DAYS: Hogan Sheffers ORIGINAL Interview

[sema608]

ITA. I think what caused the low ratings is something is going on behind the scenes. The year started at point A and suddenly there's this huge U-turn. All of the stories I was interested in seeing in the beginning are now backburnered or dropped and the smaller stories are in the spotlight. Hogan's a terrific writer and it's not like him to make such a U-turn. He did it before on ATWT, but eventually it was found out he was ordered to write certain stories differently. When I thought about it, it all made sense. Now, I'm getting the SAME vibe here. I think Hogan had to rewrite his plans. None of his previews match the current stories as you pointed out. Hogan follows his previews. I refuse to blame Hogan for the low ratings. I think whatever is happening is out of his hands. I truly believe Corday doesn't have enough money to pay everyone. I do believe Days is in financial debt. If Hogan doesn't have all the resources, how can he write good stories and use his cast? I bet the younger cast is cheaper than the long timers and contract players. He can use them more and not go over budget. Recurring status is probably cheaper and maybe that's why he can use actors on recurring status more than contract players. There's just too many factors here to solely place blame on Hogan.

I don't like the stories I'm seeing now. However, I do see there's a problem. Hogan can write, but there's something happening that we can't see. I think it showed in this sudden change of stories. It also doesn't help that Kevin Reilly said Days is done after 2009. My potential investment in this soap drastically decreased after reading it. Other than that, I've grown out of my soap phase. I don't need soaps to be entertained. However, it's nice to have soaps around. I think Days and ATWT are two soaps that could be written so well to stay on the air for the next 50 years. It's a shame that they're dying a slow death.

*end of rant, sorry if there are mistakes or choppy thoughts*

[SteveFrame]

I can understand things going on backstage that can change things, but still since Hogan is such a good writer they shouldn't be so boring as they have been. A talented writer should be able to make even a B story more interesting that what it has been. If the stories were more interesting people wouldn't be complaining so much about the vets being backburnered.

Hogan wrote even good B stories at ATWT and even though the vets were backburnered people still tuned in - they did even after he changed things.

On GH and other shows the vets have been backburnered and things have gone on that fans didn't even like but even when Dixie was killed on AMC and fans were mad - the story was still interesting enough that the ratings went up. So people will ignore certain things and tolerate them if the stories are good.

I think Hogan is a good writer and is talented - because of my dealings with him at Hogan I am not as die hard on him as others are - others feel he can do no wrong - as much as I like him I know he can. He has the talent to turn any situation to the good but he hasn't done that. And even his daily writers are talented and his assistants are talented - there is no reason for things to have been so slow and boring. Even [s.W.S.N.B.N.] who had never worked on a soap before came in and kept even the summer doing okay. She never let it get draggy or boring and she didn't even have the talented staff that Hogan does. She came into a transition situation and made the best of it.

As talented as Hogan is and his staff he should have gotten a hold of things quickly - even if things had to be changed.

I know it is not popular but a lot of what we are seeing is just Hogan's way of writing. He is not copying story or anything from his previous work but he set a pattern and even though people don't want it pointed out it is still there. What we are seeing is a mixture of budget problems and the way Hogan's does things. Together they are just not pretty. But the stories being so slow and draggy for so long was something that someone with Hogan's talent should have never let go on as long as it did.

[sema608]

You're right about Hogan's ability to write A stories. However, how much time is he given for rewrites? The show is all over the place right now. I think the one story that wasn't drastically affected is Nick and Chelsea's story. Everything else seems so forced. It's not making sense. Even Hogan's rewrites on ATWT were OK. They weren't the best, but they aren't as bad as these.

[Ponz]

This sums it up perfectly, Steve.

I am inclined to believe the rumor that Hogan was planning to wake John up at the end of January. Reading through those SOD previews, everything else he promised had come true by January or mid-February. And if Hogan was forced to rewrite that part, it would have had a knock-on effect on his plans for Sweeps. Remember the spoiler that Marlena would "do something stunning in February"? This was probably part of the story that was canned.

However, there are several aspects of this crisis that the budget situation can't excuse. If Hogan's A-story was canned, he should have stepped up the quality and pace of his B-stories. Instead, we've had EJ/Kate/Sami/Lucas basically repeating the same scenes since January. "Shelle on the run" is equally monotonous. There's no reason why the budget would result in boring storylines. A 13 person writing team should be able to get the pacing right, even if they are forced rewrite stuff at short notice.

Also, Hogan may only be able to use the big 4 a few episodes a month but this makes it all the more important that they be utilised effectively. Marlena should be interacting with Sami or John, not tagging along in the Steve/Kayla/Billie story. Bo and Hope got 2 eps this past week but all the focus was on Billie/Chelsea. Just one scene of them bonding with Ciara would have made a huge difference. Finally, there's the problem of EJ sticking his nose in every storyline. These are all creative decisions that Hogan has got wrong.

May Sweeps is going to be the big test. Hogan will have had enough time to study the Feb ratings and respond accordingly. I think it's obvious what he has to do: speed the stories up, get the core characters back on the frontburner and write a big, exciting ensemble event.

[SteveFrame]

That in bold is the one thing I cannot not excuse. And I can't believe that some Days fans are either. Days has always been about family - JER got heavily criticized for it and rightfully so but Hogan is being given a slide on it. They trust Hogan enough to not criticize him for it. Well I am sorry he deserves criticism there. If it was another show doing the same thing they would be criticized heavily for it and I think Hogan deserves criticism there.

