Exclusive Interview with New Days Head Writer Tim Lowery!!!

I=Interviewer

HW: Head Writer Tim Lowery

New HW gives exclusive look behind the big things happening at Days!!

I: Ok-the first question on everyone's mind is why go through this all again?

HW: Well, when I took over the reigns for Jim Reilly, my goal was to bring back the Days of old. Now I know you can never get that show back but you can get that feel and identity back. I wanted the audience that has been with us for years and years and has passed this great tradition on to the next generation to see the real Days of our Lives. In order to get the show back to this, I needed to clean alot up. I won't use this interview to attack Jim Reilly but the show had so many plot holes never explained and so much was messed up due to rewrites and the like. I knew I needed to do something to bring the show back so I thought up a big umbrella event for the WHOLE cast. No one was to be left out along the primary characters and this way I could bring everyone to one location and bring out some huge secrets and then the show would be on it's way.

I: But why going the Captive Island route? Why kill people again and go through false press releases?

HW: Well, we have a big cast. The only way to get everyone there we wanted to was to split them up and leave a small group behind in Salem. That small group would represent characters I felt needed special attention at this time in an effort to move their stories to other levels. Sami and Chelsea were big factors. Those two I focused a great deal on and by blowing the cast apart I had an opportunity to work on them and focus on them more, as well as the rest of the island rescue squad. Once I decided to do this island story, I knew we would have to go the copycat route because the first Captive Island had so many plot holes that were blantant that nagged at me as a fan so I can imagine how others felt. I knew I had to go back and fill in the blanks and this story will do that. You already know about the water supply, Andre, and now the real mastermind. By the end of this month, we will connect all the dots and you will know everything you need to. As for the press releases, the actors and everyone behind the scenes knew this time it was ruse. Unlike the last time, everyone knew. We just needed the fans not to know because, if they did, they would not be invested. We knew this would anger them and we knew once they learned that dead were alive they would be angry we did this but this is the way things needed to go to get the ball rolling.

I: So that is why the show never spoke out on anything over the last few weeks directly?

HW: Right. We didn't want to lie to the fans again. We are trying to regain their trust. We opted this time to put out little insider blurbs by way of employees, etc that would somehow get out to the media and get fans talking. Some even talked about actors being upset and such just so people would buy it again. We knew by doing this people would buy into it again. If we had done it like the last time, they may have thought it was happening all over again and someone may have spilled info to the mags or something. We took careful steps and only confirmed things not related to the story. I did feel like we dropped alot of hints like in my first interview saying that we were "going to re-tell a failed story."

I: Ok so explain how you chose who should "die" and who should "live" in greater detail?

HW: We knew the previous people that "died" the first time around would have to again. Maggie and Victor were the only ones we wanted to spare because we needed them to be on the rescue squad to build something with them. Bonnie was needed for comic relief and her "dying" would serve nothing. Celeste had to be on the rescue team for obvious reasons. Lexie we needed around to delve into our plans for Sami and to start something new with Lexie. John needed to lead the team with Shane. We wanted Belle on her own and away from Shawn and the others for once because I am trying to take her in a new direction. Hope was needed on the rescue team because she is a cop and we also wanted to add some dimension into the Hope/Chelsea arc to build something. Eric, Nicole, and Greta all just returned and their story is just starting so we threw them in with the rescue crew so people could get comfortable with them again. Those three had no reason to be among the "dead" so we kept them out of that. As for those we chose to kill off, since we knew the fans would hate going through this all over again, we speeded things up and went the mass "murder route" by getting rid of several characters at once like the plane explosion and Jack crashing his car at the wedding. We wanted to get to the island phase of this so that the audience would be spared as much turmoil as possible because this is where things get good. There was really no order to the "deaths." We killed Abe first because we thought it would be like a hint to the fans. Same goes for Jack. Another thing I heard questions about was why include Alice, Julie, etc? Well, they are part of the cast and Francis is capable and she loves working so I included her. Her presence I felt is important since she is always a comfort. I wanted to include everyone because this story will be historic in that it will bring the show back from the doldrums and will give many disheartened fans what they want. I only wish I could have found a way to involved the Salem children too .

I: Why Ernesto as the real mastermind behind both plots?

