Variety Article

The Peacock has pulled the plug on "Passions." Net today will announce the cancellation of the nearly eight-year-old soap, which was known for its young-skewing supernatural storylines. Death had been anticipated in the wake of NBC's decision to expand "Today" to four hours (Daily Variety, Jan. 15).

NBC's contract for "Passions" runs until June, but since the extra hour of "Today" won't begin until the fall, it's expected the Peacock will try to extend the show through August. Net still needs to negotiate those deals with talent and producers.

Peacock was proud of "Passions," often touting its young femme numbers. Just last week, net issued a ratings release noting the sudser's No. 4 ranking among all serials among women 18-49 and its first-place tie with "Days of Our Lives" as the top sudser among women 18-34 for the first week of January.

NBC also pointed to the fact that it owns "Passions" outright, allowing it to keep any profits from the skein.

Cancellation of the skein points to the increasingly harsh economic climate for sudsers. Daytime insiders say it's likely one or two more daytime dramas could be killed by the end of the decade.

Because "Passions" is such a strong brand among young femmes, it's believed NBC will try to find a way to keep the show alive somewhere other than the network. An Internet platform is a possibility, while NBC might also talk to Disney to see if the conglom would be interested in producing a shortened version of the sudser for its successful SoapNet cabler.

Another potential home might be News Corp.'s barely breathing MyNetwork TV, which has had no luck drawing auds with its cheaply produced telenovelas.

Launched in July 1999, "Passions" was created by former "Days of Our Lives" scribe Jim Reilly, who remains exec producer and head writer. Lisa de Cazotte also serves as exec producer.

Skein was set in the town of Harmony, and at various times featured characters such as Timmy the doll-turned-human and Tabitha, the 300-year-old witch.

Edited January 17, 200718 yr by Kenny

I'm a Passions fan myself, but I don't see the show surviving in internet form or even on Soapnet. I think the best thing is to let it go out with a bang.

I have reminded everyone to stop bickering in the previous thread. Once again, stop the insulting or you will receive a warning.

Yeah, another unmerited one.

Errol, Rick, someone please remove the bickering from this thread.

I'm not going to have MY thread shut down for idiotic crap.

We're keeping an eye on this Kenny. If there's any problems, use the "report to moderator" feature and the person will be warned.

They don't necessarily have to sell the show to another network.

They can still produce the show and broadcast it on another network.

Thanks Toups! Let's hope MyNetworkTV decides to take it. I would love Passions at 9:00pm

PSNS is big in the 12-17, 12-24, and 12-34 demos, so even if half of PSNS audience would follow it to MNTV it would still get better ratings that Watch Over Me or Wicked Wicked Games. I have blinders on I know, but I ain't giving up yet

Well I hope something can be done for fans of the show.

Your such a doll Kenny

I watched Passions when it first premiered..I was real curious as to what the show was going to be like...I was hooked for the longest time, however, just lost interest in it when I saw that some of the storylines weren't going to move along...

I know a lot of folks who watch the show will truly miss it...It's unfortunate that viewers will once again lose an NBC soap.

This does upset me a little bit, though.

Not that I want Passions to go. I'm just upset that NBC never gave an option to "Another World." There was no SoapNet then, no MyNetworkTV, and it wasn't marketable over the internet.

Sorry, guys, but I DON'T get My Network TV. A big 'NO' to that one.

CW, I'll accept.

Syndication, I think, is the show's best bet.

It's nice that the net likes the show enough to consider these options.

(Oh, who should eat crow, for saying the net didn't like the show, all those posts ago in another thread? I forgot).

Edited January 17, 200718 yr by JointStrikeFighter

I honestly think the stuff about NBC considering Passions to run on the internet/SoapNet/MNTV is a bunch of hooey they're spewing out to keep from being bombarded with calls from angry fans.

I honestly think the stuff about NBC considering Passions to run on the internet/SoapNet/MNTV is a bunch of hooey they're spewing out to keep from being bombarded with calls from angry fans.

Same here. Nothing will ever come of it.

I could actually see Passions on CW than the Sci-Fi Channel..to be honest.... They have a lot of other supernatural type shows on the CW, so Passions would have fit in.

They don't necessarily have to sell the show to another network.

They can still produce the show and broadcast it on another network.

This would never, ever happen. And it's not going to.

I cannot believe it's actually been confirmed....wow. Wow.

God, this has all taken such a toll on me tonight. I'm wiped out!

I think I'm heading for bed, folks...

I still crack up when I remember watching the episode when Charity (I think, I can't remember) was being chased by that Doberman Pincher and she found out it was Kay

It's sad the other thread came to an end. I missed one heck of a fight but, hopefully, we can keep all that out of here.

Anyways, this is sad and I agree that it's highly unlikely for Passions to be moved to another network. MyNetworkTV is struggling and while Passions has had good success on the net with their tie-ins and what not, I can't see it doing well on it for good. Sopanet would be hard because many don't have it and Passions doesn't have enough history to make people follow it like Days and others would. I mean, any soap moving to Soapnet would take a hit but Passions has lower ratings and less history so they would be hit hard.

The best option is The CW. Too bad Fox wasn't still in the market for daytime soaps as it was rumored they were in the late 90's. They may have been a good fit too.

If Passions did make it on another network, I would love it trimmed to a half hour. It only focuses on the same characters most of the time anyway so trim it down to the main characters and go from there.

Personally, I think it's gone come August. It's sad. So much potential. I agree with whoever said it hurts more that another hour of Today is the replacement. It would hurt nonetheless, though.

I remember when the show first premiered. The expectations were so high and, after the first year, I remember looking at the ratings and buzz thinking that the show was on it's way. It hit a 2.9 and it was riding high. It took a tumble in 2002-2003 and then had a second tumble in late 2005-present that it never recovered from. I blame JER for this completely.

I hate NBC cancelled it but I can see why. I didn't want them too but they had reason. I do blame them for not getting more involved in Passions and pushing JER but no one tells him what to do so it probably would've did nothing anyway.

I feel horrible for the cast. The reactions had to be heartbreaking.

As for JER, he can kiss my ass for what he has done. Not only did he nearly kill Days but he killed his own show and his actions may have been the spark to what was an already volitile daytime landscape and now the domino effect may be beginning.

This sucks

I feel horrible for the cast. The reactions had to be heartbreaking.

As for JER, he can kiss my ass for what he has done. Not only did he nearly kill Days but he killed his own show

ITA, more or less.