Today is a sad day for anyone fascinated by television history. "Guiding Light," the longest running show in broadcast history, taped its final episodes today.
The CBS soap opera began airing as a 15 minute radio program in 1937 and moved to TV in 1952. For 72 years it has entertained fans with weddings, pregnancies, deaths, people coming back to life, kidnappings, royal intrigue and even clones.
Unfortunately, it couldn't find a clever soap opera plot to deal with the economy and was canceled by CBS.
"Guiding Light" is not the first soap canceled and it probably won't be the last, with many saying that sister show "As the World Turns" is on the bubble. However, the shock and sadness for soap fans is the cavalier attitude CBS has displayed in making this decision.
The network doesn't seem to be giving the show the sendoff it deserves. When a show has brought viewers to your network for 57 years, the least you can do is give it a little fanfare on the way out.
And by the way CBS, I don't think your "Let's Make a Deal" remake is going to inspire the same level of loyalty as a program that enthralled, educated and entertained consistently for 72 years.
So even if CBS won't say it, I will, thank you to the cast and crew of "Guiding Light" for all the fantastic years of storytelling.
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