DAYS: Honestly, was the Salem Stalker story rewritten?

[daysfan]

I think it was definately re-written in some areas.

I believe the killer was gonna be Hattie as the show even suggested....and, months later, like in either late Summer or Fall, we would learn Marlena was alive and it was Hattie who died, which would be explained n a JER-way.

Because, either way, I believe Deidre would not have been the show for long.

Victor's death was also a little strange. I would think if they were gonna kill him, they wouldn't have done it with Jan. But, it also would've probably changed the whole Nicole/Crystal Galore scheme too.

I think there was alot re-written.....mabye even more than we know/speculate.

[sungrey]

Okay, I'll add my two cents. Ya talked me into it.

I believe the story was re-written because Corday panicked/came to his senses (whatever your opinion might be). Although for some people the murders were thrilling drama, there's no denying that part of the show's heart was being cut out. You don't get rid of long-term characters like that without the audience being up in arms (look at All My Children, where they're about ready to stage a riot thanks to Dixie's death).

Had the dead stayed dead, the show most likely would have slid in the ratings and never recovered. When 14 characters were written out in 1980, the show's Nielsens plunged by about three points and it took two years to get those numbers back.

It's just me, but I think the audience reaction to losing some of the characters forced Corday to take a long, hard look at this story and wonder if it was really worth it. When characters like Roman, Doug and Alice were written out, I bolted as a viewer... then came back when it was revealed this was all going to be a hoax. I can imagine there were many other viewers ready to switch channels (which I suspect most did after the anti-climax revelation that Marlena was the "killer").

Whatever the case, the damage has been undone.

[Jane1978]

Yeah, it was rewritten...by Reilly. He rewrited it at weekly basis because there was never any real story or plan behind it. He´d seen that accident with white tigger, so he writed it in. He´d seen some stupid B horror movie on his flat screen or an article in mag, he immediatelly put it in. I think it´s ridicolous to try to analyze his plans from dialogs or scenes which was put together only to have a maximum effect at the time, but there was nothing behind them, like those singing children or the red moon bad sign.

I´M pretty sure Reilly always wanted to bring those characters back, because he loves triangles and he murdered halves of all popular couples, plus some veterans to make it more shocking. But that was the whole plan. Everything between, from the way characters died, through the island and the castle was pure improvization patched together only so the remaining ones have enough of time to move on and fall in love again.

[JER Soaps Fan]

Hahhahahahaha, so NOT true, Jane.

Anyone who watched Reilly's first years at "Days" (the first time) knows he has things VERY well planned out. And like three years of "Passions" was written before the first show even premiered. (It's something like that, if it's not the exact number.)

No, I believe that the show HAD A PLAN. Like Reilly WOULD. And I believe the rumors that leaked about the original plan, where it had to do with voo doo or some evil spirit or something -- which made sense.

Have we all forgotten how Marlena said, 'Everyone in Salem will DIE'?!!! She didn't say, "Maggie, Jack, Caroline, blah blah blah" will die. She said "EVERYONE."

There's something very suspicious and very strange about that line. And remember how she said it too -- she wasn't really herself. She APPEARED, as a SPIRIT or something, to Celeste.

The children singing, the red moon, it ALL had significance. Corday just screwed it ALL up when he forced the rewrite.

[Mason]

It's so obvious to me that it was re-written. I don't believe JERk had any intention of bringing the victims back to life. That was all Corday's doing, IMO. But then again, I'd rather not go over this, as there are SOOO many plot holes that can be discussed here.

And for the record, I hated the Salem Stalker storyline, from beginning to end.