DAYS: Looks like the soap might be in trouble.

[tina m]

Sad stuff. Hate to see soaps go down the drain.

[px780]

I feel like I'm supposed to be outraged, like NBC and Corday want me to get all upset and mail crap to the network talking about how much I love the show and the vets and all that stuff. But, y'know...whatever. Neither entity really cares about the show having a future, neither really has to. Although one good promotional push, using the attractive young stars and the incredible options NBC has for cross-promotions, could do wonders.

I guess I just don't see what prompted all this recent focus from TPTB at NBC so it feels like a ploy to me. Are the affiliates demanding more flexibility because the primetime lineup ain't so hot, ratings-wise?

The whole younger character thing- Hogan benefitted from one thing Reilly did fairly well with, and that's not shoving young people down our throats. Chelsea had storyline, but it wasn't all teen-oriented or interacting solely with young characters, and Max and Abby kinda sat there for a good long time. So at this point I'm fine with focusing on them and dumping some more expensive power players. It's nowhere near as annoying as Saved by the Belle, and if I learned anything from the SSK storyline it's that some of these couples are better off done.

Of course, the more they use the cheap people the more expensive they'll become. Unless they're down to recast and dump characters as necessary they should probably play veterans against cheap-os, assuming they're gonna make an effort to survive past 2009.

[PhoenixRising05]

But see Ridge you don't know if it's dying for sure. The chances of it dying are high but none of us know what's going to happen.

What happens if the show does continue? Then it hasn't built up anything for the future. Your right there has to be a better balance but other then the last two weeks (one week being really bad) the balance has not been that bad.

This debate can go on and on. I don't think the situation is as bad as people make it out to be. Bo and Hope were on alot last year so I really don't mind the break. J&M being off bugs me but I don't care for the dream story so in a way it's a good thing they are off.

[Ponz]

As BJ said, this is a vicious cycle that began with the teen invasion in 99. Having the show revolve around a (bad) teen set alienated millions of viewers. As ratings (and therefore revenue) dropped, the pressure to use younger and cheaper actors only increased. And of course, using them more just made the ratings situation worse. It's no coincidence that the only successful headwriting team of the past 7 years (Brash & Cwickly) shifted the focus back to the established supercouples. But Corday fired them. Why? Supposedly because their stories cost too much money.

It's difficult to see any way out of the current predicament. The ratings are not going to increase as long as Shelle/Phillip/Nick/Chelsea etc. take centre stage. I like the current younger set and think TPTB have made some excellent casting decisions in this area. The trouble is that long-term viewers are not going to give this group a chance when they are feeling so alienated because their own faves are back-burnered. And without the support of these viewers, the ratings will remain stagnant...hence increasing the financial pressure to use Peter, Kristian, Drake, Dee etc to the bare minimum. That's the vicious cycle.

The show needs a network that is prepared to invest in the show so that it can escape this rut. In reality, they are stuck with idiots like Zucker and Reilly who just want to suck whatever life is left in the show and thereby validate their decision to give up on the soap business. It's depressing because DAYS currently has its best cast in YEARS, a headwriter with a superb track record and passionate and loyal fanbases. If Zucker and co removed their heads from their asses, they would see that it's far from a lost cause.

[Ridge]

You're definitely right Phoenix... And this week has definitely been better. Balance can allow for the show to build for a future that may happen and make it more enjoyable... I just do not want to see the younger set 5 days a week. It's definitely not as bad Phoenix, but these new posts/rumors/ make it seem like it will get worst and I think that's what prompted this rehashed discussion.

[KMan101]

It's sad for sure.

I read this at the other board that shall not be named a week or two ago.

Personally, I'm not noticing MUCH of a difference. Yet. Although it's glaringly obvious since December that Bope and Jarlena are practically guest stars at this point.

I think it's a shame that Corday is that broke.

Before I say this let me remind everyone I love DAYS. It's the first soap I ever got hooked on and it's the one I've been loyal to for over 10 years now (hard to believe, yeah) but frankly, if the budget is that non-existent, NBC should just freaking cancel the show now and let it go out in style.

I wonder how DAYS will even BE in 2009?

How much does Suzanne Rogers make? I know we'll never get a story with her in it, but god, why not, at this point?

[KMan101]

And SO WELL SAID Ponz! It's so sad because the cast, at this point is fantastic, we have a great HW and the most potential we've had in years for an amazing soap. Sigh.

[Ridge]

IA KMan... and I also agree, that was a great post Ponz.

[billyjill]

Hey, I agree that a lot of thought needs to be given to the new characters. They have to be interesting and complex and capable of carrying the Days traditions on. But that's going to take a little time, and in the meantime ditching the characters that, at least relative to the rest of the cast, has been the show's meal ticket, seems to me premature. We're living on day-to-day budget concerns, it seems to me, we need baby steps.

That's what would happen when change happens too fast. Change has to happen, but not so fast where you only create resentment. That's my only point.

We really can have a show that displays Bo and Hope putting their marriage back together in an in depth adult storyline, at the same time as seeing young love happen with Nick and Chelsea, at the same time as seeing the high angst of Lumi, at the same time as seeing Maggie keep the Horton tradition alive, etc etc. It really is all possible if trimmings are made at all levels, IMO.

