Otalia: The Art of the Matter
She'd been teased and mocked for years, no more so than in her competition with other, younger and, some would say, prettier hopefuls. Her appearance had been derided as "downmarket." She obviously couldn't afford fancy stylists and didn't have the finesse of her peers, but when she revealed the depths of her talents she left viewers and critics quaking in their boots.
I'm not talking about Susan Boyle, the YouTube and Britain's Got Talent overnight sensation. I'm talking about the magnificent week of high octane, balls to the wall drama that has been Guiding Light.
I'm glad I waited before posting anything about the extraordinary week that has transpired on GL as the Olivia/Natalia love story played out before my astonished eyes. Temptation tested me in the aftermath of Olivia's shattering graveyard soliloqy to her heart donor Gus and, later, her heartstopping confession of love to Natalia, in what is quite possibly destined to become remembered as one of the greatest performances in daytime of the last decade. My fingers fidgeted over my keyboard during one of the most gloriously tortured daytime weddings in recent memory. My mind raced with superlatives about Natalia's struggle at the altar and her tearful confession of love for Olivia mixed with guilt about Frank. While the week belonged to Otalia (which I will get to in a moment), the entire show was, to borrow a phrase, a towering inferno of greatness. Let us count the ways:
Reva/Edmund: Whatever the defects in the separate sagas of The Death of Lara and The Birth of Baby Colin were nearly wiped away by the brilliant twist of having Edmund attempt to kidnap the newborn infant and Reva's grim determination to stop him. What made that twist so awesome was that it harkened back to how Edmund had once threatened (as in tried to kill) Reva's son Jonathan as a baby back on St. Cristobal which directly led her to leaving Jonathan to protect him and how messed up he became in life; this was Reva's chance for the ultimate do over. David Andrew McDonald returned Edmund to his deliciously evil ways with flair. Kim Zimmer's performance was brilliant, looking and sounding as if she had fought Death himself to save her child. Equally fantastic was how the story logically wove Josh back into Reva's orbit, given that Josh was helping her to save their son Shayne (Jeff Branson, who smoldered in his own scenes with Gina Tognoni (Dinah)) from the threat of Edmund as well. Robert Newman was just great as the suddenly menacing, vaguely cold-blooded Josh, a nod to the fact that Josh had originally been something of a villain when he first appeared in Springfield. When Edmund asked what would the minister in Josh say to his kidnapping Edmund, Josh's deadpan reply, "Get thee behind me, Satan" was simply awesome.
The Spauldings are Back Big Time: From the deliciously snarky family dinner at Towers to Alan's shenanigans to get Phillip to take a psychiatric exam before rejoining the company, for the first time in years the Spauldings look and feel like exactly like the dysfunctional clan we've known and loved for over a quarter century. It's been ages, but Alan (a noticeably energized Ron Raines) is finally being written not as a baby-obssessed cretin, but how one would imagine Christopher Bernau's Alan would be today: endlessly manipulating his family through psychological gamesmanship. While it is true Grant Aleksander (fitting back into the ensemble like a glove as the eternally bemused Spaulding prince) has sent a shot of adrenaline through the show, there are two additional reasons why this week marked the true return of Spauldings.
The first was the reemergence of Marj Dusay's Alexandra. In a few short days, this has to count as one of the years' top character rejuvenations so far. When Alex slapped the snot out Alan, the familial connection between brother and sister as equals was instantly, firmly reconnected after years of Alexandra's portrayal as either an appendage, a plot device or, worse, an afterthought. Aunt Alex is now back on the scene as a viable and welcome spoiler in the tussle between Alan and Phillip. The other reason the Spauldings are back is Zack Conroy, an extremely talented young actor who brings the looks of teen heartthrobs Zac Ephron, Chase Crawford and Ed Westwick (Nate Archibald and Chuck Bass, respectively, on Gossip Girl) and through sheer force of personality has done what was once thought impossible: making Daisy (Bonnie Dennison) somewhat bearable.
And what of the genius of this week's developments in the Otalia story?
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Comments
13 April 2009
3 years 4 weeks
Thank you for writing such an outstanding article! Your analyses and descriptions were just perfect! Guiding Light is completely on its game. It would be the biggest shame to lose such a fantastic show! With the fantastic writing and acting that is being done, I am confident that another network will see how valuable the show is, and it will be saved.
