DAYS: Frustrated by Hogan Sheffer

[ChangedBYSon]

You know, I just don't understand some of the accutely stupid choices

that Hogan Sheffer makes as a writer on "Days of Our Lives" and I

invite anybody to add to what I have to say or dispute it.

Some of my Peeves:

Say what you will about women entering the work force, no more housewives,

etc.---daytime t.v. as a whole is still overwhelmingly FEMALE DRIVEN.

With that in mind...why would you bury a character like Roman Brady--an old

MALE who hasn't driven ratings since Wayne Northrop played him--- in a

casket (ala Carly Manning) and expect some huge ratings surge?

If you're going to pull this stunt, why not bury Sami Brady or a some other female

character who might capture the fears and imaginations of the female audience?

If I were ordered by higher ups to write this (which is probably what happened to

Hogan), you know what I would have written?

I would have written TWO female characters buried alive---say Sami and Adrienne

---and then I would have had Adrienne DIE within two episodes so that Sami is not only

buried alive, but buried with a dead body.

Then to add more fuel to the STUNT SHOCKER---I'd show a family of hungry field rats detecting the

stench of decaying flesh and nibbling a tunnel to the coffin--and while that's going on, I'd really

make the network happy and show a "hypnotized" Carrie Brady on the other end of a talking device,

piping her voice into the casket with something like---"Stefano's our savior, he was sent by God to

save us. The DiMeras aren't evil...they're trying to save our souls".

By Friday's cliffhanger, the rats would start nibbling Sami's toes through the coffin.

I don't like this kind of STUNT writing at all, but that would do more for the show's female

demographics than having old tired Roman Brady squirming.

If you're going to do some stupid shyt...DO IT UP! Get some ratings!

I know, I know...I've been bitching quite a bit that "DOOL" is too testosterone heavy to

grow a new female audience.

But come on, man.

Deidre Hall is the one ICON they have on this show--she has immediate name/face recognition with

Prime Time Viewers, and it would only make sense to involve her in somebody's storyline (she's got

TWO leading lady daughters for crying out loud) and run Promos in Prime Time that show Marlena Evans

caught up in some fascinating piece of melodrama. It could involve her with the young people, her daughters!

But back to demographics...we have the most insensitive writing of a "rape" in t.v. history; we have

slut Stephanie replacing slut Willow--plus smuggled foreign sluts via the airplane. We have no sweeping

romance, no glamorous fashion scenes or Hope/Anna posturing in elegant gowns---you know---

stuff that snags FEMALE viewers.

And since Sami Brady was always so popular and compelling as a bitch character, why not pump some

real fire into the E.J./Sami love story by pitting them at each other's throats--two vicious schemers would

lessen the seriousness of the rape and it would be more believable to have E.J. obsessed by a ball-busting

blond that he's determined to conquer and control--with Sami being more than he could handle.

And is the horribly imagined China Lee supposed to court the black demographic that's up for grabs now that

Victoria Rowell's left "Y&R" or is she supposed to degrade black women viewers further?

I mean first we had Lexie la Slut-wife doctor, then Jett's evil girlfriend Danielle and now con artist

China Lee--a woman who neglects her children so that good heroic Chelsea can remind her what a

nothing she is.

This isn't smart writing considering the demographics that "DOOL" needs, because somehow all of the

soaps have forgotten how important black viewers are to daytime soap ratings. They can literally make

or break a soap as they proved with "Y&R" and "AMC", and yet "DOOL" degrades and insults that demographic.

I mean, why doesn't Hogan just have St. Nick and Chelsea go to Africa and adopt a Pet Baby since that's

the "good ole humanitarian feeling" he's going for?

AND WHERE IS STEFANO???

Why isn't the endlessly gifted Leann Hunley being used? The woman can be as glamorous as Erica Kane

and she's as funny as Carole Lombard, yet she's being written NADA.

I'd cut the budget by getting rid of Kate Roberts and writing Anna DiMera some really juicy story involving

Marlena, Carrie and Sami.

And where are the strong, compelling WOMEN CHARACTERS period???

Soaps are supposed to be daytime versions of Bette Davis, Barbara Stanwyk and Joan Crawford movies.

They're also dependent on "family" recognition, which means veterans rule.

When did we forget that?

Does Hogan really think that millions upon millions of White Males are sitting out there each day waiting

to slop up his male-driven endlessly anti-climatic storylines?

No. It's white women and minorities who dominate daytime viewership OVERWHELMINGLY.

They're also 60% more likely to DVR, TIVO a program and they're 80% of the average soap audience.

Hogan....THE SHOW SUCKS and I feel sorry for all these people thinking Ed Scott is going to make a difference

by introducing "KILL BILL"----my fukkcking god!-----is this what they think will steal young female viewers away

from MTV and Lifetime Channel?!

Does anyone remember when we had heart-thumping love stories on the soaps????

