Guiding Light: "Otalia"

[the hero factor]

Yeah, that spoiler is exploded today!

On the one hand, I don't know if I buy it. It just seems so staggeringly boneheaded, I can't imagine them going there.

On the other hand, if they do go there, I may just have to bail.

I can take the angst, and the drama, and Rafe, and the waiting, and the slow ass pace, and no kiss yet, and all the rest. But that spoiler? Fuck that shit.

Fingers crossed it ain't true!

[Rocktoddy]

OK. Breathe in, breathe out.

Wow, the drop sure looks steep from what I'm gathering up here out on the ledge.

Hoping against all odds, signals and anvils that the latest Shenanigan!spoiler (or alleged insider info) is just a big honkin' red herring. Y'know, to distract us all from the possible ZOMG-Kissage! that I hope is still to come. But I'm afraid, very afraid that it's just grasping at straws here.

Oh EW and JLH. The choice is clear; decision should be easy. A lifetime supply of adoring lesbians throwing themselves at your feet, or a herd of 'em sporting torches and pitchforks, starting a riot? Please don't let it be the latter, that shit has gone stale, 's tired and old and I don't think I have the energy to do the whole angry ranting thing anymore.

I'm so bummed out right now. Was this all just too good to be true? This ledge-ho'ing ain't no fun for sure. *cranks out George Michael's Faith*

[dorksrcool]

I am so pissed about this "spoiler" but the person who posted it won't even reveal their source. They said that "GL has been planning this for a long time," but how do they know that? From what I could tell on the BPD board, the person who posted the "spoiler" is from Canada, so how do they know "insider" info on what is happening on an American soap?

I hope with all of my might that this spoiler is not true. I won't stop watching but I will definitely be fast forwarding a lot and the happy ending we all want won't happen. How can you have a happy ending if this turns out to be true?



ETA: Also, they will never kiss. All of my hopes of that died today. They should have kissed today. They should have kissed last week when they talked about how much they want to have sex with each other. They should have kissed on their spa weekend. THEY SHOULD KISS! But they won't. This storyline is killing me. I want so much to stop watching but I can't pull myself away.

[the hero factor]

So, I was hoping that when I got home from work today and logged onto the interwebz, there'd be someone, somewhere, telling me that the badness is absolutely, positively not gonna happen. Alas, not so much.

I'm trying to stay positive, but it's not easy with the fit hitting the shan everywhere. I had a bit of a hard time motivating myself to watch today's clips. Finally, I did. They are so cute. *sigh* I just wish I knew if it was all for naught.

ETA: Also, they will never kiss. All of my hopes of that died today. They should have kissed today. They should have kissed last week when they talked about how much they want to have sex with each other. They should have kissed on their spa weekend. THEY SHOULD KISS! But they won't. This storyline is killing me. I want so much to stop watching but I can't pull myself away.

See, that's one thing I'm not worried about. I do think they'll kiss. But it's not gonna matter to me if the other thing happens.

And, because I don't want to be all negative, how great was Natalia scaring Olivia today. Hee! So cute.

[xita]

The cute wore off for me yesterday. I really didn't think it was cute and it's probably because I think the time for the first kiss has come and gone. Yesterday was the absolute last day for it to be credible. They aren't waiting anymore... they say ... and yet they wait... we wait.

[Rocktoddy]

If this is a way to make us feel less sad about the show ending, well, they are about to do their jobs right, because now I'm freaking over the fact that we probably won't even get our "happy ending". And by happy ending I mean, [spoiler]no freaking Frankgnancy,[/spoiler] w/ lots of fully realized physical affection. I thought we had our first "they get it, they truly get it, without any missteps!" f/f storyline in the pocket, but maybe I rejoiced too soon. And that makes me sad.

xita, your May 16th post now reads as a foreshadowing warning. Hate it, but have to acknowledge that yeah, you're probably right. On a sidenote: how did you and/or the Kittenboard at the time feel about The Body kiss? What was the general consensus about it? Was it loved or not, considering it was a comfort (even if very lovingly) kiss and not "hyped up" (or overtly sexual)? Just curious to know.