Hogan is ignoring key scenes and key interactions that have got to be there. I don't want Marlena on all the time but I want her on and involved in the stories that she should be involved in. The same for others. Having Sami isolated from family is wrong - pure and simple it is wrong. Having Marlena act as a Mother to Sami would right one promise that Hogan made but yet he continues to use her as an outsider in Steve/Kayla's story when she would fit better as the Mother and Confidate to Sami as Hogan promised she would be. If she is going to be on 3 times in one week it is absolutely inexcusable that one of them would not be with her family esp. when her daughter is facing a big crisis in her life.

[PhoenixRising05]

Exactly. We don't know how much time Hogan and the writers had to re-write things. It could of been very sudden and that is why everything came apart. No one knows. The way things happened I think something happened fast and he and his team had to act fast and just throw things together.

I agree with you Steve on the interactions. From the last week of January until these past two weeks, we had little family and character interactions. Just now are we getting characters away from being isolated. That and the pace picking up of late is good news. I am feeling much better about the show right now. It still needs some improvement and I do think May will be the big test. If we seen them go out full force in May and continue that into summer, then away we go. I do think that will happen because we already know of one big event in May.

It's pretty obvious the J&M story is at the center of this. That story was drastically changed. That much is apparent. It's almost like Days did what they had to do last year when they ended the Alex story early. They ended it so early they moved J&M off the canvas and we saw them miss critical events like Carrie's wedding and then they were brought back when new story was written for them. We are seeing the same thing here with the coma/dream story being moved to the back and they are MIA again until they are ready for them.

The past two weeks has made me hopeful for what is to come. I think we reached a turning point, at least I hope.

[King]

This week was my first full week watching since January 15th. Here are some things I noticed that stick out as being wrong with the show:

- EJ is a huge problem. He's the best villain we've seen in a while, but Hoagie is making the same mistake with him as JER does/did with all of his villains. EJ is infallible. No one can ever get the oneup on him. He always knows what everyone is going to do before they do it. He's inhuman. He's a cartoon. It's ridiculous. And it's not believable.

- Jed and Nick - the characters suck and so do the actors. Not to mention, the actors are way too effeminate to ever be taken seriously as being interested in women. They're too girly.

- Lack of Balance - some of you have been saying it's gotten better which is scary if it has because it's still bad. Where's the other half of Salem!!!!

It wasn't too horrible, although Jed is badddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd.

I like Willow now though.

[Jane1978]

I agree with you, except the fact it´s still too soon. I mean, this is a soap. It´s planned months in advance and after that nothing much can be changed. Remember the J/J/Frankie storyline? It was clear how it will end as soon as Missy announced her departure, yet they still let the F/J/J triangle going for most of summer and into fall. So, I believe the scenes we are seeing now with the big four are just a remnants, parts of their originaly much bigger storyline. Remember the scene in the chappel between Marlena and Sami which were in previews but was edited out from the episode? That scene could easily be a starting point for Marlena´s next storyline, so they edited it out at the last moment, so viewers aren´t confused.

Let´s say Corday told Sheffer in December what is a new situation. They already started to tape sweeps. And he was probably well into April with his outlines. Noway he had a time to scratch it and start with a clean sheat. He probably just threw away the J/M and B/H parts of his plans, and decided to drag those remaining B stories and filling stories more. And if there was a scene with B/H and/or Marlena discussing something not related to their canceled storyline, he let it on. Now, after two months, they are finally in a part where scripts were written after the announcement so they can input some dangling things, like B/H finally naming their child onscreen. But the outlines are still his original, because we all know Sheffer innicially took two months just to analyze the show and drafted his longtime plans. And he probably needed as much, or even more, to readjust to the new situation and rewrite his plans.

So, I think it will really take atleast till April when we will see his new outlines and plans realizing on screen.

[PhoenixRising05]

I agree Jane. Great post. I think that is partly why we are just seeing minor improvement now even though this has all been going on since the end of January. I think the situation will keep getting better and by sweeps Hogan will have adjusted everything and the show will be ready to go.

[DrewH]

I agree so much to that, King! Every time I see Nick talking about his feelings for Chelsea, it's not believable. Nick's batting for the other team, if you know what I mean

[JER Soaps Fan]

I have tried SO hard to stay out of this thread but now I'm ready to pop: Nick, the character, is NOT gay! People, come on! You're judging not the character, as he is written -- straight -- but the ACTOR, which is still ridiculous because it's based on him not being the typical "Days" hunk. That's just sad.

Same goes for Jed. There are sensitive guys out there who are straight. And yes, it takes me aback in real life too but they're out there.

Jed and Nick are prime examples of these.

Now, as for this mysterious Marlena scene that was edited out: the world is DYING to know what this is all about. I didn't notice a scene edited out. Please expound!!!

[King]

ITD. John, Bo, Steve, Lucas, Max are sensitive straight guys. Jed and Nick...their portrayers are too girly. I am not saying anything about them being gay. But, yes, they are too girly. But they need to man up their performances if they are to be taken seriously.

I say can the character of Jed and recast Nick.

[Mason]

Call me blissfully ignorant or what have you, but I honestly believe that by summertime, DAYS will be 100% improved.

[PhoenixRising05]

I think so too. We are already seeing things improve ever so slowly and I think we will see it continue into April. I think May will be big and then the show will take momentum into the summer and fall. That is Days pattern. It's best periods are always December-January and May-September traditionally. Always seems like they are running on all cylinders during those periods and those periods also usually see the best ratings.

As for Jed, I totally agree but I think the character isn't needed so whatever. Nick is perfectly cast. He is an unusual look and that is right for the character. Nick is supposed to be a nerdy type character and he fits that. He brings such a sensitivity to the role and I see nothing wrong with the characrer or actor other then he is getting way too much screentime right off the bat. He did get a little break last week though. Blake Berris isn't going anywhere. He can act and he is building quite the fanbase.

[King]

I agree with you quality wise I think it will improve. I dunno about ratings wise. I hope so!