DAYS: Would you enjoy a serial killer storyline?

[tylerbo20]

i totally agree PEOPLE NEED TO DIE in this storyline...but Real characters not characters who are off screen....but Shawn Sr, John lol people like that!

[Khan]

What koos and Dr. Jay said.

DAYS doesn't need anymore gimmick-driven storylines. Just good, old-fashioned, balls-to-the-wall soap opera.

[DaytimeFan]

Exactly. And I don't want it to be talented vets who get the axe (ie Suzanne Rogers and James Reynolds who have talent and plenty of story left to tell)...I'm talking Shawn Sr, John, Andre...That being said I would NOT enjoy another serial killer storyline. It's a gimmick that has been burned out one too many times on this show.

And in regards to the fabulous Louise Sorel if memory serves she had a major conflict with the execs at DAYS because she felt marginalized on the show and didn't feel that DAYS was giving the actors any sort of creative freedom (which is exactly what Ed Scott has pointed out). I'd love for her to be back, but I don't think it's in the cards.

[sungrey]

I'd reply to this topic, but my choice of words would likely cause Errol to ban me from this board permanently. :lol:

[RuAsRuAnAu]

Self-censorship is a double edge sword, sungrey. Simply put: No, DOOL, or any other show for that matter, should not embark on a serial killer story. But do you think they'd listen to viewers? AMC had the disasturous Satin Serial Killer that took the life of Dixie & Simone- two fan faves. They wasted two great characters for an ill-conceived, poorly executed story with a horrendous fallout for what- ratings? buzz? They were 0 for 2.

[PhoenixRising05]

No.

It's too soon after the JER debacle and it would be hard to take it seriously no matter how good it was. Plus, the show would likely choose the wrong people to get rid of (namely, vets) and I don't think fans could handle something like this right now. There are other ways of getting buzz and attracting attention. Just tell good stories and provide great drama, regardless of what the fanbases say. That will do it.

Sometime down the road would be fine but doing this now would do alot more harm then good IMO.

[RuAsRuAnAu]

Yes, the Salem Serial Killer story was a debacle from a quality storytelling perspective, but boy was daytime abuzz with all things DOOL in late 2003/early 2004. It was a ratings smash. It's been said that when the cast & crew looked at the ratings during that time, they threw mini-parties to celebrate. It was somewhat of a morale booster. GL sure needs a morale boost. No wonder why AMC chose to replicate their success with the debacle that was the Satin Serial Killer story. It seemed like everybody was talking about DOOL & the strange ways in which characters were "killed" off. Love him or loathe him, JER knew how to lure in viewers, even to the point where DOOL was the 2nd highest rated show- surpassing B&B & GH!

[PhoenixRising05]

It may have done that but it made a mockery of death and the show itself. The show is just now finally getting over the damage that story caused.

Buzz is great but it's not worth it ruining a show's reputation. It's pretty sad how when someone dies now people think they are alive somewhere. I should also add those gimmicks won't do it anymore because I don't think the audience is there anymore. I think the past 3 years has turned so many away that I think gone are the days where cheap tricks will get you ratings success. If you get lucky, it gives you a few good weeks and what good is that? I said the same thing earlier this year with GH's hostage event. Sure, they did great for sweeps but the show crashed and burned right after the event was over. Long-term ratings success is the goal and gimmicks won't get you that anymore.

[MikeGoldy]

Please go for it! lol

[Dan]

NO!

...Enough said...

[Tishy]

No, no, and again no.

I will be happy to never see a serial killer on Days again

[Ponz]

I find that hard to believe. Most of the cast were fearing for their jobs during the SSK. Sources claimed that backstage morale was very low at the time.

[sungrey]

What, go for it so I AM kicked off the board?

Just kidding... okay, you talked me into it.

I was one of the few who detested every last bit of the Salem Stalker storyline when it played out on Days. Ken Corday and James Reilly were cavalierly getting rid of veteran characters who had years of story invested in the show. Abe, Maggie, Roman, Jack, etc... and the sad thing was, had the dead stayed dead, you were being asked to watch a show that would have been a shell of its former self.

The storylines planned for these characters post-SSK wouldn't have had the same impact. You couldn't pay me enough money to watch Patrick go after Jennifer. Julie after Doug's death would've been a useless prop character who never would have had a storyline again. Mickey without Maggie? It goes back to what I said about Jennifer and Patrick... Mickey and Bonnie was a disaster from the get-go.

Sooner or later, everyone would've caught on that these characters weren't returning... and the ratings would have started a fast and irreversible decline. I know for a fact, had everyone including Alice stayed dead, I never would've watched another episode of Days ever again. What Reilly did to the longtime viewers of the show was say, in so many words, that he didn't give a damn about us.

So, in short, my answer is no. I don't want to go through another story like this again on Days.

[Khan]

Well, so long, sungrey, it's been good to know ya, lol.

But seriously, you echoed alot of my sentiments regarding SSK. I just felt it was totally unnecessary, and a total slap in the face to all those who had invested years into the show, audience and actors alike.

[ChiTownBoi03]

In the minority here, but I actually enjoyed the SSK story post-Melaswen. That was truly must-see-TV for me. I personally think if Melaswen never happened, less important characters(Cassie for example) were the ones killed and *stayed* dead, that story could have kept momentum and some of the viewers(including me) wouldn't have felt like we wasted an entire year of our lives. Despite that, I don't think a serial killer is the answer right now. DAYS has a teen-newbie invasion going on right now that appears to be it's main drawback. Throwing a serial killer into the mix (which more than likely will feature these said teens and the vets as glorified props) will just compound the situation, IMO.