Ditto! to everyone who says that time is up and stop stalling already! Any near kisses, fade-outs or interruptions of the coming kiss after they both agreed "I don't wanna wait" will ring false and truncated now.

I find myself more out on the ledge than ever before, and it surprises me. Looking back on this s/l, there are so many wonderful things it has given us.

But you're right. No writing team should be trusted blindly, there are always other forces at play, which may or may not interfere with what we or even the writers themselves want. Praise is easy to accept, and blame easily deflected.

My enthusiasm for the story has been tempered somewhat, but I haven't jumped ship yet and I won't. I'm going down with this puppy like Leo with Titanic.

the hero factor,

O: "I'm usually waiting for the other... brick to fly at me and hit my head."
N: "Hm... LOOK OUT! Bwhuhahaha!"
O: "Oh Gosh! Why did you do that?!"
N: "I don't know!"
O: "See, that's what I mean. I'm having a serious conversation about the complexities of the human condition, and you're LAUGHING!"
N: "I'm sorry, it's really just- it's the first time I- got to laugh today."
O: "Let's not make it the last, OK?"

The scare was cute, but I can't help wondering... Foreshadowing of Doom, or is this brick just a flying pig?

[xita]

I reread my post, now back then even though the kiss was overdue, I was buying it. I am not buying it anymore. Like you, I'll probably watch till the very end, cause it's all we got. I want romance (I can't get into grey's anatomy, just don't buy it).

The Body kiss was something else. Now understand, there was no better spoiled group than the kittens. I think it was that paranoia, waiting for the brick to come smack us in the face. We wanted to be prepared. A group of us would get up Sunday morning like at 5 AM pacific (maybe 6 can't remember) and have other members in a chat room tell us what was happening in the wild feed on satellite, 3 days before the episode aired. None of knew the kiss was coming. When it came it was like... it felt like a payoff. It was loving it was tender, it was a close up, it came from a natural position and it played like they had been doing it all along (which in w/t land unlike Otalia, we knew they were doing it offscreen). Kajun capped the shit out of it that morning and we rejoiced! We loved that it wasn't teased or advertised. It just played perfectly.

I wish we hadn't had to wait so long for it back then but gosh how long ago was that. After Breese kissing up a storm on AMC, and Luke and Noah kissing on CBS's As the World Turns, I see no reason for making us wait so long for Otalia.

They would be better off implying that something is going on off screen now because it's ridiculous from a story point of view.

I don't blame anybody in particular, who knows who is behind the reticence but I have a feeling that it's someone pretty high up.

[dorksrcool]

Yesterday was the absolute last day for it to be credible.

Xita, I totally agree with you on this. Natalia is so forceful about saying she doesn't want to wait, well neither do we! She doesn't want to wait for what exactly? How can you tell someone you love them, you want to have sex with them, you want to tell your family and friends about your relationship, but you haven't even kissed them? It is idiotic and completely unbelievable. If they were still so hesitant about kissing then none of the rest of this would be happening. They're doing everything backwards and it is awkward and hard to watch. They look like platonic friends to me. As Rocktoddy said,

Any near kisses, fade-outs or interruptions of the coming kiss after they both agreed "I don't wanna wait" will ring false and truncated now.

And thank you xita for your recollection of "The Body" kiss for W/T. I so wish I would've been a part of this board at the time. Your description sounds magical.

When it came it was like... it felt like a payoff. It was loving it was tender, it was a close up, it came from a natural position and it played like they had been doing it all along (which in w/t land unlike Otalia, we knew they were doing it offscreen)

I wish we could see N/O kiss like they have "been doing it all along." I wouldn't even mind the idea of them "doing" it offscreen. If they don't play it that way, they should make it so hot and heavy and like they can't keep their hands off of each other after they kiss. That would be the only other believable possibility, that they haven't kissed yet because they know where it will lead and they're not ready for that (even though I don't really understand why they wouldn't be ready).

