Here are my thoughts and a summary of the episode on disc three of the soapclassics.com 20 classic episode Guiding Light release. The episodes in this disc are from 1980 - 1998.
Episode One: April 1, 1980
Holly (Maureen Garrett), Roger (Michael Zaslow), Ed (Mart Hulswit) and Mike (Don Stewart) are in the jungle. Roger was holding Holly hostage, and Mike and Ed want to save her. Holly freaks out and screams seeing Roger with the gun. Eventually Roger fights with both Bauer brothers. Later Roger ends up dangling off a cliff, Ed cannot save him and eventually falls to his death until the late 80s when he comes back, but I digress. Mike ends up getting shot, and Ed being a doctor helps his older brother. Ed goes to visit Mike's hospital room, he has a bandage on his head and his left arm in a sling, while Mike looks okay except he was shot. Holly is wheeled in by a nurse and is sitting in a wheelchair.
Bert (Charita Bauer) is praying due to the situation in the jungle. Kelly (John Wesley Shipp) joins her and sits with her in a pew. Later Sara (Millette Alexander), Bert and Kelly talk about Tim (Kevin Bacon), who Sara wants to go back to high school. Kelly and Hillary (Marsha Clark) are talking at the nurses' station. There is a reference to Freddie dealing with everything with his dad being out of town. HIllary is introduced to Tim. Tim talks about his issues and how he was expelled, which would hurt his chances for a college scholarship. Hillary gets a call for Bert, and Kelly goes to find her in the hospital.
Christina Blake is with her grandparents Barbara (Barbara Berjer) and Adam (Robert Milli). They are recapping what is going on with Holly and Roger. Adam holds Christina as they look over the balcony together. Later, Christina asks when her mom is coming back. Bert and Barbara are talking with each other. Barbara fills in Bert about what happened, and then Bert calls Hope to let her know.
Hope (Elvera Roussel) is upset over what is going on in Santo Domingo, Alan (Chris Bernau) is trying to comfort her. After hearing the good news, Alan thanks Hope for believing in him. They share a kiss. Holly, Ed and Mike wonder what Roger's insurance policy was as he had an envelope. They have no idea where it has gone. We then see Bert crying by herself. We then see Alan and Diana Ballard (Sofia Landon Geier) together talking about the envelope at Spaulding.
Holly and Ed go to Barbara and Adam. Christina comes out screaming for her Mommy and Daddy meaning Holly and Ed. She is really glad her Mom isn't lost anymore. What amuses me is the outfit Christina has on at the end of the episode to see her parents is a lot nicer than what she was in during the rest of the show.
The episode ends with a please participate in the census voiceover. This was when Doug Marland was the head writer.
Episode Two: July 30, 1984
Beth (Judi Evans) tells Alex (Beverlee McKinsey) how Lujack (Vincent Irizarry) was working undercover and trying to help his mother. Phillip (Grant Aleksander) tries to stop them, and Ross (Jerry verDorn). Phillip goes off about how if people love them they also leave him. Phillip leaves Ross, and then Mindy (Krista Teserau) and Rick (Michael O'Leary) fight as Rick sided with Lujack over his best friend Phillip. Darcy (Robin V. Johnson) freaks out on Lujack with a gun. By the time, Alex, IQ and Beth get to the hangout, Lujack and Darcy are gone. Detective Saunders finds a fresh bullet in a chair after Darcy got him out of there.
Fletcher (Jay Hammer) and Claire (Susan Pratt) are arguing and Fletcher gives Susan Piper (Carrie Nye) a drink. Claire and Ross talk about how they are glad that Josh (Robert Newman) is out of the house. Ross expected to be there with Trish (Rebecca Hollen), but Trish goes off on her brothers and says she won't allow Josh and Billy (Jordan Clarke) to blackmail her.
We saw HB (Larry Gates), Reva (Kim Zimmer) and Trish getting ready for Billy and Vanessa's (Maeve Kinkead) party.
Muffy is driving Jim (Michael Woods) crazy and Henry (William Roerick) introduces Jonathan (Damion Scheller) to Jim. Jonathan also introduces himself to Claire.
HB tells everyone that he and Reva are staying in Springfield. HB is going to match what Alex gave to Cedars. He wants to use the money to buy a center to help people with disabilities. Vanessa goes off on Billy for turning the party into a family feud ignoring her wishes.
Warren (Warren Burton) looks for Alex and speaks with Ross, how Warren cuts corners makes Ross dislike the other man. Warren calls Ross a white knight, which is ironic as years earlier he was just as bad as Warren.
Phillip dances with Claire and Fletcher interrupts them. Jim and Hillary are alone together and Warren interrupts them. Claire fakes an illness to get Fletcher away from Susan. Jim gives Hillary a piggyback ride out of the party.
Josh goes off on Reva after Phillip asks her to help him, and says that could be Reva's good deed of the day. Josh calls himself the criminal and the tramp and how they were all alone. So really the "slut of Springfield" breakdown was caused by Josh being upset by Phillip and Reva interacting. That is kind of amusing in a strangely sick way as years later they share a grandchild.
