ALL: I've given up DAYS, Need a new soap

[PhoenixRising05]

Yep and I can't help but wonder if the looming cancellation threat isn't affecting the way people watch and critique the show. Since that comment was made, people seem to more more hard on Days then ever and I think that is a justifiable feeling because everyone wants to see it do well so it has a chance to move or remain on NBC. It just seems like the jumping ship and thrashing is at an all time high, even moreso then under JER. I think that factor is HUGE here as people were much more patient before that.

What bothers me is many forget that Days was all over the place since 1997. Alot of damage was done to it and the characters. If Hogan is going to truly turn this show around, he has to repair that damage, something he is still doing. Yes, he did alot of character work in the Fall but there is still work left to do. He is trying to build for the future (Yes, Days has to do that so they don't get caught hanging if they remain past 2009) but also try to build things for now. People also tend to forget the uphill battle the show is facing. They are on a network that already pretty much said they don't want them regardless of what happened. That may change with better ratings but it also may not. The bottom line is something happened in January and no one knows what. We know there was some thing rewritten and we know that some actors may have needed personal time (Drake with his issues, Kristian and Peter were due and there was something about KA being in a movie, maybe Dee had some stuff with her divorce to work out) so the show and Hogan can't be faulted for that. The show and Hogan also can't be faulted for the budget. The budget is not why the actors people want are off but it impacts the show in that it can't do things as far as events on the level of GH and other shows. Yes, Days lost lots of momentum and it was very poor timing for this to happen but things happen and sometimes it's not the show's fault. It's ridiculous to think this was planned considering balance just doesn't get knocked out of whack in one week's time and stories just don't slow down all together that quick. The balance is off but let's remember that these characters on now were backburnered for most of the Fall with the exception of LUMI/EJ and Steve/Kayla.

People need to remember this is not like the other times Days was bad. It's not crappy writing and it's not a situation where you have a bad writer and you don't know when something will be done. Something will be and is already being done. The show has had more cohesion this month to it and even the slow episodes have punch to them. It's not rose-colored glasses or making excuses-it's reality and many Days fans ignore it. They just sit there and thing the show is boring or whatever but forget all the issues the show has to deal with in order to just survice and put out a decent product everyday. Hogan has had to deal with alot like the cast cuts and now obvious re-writes and setbacks due to God knows wha reason. That is why it's hard for me to see people give up on a situation that isn't so cut and dry like "Oh, the show is disappointing me and I am going to quit." Something happened and until it's a fact that we know things will remain this way I think people should give it a chance. It's up to each individual but that is my feeling.

All I know is and I know I will get slammed for this but others beleive this too, everyone criticizing the show right now in this thread will be right back on the bandwagon when the show gets good again and that just bugs me. I guess I come from a different period where I always thought you stuck it out unless it got unbearable and Days is certainly not that. It offers quality but it's slow right now and the balance was off for a month. It's improving now. It's like in sports where you have fair-weather fans who only jump on when the team is good and jump back off when the going gets tough. The going was and still is tough for Days right now. It needs fan support like all the soaps do right now to survive. If Days leaves us in 2009 (which I doubt), I am sure all Days fans would want to say that they were there until the end and that they had enjoyed it while they had it.

I wasn't going to respond but the Days fan in me couldn't help it. Again, everyone is different and I understand that. It's an individual choice and those that are sticking it out and those that are enjoying, good for you. I will be right there with you. Those that quit, I hate to see you stop watching but I hope you get what you are looking for one day or from someplace else.

End of rant

[ANDREA LOATHES REILLY]

RYAN'S HOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ANDREA LOATHES REILLY]

If you want to hang in there, that's fine. It's your choice. Others have decided that DOOL may have given all it has left. Corday foolishly allowed Hogan to make promises he obviously can't keep. Corday allow one hack in after the other, and now that a good writer is in, Hogie can't write the entire cast because Corday can't afford it. I like Marlena and John inspite of Dreck's inability to act. They are really hot together. After all this time, I get nothing? I exercise my right to tune out, and so do others.

Your rant is similar to some of the rants I've heard when Trassions was canceled. Some of the ridiculous arguments included, "You were never a fan in the first place if you could leave the show". That is the single most absurd thing to come out of the mouth of a fanATIC!

