Soaps bubble up to satellite world

[ljacks13]

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazett...lgazette_living

Soaps bubble up to satellite world

Talk-show dominance tough on NBC

By Diane Werts

Newsday

NBC

“Passions,” which was dropped by NBC in January, will return via DirecTV in September.

“Passions” is heading for outer space.

OK, not quite outer space. Just that Earth orbit where satellites live.

NBC’s “Passions” becomes DirecTV’s “Passions” in September when the satellite service rescues the daytime drama the peacock network is cutting loose.

Can “Days of Our Lives” be far behind?

Daytime – which the networks used to fill with soaps and game shows so their affiliate stations would have a preprogrammed slate – has become valuable real estate recently as syndicated talk shows have mushroomed. Local stations would rather contract to run the likes of Oprah/Maury/Dr. Phil, where they keep the ad money, than something like soaps, where the networks suck up the bucks.

Meanwhile, daytime dramas haven’t been doing themselves any favors, failing to find ways to modernize plots for new young viewers, while disappointing older devotees by dumping all over established stars and story lines. Ratings for the stick-in-the-mud soaps keep falling, which makes sense, because, really, how entertaining can the same old scripted who’s-the-daddy antics be in a day of “Maury’s” real-world DNA?

So after NBC said in January it wouldn’t be renewing “Passions” (DirecTV announced its acquisition last week), that put “Days” in danger as the network’s sole remaining sudser. Plus, “Days” is produced by an outside studio, and today’s deregulated networks would rather run shows they own. (ABC, for instance, makes all its own soaps.)

DirecTV’s pickup of “Passions” – to air on its original programming channel, The 101 – is designed to lure some of the show’s 2 million viewers, a piddling number for networks but a big ’un for satellite originals. The soap’s run on NBC (which, ironically, produces “Passions” through its own NBC Universal studio) ends Sept. 7. The show then re-premieres from orbit Sept. 17. (How much of the existing cast and crew will make the move hasn’t been announced.) It’ll air weekdays in the same 2 p.m. time slot, and DirecTV throws in weekend encores, a la cable’s SOAPnet.

Which is where one might expect “Days” to land if NBC and/or the producer files for divorce. SOAPnet – created by ABC in 2000 for nighttime encores of its daytime dramas – has struggled to create signature programming to take it to the next level.

The channel ended up canceling such originals as “SoapTalk,” leaving it dependent on nightly repeats of that day’s “Days” and other soaps. An original soap of SOAPnet’s own – well, not exactly “original,” but well-established already and airing fresh episodes rather than repeats – might just do the trick.

NBC shows all the signs of giving up on soaps completely. “Days”’ daytime broadcast ratings have been falling like a rock. Yet they’re still a level up from “Passions,” which might now entice SOAPnet. Besides, “Days” has a much more invested audience, after 40 years on the air and some serious seasons of glory.

But none of this seems to address the central crisis afflicting soaps today: How to create 21st century excitement in shows behaving in 20th century ways? Plotting is recycled from decades back. Gender roles and cultural values are too often dated. The shows are low-tech relics in a high-tech universe, in terms of both their Luddite conduct (it took forever for characters to get cell phones, learn to IM, et al.) and their cheesy low-definition videotape look. Daytime dramas simply feel like your mother’s genre – if not your grandmother’s – which isn’t exactly the prescription for attracting a new generation of fans.

“Passions” making the satellite move doesn’t by itself change that. But it does shake up the status quo. And that’s a start.

© 2007 Journal Gazette and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.

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[heatherwebber]

Well it addresses some of the problems but still fails to directly address the issue of terrible writing that's rampant on a bunch of the soaps.

[jcar03]

I hope when NBC finally pulls the plug on DAYS something like SoapNet picks it up. It is easier to call and harass your cable provider to get it especially if you get a bunch of other people to do the same thing then to have to get DirectTV for many ppl.

[Ponz]

When Frons said he wasn't sure DAYS' "economic model" would be suitable for SoapNet, I took it more as a negotiating tactic than a denial of interest. The decisions to move DAYS back to the 7pm slot & feature them on "Soap star" suggest they are testing the waters for 09. Even after the latest plunge, DAYS remains highly ranked in the 18-34 demo and that would be a strong selling point for a youth-oriented network like SoapNet.

