Scoop! Passions Seeks New Home on DIRECTV

TVGuide.com has learned that NBC is in talks to move Passions to DIRECTV when the soap's broadcast TV run concludes this fall.

As previously reported, NBC has cancelled Passions and will last is Sept. 7, 2007.

Nevertheless, NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly recently offered us hope for Passions' future. "We are going to be looking very, seriously at keeping [Passions] alive," the exec told reporters at TCA's winter press tour. "The fact is, there are loyal viewers of this show who love it and show up every day. And in a perfect world, we'd like to keep the brand alive. There may be another network. You know, I don't think it's a broadcast network, but there may be another cable network that wants to get in business with us and have some sort of on-air presence for the show.

If things work out, die-hard Passions watchers will have good reason to dump their cable and subscribe to DIRECTV satellite service. FYI, NBC declined comment for this story, while calls to DIRECTV were not immediately returned. No surprise there, since companies generally don't like to comment on these things until the deal is officially sealed.

Stay tuned, Passions Folks... Tabitha, Endora and the rest of Harmony's lovable freaks may still have some afterlife in them yet!

http://community.tvguide.com/thread.jspa?t...ssDate=12345678

Edited March 19, 200718 yr by nassaunew

Wooo, glad I already have DirecTV!

Can some of you even BE positive? Sheesh! I think it's an interesting concept and I'll wait and see what happens.

I realize we are free to say what we want, but come on ... at least give it a chance before automatically shutting it down! Me ... unless the writing changes I say just end Passions, which is hard for me to say. I was a DIEHARD fan from 1999 until 2001.

Like I said in my last post, I WOULD be positive if I could actually continue to watch PASSIONS. Seeing as I don't have DirectTV and I don't plan on switching over to it solely for PASSIONS, that's not in the cards, erego, I have no reason to be positive.

HOLY CRAP!!

Of course the first thing I wanna talk about is AMC but I see THIS right when I log in?!!

DEAR GOD ALMIGHTY, SAVE US ALL FROM OUR SINS!!!

This is so bittersweet!

I mean, NBC, hello? Not all us HAVE DirecTV. Get it on The CW or something, with Internet downloads (Hi-Q, like AOL, but so we can actually BURN DVDs of our keepsakes unlike that crappy service.)

Dang, I haven't even read the post yet but that subject line is pretty glaring.

HOT DAMN, more "Passions!" That possibility is great!

I'm LIVID, however, that they'd ditch a SIGNIFICANT portion of the audience by putting it on a satellite provider that not everyone has. For instance, I have Dish Network. Related to that, it's bad to put it on cable or satellite of any kind!

Again CW, NBC late night/early morning (hey, somehow "Early Today" makes money -- oh, yes, there are more hours of "Today" than most of us knew!) or something EVERYONE can watch.

I haven't had DirectTv in a really loooooooooooooong time, so I don't know, but do they even have TiVo? I normally can't watch Passions or any soap when they come on, so I record it(but not the ABC soaps or even Days because they are on SoapNet, but the others I do) but last I remembered DirectTv did not have TiVo....

I would be positive if I thought this would benefit the show but it won't. People aren't just going to change their lifestyle for Passions. Kevin Reilly makes me hopeful that the show will live on but I don't feel satellite is the way to go. Most of the fanbase won't be able to see it so that is more a detriment then a benefit.

Oh, and a side note, NBC is really doing all it can for Passions which is refreshing. I hope they extend the same courtesy to Days. Anyway, I hope Passions does find a home. I know NBC has affiations with Sci-Fi and USA so perhaps they could look into those or other cable options. I think cable or another network is the way to go to save the show and give it a fighting chance.

I could go for USA Network. Anybody can get that, theoretically. But not ANYONE can just up and change their entire lifestyle and worldview, even personal beliefs, just to switch to DirecTV! I cannot and WILL NOT do that.

NBC, thanks for the effort!

Oh, and sorry, but I have to give a big "Itoldjaso" to the naysayers who said NBC was just blowing smoke.

Honestly, I have no idea why they want to keep it on, given the low ratings. But I do love the show, and perhaps it is just the brand -- I mean, the name "Passions" is a powerful name, and with the right writer, it could be huge. And a show that has a self explantory name -- "Friends," "Wings" "Brothers and Sisters," etc etc... that should be a huge hit. It's almost like an unwritten rule. Okay, I'm rattling on now.

The point is, I'm impressed -- even though I believed in the net all along.

But still, I'm not feeling the DirecTV.

I haven't had DirectTv in a really loooooooooooooong time, so I don't know, but do they even have TiVo? I normally can't watch Passions or any soap when they come on, so I record it(but not the ABC soaps or even Days because they are on SoapNet, but the others I do) but last I remembered DirectTv did not have TiVo....

I think they have a TiVo-like thing. I have my homemade "TiVo" though, lol.

Like I said in my last post, I WOULD be positive if I could actually continue to watch PASSIONS. Seeing as I don't have DirectTV and I don't plan on switching over to it solely for PASSIONS, that's not in the cards, erego, I have no reason to be positive.

