attorney far too soon, at least we got to see a little
fun catty scene between Mel and Beth about Mel teaching one of
Beth’s classes.
Speaking of Mel,
I love how we keep seeing more and more of her. Now I wish she was
doing more than just helping others.
Also I love the
increased appearances of Alexandra. The woman should be on every
day. I really wanted Alex to appear at Towers after Alan and Dinah
had made their little partnership to get Alan his company back.
Wouldn’t it have been great to have Alan leave and Alex come up to
the table, sit down, grip the glass of champagne and have and Dinah
and her toast to their partnership in duping Alan? Now that would
have been good soap!
Remy is back to
being dull and boring and hanging out by garbage dumps. Oh well!
Marina and Mallet
scare me. I have a little confession to make. I never really cared
for this new Mallet all that much, except when he was partnered with
Dinah. That is where I feel that Mallet works best, but now that he
is with Marina, a character that is really hard to take sometimes,
and I usually like her, the are both unbearable to me. I know the
actors date in real life, but I feel they lack zero chemistry on
screen, not to mention that icky uncle thing. Mallet changed
Marina’s diapers for goodness sake!
I’m glad that GL
has made Lizzie more focused this week. I feel that she should be
mad as hell at Alan, and she should have always planned to get back
at him for taking away her daughter. Lizzie is interesting again
now that she wants revenge.
Please if anyone
at Guiding Light can include two or three Billy and Vanessa scenes
like the one we got this week where Billy hinted at trying to try to
get back together again, I will gladly find all of you crack smoking
executives more crack to smoke!
Sadie writes:
I remember when you and I didn't agree on one thing. I have to say
now that what you said in this column is exactly my feelings put in
words, especially about Grady and Daisy. What a waste of airtime
for these two.
Grady is such a
sleaze, and I agree if they think he is the next Tom Pelphrey they
better awaken from their coma. Daisy and Grady are fast forward
material and of course he got off from his crime and Rafe is coming
back. Can't wait to see Rafe/Daisy/Grady triangle....NOT.....and
what jury would believe the only two witnesses that the defense had
- the criminal's criminal brother, and the dope juvi Daisy who is in
love with the sleaze. Daisy kissing Grady after the verdict was
enough to make me spit up my lunch.