18 April 2009
1 year 48 weeks
"What finally elevated the story to true art is that the end of Friday's episode was not the end. What we witnessed was not the culmination of Olivia and Natalia's love story, but in some ways its beginning; an ongoing love story told in not two acts or two weeks, but over time."
So incredibly well said!
Thank you for giving GL the attention and kudos it deserves
18 April 2009
2 years 36 weeks
What a week- Fantastic storylines, Acting..etc. Came for the Otalia, stayed for the crazy Spauldings and the cuteness of Bizzie. I don't believe I'm this into a TV show. As far as Otalia..words cannot express how good this storyline is. You're right...it really is an art.
14 April 2009
1 year 11 weeks
The show completely knocked me dead this week. The cemetery scene, gazebo scene, Doris officiating the WoD...soap at it's best!
7 April 2009
2 years 45 weeks
This was an exceptional week for GL. I loved the Spauldings and creepy Edmund tormenting the Lewis family.
As an Otalia fan this was such and intense, angst filled week. CC and JL knocked these scenes out of the park by providing such gut wrenching, emotional performances. It was the payoff for a years worth of story telling.
However, as you said this is the end of Act one. I can't wait for Act two to begin to see where Otalia takes things from here. It won't be an easy road but nothing worth having is ever easy. They will have to learn how to go from being just friends to being in a relationship and what changes come with it.
Thanks again for this excellent GL commentary. I do hope GL can find a new hope to continue these wonderful stories.
7 April 2009
2 years 45 weeks
I could not agree more! Guiding Light this week was a joy to behold. There wasn't a wasted second. Chappell's performance in Olivia's confession scene is the best acting I've ever seen on daytime -- and that includes Judith Light's near mythic Karen Wollack on the stand. But Jessica Leccia held her own, quiet heartbreaking looks and inflections that conveyed just as much in their own way.
Explain to me again why this show is looking for a new home?
19 April 2009
3 years 4 weeks
Thank you for posting such a heartfelt and spot on summary. It was the BEST week of TV I've ever seen. There are no words for how brilliant Crystal Chappell was. She's always been fantastic, but never more so than this week. The true tragedy is that such a wonderful show has to come to an end. PLEASE LIFETIME!!! - PICK UP THIS GEM!!!
13 April 2009
3 years 4 weeks
Yes, the Otalia storyline and Guiding Light as a whole showed us this week the art of true story-telling is meant to be when you have a great combination of writing (EW JLH) and acting (the wonderful CC and JL). Why so many people from all kinds of backgrounds can relate and appreciate the journey of Otalia is because at the heart of the Otalia storyline, it is just a wonderful heartbreakingly beautiful love story.
Thank you for all the derserving attention that you are giving GL.
8 April 2009
10 weeks 2 days
I don't think I've read a post that captures the experience of watching last week's episodes of GL better than this. Kudos to the author.
23 April 2008
12 hours 43 min
GL deserves nothing short of a standing ovation this week. Excellent. I just hope they give Bizzy a hot steamy love scene and not just the two laying in a bed talking after a pampers commerical. Other than that A+ Soap Gods grant Guiding Light a new home please!
13 April 2009
2 years 51 weeks
Guiding Light has given us the best week of Otalia. CC and JL gave us Emmy winning performacnes and the writers had us crying at the end of each day. This is what soaps are all about, and we the fans are loving every minute of it.
The Light needs to be saved!!!!!
19 March 2009
2 years 42 weeks
Thank you for this wonderful piece. You encapsulated everything that I've been feeling about the quality of the entire show. The episodes this past week dramatically demonstrated why this show is worth saving.
Guiding Light has a stunningly talented core of actors led by veterans like Chappell, Raines, Aleksander, Deas, Dusay, Zimmer, Newman and Tognoni coupled with newer stars like Leccia, Rylan and Branson. Add to this, the stellar writing and creative stewardship of Executive Producer Ellen Wheeler and Headwriter Jill Lorie Hurst and a much-maligned production model which I really love because of the intimacy it brings to the scenes.
We owe it to the cast and crew, to the genre itself and to ourselves to do everything we possibly can to save Guiding Light. It really does matter.
13 April 2009
2 years 31 weeks
Thank you for this heartfelt article. I am still reeling from last week's GL. It was outstanding drama all around. I don't even know where to start with Olivia and Natalia. Jessica and Crystal along with the wonderful writers are whipping up a frenzy of emotions in both new and old viewers. The story is told with authenticity and tenderness. I can break into tears just thinking about Crystal at the graveside.