The finance/logistics will be tricky, though. Whereas PASS has slashed its budget to just $500,000 per week for the DirecTV move, DAYS doesn't have the scope for such belt tightening (they already seem to be struggling on a 1,3 million budget). Roughly half the cast are high-earning veterans and if you replace them with cheap newbies, the whole appeal of a 40 year old show evaporates (along with the ratings). There's also the ownership issue to consider. If cancellation were the only alternative, would Corday be willing to sell his parent's show? The fact that Sony owns a share in DAYS (and makes money from international syndication) further complicates matters.

[billyjill]

[KLN]

Honestly, as much of an idiot Corday is, I truly believe that the only reason that this show remains to veteran-centric is because he still owns the show. If a network owned the show, they would've canned the expensive stars for teen newbies long ago.

[Days4Life]

If, in order to keep DAYS on the air, the budget would have to be slashed to the point that the vets would be gone, then the show would no longer be "Days of our Lives" and the loyal viewers would be gone. It would be something else entirely and have to start over like a new soap and build a new audience. Under those circumstances (and I hope it doesn't come to this), they should just end DAYS and call it a spin-off. I'm hoping that doesn't happen, though.

[nassaunew]

Instead of five days per week, "Passions" will air only four times per week, Monday through Thursday. To accommodate the different business model, show's budget will be reduced by about one-third to around $700,000 per week.

Source: Variety

[Chris B]

Picking up DAYS would probably be too expensive, but why not try a spin-off? Nobody ever suggests spin-offs, but I think that would be the way to go. That way you avoid all of the expensive vets and can create a new world which would help bring in new viewers.

Now would it be daytime or primetime? I have no idea, but there are tons of people who could make an interesting spin off. The most likely I'd say are Lucas, Sami and Will or John and Marlena. Of course the tone and theme of the show would have to be completely different for it to be a successful spin-off. I think soaps need that otherwise people will compare it too much to the original.

Back to Passions, if it can retain at least 1.5 million viewers I believe it'll be a HUGE success. For cable shows a hit show can have lower ratings. Project Runway was Bravo's biggest hit with a little over 1 million in their first season. For DirecTV with no hits, that would be major and could lead to good things for soaps.

The problem: JER. Passions can be very good and very exciting, but he is lazy, knows he won't get fired and therefore doesn't try. If people tune in and see how he drags things out by a ridiculous time period, I don't think it will help. He needs to be on the money and increase the pace to ensure it's success.

We all expected him to do a major boost after being fired from DAYS, but he still hasn't made a big enough turn around for me.

[edgeofnik]

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Back to Passions, if it can retain at least 1.5 million viewers I believe it'll be a HUGE success. For cable shows a hit show can have lower ratings. Project Runway was Bravo's biggest hit with a little over 1 million in their first season. For DirecTV with no hits, that would be major and could lead to good things for soaps.

DirectTV only has 15 million subscribers. If PASS, draws .5 million, it will be a huge success. 85 percent of the country can't get it. I couldn't watch even if I wanted to. My building is exclusive with DISH. I hope it's successful. And I hope DAYS ends up on SoapNet or somewhere else. NBC is just letting it die on the vine, which is a shame.

[PhoenixRising05]

I think Days has it's best shot to live on via Sopanet or cable. However, my fear with cable is that it will get lost in the shuffle but the plus side is that they don't expect as much ratings-wise due to all the options. I say Soapnet is a good option because people are used to it being there already and most people I know already watch it on there. I think a fair majority of people watch it there, which is why the ratings system is screwed up but that is for another time.

I think Days' best shot at a major network is Fox. Fox has been rumored to be wanting to get into soaps before but, the question is, would they be interested in a already established soap or creating their own?

If Days can get the ratings up near 3.0 or so, which is very doubtful sadly, then they have a chance at a CBS or ABC since that would put them near or around the top 3 in ratings. That would be very appealing. I also think alot may ride on TPIR without Bob Barker. If that fails, CBS may be willing to give Days a try. That would be a dream.

I am pretty sure Days will live on somewhere but I doubt it will be satellite. Days is doing well enough that it can find a better avenue and I think satellite would just kill Days. It would lose most, if not all, the fans it still has. Whatever the case, I feel pretty sure it will find a new home and I actually want it to the way NBC is treating it. My only concern is what changes may have to be made and so on but I guess it's one step at a time and we aren't even at that bridge yet.