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

It is very sad. I thought for sure NBC would give it another year esp since its ratings were on the up swing again. I do expect GL and one or two ABC soap to bite the dust SOON.

Wow. I feel bad for the Passions fans, and I'm not happy it was cancelled.

But at the same time, I don't agree with the doom-and-gloom theory that this will create a domino effect of other soaps being cancelled. I think consolidation could actually strengthen the other soaps by concentrating the soap audience on the remaining shows. Some Passions viewers will leave soaps forever, but others will switch to one of the remaining 8 soaps.

Edited January 17, 200718 yr by jfung79

Wow... I knew for years that the end is coming... And like.. two years ago I had that topic here at SON about WHICH SOAP IS THE NEXT TO DIE...

Well now I know my answer... the bad things is, that PASS will probably not be the only one...

Goodbye, PASS!

Since networks block vote for the Emmys, does this mean Days will have even less of a chance in the future being the only soap on NBC? I wonder if Days will move to ABC or CBS at some point.

The future of daytime soaps is probably on cable so We, Lifetime, Soapnet, etc should all be considered.

I HATE THIS!!!!!!!!! It's just so sad!!!!!!!! I wanted Passions to improve. but not cancellation. I feel so bad for the actors and seriously am gonna miss the show.

As for it on SoapNet, MyNetworkTv, CW, or online, that might provide a bit of hope, but for one NBC might just be trying to make fans settles so they don't riot, but for another thing would the fans know to follow it? Not all go to internet message boards and the likes.

I guess today they announce it then.

Maybe NBC will launch a new soap in PSSNS place. I don't believe the genre is dying, but it's only gotten more competitive given all the other outlets that produce consistently good drama. There's really no place for satire when soaps aren't taken seriously enough as it is.

I think a 4th hour of Today will merely be an interim show.

I'll miss the good of Passions (namely Julian, Tabitha, Endora), but there's a lot of not so good. I do think the show could have improved if JER walked away, but that was never going to happen. I wonder if any of the actors will end up on other shows. I wish them all the best of luck.

Maybe NBC will launch a new soap in PSSNS place. I don't believe the genre is dying, but it's only gotten more competitive given all the other outlets that produce consistently good drama. There's really no place for satire when soaps aren't taken seriously enough as it is.

I think a 4th hour of Today will merely be an interim show.

I can't see that happening. I think once 2009 rolls around (if not even earlier than that), NBC is done with the soap business.

Oh hell no to Passions going to Soapnet because you know what will be screwed again? AW reruns.

I can't see that happening. I think once 2009 rolls around (if not even earlier than that), NBC is done with the soap business.

I hope that doesn't happen. DAYS and some other shows are trying to stay viable. They haven't completely given way to shameful displays of satire.

But the writing may be on the wall. Entertainment Tonight did a feature on Guiding Light celebrating its 70th anniversary and ominously stated that it will most likely be the only soap to reach such a milestone. You can blame O.J. and other contributing factors, but sometimes I feel like the head writers just fall on their glory days and don't write good enough stories to keep an audience entertained or interested.

For what it's worth, I am sorry you're losing your show. Despite my signature, it's not meant to rub it in your face or worsen the feelings of loss.

Edited January 17, 200718 yr by Q Steph

Passions is sold on Itunes right? With how huge tv viewing online has become, i'm wondering if NBC might just try to keep Passions available online for a while...Would people watch???? i wonder what their Itunes sales are?

I don't think anyone was watching at Itunes. Didn't they start streaming free eppy's of Passions at the NBC site shortly after the Itune's deal?

I hope that doesn't happen. DAYS and some other shows are trying to stay viable. They haven't completely given way to shameful displays of satire.

But the writing may be on the wall. Entertainment Tonight did a feature on Guiding Light celebrating its 70th anniversary and ominously stated that it will most likely be the only soap to reach such a milestone. You can blame O.J. and other contributing factors, but sometimes I feel like the head writers just fall on their glory days and don't write good enough stories to keep an auidence entertiand or interested.

The head writers (and I use the term writers loosely) as well as the EP's are exactly who I blame. No one is forcing them to write such drivel. Bad stories and bad acting are what's driving viewers away. If all soaps were delivering quality, the ratings would not be as dire as they are right now. But instead, rather than making any real effort (with the current exception of DAYS), HW's, EP's, network heads, etc. all opt to slack off, and this is exactly where it gets them. Cancellation.

For what it's worth, I am sorry you're losing your show. Despite my signature, it's not meant to rub it in your face or worsen the feelings of loss.

Thank you.

Oh hell no to Passions going to Soapnet because you know what will be screwed again? AW reruns.

You might be right!!! That can't happen, although if they let go of Dallas, Soapnet could develop it's own soap. Soapnet should have been doing this since the conception of the network in the first place.

I wouldn't worry about the cast. A ) This was not news to them yesterday if the rumor has been going around for us for 3.5 weeks, it's been going around for them for over a month. Not to mention, PSNS cancellation rumors start up every year around this time. and B ) The ones we're sad we'll never see again...we'll see again. And now, they have a chance to get great material and shots at some awards nods/wins. The ones who don't deserve to be in the acting industry...well, hopefully, we'll never see them again!