VelekaCarruthers

Episode 13 The bad: The actor playing Martin needs to go. When Smitty mentioned "the dream" I knew we were in for some bad "acting." The choice to give this couple teen kids was a mistake even though both actors seem capable (with some potential). And the writing for Martin's approach to Smitty going back to work is weird. He's being written like Smitty's father giving him permission for one assignment. I'm getting Days vibes from some of the sets and lighting, and not in a good way. MVJ is making some rookie head writer mistakes. I'm not getting the sense that she's a natural as head writer. I could name several areas but my overall impression has to do with what happens when I'm watching: creative ideas pop into my head that I'm not seeing on the screen which often means I'm uninspired by what I'm seeing and/or it's lacking something additional or compelling. The good: Derek is really growing on me. The big lug needs a back rub! I'm wondering if they are going to have him experience personality changes from the concussion (ala Jason Morgan). (Side note: They need more tantalizing beefcake in each show. We needed Smitty in a muscle tank top, not LLB long sleeve, Ward Cleaver, pajamas. We needed Derek shirtless in that hospital bed. Where are the queer directors and producers on set!) Daphnee/Nicole is the star, just love her. Andre's clothing is inspired. I want his last Friday/Monday outfit and today's too! The actor playing Tyrell. He's got Darnell Williams acting potential. I liked how he handled his scenes even though the whole set up (being twins of this couple) doesn't work for me. Also good: we didn't need to sit through Naomi and Jacob's conflict about the Dani arrest (rookie head writer plot turn IMO). I'm on the fence after this 12 episodes about extending my 1 week free paramount subscription into annual. I'm hoping Thursday/Friday episodes start to gel more but it's going to be months before they fix some of this issues. Overall, I like a lot of what I'm seeing.

Episode 12: messy/sloppy. Jacob/Naomi not working for me. They should have made Bill and Ted brothers. The episode felt disjointed. Still feel Zimmerman/Brown are a winning script combo but Dani's character is still a mess of contradictions. They got some work to do with some of the actors (Ted, Jacob in particular in this episode). I liked Anita/Vernon scenes. Some of the pop culture and historical references in the script are a bit heavy handed but I like the realism they are bringing to some of the plots/characters.

Days just finished taping Xmas week through 12/30/2025 episode. My gut tells me this show will be cancelled by Peacock for Sept 2026 final episode.

Episode 11: The actors playing Martin and Jacob might be problems. They didn't come through with the material in this episode. I still like Derek/Ash and the actors. Nicole is my favorite (character and actress) Daphnee did a great job with the material. And wow, Trisha Mann-Grant as Leslie. She's amazing. She made the Cruella campy plot and dialogue work. I still feel Dani's story and character are messy (feels like more than one cook in the kitchen deciding about the character). The Dupree living room scenes were good but not yet at the level of the best of the Quartermaines or Abbots. I would have had Anita point out Bill's possible motive in dropping the charges (that he still wants Dani in some way) instead of having Dani be so observant/astute about it. In a few days, Dani has shot up the country club and had sex with Andre in addition to her other antics and she's suddenly clearheaded about all the chaos she created? This would have given Tamara more to work with as Anita. I'm still waiting for MVJ to give Anita more strength, opinions and definition. I need to count how many of the male characters have goatees. The outline was well done by Bibel. Paige's script was better than Friday but still had some stale lines. Overall, the show was entertaining and as a veteran soap watcher of the best (Slesar, Marland, Nixon etc.) I'm surprised I'm still tuning in.

Thanks

Who wrote the outline? I believe Danielle Page said she wrote today's script.

Celena Cipriaso may be gone as outline writer after 16 episodes as she hasn't written any in the last 12 or so. May explain why she has "open to work" on her linkedin profile. We shall see. But with them testing Will and bringing on Ryan, someone has to go.....

With 33 Ron episodes left, these shows (starting with 3/4) were filmed in July after a three week hiatus in June (according to Jason47 prod schedule website). I think Ron was out the door at end of June. But, no matter, I would think Paula/Jean and the producers edited out Ron crap they didn't want to play. Just my guess.

