Guiding Light Superheroine!

Hello all,
I'm quite surprised I haven't seen anyone make this post, so I will. This Wednesday, Nov 1st, the soap opera show Guiding Lighty will be airing 1 episode where sexy cop Harley becomes a Superheroine. She is electrocuted and granted eletricity powers and hopefully a costume too! (I looove her She-Hulk esque eyes!) The costume is displayed in Marvel comics this past week and is a cross between Black Canary and Supergirl (woot!) here is the link to the ep description, a trailer, and the issues where you can find the 8-page spread featuring Harley and her superheroine form. Get those VCRs ready, this is going to be awesome!

Fonzie
www.cbs.com/daytime/gl/behind/specials/

Actually, it was already mentioned here, but thanks for the reminder that it's this Wednesday. I'll set the VCR. Of course, being a soap opera, it'll probably be dragged for months, with her only appearing for 2 minutes of each episode in that time, mostly just talking to people.

YAGS

Actually, "She's a Marvel" is part of a series of one-shot episodes called "Into the Light," which aren't necessarily part of the series continuity. But there was a run-up today, with Harley getting ready for Halloween, so we might see more of Guiding Light (That's her superheroine persona -- big surprise) in the future, Probably depends on the reaction. I'm not holding my breath, but I'd LIKE to see the idea work.

There's a picture of her in action at mediabistro.com/galleycat -- URL's too long to copy here. I got it from Googling news for Marvel, Ehlers, Guiding and Comics.

graphics10.nytimes.com/images/2006/10/31/arts/guid.600.jpg

There ya go.

Not surprisingly, she's wearing a shiny, black, fishnetted "bad girl superheroine from the 1990s" style outfit, rather than a shimmery, colorful, lycra "girl power superheroine of the new millenium" style outfit.

I shouldn't complain... but what can I say? Still waiting to see a "real" superheroine uniform in the media. Lately, they've all way missed the mark. All I know is that, if the new WW movie costume ends up being a black trenchcoat or some sh*t, I'm going postal.

Here's a link to the most extensive story I've seen on this:

www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=8777

There are some more sexy pix from the show and the comic there.

Saw and taped the episode today, but the cable feed for Channel 2 went bad about halfway through -- snow across the screen but I could still see what was going on, and no problem with the sound.

The story was actually quite witty, with Harley starting as a cop and housewife burdened with all kinds of problems from fixing her son's Captain America costume to paperwork at the police station. Then she gets zapped with electricity and discovers she can start her car before getting into it, turn on the coffee maker and the microwave from a
distance, etc.

The comic panels were used for the opening credsits and sometimes to carry the action, rather than serving only as scene transitions, while the flickering lights at the beginning recall a David Lynch TWIN PEAKS moment.

Just as in a lot of our own fiction, it's a rush for Harley when she realizes the extent of her powers -- by taking out a couple of hulking twin prison escapees named Bash and Dash Carnage. She quickly makes herself a costume (She looks really HOT in it, for all of being 38! You'd be dying to have her in bed.) and starts going after other bad guys, rescuing a kid about to be hit by a car, etc.

But she's a wife and mother, and realizes she may be letting her husband and kids down, and there are some touching moments between them as they face up to that. TPTB manage to end the story on an amibiguous note; it may or may not have been a dream, and she may or may not have lost her powers for good....

Much better than I expected.

Hot? The Guiding Light (the superheroine) is if you'll pardon me--ELECTRA WOW! Beth Ehlers, who plays Harley/GL, for 38 is a super sexy piece of woman that may have won over new fans. Expect this show to be on YouTube and all those other sites out there.

Well, the reaction from GL fans at the Soap Opera Central message board was cold, cold, coid. A post there by Daizi was typical:

<<This was the worst show I have ever watched!!!! What is going on - writers of GL get a life and get real. Stupid, stupid, stupid. If you continue with this "comic" s--t, your ratings will drop so fast it will make your head spin. I can't believe I even wasted my time.>>

Must be a Mars-Venus thing. It's not that soap fans are prudish, and vixen types like Erika Kane on ALL MY CHILDREN have been popular for decades. But superheroines obviously turn these women viewers off.