Do people realize that it's not enough to be "good"---these shows are in desperate need of NEW VIEWERS and

you can't get win new viewers if you don't even understand or relate to the people who are actually watching.

Daytime is DYING and a huge part of the reason is that the PTB are dead themselves.

[daysfan]

As much as I think you make some good points about women not being housewives and DH definately without a doubt needs a good story and should so be interacting with Stefano and others, but Roman before this whole secret reason came up years ago was what started the feud. He was at one point Stefano's sole arch rival and the one he loathed the most, and wanted to cause the most problems for. For years and years. John is probably the only guy who could match up to being as much of a rival to Stefano as Roman is.

[ChangedBYSon]

You're right DaysFan.....

but my point is...WOMEN and GIRLS watching MTV at 1 pm don't care about Roman Brady.

The show is now DEAD LAST in the ratings.

I'm talking from a "strategic" point of view.

[stenbeck212]

That's the only thing you lost me on. I don't think we've been colored since 1968.

[daysfan]

I won't argue with you Marlena needs a story. She needs to be involved in all this without a doubt.

But the show is not dead last because women are not on the frontburner. I don't think it would be any better if they stuffed Sami in a casket! The ratings are down because SAMI and EJ are the centers of this story and young people are dominating!

We do need females like Hope, Marlena, Kayla, etc. to be front and center, and sometimes I get irritated with how sometimes characters like Andre and even EJ treat women like Sami and Kate, but I don't think Sami, a female, needs to be any more front and center than she already is!

[ChangedBYSon]

Stenbeck, I am black.

What I meant is that White Women and "MINORITIES/People of Color" dominate daytime ratings.

[Toups]

As much as we've disagreed in the past about a lot of stuff, I actually agree with you here.

If you're going to do a stunt, you have to know which characters to do it with.

Again, I bring up the master () Jim Reilly.

He uses the female leads to drive his stunts. He knows which demo to go after.

Buried Alived - Carly (a popular leading lady)

The Possession - Marlena (the leading lady of DAYS)

Lady in a Cage - Marlena

Crazy look-a-like - Kristen (another popular leading lady)

Locked in a Secret Room - Marlena and Kristen

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Al Rabin, Days' former EP said it best, "Where is the romance!"

Part of Days' problem and daytime in general is the fact that they can leave a cold imprint on the audience after every episode. On Days, we have Santo/Colleen, which is supposed to be a mechanism to make us forget all about Sami's rape and the fact that EJ tormented her for months on end. I'm sorry, Santo and Colleen's past (Which was NEVER hinted or alluded to prior) doesn't make me yearn for EJAMI and especially forget about the rape (and yes to me and countless others, it is indeed RAPE).

Where are the stories about human relationships and characters trying to figure out who they are in the larger context of the world, but also, who they are in relation to their significant other? Why must every thing be driven by the purpose of a plot point? Can't we get more character development and progression? Nothing makes sense on Days, everything is too inconsistent. This show needs to find a single-vision and stick to it, no matter the possible outcomes.

Days also needs to get back to basic, but at the same time be able to reinvent itself. The show needs to get rid of its cartoon feuds and lackluster love triangles and focus on more realism, wider character interactions, socially relevant issues, and romance especially. Sure, we can have elements of camp and humor, but they shouldn't be driving this show. Look at GH in the 90's, after their campy adventure packed storytelling of the 80's (a formula which Days then emulated itself), it focused on more socially relevant, romantic, and character driven stories for most of the 90's, thanks to Wendy Riche and Claire Labine. Days needs a similar transition, one in which that will bring the show to a more wider audience and into reality.

[ChangedBYSon]

Thank you. Exactly.

Daytime is a WOMEN'S MEDIUM......and even 50% of the MALES who watch soaps are GAY.

They want to see WOMEN at the center of the juggernauts.

Personally, I think Hogan is a brilliant writer, but I think he misses the beat on "soap demos" and not just him,

but a LOT of today's writers do not understand "SOAPY SOAPS"---the good old fashioned stuff that makes these

shows addictive.

They're just too sophisticated and too out of touch with the audience to produce ratings.

WE NEED RATINGS or every show is going to be off the air.

There is a way to do that and have good writing at the same time. But you have to be a person who has

watched soaps all your life (annnnnnnd, it doesn't hurt if you're an old movie buff, too).

[daysfan]

Exactly!

For well over twenty years, Days has been very non-realistic. People came back from the dead, weird prisms, weird posessions and being buried alive, people being locked up in cages, thrown on islands, odd love letters between people of something never heard of in years, and a guy impersonating his cousin for years and years and much more.

It needs realisim!

One thing I find so irritating also regarding EJ and Sami is that EJ was born ten years ago technically, and Alison Sweeney was even on the show then and playing the teenager going after Austin! I think EJ needs a good backstory, and shouldn't be Elvis Jr. There have been so many changes on how he grew up, reveal it was a lie! Have Sami realize EJ is NOT Elvis Jr. and there are even more lies by Stefano. Go off to find out who he really is!