7 April 2009
3 years 3 weeks
I have run out of superlatives for this amazing show, story and these tremendous performances!!! Guiding light is an inspiration..The Olivia/Natalia story has touched me more profoundly than any other story in the history of television.
This week defies description... If you haven't seen it: WATCH IT!!!! If you have: write a letter to PG, CBS, LIfetime, Soapnet, the cast, the writers, Ellen Wheeler herself... but fight for this magnificent show!!!
Keep the LIGHT shining!
27 February 2009
1 year 10 weeks
Yep, this was an incredible week, they don't make soap stories like that anymore, except now they apparently do. Otalia is incredible, Crystal and Jessica are incredible, and the carefully written build up that made this week so moving has been truly something else.
7 April 2009
3 years 1 week
Thank you for the amazing article. I agree with you on all points. The Otalia story line is the most realistic love story I have witnessed on daytime tv...ever. I feel like a cheerleader every day when I watch these two. I'm so rooting for them on a daily basis. Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia are bringing down the house!
Guiding Light as a whole has been wonderful as of late...the show is on FIRE!!!!
14 April 2009
2 years 52 weeks
BRILLIANT article. Absolutely spot on. Guiding Light is a rare gem on television today. It is intelligent, well written and phenomenally acted. And the Olivia/Natalia storyline has been nothing short of perfection. This week blew me away so completely that I'm still recovering from it, and I know many others are as well. Thank you for writing such a poignant, honest piece on this groundbreaking program.
7 April 2009
2 years 51 weeks
I am constantly amazed at the level of detail and emotion this story is bringing to our television screens. From the moment Olivia knelt down at Gus' grave I was a gonner and to get five days of Otalia was the best present. This has been a masterful story that is only getting started. I want to see them work their way back to each other as they discover how to really love each other in a romantic way. This show just has to stay on the air so we can see the Spencer-Rivera family for years to come.
30 March 2009
1 year 9 weeks
Can I just say, YES, YES, YES!!! I can't really touch or improve upon what you said. This was one of the most of extraordinary week of television ever (all five episodes), and I was both utterly emotionally destroyed while at the same time incredibly uplifted by the entirety of the artistry involved. You hit in right on the nose about Otalia. In the end, because of the way the writers and actors have created three-dimensional, breathing characters that we've come to adore them, like they're two of our best friends, and we just want to see them happy! And we know in our gut and our hearts, that happiness can only be found with each other. Hallelujah! I still can't believe how good the show was this week, it was everything that I could have hoped for and yet, it still completely exceeded my every expectation. And balls to the wall, lol. you said it, baby!
12 January 2009
50 weeks 4 days
Thank you, Thank you, J Bernard for your wonderful and insightful recap of this past week of GL. The Otalia story is more than a story to most fans. It is so incredibly true to life and the show is doing an amazing job in portraying the reality of a slow building relationship. I literally felt the pain and raw emotion of Olivia and Natalia as they confessed their love to each other. I was overjoyed and broken at the same time. I agree that this is the beginning of the "good" stuff. Now we get to see them figure out how to live together and be happy. It will be bumpy but worth it. Aside from the Otalia story every other story is on fire as well. The Spauldings are back, Shayne and Dinah are falling in love, James and Daisy have so many possibilities, Bill and Lizzie are amazing. Everything about this show is great. Its not ready to end, we need more time to see where this will go. Fans continue to fight to save this show! Its worth it.
30 March 2009
2 years 50 weeks
I have been reading article after article praising the GL of late...
This one, however, had me stunned with the eloquent words, praise and apparent adoration of all things GL this week.
The praise for several s/l this past week was due and I appreciate that you took time to include them. Many of those s/l and the actors in them have been fairly ignored or even criticized because, I feel, many couldn't see the forrest for the trees... couldn't quite wrap their minds/hearts around what possibly might come next to make it all make sense. The reason for this is quite simple -- until GL's writing changed significantly in the last year with SLOWING the pace for every story to allow the viewers to be invested like in the good old day of soaps, everyone was still expecting instant gratification or conclusions. Not on GL anymore! You get a story that takes you through every possible emotion AND it takes a damn long time to get there! Once we got there with Reva, Edmund, Phililp (to some extent), Bizzie, etc. we are now gasping again at "what's next?" "I can't wait". Just as it should be with a good soap!