Ms. Veleka binged watched the first 10 episodes in a 24 hour period this weekend and she has opinions, of course. She's been watching soaps since 1969 and saw the live premiers of (Loving, Passions, B&B, Y&R, Capitol, Santa Barbara, Sunset Beach, The City, PC) First, congrats to the entire team for putting on a (generally) fabulous first two weeks. I won't quibble about the lighting or some of the stiff acting because all of the actors did a great job and so many of them had chemistry together. Stand-outs in order of my personal star power rating! Daphnee Duplaix (Nicole) is a star. She nails every scene and I want more. She's classic soap. I bet she will carry major storylines and bring in audience (while they're trying to fix the Dani mess/more on that later). The show needs to revolve around her. She reminds me of several of daytime's best: Julia Barr, young Tamara Tunie, Crystal Chappel. I'm glued to the screen when she's on. And the writing has been consistent for her (as opposed to Dani/more on that later LOL) Sean Freeman (Andre): he improved (and was pretty good from the start) over the ten episodes but really was fantastic from the start. He reminds me of young Taye Diggs when he appeared on GL. He's going places. Sexy as hell. Chemistry for days with Ash and Dani. Trisha Mann-Grant/Dana Leslie: love, love, love her. She's a grand dame. This may be controversial but while watching I kept wondering how things would have been if she had been cast as Anita (and I love Tamara but not so much the writing for Anita in the first ten episodes which may contribute to my wandering thoughts) Mike Manning/Smitty: just wow. Sexy as hell. Nails every scene even when the dialogue is a bit stilted. Not a surprise as I watched his stellar work on Days. Ambyr Michelle/Eva: I'm not sold on the plot with her Mom but she is wonderful. Timon Durrett/Bill: Outstanding. Reminds me of a younger Ron Raines as Alan Spaulding. Runners-up. Marquita as Haley: very good and improving with each episode. Jen Jacob/Ash: I like her; she's got presence and spunk and plays the scenes so well with whomever is opposite her. Ben Gavin/Derek: I think many on this board have trashed him, but I think he's fine. Every soap has to have a dumb but lovable muscle dude who sounds a little wooden and seems stiff. He has some gay vibes too. I want him to have a one night stand with Smitty. Colby Mohammed/Kat: class act; handled lots of dialogue with creativity and skill. Lauren/Vanessa: great character and the actress will chew the scenery in a good way. Classic soap nympho. Love her. Needs work: Maurice Johnson Ted (I'm ambivalent about him but the character is one note so far). Brandon Clayton/Martin: he is stiff but it mostly plays okay because Martin seems to be a stuck up douchebag. Writing Team: Here's what stood out for me: Scripts that struck me as less than: Danielle Paige (Episode 10) stilted/uninspired; Lynn Martin (Episode 5) gimmicky lines that didn't land . Stand out script and outline: Episode 8: Jazmen/Teresa. This was my favorite episode of the ten. It felt like the show had been on for years. I loved the B and C plots being fleshed out. I felt Jazmen knew how to write for the younger group. I thought all the outlines were mostly well paced. Plots: My biggest issue is with Dani's plot. I have whiplash trying to make sense of it. Huge problem for me is casting a 43 year old beauty who looks 33 as a 49 year old mother of two grown daughters who supposedly gave up her modeling career (she was 19 when she married Bill 30 years ago). I groaned with the wedding/gun scenes. Episodes 6 (wedding) and 7 (press conference) had some major cringy elements for me (and I don't blame Ron C for Monday). First, Dani's meltdown and Dana Leslie's revenge plot are too similar and too extreme without building more foundation. Re Dani: it felt like the writers needed a huge first Friday tag but didn't think how it would play out. I won't go into the details as you all watched it unfold but the whole thing just didn't work and by this Friday, she's normal but being arrested. I could go on. My second gripe but all in good fun because I think the show is great is Anita. Love me some Tamara but MVJ dropped the ball IMO not establishing Anita's relationship and influence over Dani more clearly. Ditto for background on Dani/Bill. I would have maybe started the first episode with a flashback of when Dani discovers the affair and have Dani connect clearly with her daughters and mother over the betrayal with flashbacks of their happy times in the first four episodes, not late in the second week. As I look back on the ten episodes this is what surprises me the most. Classic soap is mother and daughter. I felt more detail went into Leslie/Eva. In short, Dani is a mess of a character in two weeks partly because Karla is too young for the role and partly the inconsistent writing. So Dani loved Bill so much, gave up everything but was willing to pull a gun, endangering her family, because Bill slept with a family friend who's so young. Meanwhile, she goes and screws Andre who is at least 20 years younger than she. I can't even with the wedding/gun scenes with everyone standing around. More nuanced writing might have had Dani pull the gun and point it at them then turn it on herself as a threat. It would then make sense that no one would want to approach her physically. But of course, they're using the suicide threat this week with Dana. Karla was great through it all even the bug eyed / no blink scenes that we all know she can do (and it is annoying). Runner up gripes: not into Naomi and the husband. I felt that Kat/Naomi/Chelsea/Eva need work to set each apart. I have a free paramount plus week through Saturday and will watch week 3 then determine if I pay the annual. Overall: A- PS: I want more of Shanice and Mona.