When you buy something (the audience pays with time and emotional investment), you expect to get some gratification. When that does not happen, you shop elsewhere. It's as simple as that.

DOOL is not delivering, and that is sad, ESPECIALLY with the likes of Hogan Sheffer at the wheel.

ANDREA

[daysfan]

I think this is exactly what NBC wants. They WANT the fans to tune out and the ratings to be bad so they can make the "Ratings are too low" excuse in 2009. They want Days to die. They want fans to give up on the show.

And I can understand why you would tune out, but it breaks my heart to see the fans doing exactly what NBC wants.

[ANDREA LOATHES REILLY]

If this is the case, why bring in a WRITER? Why not just keep Reilly on board? With Reilly, NBC would not even have to wait for 2009. Reilly would have completely killed it by mid 2007.

Andrea

[daysfan]

I was just speculating, but they could have brought Hogan in to wrap everything up. Lord knows what JER would have tried to pull to end Days. Also that was before Passions was cancelled.

[sungrey]

You and me both. I'm loving this version of Days. It seems like some people almost want Reilly to return, to which I say... ARE YOU NUTS?? (I know it won't happen, but never say never.) The characters are more realistic, the stories are more rooted in believability. Still, like you said, some people aren't used to this, so it's a shock to them.

Staying on the topic, I'd recommend GL. It's my favorite show at the moment. I would say ATWT, but Jean Passanante has this show in a Reilly/McTavish-like character meltdown at the moment and I don't think this will end well.

[Ponz]

Hogan wouldn't have signed on if he knew cancellation was a forgone conclusion. I think NBC were banking on his reputation giving the show an immediate ratings boost. The fact that this hasn't happened- coupled with the anti-soaps Zucker taking over as President- put the final nail in the coffin for DAYS (on NBC at least).

[bellcurve]

B&B Rick.

B&B does campy well, but can pull off good controntations and emotional moments as well. Plus, B&B is one of those shows you can stop watching in 3 months if you don't like what's going on, hear about something else happening that's really good, and join in the fun again.

[King]

I know!!

[SteveFrame]

My recommendations:

1) GL - watch it everyday - IT IS THE BEST SOAP on right now IMO

2) Y&R - despite what others think the show still has quality and still has good stories just told at a faster pace - biggest fault is the pace is too fast - best balance of all the shows on

3) GH - better for me than it has been in years

4) ATWT - getting better - still the best family oriented show on the air

5) B&B - except for too much Rick/Phoebe the rest of the show is pretty good and excited about Eileen Davidson coming - needs to improve the balance

6) AMC - with the promise of a new writer coming things are looking up - needs to improve the balance

7) OLTL - show is improving - would give it higher if they would rectify the Vicki situation

8) Days - still like the show but can't recommend it to others - the only thing it has going for it now is great day to day writing

[Bree]

I have not watched DAYS in three weeks and more than likely I will not be returning. Sad for a fan that's watched since 1981. I have no desire to switch to another soap. Once I'm done with DAYS, that's it.

I enjoy smarter, character-driven stories just like everyone else, and while the dialogue may be better, the writers and TPTB need to realize you can't base the majority of the show around the same characters, even if some are enjoyable to watch. DAYS is falling into GH territory here with its focus on certain people and viewers are getting restless. At this point, Sami/Carly and Willow/Sam could be interchangable.

After suffering through Langan, Higley, and JER, I would think that Hogan and his crew would keep me wanting to watch, but that is not the case anymore. I wonder how the show would be if Beth Millstein was HW and not Hogan. Would it still be strong like it was last June and July...

[KevC1980]

wow it is so sad seeing so many Days fans being prompted to give up....It just goes to show how boring the show has become..I'm sure Phoenix will try to defend the show, but Hogan messed things up big time so far this year after a strong start late last year....I'm hoping he picks things up soon....Thank god for Nick and Chelsea or i would probably give up for the time being..

[Mason]

NBC had nothing to do with JER's firing. It was AGAINST their wishes that Corday fired him. Corday/Hogan WANT the show to survive. NBC does not. And that's where the fault lies, with them. Not with Corday/Hogan who can't help the budget straints that NBC is imposing upon them.

[daysfan]

I don't think they would have told him that. Mabye they didn't even tell Corday that. But if HoganStays is right and NBC did not want JER to be fired then Corday probably brought Hogan on to save the show so it could continue.