Well, it was an interesting (to us) but failed experiment.

Soap writers know they have a captive audience, so they're able to try anything once without fear of repercussion. I'm sure that poster on the GL board (and legions of others) aren't about to break away from their favorite show on account of this.

It'd probably take a full blown year-long mutant war to drive off more than a tiny fraction of viewers. Those guys are so hardcore they make our 'interest' in ubergirls seem like a passing fancy. Either way, I also doubt this experiment continues for much longer.

Well, that "captive" audience has been declining for years. GUIDING LIGHT is currently next to last in the ratings, and even the top-rated soaps have maybe half the audience they used to.

Just showed my tape of the episode to Velvet. She thought it was a SCREAM. But then, she's never been a soap fan. Then again, she had no interest in superheroines until she met me.

Interesting reactions. I can see why soap fans who aren't into superheroes would be upset at this intrusion into their show. As was mentioned, one episode won't drive regular viewers away, but after this reaction, the producers will be smart enough not to do this again, so I'm not expecting any followup episodes.

So here among the ubergirl fans, am I the only one who wasn't impressed?

Sure, she looked good, but her looks saved an otherwise mediocre costume design. And the fake eyes were just goofy.

The plot was unexciting, and the acting was pretty weak. And what was up with the cops she works with every day not recognizing her in costume, especially after she got the blue streak in her hair after she was shocked? Not a big enough clue for a detective?

Maybe I'm just being overly picky, but this just isn't in the same league as other recent live action work like My Super Ex-Girlfriend and The Awakening.

YAGS

I wish I could have seen it ~ wait ~ no I don't. There is no way I could have sat through an hour of Guiding Light. I realize CSI and Heroes are really no different in style/format than a soap opera but the quality sure is better IM<HO. Less half baked acting, better writting, more story rather than fluff, better production quality.

Regarding the post by the GL 'fan'... Some one who WATCHES soaps is telling someone ELSE to get a life? To each his or her own, but come on, I'd rather be forced to watch Judge Judy reruns. :?

Interesting reactions. I can see why soap fans who aren't into superheroes would be upset at this intrusion into their show. As was mentioned, one episode won't drive regular viewers away, but after this reaction, the producers will be smart enough not to do this again, so I'm not expecting any followup episodes.

So here among the ubergirl fans, am I the only one who wasn't impressed?

Sure, she looked good, but her looks saved an otherwise mediocre costume design. And the fake eyes were just goofy.

The plot was unexciting, and the acting was pretty weak. And what was up with the cops she works with every day not recognizing her in costume, especially after she got the blue streak in her hair after she was shocked? Not a big enough clue for a detective?

Maybe I'm just being overly picky, but this just isn't in the same league as other recent live action work like My Super Ex-Girlfriend and The Awakening.

YAGS

Well, when you stop to think about it, did it ever make sense that nobody ever recognized that Superman and Clark Kent were one and the same?

Seriously, though, I thought the episode was a spoof and worked well as such. There were witty ideas, like the business with the sewing machine and the kitchen appliances, witty dialogue ("You might want to back off the eyedrops.") and zany characters like the Carnage brothers. I liked the way the comic panels were worked into the story. And I don't think the acting was all weak; I'd never seen "Harley Davidson Cooper" before, but Beth Ehlers gave me a sense of the kind of person she is, and there was a real feel for her relationship with Gus and the children. Despite being a spoof, it had some touching moments, too.

Velvet saw the tape tonight. She thought it was a riot.

I wish I could have seen it ~ wait ~ no I don't. There is no way I could have sat through an hour of Guiding Light. I realize CSI and Heroes are really no different in style/format than a soap opera but the quality sure is better IM<HO. Less half baked acting, better writting, more story rather than fluff, better production quality.