Is Susan Dansby getting daily credit as editor?

Well, Gregori didn't last on the writing team so there's that. Also wondering if Jazmen lasts as script writer given his recent post where he describes everything in the past tense. Bottom line: some of these hires don't have a ton of experience or any network experience (Gregori). Writing soaps is tough. I think there'll be other production changes over the first year. But that's to be expected.

Who wrote today's breakdown and script? Thanks

Odd choice to use past tense to describe his writing position at BTG.

Also, Fran Myers is 74 who is likely to retire at some point. Sheri Anderson would make a great script editor as she knows the show so well but Sheri is 76 so ....But here's a great interview with Sheri. Interesting facts about GH/Luke/Laura rape story that I didn't know. I always attributed the story to Pat Smith. https://www.digitaljournal.com/entertainment/sheri-anderson-thomas-talks-distinguished-career-in-daytime-tv/article/573258

Understood about Sheri. Would be odd for her to claim fi core and not work on a soap, particularly Days where she has been hired/rehired many times since the 70s. I know she worked for Pat Falken Smith on GH in 79-81 but was never rehired. I doubt Valentini had her on the strike staff. We shall see. I wonder if Dan O'Connor and Katie Schock were let go from Day too. Both are Ron's pets from OLTL and GH. So here's what we know: Written by Jean Marie Ford and Paula Cwikly Outlines Rick Draughon Katie Schock *but for how long? ? maybe Sheri Anderson Script Editor Fran Myers Scripts David Kreizman (his linkedin profile shows him as still employed at Days) Joanna Cohen Megan Titus Kirk Doering Henry Newman Dan O'Connor I could see one of the script writer being moved to outline writer (Kirk Doering or Dan) and writers' assistant Isaac Tackman becoming a contract script writer. I also wonder about Lisa Connor who recently wrote 7 or 8 freelance scripts at Y&R (and has worked at both Y&R and Days) and Anne Schoettle (who had a recent, odd stint as script editor at GH for about 100 episodes) and her husband is a director at Days. She was a former co-head with Leah Laiman as well as script writer and outline writer.

I would think Sheri Anderson would have been rehired since she went FICORE during the writers' strike and likely worked on Days for that five months. We already know that Rick Draughon was rehired as a breakdown writer.

You can count on Ms. Veleka to bring you early scoops i.e. Gregori leaving BTG (as I posted days ago) and possibly Jamie replacing him (as I posted earlier today before it was confirmed above).

Maybe Jamey is replacing Gregori Martin as outline writer. I previously posted how Gregori talked about his time as a writer in the past tense (on a recent FB post).

Yes

The show is being covered by BBC news! https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn8r0513n5vo

Michael Tylo couldn't remember his lines, bless his heart. Neither could Lisa Brown. She flubbed all the time.

Are they giving credit to the day's outline and script writers or just listing all 15 writers?

During the month of Sept 2024 Days filmed episodes that will air between May 27 and July 7 according to Jason47 production schedule list. So, her episodes will air for a few more months.

Wonder when they'll start listing all the writers. Gregori Martin posted the following on social media on 2/24. Sure sounds like he's either no longer on staff or won't be after season 1? Odd choice of past tense when you just launched in your new job if it's long term and in the present.....Thoughts? 'A new kinda Dynasty hits the television airwaves today! It’s finally the premiere of @michelevaljean’s @BeyondtheGates. It was a blast being part of the writing team and helping launch season 1 with this stellar creative team! Catch all the drama weekdays on CBS. Streaming on Paramount + This is a first collaboration between the NAACP and Proctor and Gamble so feeling very proud! Thank you Michele, Sheila, Julie, Bob and all deciding parties who allowed me to be a small part of it. It takes a village so congrats to all the very talented folks involved!'