Episode Three: December 30, 1988
The action takes place primarily in two locations: Alan-Michael (Carl Evans) and Harley's (Beth Ehlers) engagement party at the Spaulding Mansion and Venezuela.
Ed (Peter Simon) is at the Venezuelan hospital with Alex and Alan (Daniel Pilon) as is Fletcher. Sonni (Michelle Forbes) told Alan tells Alex that Sonni told him he'd be crippled if he had the surgery and that Alex was lying to him. Ed is going back with Alan on the medical plane, while Alex and Fletcher are going to Springfield the regular way. Will (Joe Breen) sneaks his way into Alan's room and says that Alan should go with him instead of Alex.
Alan-Michael (Carl Evans) tells Phillip that Alan was shot in Venezuela. Blake (Elizabeth Dennehy) won't listen to Holly as her mom wants her to run not walk away from Phillip. Blake mixed pills and booze nearly killing herself, so obviously that would be a reason to stay away from him. Blake introduces Phillip to her mom, though he has no idea how negative Holly is about him. When Blake and Holly are alone, there is talk about how hard it is for Holly to be in Springfield. There is also a humorous mention about how Holly will have to get used to Blake's hair, which makes sense if you saw episode one on this disc.
Alan-Michael is upset about Alan, and both Maureen (Ellen Parker) and Harley try to console him. Harley and her brother Frank (Frank Dicopolous) speak about how this is not like a 5th Street party. Phillip, Rick and Alan-Michael feel better over the idea that Alan is coming back to town. Blake assures Meredith (Nicolette Goulet) that she hasn't said anything, though Blake thinks the lie isn't right. This is the lie about Meredith's pregnant with Phillip's child as it happened when she was on a break from Rick.
Part of the episode has Eternal Flame by Cheap Trick playing in the background including when Blake and Holly talk. Other music is covering it, but it is recognizable enough that I heard it through the ambient music.
Josh and Rusty (Terrell Anthony) are together looking for Reva. Reva and Sonni get into a fight, as Sonni and Solita fight for control as she has a split personality. Sonni compares herself to Roxie and how she went to a mental institution upsetting Reva.
For the end of year episode there were a lot of cliffhangers. Solita goes after Reva with a syringe before Rusty and Josh arrive. Joseph passes out hats and streamers. Auld Lang Syne plays in the background. Vera wishes Blake and Meredith a Happy New Year. Rick tells Phillip that he knows that the baby Meredith is carrying isn't his. The plane that Fletcher and Alex are in there is a call of mayday.
Episode Four: July 12, 1991
Mallet (Mark Derwin) is in the hospital, Fletcher is visiting him and Lillian (Tina Sloan) explains how Mallet needs to stay for a few days. Fletcher promises to tell Mallet all about Alex's party at the Lakeland Country Club. Mallet spits out the pill Lillian gave him after they left the room. Mallet gets out of bed and calls for a cab. He is clearly in pain and falls to the ground. Lillian sees Mallet on the floor and an orderly helps get him to back into bed. Mindy (Kim Simms) comes to see Mallet and talks to Lillian. Mallet wakes up and Mindy talks about how she was glad that her father Billy didn't hear about her affair with Roger. Lillian comes back and Mindy asks if she can stay while Mallet is sleeping. Mallet wants to call to find out how Francesca is doing and Mindy tries, but is unsuccessful in helping him.
At the park, Dylan (Morgan Englund) and Eleni (Melina Kanakaredes) sit on a blanket. They see Hart (Jeff Phillips) and invite him over to them. Dylan and Eleni find a lost boy, Bridget (Melissa Hayden) is also at the park and during the fireworks is with Hart. After the fireworks ended, the little boy's mom took him away. Hart tries to make Bridget feel better, but she is interested in Dylan. After the music stopped, Eleni and Dylan left to say goodbye to Hart. Bridget tried to use Hart to make Dylan jealous, but he ignores it. Dylan comes home to find Bridget naked in his bed. He's in shock, thinks she's too much and wants her to leave. Bridget is stunned that he would want her to go and tells her that he is going to call her Aunt Maureen.
Alex tells Roger to get ready for the fireworks as she waited a long time for this as Mindy walks into the room. Everyone is sitting and tables around the room. Roger wonders why so many people are there as they came to discuss the terms of their divorce. Alex wants to toast to the man whose meant so much to all of us Roger Thorpe. For the record, here is where people are sitting: Holly is with Daniel (Daniel Bishins), Maureen and Ed are together, Vanessa, Henry and Mindy at another, and Alan-Michael (Rick Hearst) and Ross (who is mute in this episode) shared a table. Alex says that she felt like a million as she was as she has that kind of money. She admits to everything she heard about Roger, and still ignored them. They were just jealous and didn't see what she did. Roger wants to leave, but Alex wants him to stay. Alex apologizes to everyone for allowing Roger to get any legitimacy in Springfield. She mentions Ed, Holly, Ross and Henry. She also thanks Alan-Michael and Henry for opening her eyes. Alex says how things would have been different with Fletcher. She starts eyeing Mindy for having been on Roger's side and Holly freaks out with Daniel following her to the bar. Holly says that Alex is doing what she always wanted to do, but didn't have the strength. At the end, Alex fires Roger from the company, the marriage and the club. She takes a drink and then Roger follows her out on crutches. Daniel gets upset with Holly for making them go to the party.