Now about the praise for CC, JL and the Otalia s/l... all I have to say is that I have not seen this written so beautifully anywhere! I am still quite stunned by those words. Again, thank you!
Praise for the Otalia s/l must be all encompassing (actors, writers, production staff, etc.) and I think the link to this article is a must for many of our cards/letters this week.
I have to say it again... just incredible and thank you DC!
19 April 2009
3 years 4 weeks
Thank you so much for bringing attention to the excellent work being done on GL! I hadn't watched the show (or any other soap opera) for probably 15 years, and I happened to see a comment about Otalia. I did a little searching, saw some clips, and immediately started watching the show. The blossoming relationship between Olivia and Natalia is, for me, by far the best thing happening on the show. But the writing, acting, and production are all firing on all cylinders--everyone involved with GL should be proud of the work they're doing.
It's a shame that CBS doesn't see what a big mistake they made in canceling this show, and I sincerely hope that another network picks it up.
19 April 2009
3 years 4 weeks
Thank you for giving Guiding Light the attention it deserves in such an eloquent manner. I haven't really watched soaps for over twenty years, but I have become obsessed with GL over the past months. Last week was an emotional roller coaster. The performances all around were amazing. Crystal, Jessica and the writers deserve every bit of praise they are getting. It breaks my heart that CBS can't see what a truly wonderful show GL is now. Hopefully, GL will find a better home so they can continue the excellent work.
19 April 2009
2 years 47 weeks
Excellent analysis. This story just has a greatness about it that is hard to define. Someone, PLEASE pick up GL so that Otalia will not face an untimely end!!!!
15 April 2009
1 year 46 weeks
Wow! That was one amazing review and you pretty much summed up my feelings for the show and the Otalia storyline way, way, way better than I could have ever done. Thank you!
And yeah, this week was simply amazing and I love the writing team on GL. They do not do cliches and they do not take the easy road. They take their time and give us amazingly written stories and even though the angst is killing me, I'm absolutely loving every second of it.
Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia did an amazing job with their scenes this week as did all the actors. And just think, these actresses and actors do these things almost always with ONE SHOT! And then they move on. Just, wow.
Olivia and Natalia's moments were so real, I felt like I was intruding on private moments. Kudos to the writers, the actresses, the camera peeps, EVERYONE who works on the show because you did amazingly this week! And kudos to the person who selects the songs that play in the scenes because they are ALWAYS spot on!
7 April 2009
1 year 48 weeks
Great googly moogly! Did you crawl into my brain and write what I've been thinking? I have nothing to add, really, since you've said all that needs to be said, save this: if anyone out there isn't watching Otalia get thee to YouTube to get caught up; you're really missing out on something special. Heck, CBS, the network that just freakin' canceled this show, has Natalia's gazebo confession scene as it's "Best of the Week" on their MAIN site (not just their GL page).
You blew it, CBS. You really, truly blew it.
19 March 2009
1 year 31 weeks
"And what about that last shot of Olivia holding Emma's hand as they walked out of the church? Pure 1930's-style movie gold. The true art of soap opera."
OMG! That is exactly what I thought when I saw that final shot! CLASSIC!!
I've been declaring GL/Otalia as art in my campaign writing of late, so it's wonderful to see someone else agree so strongly with me. This article says everything I've been thinking about GL all week long! Beautifully articulate!
Brava!
17 March 2009
1 year 36 weeks
J Bernard. This is really good. I love how you focused on other stories too, not just Otalia even though they were great!!!!!
Best article I have read all week.
19 April 2009
3 years 2 weeks
This eloquent article conveyed all that I wanted to be say but had no skills to do so.
I am in awe of the week that I had just witnessed. Such a wonderfully written and acted love story, I never thought I'd see something like this in my lifetime.
Thank you and kudos to Ellen Wheeler, Jill Lorie Hurst, Crystal Chapell, Jessica Leccia and all the cast and crew of Guiding Light.
18 April 2009
3 years 4 weeks
*Tips hat* to J. Bernard Jones
From the return of the true Reva (and Edmund and Josh) to the "oh, thank heavens" re-emergence of the Spaulding clan to the brilliance of Chappell, Leccia, et al of the Otalia storyline -- you hit every target with PIN POINT accuracy. I have nothing more to add, except...
Thank you.