Perchance to Dream

In 1992, GUIDING LIGHT really was at the height of its powers. An absolutely top notch acting ensemble and a truly gifted team of writers made the show into a glistening gem, unafraid of its own sensitivity and intelligence. This was a time of raw emotions and complicated themes, genuinely funny comedy and heartwrenching drama-- passion, pain, tenderness, cruelty, and all the thrill of living presented on a platter of razor-sharp dialogue and edge-of-your-seat plotting.

It was this GUIDING LIGHT that chose, on election day 1992, to present a fantasy episode centered on Ross' senate bid and its effects on his personal relationships, specifically his tortured relationship with Blake. Stuck in traffic with Fletcher, Ross falls asleep and enters a gilt, hazy dreamworld peopled by outrageous parody/caricatures of the Springfield residents closest (in one way or another) to him.

This show boasts brilliantly effective and kinetic camera work, as well as bold set and costume designs that are very nearly characters unto themselves. The actors approach every moment in the script with delicious gusto, with standouts being Jerry verDorn as the beleaguered Ross, Jean Carol as a delightfully airy dream version of Nadine, and Michael Zaslow as Macchiavellian dreammaster Roger. Maureen Garrett is a revelation as the dream version of Holly, beautifully distilling all of the best and worst elements of her character into a creation that is at once wildly entertaining and profoundly disturbing.

The last thing I'll say about this episode is that Rick Hearst looks really good by the hot tub. You'll see what I mean... ;)

So, enter GUIDING LIGHT's dream world and enjoy Perchance to Dream

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