Outside, Blake (Sherry Stringfield) and Frank went swimming at the country club pool. She makes a comment about moving to the South of France and marrying a peasant, though Frank tells her that wouldn't last even three months. Blake and Frank end up drinking alcohol she took from the pool bar in her shoes. They nearly kiss and then Roger and Alex come outside and they hear a confrontation. Alex tells Roger that Blake was the one who realized the embezzlement at the Spaulding Foundation. Roger goes off on Alex and how she is spoiled and never had to work for anything. Alex threatens Blake and Roger exclaims to not go after his daughter. Alan-Michael joins them outside. He says that Roger used him thinking he was just a young kid, and he wants to take Alex home. As Alex leaves the patio, she says that she wants to go eat as she is ravenous.
In the Bauer kitchen, Ed feels like it was justice, while Maureen feels like it was ugly. She felt like it was going to become a stoning. Dylan and Bridget come in interrupting the serious conversation between Ed and Maureen.
Roger comes back in, Fletcher, Alan-Michael, Ross, Vanessa and Henry are together at one table. Alex sent away the limo, and Roger wants a taxi. When Alex comes by, Roger can't even get a car as the episode comes to a close.
This episode had the production credits with pictures of the cast in the background.
Episode Five: January 26, 1998
Vanessa is alone at the lake house waiting for Matt (Kurt McKinney) to come. She's pregnant and talking to her fetus and starts to exhibit some pain. Matt is at Ross's law office asking for help. He was told by the doctors that if Vanessa carries to full term, she will die, and wants his wife to have a c-section. Jenna (Fiona Hutchison), who has a huge cell phone, is worried about Vanessa. Buzz (Justin Deas) agrees to drop her off at the lake house. Vanessa asks Jenna to help her, but Jenna thinks that Matt is right. Eventually Vanessa is able to convince Jenna to be on her side. Ross tells Matt the one way he can force Vanessa to have the baby prematurely is have her be deemed mentally incompetent as everything else would take time that Vanessa doesn't have to wait.
Annie (Cynthia Watros) and Alan (Ron Raines) are getting married at the top of the steps in the country club ballroom with Phillip as the best man. Reva brings in Annie's husband Eddie Banks (Robert Leeshock). Eddie shows proof and gives the marriage license to Alan. Eddie says that he was stupid to love her. While this is going on the photographers in attendance shoot pictures. Eddie mentions how Annie faked her death and he went to jail on a drug wrap for her. Alan tells everyone thanks for coming and that they could have eat. Amanda (Toby Poser) and Roger (Dennis Parlato) are there talking about the situation.
Cassie (Laura Wright) and Hart (Frank Grillo) go to unlock Dinah (Wendy Moniz) from the closet. Cassie goes in alone, and starts to taunt Dinah about how the wedding didn't happen. Dinah asks what happened to Annie and has a confrontation with Hart. She has sympathy for Annie and then mentions what would happen if Cassie's ex would come to Springfield.
Harley is happy how Reva was able to do it and stop the wedding. Phillip is upset that Harley knew something was going on and didn't say anything. Alan is his father, and he can't believe that Harley could let this happen. Beth (Beth Chamberlin) is supportive of Phillip due to this situation, though Lizzie gets upset. Lillian goes to speak with Beth and then takes Lizzie (Hayden Panettiere) home. Phillip asks Alan how he stands with Annie, and he responds in such a way that we know she is out of his life. Beth, Phillip and Alan leave the failed wedding together.
Frank comes back with the news that Annie will be sent to Ohio to face charges. This makes Reva and Josh happy. Frank finds Annie sitting alone and arrests her in her wedding gown. He walks her out in front of everyone as the bulbs flash in their faces. As they walk out, Annie thanks everyone for coming to the event.
During the opening, there is a reference to it getting accolades as the best soap opera of 1997.
While I think having Roger's death on disc is significant, it is too bad we didn't get to see more of him from that stint. (Thankfully on the Bauer set there is another Roger episode from that time frame.) The Reva disc has a continuation of the Slut of Springfield episode, and I've already summarized that. In some ways, I prefer the aftermath show to this one, as it had more meat for the full cast. The 1988 New Year's Eve episode was okay, and I liked seeing a late 80s episode with Maureen Garrett's Holly. Alex's party is a blast if you care for the characters involved, though if one never saw Roger's evil deeds some of the power is lost, though the acting is great. Annie's wedding felt like we needed the episode before to get the flow better as it started with the reveal scenes, though if I had to pick an Annie episode it would have been from Reva's trial in 1997.
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