Loving this conversation. Thanks y'all!


[/b]

[the hero factor]

Is it wrong that I'd gladly accept never seeing Otalia kiss in exchange for the VERY BAD RUMOR not happening?

[masterjendu]

I realise I might sound naïve (and possibly uninformed because I have no idea what happens and how much time passes on the Notalia days) but is it not possible that Monday's scene will pick up where it left off?

I choose to hope!

[Rocktoddy]

It doesn't hurt to hope masterjendu!

However I don't think that tomorrow we'll be seeing last Monday's scene continued, just because IMO Rafe's birthday has been pretty much played out.

the hero factor, I don't know... never seeing Otalia kiss? Ouch, harsh. That them's some fightin' words! If the VERY BAD RUMOR does come to pass, I've decided I'm just gonna roll with it. After reading tons of spec-pages at BPD and ranting and raving at TWoP, I'm all mellowed out. Still hanging out on a limb that they won't go there!

Excited for tomorrow. Such a fan of the Jellybean! Plus the spoiler that [spoiler]Blake figures it out and wants to throw them a coming out party by way of luncheon,[/spoiler] makes her FTMFW!

[the hero factor]

I'm all mellowed out. Still hanging out on a limb that they won't go there!

Actually, I've gotten pretty calm about the whole thing, too.

I figure, I came for the Otalia, and I got that. I got all the great backstory. The amazing development that saw these two people go from enemies to friends to something more. And I'm really happy for that.

So, maybe they're gonna fuck it up. Like that's a big surprise. My Buffyverse ends with The Gift; I quit watching Xena a bit into season five, went back for the finale, and then wondered why I bothered, 'cause it sucked; I gave up on the X-Files when it became obvious that the Kitchen Sink Conspiracy was never gonna make any sense; and the less said about the Seven/Chakotay ass-pull in Endgame, the better.

TV shows usually end up sucking. It's what they do. I'm not sure why I ever expected some soap opera to be any different. Well, except that I'm stupid and I don't learn.

Luckily, I'm pretty good at compartmentalizing. Taking the parts I like, jettisoning the parts I don't, and hoping for the occasional fanfic that ignores any canon-BADNESS. (Gosh bless the fanfic writers who aren't slaves to canon!)

So, yeah, regardless of what happens, storyline-wise, I want Otalia to kiss. Because it'll make really good footage to put into future fanvids. Fanvids which will be dialouge-less, thereby making it easy to pretend any BADNESS doesn't exsist.

Compartmentalization, baby!

[Gatito Grande]

You call it "compartmentalization", thf, I call it "paradox."

I mean, yeah: it's ridiculous that they haven't kissed yet. But paradoxically, not only does it make sense, but they've also been kissing all this time (even if we get a toe-curling FirstKiss! which they announce IS their first kiss).

Basically, it's all about holding contradictory info in your head at the same time, which somehow makes sense.

GG Does THAT make sense? Out

Cuz it does for THIS Otaliaholic!

[Personally, it helps that my biggest problem w/ the [spoiler]Pregnancy RUMOR[/spoiler] is that it's stupid---NOT that it's somehow Otalia-ruining. As long as---after Natalia comes back (JL back from Mat Leave)---they keep racheting up the physicallity between Our Grrls, I really don't care whether [spoiler]there's a bun in Natalia's oven[/spoiler] or not! ]

[Rocktoddy]

Is it wrong of me that I keep replaying this and that one? Someone hold me!

Definitely need some happy after this week's angsty pregNat-ness. Break me out indeed.

Music video's and fanfic, those are my pancakes and a valium for this JL-absent July.