Personally I think this show's goals should be to build an interesting young set, to restock the Hortons, to address the damages done to the supercouples, and to use the show's longstanding mysteries to pull together an umbrella storyline. That would be my agenda for the show. In time I would like to see the social relevance of the show broadened also.

[billyjill]

Well said, Ponz. I'd love it if NBC could give Days just one more push. There is a lot of potential right now. We've finally ditched Reilly, we've got us some supercouples with long-reaching fanbases and some quite likeable younger actors and some dearly beloved vets. We've got a head writer that has shown signs of "getting" Days to some extent, or at least shown signs of genuinely wanting to. All the things that people are pointing to as problems -- rabid fanbases, the youth demographic targetting, etc -- these could all actually be assets if just used correctly. But the pieces can't be put into place without a network that believes in soaps. And we don't have that.

[R!ck]

Lauren Koslow, Jay Kenneth Johnston, Ali Sweeney, Mary Beth Evans, Stephen Nichols and Bryan Dattilo are NOT the lowest paid actors on the show, yet they are all in front burner stories.

Coma schoma, He still gets paid his 3 day a week guarantee. And I am sure Corday knows better than NOT to pay the guarantee, or else there would be serious consequences.

Hmmm, I wonder where all the money went then? The budget is the same as it was when the show was getting 2.4's and Bope, JM, and Jack & Jen were all front burner. Plus 14 contract actors have left so what happend to that money? I know Annie Burgstede, Blake Berris, James Scott and Noah Segan ain't makin that much. Also Suzanne Rogers has been on a lot

The reason Bo and Hope and John and Marlena are on the backburner is because of Hogan Sheffer. Hogan Sheffer does not write for veteran supercouples plain and simple. If tradition continues we will continue to see the same characters on screen for years to come It's like watching DAYS characters as ATWT clones......

Kayla = Carly

Steve = Jack

EJ = Craig

Kate = Barbara

Lucas = Paul

Sami = Katie

Belle = Emily

Shawn = Simon

Roman = Hal

Abe = Margo

Chelsea = Allison

Abby = Lucy

Max = Aaron

Maggie = Kim

Alice = Nancy

Caroline = Susan

Am I the only one who sees it?

[Chris B]

Rick, preach it! There is nothing interesting or groundbreaking about Hogan's writing for DAYS. He is doing an obvious rehash of his ATWT stuff. The lack of vets is exactly what he did on ATWT. Expect it to get worse the longer he is settled there.

And I doubt all of these exits were because of budget cuts. Thats a good excuse for Hogan to fire anyone he isn't interested in and not get blamed.

[RionPassions]

I am starting to think Hogan isn't the genius some of you were hoping for...his plots aren't that different from Reilly's, and he certainly doesn't utilize the vets anymore. JER definitely made better use of the vets, AND he got rid of less fan favourites. Yes, he killed off Maggie, Jack, etc., but they all came back. Hogan dumped Carrie, Austin, Frankie, Lexie, etc...

[SteveFrame]

I agree with Rick & Chris B. He has copied the plots exactly but as I said in the ratings thread a couple of weeks ago there are way too many similarities.

As far as moving to another network and that saving the vets - just moving to another network is not going to save them. Esp. if it is ABC. They have already proven that with the loss of so many vets.

And who is to say they will get a better budget even on CBS. They will base the budget on the current ratings and what they can sell the program for. GL has the worst budget on CBS. ATWT got a budget cut several years ago. And even Y&R & B&B were cut some. So just moving networks is probably not going to help the budget much until the ratings go up and they can sell more ads and raise revenue.

It's a sad and vicious cycle, and so many in here are saying fire the vets and get rid of them. This is the same thing that ABC has been doing and Y&R did to Eileen Davidson and fans went crazy. It might be good business but it doesn't win any viewer loyalty among the fans. AMC supposedly fired Julia Barr due to the budget and look at the viewers they lost over it. And look at the ridicule and outrage that the members of this board spit upon them. The same that the members of this board have rightly done over the firing of Stuart Damon.

Well to me if you fire someone like Peggy McKay it is no worse that what ABC has done, and fans are not going to be happy about it - even if it is done to save the show.

I know that many are saying this is to save the show and even expect their favorite star to take a pay cut to save the show. I say okay but as I have said before why do the stars always have to take the paycuts. Why can't Hogan take one for the team or Wyman or Corday. You never hear about any of the writers or the producers taking a cut for the team. Back in 1976 Time reported that William J. Bell was making almost a million a year as a writer on Y&R because he was creator. Other writers made less than that but still more than the performers.

I think there needs to be an across the board cut and not just on the performers.

[Chris B]

Steve, I actually disagree with you in regards to the show moving to CBS. I think that could be a HUGE move in a positive way. If CBS heavily promoted the switch and made sure DAYS had the quality (and budget needed), the show could at least match it's current ratings of a 2.6-2.7 which is much higher than what ATWT and GL are getting. I don't think GL will ever rebound in the ratings and could be cancelled for DAYS.

Another positive is that DAYS is one of three soaps to get heavy press in the soap mags. Thats more easy publicity. More people talk about DAYS than they do GL. I think it's a no brainer especially if CBS wants to stay #1.