Hogan, I HAVE to believe that NBC will come to its senses and allow a streaming option (and hopefully, the option to PAY for high-quality keepsake episodes that we can burn to DVDs ). That way, most of the fanbase can have access to the show.

I have DirectTV and they have more channels for less money. The only catch is that you have to buy your own DVR box which is a hassle. My other cable provider just gave it to you.

But I don't see this working. I can't see how they will afford 5 days a week or even the high production costs for a soap. And PSNS doesn't deserve all this when you consider what a crap writer JER is. I'd like to see them try to launch a NEW soap, but not PSNS which is bound to fail. Then they will say it won't work ever. Just like NBC think no new soap will work after launching SuBe and PSNS which are both very experimental soaps.

HOLY CRAP!!

Of course the first thing I wanna talk about is AMC but I see THIS right when I log in?!!

DEAR GOD ALMIGHTY, SAVE US ALL FROM OUR SINS!!!

LOL, I was awaiting your reaction.

-->

I have DirectTV and they have more channels for less money. The only catch is that you have to buy your own DVR box which is a hassle. My other cable provider just gave it to you.

But I don't see this working. I can't see how they will afford 5 days a week or even the high production costs for a soap. And PSNS doesn't deserve all this when you consider what a crap writer JER is. I'd like to see them try to launch a NEW soap, but not PSNS which is bound to fail. Then they will say it won't work ever. Just like NBC think no new soap will work after launching SuBe and PSNS which are both very experimental soaps.

Chris, I thought JER already publicly stated he wouldn't write for the spinoff or the show in its new form? So that could solve the problem.

Don't get me wrong, I love the news that the show could live on, and that the net actively cares to help make that happen (color me flattered!) but I SEVERELY, SEVERELY, SEVERELY worry about how this will affect the "series finale" on NBC. Would it pack more of a punch if the show weren't to "live on?" Y'knowwhatImean? I just worry ...

-->

I have DirectTV and they have more channels for less money. The only catch is that you have to buy your own DVR box which is a hassle. My other cable provider just gave it to you.

But I don't see this working. I can't see how they will afford 5 days a week or even the high production costs for a soap. And PSNS doesn't deserve all this when you consider what a crap writer JER is. I'd like to see them try to launch a NEW soap, but not PSNS which is bound to fail. Then they will say it won't work ever. Just like NBC think no new soap will work after launching SuBe and PSNS which are both very experimental soaps.

If you check the Passions thread entitled "Passions Last Airdate...", you'll see what I posted earlier this month. NBC's recent survey asked whether people would like to watch Passions if it aired once a week, and/or 30 minutes and/or 1 time a week and/or in primetime. Also, it asked whether people would be willing to switch cable and/or satillite providers to watch Passions.

Chris, I thought JER already publicly stated he wouldn't write for the spinoff or the show in its new form? So that could solve the problem.

To my knowledge, JER has commented only once about the show continuing, and that was in an interview with TV Guide during late January. He seemed positive about the show airing on another platform and gave no indication he would stop writing for it.

--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Chris B @ Mar 19 2007, 11:52 PM) </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I have DirectTV and they have more channels for less money. The only catch is that you have to buy your own DVR box which is a hassle. My other cable provider just gave it to you.

But I don't see this working. I can't see how they will afford 5 days a week or even the high production costs for a soap. And PSNS doesn't deserve all this when you consider what a crap writer JER is. I'd like to see them try to launch a NEW soap, but not PSNS which is bound to fail. Then they will say it won't work ever. Just like NBC think no new soap will work after launching SuBe and PSNS which are both very experimental soaps.

If you check the Passions thread entitled "Passions Last Airdate...", you'll see what I posted earlier this month. NBC's recent survey asked whether people would like to watch Passions if it aired once a week, and/or 30 minutes and/or 1 time a week and/or in primetime. Also, it asked whether people would be willing to switch cable and/or satillite providers to watch Passions.

I actually think "Passions" could work either as a 30-minute soap, five days a week, or (with a DIFFERENT writer, mind you), a once-a-week soap.

To my knowledge, JER has commented only once about the show continuing, and that was in an interview with TV Guide during late January. He seemed positive about the show airing on another platform and gave no indication he would stop writing for it.

I guess I'm confused in some way. maybe Rion quoted him from another magazine or online interview or something. I know I heard this somewhere. Or perhaps it was a rumor.

RION, please help me here! What is the truth?! Oh, goodness, what should we do?!

I didn't know about the change of format, but I still don't think this should be wasted on Passions. The studios will use this as an excuse to say it can't work when PSNS has been struggling for years.

Also, where would this air? Only on Pay Per View? I think if anything they need to look to SOAPnet a network where it will actually fit in. I imagine the only thing we will be getting are reruns of PSNS, which is kinda a waste considering SOAPnet rarely adds real classic soaps. I've still be hoping for Santa Barbara. Instead we'll get PSNS and have to wait another three years for something really classic.