Oh Natalia... what have you done to your family, girl? Liv was so happy at the BBQ, finally ready to come out and Emma being so excited, looking forward to three-legged racing with you. With nary a word you left.

On the bright side of things, we're all expecting you to do some heavy-duty groveling 'n grand gesturing upon your (babybelly-free) return. Cause nope, you're still not pregnant unless a sonogram says ya are. There.

First though, I'd like to see a HUGE FIGHT between them when Natalia comes back. Like Spa-fight 2.0 only this time bigger and better and more how they used to be before they even became friendly with one another. Bad-ass Mo'fo Olivia Spencer vs. Backbone Freakin' Superhero Natalia Rivera. After Nat lays a big "Shut up and Kiss me" scorching one on Olivia, that's where the romantic wooing begins. Sumpthin' like that. Yeah.

[the hero factor]

I love that Let's Get Physical vid! Almost makes the pregnancy/false-pregnancy/cluster-fuck crap worth it.

First though, I'd like to see a HUGE FIGHT between them when Natalia comes back. Like Spa-fight 2.0 only this time bigger and better and more how they used to be before they even became friendly with one another. Bad-ass Mo'fo Olivia Spencer vs. Backbone Freakin' Superhero Natalia Rivera. After Nat lays a big "Shut up and Kiss me" scorching one on Olivia, that's where the romantic wooing begins. Sumpthin' like that. Yeah.

That sounds pretty good to me.

Even though, I admit, I'm pretty apathetic to Nat taking off. IMO it's stupid contrived crap, and I'm pretty much just relaxing my brain (much like the writers did) to the whole thing. I'll start caring again when Nat comes back and, hopefully, the writers give us some stuff that doesn't suck.

[dlline]

I know I haven't had anything to say about this, but I've been watching GL faithfully, just like I have for the past 8 years. All of the times I spent shouting at the TV that Olivia needs a girlfriend, well, it was pretty bad.

So yay, Olivia has a "girlfriend" now and TPTB are going to make me wade through insufferable angst to get to the payoff, and I'm pretty sure it's gonna suck.

Please pray that I'm wrong. I'm not really following the spoilers, but that scene today of Olivia screaming for Natalia to the heavens... major angst. Yuck. I want smoochies, dammit.

[xita]

I am still holding out for the Otalia happy ending several spoilers leading me to think they'll get it. Also, yay for JL being in CC's webseries, Venice. I hope CC gets to play opposite her.

[spoiler]Given the leaked script bit, I am thinking there won't be a big fight when she gets back. I am hoping they get right back into it cause [/spoiler] I was really digging the couple vibe they were giving there at the end, calling each other, ending conversations with I love yous. [spoiler]Ava coming back gives me hope that we'll get to see one kid react well to the lesbian relationship. [/spoiler]

Also, I am wary of the happy ending, just was reading about what happened to Los Hombres de Paco, another dead lesbian.

[Rocktoddy]

Just to let you all know I've now fully boarded the snark train over at TWoP. And that I'm currently languishing in Blis-land until this show makes me happy again instead of borderline psychotic.

[the hero factor]

I lurk over in the TWoP Guiding Light thread. Love the snark once a storyline turns to crap. I never would have made it through UPN!BtVS without TWoP.

As far as GL, I think I'm pretty much done. I haven't actually watched since before Nat left, though I don't remember exactly what was the last thing I saw. I think it was Natalia in the Company bathroom wondering why she was sick.

Between the spoilers about the pregnancy and the spoilers that made it sound like Nat was gonna take off without a word, I decided I really didn't want to watch if the writers were gonna ass-fuck Natalia's character. And they did! Sigh.

I don't believe for a second that the REAL Natalia would leave without a word to Olivia or Emma or Rafe. And I know, I know, this is where someone will try to tell me that Nat has always been a fucktarded asshat, but don't bother. 'Cause I'm still not buying it.

Short of someone waking up from a dream and erasing the last several weeks, I just don't see any way they can get me back on board. So, why bother?