Regarding the post by the GL 'fan'... Some one who WATCHES soaps is telling someone ELSE to get a life? To each his or her own, but come on, I'd rather be forced to watch Judge Judy reruns. :?

It's actually not what you think. It wasn't a typical soap episode. My sister used to watch this show back in the 80's when we were pre-teens/teens, so I know what it's usually like.

The whole episode was dedicated to telling a story about one of the main characters becoming a superheroine and fighting crime. So it was a one shot superheroine story, not your typical soap fare. I just wasn't impressed because I thought it was a mediocre superheroine story, not because I thought it was too soap-ish.

YAGS

Well, when you stop to think about it, did it ever make sense that nobody ever recognized that Superman and Clark Kent were one and the same?

Only when Christopher Reeve played him. He truly made Superman and Clark Kent look like two different people.

But back to GL, it's not just that they didn't recognize the blonde in the mask. That's just part of the superhero genre. It's that they didn't recognize the blonde in the mask with the same blue streak in her hair as their coworker!!! What's the first thing cops ask crime victims when trying to get a description of a perp? "Did he have any unusual characteristics?" Can you spell DUH?

YAGS

Well, when you stop to think about it, did it ever make sense that nobody ever recognized that Superman and Clark Kent were one and the same?

There was a nice moment in Superman Returns that addressed this point.

Lois and her husband are in the city room of the Daily Planet. Their conversation turns to the physical similarities between Superman and Clark (who's at the other end of the room). Suspicion begins to dawn; they look appraisingly at Clark -- who flashes a broad grin and gives them a goofy little wave. Lois and Richard burst out laughing at the ridiculous idea they'd begun to entertain. In that moment, Brandon Routh managed to convey that "Clark Kent" is a persona -- that the disguise depends more on body language and facial expression than on a pair of glasses. It was a brief moment -- practically a throwaway -- but it's stuck in my mind more than any of the movie's flashy FX.

A couple of favorable reactions at Soap Opera Central, but Holy Toledo and Always Reva are a TINY minority:

HolyToledo
Day Player

As far as creativity goes, GL gets a huge gold star from me. I am a male viewer who grew up on Marvels comics from Spider Man, Batman, Hulk, Fantastic Four, etc.--I thought the collaboration between GL and Marvels was pretty nifty and innovative, because GL is reaching out to the new, younger, and different non-soap viewers while keeping the long-time viewers entertained as well. I loved the opening credit and the Marvel-like (art drawn) scenes in between camera shots and I adore Harley as "The Guiding Light" superhero because she was the only one that could pull it off. Kudos to GL!

AlwaysReva
Board Regular

I liked it! I mean I wouldnt want to see it like that every day but I thought it added a little creative touch. It wasnt hard to watch. My teenager liked it also. I wouldnt mind having one a week show like this with differant characters having differant powers.

You need to remember..they have been writing this show every week for almost 70 years!! Dont you think they are owed something a little differant for a change??!

Man Harleys eyes looked freaky!

I cant believe all of the negativity!! I knew a few people wouldnt like it but I didnt think THIS MANY wouldnt! I mean they arent going to change the whole show into this everyday! So...thumbs up for me! I liked the creative touch!

I am a male viewer who grew up on Marvels comics from Spider Man, Batman, Hulk, Fantastic Four, etc.--h!

uh
hate to be a pedantic pete
but batman isn't from the marvel crew

Well, I was just quoting this other guy.

Thanks for the tip guys. I rarely watch soaps and didnt have a clue this was coming, but thanks to you guys(and innertube), i saw this and it was rather enjoyable. Beth seems facially similar to Lynn Herring- the vampire slayer on Port Charles and that is a good thing.

I just dashed off a sequel to the GL episode:

brightempire.com/electric.htm

www.cbs.com/daytime/gl/behind/specials/ - WATCH IT ONLINE NOW!
It actually wasn't bad?

I added some still here:
www.geocities.com/superheroinewoman/the_guiding_light.htm
www.geocities.com/superheroinewoman/the-guiding-light.htm