The Final Countdown
Next week, GL will air its final episode and come to a bittersweet end after 72 years. In conjunction with a special farewell tribute, which appears in the new issue of Digest, we spoke to soap writer/author and self-proclaimed GL fanatic, Julie Poll who penned GUIDING LIGHT: The Complete Family Album in 1997. Poll shares her thoughts about saying good-bye to a daytime institution.
Soap Opera Digest: You have a long, special relationship with GL, especially as a one-time member of former scribe Doug Marland‘s writing staff. What’s going through your head as the last week of show nears?
Julie Poll: I really loved this show. It’s very special. I’m sorry to see it go. It’s really, unfortunately, the trend in television. The industry is changing. It’s a hard genre to keep alive story-wise but I think GL has done a good job of that. In my mind, it’s all about the budget. I mean they’re replacing it with LET’S MAKE A DEAL?!
Digest: What do you think about how the last few months have played out?
Poll: I think they’re doing a great job. Bringing back iconic characters up to the finale really, really helps give the fans closure. It’s been fun to watch. Having Reva put the lantern in the window [for Jeffrey], it’s kind of like bookending the 72 years that started with the Friendship lamp in Reverend Ruthledge’s window [when the show began on the radio in 1937]. I love that. It’s coming full circle with the show.
Digest: What do you think makes GL so special?
Poll: Has there ever been a soap opera heroine like Reva? She’s just fabulous. I came across her first scene, which was on a massage table [in 1983] and it was great! We follow her journey, whatever she does, from “Always Bud!” with Josh to “What the hell!” with Jeffrey, you gotta love her! She’s larger than life. All soap operas have their romantic heroines, but I don’t think there’s ever been one like her.
Digest: When you think of GL through the years, what storylines are you most fond of?
Poll: I did a couple of things for the GUIDING LIGHT Web site [www.guidinglighttv.com], chronicling the milestones through the decades. I got to go through the old clips and you see the whole thing from the beginning, starting with Bert Bauer yelling at Josh, “Life is a gift and don’t you forget it!” And of course, Reva in the fountain. GUIDING LIGHT is really a show of firsts. Besides being the longest running show, it was the only one to be both on radio and television at the same time. [Creator] Irna Phillips really had to fight for it to go on TV. And they did so many groundbreaking stories. While it was still on the radio, they had Meta’s interactive trial and Irna had the listeners vote to decide the verdict. Then you have Bert’s pap smear, Holly and Roger with the marital rape, which was very brave. That was riveting. It was like you don’t want to watch but you can’t stop watching. Whatever they did medically was authentic. They followed the alcoholism storyline through a couple of generations with Bill and Ed Bauer and then Hope.Of course, the post partem depression with Reva. Who can forget her going off the bridge [and saying] “I’m coming, Bud!” [laughs]. In that way, it really led the way.
Digest: What’s your take on the Otalia story?
Poll: This is what’s so good about GL because they’re very brave storytellers. They took two characters, who weren’t necessarily gay, but who fell in love with each other and I think they’ve played it beautifully. I was sympathizing with Olivia today! Crystal Chappell is so good.
Digest: Speaking of, Chappell is working on her new Web series, Venice. Do you think that’s paving the way for daytime’s future?
Poll: I think we’re going to see more of that. I don’t think it can replace watching it on television but my daughters might feel differently because they’re used to doing everything on the computer!
Digest: What would you like to see in the very last scene of the final episode?
Poll: I’d really like to see Phillip reunite the Spauldings. Maybe [it could be] at Company and then have the Spauldings and the Coopers and everyone together there because then you would see a reuniting of the families.
Digest: Well, we’ll all be watching with a box of Kleenex, either way!
Poll: I sure will! I wouldn’t miss it for the world and I’m going to keep it on my DVR.
Digest: I think the hardest part is going to be sitting down in front of the television every day and realizing GL’s not there anymore.
Poll: It’s going to be upsetting. There is nothing like a soap opera fan. It fills a certain need for a lot of people. It’s escapism.
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