I figure I'll keep an eye on things from TWoP, and if our girls are ever allowed any truly good, happy, or fun moments, like kissing, or a date, or maybe teh sex, I'll check that shit out. 'Cause I still flove JL and CC and their awesome chemistry. And something good or happy or fun will be easy to compartmentalize. Hell, I could watch it with the damn sound off, come to that.

Of course, on the other hand, I still flove JL and CC and their awesome chemistry, and I'm not entirely sure I'll be able to stay away, no matter how much I'm done with the 'story' part of this storyline. I may just be too weak to resist the shallow. I even spent some time a work today thinking of a way to rewrite Nat's departure/absence into something that I could stand and keep in my head while watching whatever stupid angst the writers have in store for us.

My own personal rewrite? Involves alien abduction.

Whut? It's more sensical* than the actual show.

*And yeah, I know sensical isn't a real word, but it totally should be.

[willowlove]

What one actress plans to do now that "Guiding Light" is cancelled: make a lesbian-themed show for the web.

Quote:

Ms. Chappell said, “Like the audience I hated the idea of letting” the story line go.

So she won’t. She will try to keep the spirit of Otalia alive by starting a Web series in November called “Venice.” While it won’t have Olivia and Natalia — those characters are the property of Procter & Gamble — the show will feature Ms. Chappell as a single, gay career woman, and follow other fictional inhabitants of Venice Beach, in Los Angeles. Her leading lady on “Guiding Light,” Ms. Leccia, has agreed to join the cast without pay. One big difference from Otalia: “In the first 30 seconds you see these two women kiss,” Ms. Chappell said.


From the New York Times: Love That Dares to Tweet Its Name Sparks Web Series

[the hero factor]

Someone has found out that Otalia will not be allowed to kiss, and he's pissed!

Hee!

As for the show, the only thing I bothered to watch yesterday was Nat drinking milk in the mini-mart. That was some funny shit right there.

[Rocktoddy]

Homestretch is dawning nearer upon us. I'm curious to see how the show is going to deal with Otalia's last-minute reconciliation. Preparing myself for a No Kiss, perhaps a quick little peck on the lips (blink and you'll miss it!), but more likely a passionate hug/cheek brush combo.

Why, them crumbs sure are tasty!

Daytime Emmy's sucked by the way. It was the first time I saw it (partially) live, and my god, what a travesty. GL's one minute and a half hack of a "tribute"? Say what? And then cutting the standing ovation off like that? Come again? Felt so bad for the B&B--they didn't even get their speech in!

I was left with a double feeling regarding the opening number/montage. On the one hand, I was pissed that they cut to Ellen instead of CC/JL (helloooo, world? Miss D's NOT the only gay girl representative out there!), on the other I kind of understood why they did it (it was a spoof after all, and the focus was on the characters, not CC/JL, unlike the other players in the montage) so I was glad Otalia got featured, and in such a prominent place no less.

Of course, Jessica Leccia looked HOT as all get out. Damn, that woman!

As you can see (like the show), Otalia makes me bi-polar. I'm so confused.

[narrativeflow]

As you can see (like the show), Otalia makes me bi-polar. I'm so confused.

Dude! I am so with you! Been away for a long while, just catching up here now... I think the bi-polar is very real and entirely to the point. There's the story the writers want us to see, and there's what the lesbian audience thinks they (we) "should" be seeing, and watching both at the same time cuz we're dykes & talented that way still makes us cross-eyed & all kinda cranky.

I didn't have a problem with GL's agenda, though it's not mine, and not *for* me. It's for the most fearful members of the audience (as the writers/producers envision them), who need to have their hands held as it is explained to them that there's nothing to be afraid of, gays and lesbians are their friends & neighbors, so nod in a civil fashion to them when you see your neighbor at the grocery store, cause otherwise you'll be a hate-filled malicious pustule like Rafe. (I'd like to see that addressed--a lot--but expect it'll just get swept under the rug/away with some sloppy script-writing character-change.)