There are also some continunity issues I find very annoying, such as Sami being in a hospital for weeks after being in a steam room but while dangerous EJ who got hurt even worse was already released and Jett who got shot by a sniper has just been released!

[ChangedBYSon]

TO ALL:

I'd bet you my last dollar that Hogan was ORDERED to write this

story with the "buried alive" plot point.

It either came from NBC or Corday or both.

Corday is probably being pressured terribly by SONY and they're

going to pressure Ed Scott to the point where he will also be less

effective.

I've also heard that NBC offered to pay Jim Reilly some huge bucks

"under the table" in exchange for "story suggestions", but he told them

to go to hell.

I wasn't saying that I would LIKE to see a "buried alive" story on DOOL,

what I was saying is that the writers need to be very savvy about what

characters they use and HOW.

My mother, a black woman, has watched "DOOL" for 38 years and last

week she turned it off for good.

She said to me, "This new writer hates black women."

Why did it take her 38 years to come to that conclusion?

It's because HOGAN is very insensitive to how he writes/plots these characters.

He's totally wasted Jett. Most of the black viewers in daytime are WOMEN, but

he totally insults that demographic despite their ratings power.

The rape story is destroying E.J.'s undeniable STAR POWER. The man is a born superstar

and he's being wasted!

Sami has totally lost her fire.

[mr. sweet]

I guess I'm the only one. But I'm loving this show. I think it's on fire. I've never cared for Marlena so I don't care that she's not on. I think she's bland. I actually like everyone on the canvas right now, even Stephanie, Jeremy and Nick, who I was annoyed of. I've watched Days for years and actually think this is the best it has been in awhile. I'm honestly loving the show. It has become more dramatic and the dialogue is amazing. For example I was really drawn in when Kayla was pleading with her daughter. Riveting dram, gothic creepiness and smart writing. All IMO.

[stenbeck212]

That's unfortunate, and it makes me wonder how much control Sheffer has had at the 2 shows he's written for so far. At ATWT he gave a fair share of material to Bonnie and Jessica, even the types of ridiculous plots white characters are typically given. He also shifted them to the backburner without a hope of new storylines...

[DaysFanatic777]

Reilly was the master of stunt storytelling....but it was Rabin, Bell, LaBine, Anderson, and writers on this type of wavelength that generated longterm veiwers with their sweeping romantic stories that glued viewers to their seats. I remember. I was one of those viewers who couldn't wait to see if Marlena would chose Don Craig or Roman Brady....then years latter Roman Brady or John Black. Both stories carried so much emotion and were built over time and overwhelming circumstances. The writers behind these two triangles knew how to make us care about all the characters involved.

We need to care about our characters again, and these stories are involving characters that are underdevolped and unlikable. Marlena, Hope, Julie, Bo, Steve, Victor, Tony, Stefano.... We have emotional colaterral with these characters. they can make us care again, but Hogan is too "progressive" to use them.

I agree with almost everything said in this thread. I want to care again. Now, The challange is for Days to make me care. Good Luck!

[ChangedBYSon]

Yeah, my mom was disgusted when they flirted with putting Abe and Celeste together.

Then they brought on Jett for Chelsea, but as my mom put it---they "demonized" a black girl (Danielle) to

make Chelsea look like the better choice.

I also thought it was a completely stupid way to write an Interracial romance, because people are so sensitive

about those stories--why send the message that "there's no good black women" for him.

I mean why was Danielle's character even necessary? Just do Jett and Chelsea.

(**But of course, it's white people writing it and they don't think of the NUANCES, which is why

so many of the "black storylines" fail**)

Then my mom was mad when they had the Asian "HO" GABBY and Tony on the island with the

"Asian toy girls".

The last straw for my mom was the neglectful "bad mother" and con artist China Lee.

My mom raised ten children and has been married 50 years, so she feels misrepresented, and White Writers don't

seem to realize that when they have tons of various white characters to identify with, but Minority viewers have just

one or two people that they can see themselves through, so it's frustrating to have one negative black after the other.

What gets me "strategy wise"---is that you would think Black Males make up the daytime demo for the black audience

the way Hogan writes.

But they don't, it's black females who make up the daytime demo for black audiences--so I could never figure out why

Hogan does everything to turn them off.

To me, if he was smart, he'd hire Davetta Sherwood (who's young and already a soap star) and create a new

heroine around her. That would have been smarter than introducing Jett Carver, because Davetta would have brought

18-34 year old black female viewers who were outraged that she was fired from "Y&R" over to DOOL.

That way, he could do what Corday/NBC probably wants him to do--"phase out" Abe and Lexie and get a

younger black central character on the canvas.

Don't get me wrong, though. They could do a lot with Jett if he was written right, but honestly, what DEMO is

he serving?