Phillip & Beth: They've Still Got It

I am fan of GUIDING LIGHT's Phillip and Beth from their beginning in 1983. I will admit to falling in love with Beth and Lujack and the whole "Almost Paradise" love of 1984, but most of the past 26 years Phillip and Beth have ranked as my all-time favorite couple on the show.

Even when John Bolger took over as Phillip with Judi Evans' Beth there was chemistry. Twenty years ago Beth Chamberlin took over seamlessly the role of Beth and I've been a big fan of hers ever since. She and Grant Aleksander had the same chemistry as the previous pairings and maybe more.

With Aleksander's return to the show as Phillip this week, I wondered if the magic that has always been there would still exist. On Wednesday's episode, Phillip approached Beth outside the hospital and they didn't even have dialogue, but the actors said so much without saying a thing.

Today's show was the first time the characters actually got to really talk and it was fascinating to watch. Beth explained how she had been with Rick and Alan and now Coop and what a failure she was. Phillip told her that he would never judge her after what he did. She broke down in his arms and it was just like nothing had ever changed. These two characters love each other despite everything that happened in the past several years.

Later, after Phillip helped Beth take off her bloody wedding dress, Beth asked Phillip if she was going to stick around. He didn't answer.

There are so many questions that are still unresolved including where Phillip has been, about his state of mental health and how Beth will deal with Coop's accident and Phillip's return. But one question has definitely been answered already - Phillip and Beth have still got it.