Thing is, they're about 20 years behind the times, and that segment of the audience, while not vanishingly small, doesn't need to be coddled in quite this way: they've undermined the strength of their own story by going this route. Because the machinations to prevent this couple from kissing are so clearly external to the story, which should (that word again) have developed more organically (like any other couple in the show), that it only serves to point to the awkwardness and make the lack of kissing itself seem even weirder than it already is.

The last few weeks have actually been much rougher than the time during Nat's absence (for me, anyway). I could handle the pg s/l, actually. Dumb, but workable. I could handle Natalia leaving in the way she did: if she could articulate well enough to explain, to herself and Liv, why she was leaving, she wouldn't have had to have run in the first place. She was a scared 16-year-old again. It's not hard for me to backstory that. And I could handle Olivia's angst because CC did some stellar work during July. Brutal, but really great drama.

But/so. I don't really mind the lack of kissage, because really, that was a bit much to expect--if we get anything it'll be the most sterile, platonic, brief, boring thing you ever did see so what's the point beyond the symbolic and yes it's important (and here I remind myself for the 10,000th time, I am not the target audience)--but I find it galling that voyeurism is taking its place. So yeah the boys go nudge-nudge wink-wink, and boys do that, it's real. If there were any bloody thing to wink about it would feel different. Instead we have the spectacularly gratuitous ass-shot & Olivia *commenting* on it which makes it ok (she can still pull the boys, which would rather seem to have been demonstrated quite clearly in the last weeks); the nippleage [oh don't act like you didn't see it]; and are, in a way, forced, like Olivia, to collaborate with our own erasure. This bugs the sh*t out of me. I'll get over it, but it's pretty irritating.

Sure I enjoy looking at CC but I don't *need* to be thrown a sop (soap?)/catered to in that way. The girls who went for this s/l big-time are pretty romantic, from what I can see: they don't need it either. They just wanted a damn kiss. We're pretty creative about ogling, we can manage that just fine on our own: look at all the fuss we make over *dimples*, for god's sake. The discrepancies are pretty strange. Or not--if I try to get my head around remembering US tv execs just cannot--still, after all these years--cope with lesbians. I'm amazed we're still so threatening, and so... golly, *challenging* to deal with. When this country will grow tf up about gays is anybody's guess, but this kind of attitude is pretty demoralizing. It's like the show's writers could get thus far, conceptualizing this story--and no further. Ya'd think with the economy and health care and important things to worry about... but no.

Being forced to collaborate with making this couple's sexuality invisible (cuz it's a Christian soap, cause it's daytime, cause it's CBS, cause it's EW, who tf knows why) is a pretty old story for every lesbian watching, which doesn't make it any less tedious. This story was never gonna go anywhere else (not since the cancellation, anyway), but it's still a shame. Although I have to admire the accomplishment of taking one of the powerhouses of daytime and desexualizing her so effectively. Can't have been easy.

I can't wait for this to be over so I can go back to Bad Girls' land, where lesbians are acknowledged as such, and the sexuality of adult women is treated in an adult way. [shameless pimping spoilerbared just cause I don't know if that's consider too off-topic: if so, very sorry!] [spoiler](Advice to anyone who's giving the show a try: be patient with the slow pace through the first 4-5 episodes; give the accents some time if you're not used to a lot of UK slang; and DON'T skip episodes! And try not to race through it all in a weekend once you're hooked. )[/spoiler]

Predictions for next week (I don't read spoilers):

[spoiler]1) nose-rub o luv
2) name baby
3) move back in to FoL[/spoiler]

And that's all she wrote. After that it's ensemble stuff for the last week, is my guess.

You know what I want? I want ONE thing, one development, that is a surprise, between now and the end. That is a pleasant surprise.