HW: Simple. It could not be anyone else. The SSK story/Captive Island plot was full of trickery and illusions. The ghostly visions were never explained and the explanation behind how the dead looked dead was stupid. It should have been Ernesto and I was shocked when the show went with Tony. Soapnet even aired a episode from the Cruise of Deception story that had the Captive Island logo of a palm tree on Isabella's bed post. Days could have had a blockbuster tale on their hands but they botched it. I am hoping to make this a blockbuster now and now we get to see some of how I feel it should have played out. Ernesto is a guy who would dream an idea like Captive Island up. Stefano would too but this is more Ernesto style. Plus, the first time around Victor was not killed by the SSK and we never got a proper explanation other then "Tony" saying he wanted to collect more "bodies." Ernesto would want Victor and fans will see us explain all this in the weeks ahead.

I: Why make Tony Andre?

HW: Because Tony was destroyed and the only way to save the character was to do this. The Captive Island plot destroyed Tony and the Dimeras for me and many fans and I hope to restore it to glory now.

I: There is a rumor about two more big returns in addition to thsoe we know of. What can you tell us?

HW: Well, one big one is Shane's stalker who will be revealed by the end of July. She will play a big part in the climax of the island tale once she arrives with Bo's boat. She will also have a presence in one of the show's triangles. The other big return is temporary and only to tie things up. It is something people have been waiting for but both returns will be secrets until the show airs. I like fans to be surprised.

I: What is going on with Roman? Did Sami learn that he isn't her father?

HW: This is top secret but I can tell you that Josh Taylor's Roman is not Roman. I can't go further then that. I love the guy and he can act but he has never been Roman like Wayne and Drake. This will be a huge story and Sami will play a huge role in this. It will help mature and redeem her, a process we started with the Lexie scenes.

I: Why bring back Alan?

HW: It was time and there is great potential there. It starts off as a Carrie story and then will branch out into sami's redemption story. Paul Kersey will be here for awhille as this story will be a good, solid arc.

I: What other previews can you give us?

HW: Well, we have Rex and Cassie returning to tie up story. Rex will play a big part in the departure of one character from the show. You can expect an announcement on that next week. Cassie may stay on board long term but we will have to look at some things first. Some big things happen with Bo, Billie, Hope, and Chelsea. Some real big twists and turns. Patrick plays a part in this too and we will also finally learn about his past. There is a big shock there. The Abby/Max romance will build as Chelsea pushes him away after her rape. Kate and "Roman" get a shock and "Roman" will get his own shock, of course. We will see something big happen with Maggie and her story with Victor is just beginning. Caroline will be drawn into that too and her secret with Victor will be a huge factor. Lexie and Tek will be exposed and this may lead Lexie back to her Dimera days. Expect some good Lexie/Stefano scenes. Sami will be a huge focal point as we mature her a bit. Carrie's baby will be a source of great tension. The truth about Claire will be revealed and this will lead to big things for Belle. Shawn, Philip, and Mimi. Bonnie does something shocking that will show the fans what she would do for the ones she loves. Jack, Jennifer, and Frankie concludes as well in a stunning and emotional way.

I: What about John and Marlena?

HW: John has to make a huge decision and may have to make a big sacrifice. The Marlena we know and love is gone and John begins to wonder if she will ever be back. This is a love story and the island climax will have some of this most heartbreaking, emotional stuff you have ever seen between these two and many others. Marlena does some things in the weeks ahead that shows how far gone she truly is. Reading what I have written for them and some of the others, but especially John and Marlena, it is truly gut-wrenching stuff and is both shocking and a real tear jerker.

I: We know about Missy Reeves and Kyle Brandt leaving-any other casting news? What about Deidre Hall?

HW: I can't talk about Deidre yet. She is a major part of the show so let's leave it at that. Kyle will be seen in a limited fashion during the summer until his exit at the end of the summer. Missy will exit a little sooner then that. As I said, Eric Winter is returning to play a part in the exit of one actor/actress and another may be behind that person. There will be an announcement on that next week or maybe this weekend. There will be some cast cuts and some additions. You will just have to keep looking out for them.

I: Thanks for clearing things up and giving us some info. Anything else you want say?

HW: Your welcome and all I can say is to stay with us from now on because we are going back to the Days you love. There may be some far-fetched stuff coming up at times in the next few weeks but everything as a whole is amazing, emotional, incredible stuff. There is some UNFORGETTABLE DAYS AHEAD!!! I PROMISE!!!