[Gatito Grande]

Because as the Stones sang, "It's All Over Now", let's check your predictions, narrativeflow:

Predictions for next week (I don't read spoilers):

Spoiler - Highlight text to see
1) nose-rub o luv
2) name baby
3) move back in to FoL

Well, it was actually

1) move back in to FoL
2) peck on the cheek
3) name baby

What, you don't remember #2?

I guess nobody does, except Crystal, Jessica, and the camera operator:

@unlessstated Nat and O send Rafe off to army. I Kissed her cheek. Scene never made the show
5:27 PM Sep 26th from TweetDeck in reply to unlessstated

Quoth the Goddess Chappell.

GG Pa-f*cking-thetic. Out

F*ck you, CBS!

OK, seriously: I still became extremly enamored of this s/l (and even GL as a whole, by the end). I know we're all looking forward to Venice . . . but I'm still really going to miss Otalia. While snarkier fans (or former fans) came to disparage the "Christian Tortoise" (aka Natalia Rivera), it was precisely her wrestling w/ her faith which made this story so memorable for Yours Truly (OK, then there's the Dimples, and Cleavage---two sets of---but I digress. )

They may never have kissed (fer realz ), but Otalia left an afterglow that few other (more physical) f-f stories can match (IMO). Otalia 4Ever!

[narrativeflow]

Because as the Stones sang, "It's All Over Now", let's check your predictions, narrativeflow:

Predictions for next week (I don't read spoilers):

Spoiler - Highlight text to see
1) nose-rub o luv
2) name baby
3) move back in to FoL

Well, it was actually

1) move back in to FoL
2) peck on the cheek
3) name baby

What, you don't remember #2?

! Seriously. Sucks to be me: I have NEVER been less happy to be 'right'. God what a mess. The painful thing is: I didn't even bother predicting a real kiss. I'm striking the whole last week, for sure, from memory. Everything after the moving-in scene. Baby Fr------a: bite me. What a waste of tape. Sigh.

@unlessstated Nat and O send Rafe off to army. I Kissed her cheek. Scene never made the show
5:27 PM Sep 26th from TweetDeck in reply to unlessstated

I know. Unbelievable. At least W/T kissed, for pete's sake. More than once. Romantically. Both characters were conscious, even. And not drunk or medicated. How cool was that. Hell, they even kissed on AMC. (Remember the parental warning, though? I repeat: unbelievable.)

F*ck you, CBS!

Amen, sister. (Well: at this point I blame everyone except CC & JL. Since no one else is speaking, because soap actors & production people are apparently that cowed about their job security, they all bear some responsibility for this conspiracy of silence. Because someone is accountable for this. It didn't just, like, whoa--happen. Someone made a decision, and other people followed through on it. Consistently enough to feel compelled to delete a CHEEK kiss, which is so clinically nuts I can't even go there. Nope. I'm not thinking about that any more. La la la....)

While snarkier fans (or former fans) came to disparage the "Christian Tortoise" (aka Natalia Rivera), it was precisely her wrestling w/ her faith which made this story so memorable for Yours Truly

Actually, I never took it as nasty-snark: more like, affectionate. Yes there was some frustration with her, mid story-line, but once Nat put on her Crazy!pants, all was forgiven. And by then of course... it was clear the actors had almost no room to move at ALL, in terms of showing us anything beyond the script.

They may never have kissed (fer realz ), but Otalia left an afterglow that few other (more physical) f-f stories can match (IMO). Otalia 4Ever!

Maybe people should post a few titles of stuff they liked? Because not all the writing out there sucks. Fewthistle writes well; TNCwchips has an excellent, thoughtful rewrite of the early parts of the story, filling in the blanks... there are some good things happening in fanfic, you just have to look for them. As always.

eta: h xx p://wicked-joy.livejournal.com/16908.html#cutid1

Possibly the best meta we're likely to get. V short, spot-on. And mondo therapeutic. (I don't know if we're allowed to link to other sites so modified it just-in-case....)

[the hero factor]

Yup, show's over, and I've decided my compartmentalization is as such: my onscreen Otalia ends with the Accidental First Date. And I'm willing to go past that point for the purpose of fanfic, provided said fic has characterization consistant with pre-AFD!Otalia. However, Natalia being dragged out into the street and bludgeoned to death in early July is the fruit of the poisonous tree mark for me, and I won't go there or beyond even in fanfic.

Damn shame they fucked it up. And not just from an equal treatment in regards to physical affection and such standpoint, but from a good, old-fashioned writing/characterization standpoint. I swear, it's gotta take a special kind of stupid to mess up a sure thing like that.

But whatever. I still love the Otalia of April 2008 - April 2009. And I still love fanfic. And so I'm gonna do like narrativeflow said and post some of my favorites.

Crossroads by Wonko - I'm a Nat fan, and I just love the exploration of Natalia in this fic. Her past, and her identity crisis as she realizes she's not the person she always thought she was is awesome.

Sons and Mothers Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 by still_nina - Rafe-centric story of him trying to deal with Natalia and Olivia's relationship. This one has a lot of what I was hoping we'd get from the show when Rafe found out about Otalia. Good stuff.

Five Times Rafe Wanted to Say "I'm Sorry" But Didn't by Rocketchick - Title pretty much says it all. What can I say, I like Rafe.

How Three People Found Out About Olivia and Natalia by Fewthistle - Reva, Dinah, and Alan find out about Otalia. And there's elevator sex! And it's very funny. And hot.

Almost Home by Fewthistle - Olivia and Ava drive from San Fransisco to Springfield. Along the way they talk and snark and bond. There's also a lot of great Otalia telephone exchanges in this one.

Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) by gilligankane - Fluffy Otaliababy!fic. Olivia gets up with their son in the middle of the night and has a conversation with the little guy. Very touching and sweet.

The Innocent Bystander by gilligankane - Frank watches Olivia and Natalia, and actually *sees* them.

And a few that are still in progress:

The Courtship of Emma's Mother by Patricia L. Givens - Picks up after the non-wedding of doom. Olivia and Natalia embark on their relationship together. Lots of humor and sweetness, and very little angst.

Life and Breath by altfic - On the one hand, this fic as Olivia and Natalia growing closer together after the spa trip. On the other hand, I'm not really sure what the frick is going on. There's a man named Barron who says he's a cop. And he's given Frank info on a case he's been working, that seems to involve Natalia. I don't know what to think, other than it's all very intriguing and I can't wait to find out.

Hide Beside Me by DiNovia - In this fic, Phillip comes back to Springfield dangerous as ever, and Olivia and Emma flee town with the help of Natalia. A great, tense story.

[veiled isis]

Is anyone else still obsessing over this couple or is it just me? I still can not get enough! Seriosly peoples, you should check out incandescent fire, a forum not unlike this one focused around Jessica Leccia and Crystal Chappell the beautiful women who make up Otalia and although its fairly new, its already got a good few fics tucked under its belt and in all honesty, it's the only website that even comes close to the kitten board interms of amazing well thought out and written fics. Go go go peoples....

[Giftofamber]

Beth Chamberlin (@beth_chamberlin), the writer of a direct to dvd movie called La Lumiere, and Tina Sloan (@tinasloan), one of the actors/producers, tweeted today that the movie would contain lesbians and lesbian kissing, in addition to lots of former Guiding Light alumni. The lesbians would be played by Liz Keifer and Orlagh Cassidy (formerly Blake and Doris on Guiding Light). More information on the series can be found at:

http://www.newkindoflight.com/

The portion of the script of La Lumiere containing the lesbians was written by Beth, not JLH. Beth said also that "Liz helps Orlagh discover her true nature." and that the roles were "delicious".

Jessica and Crystal have not yet signed onto the movie, but not all the roles are filled yet b/c they are trying to get more GL actors on the movie.