I keep thinking about THE EDGE OF NIGHT's cancellation story in comparison to DAYS...check it out.

Wikipedia.org

Despite ABC's decision to move The Edge of Night back to a late afternoon time slot (4/3 p.m.) when it debuted on the network on December 1, 1975, the serial never recovered from its steep drop, and stayed close to the bottom until its cancellation. As the show moved into the 1980s, more and more ABC affiliates either moved The Edge of Night to morning or late-night timeslots or chose not to air the show at all, causing the show's sponsor to lose more money with each passing year. In May 1983, Procter and Gamble replaced the show's veteran headwriter Henry Slesar, whose 15-year stint with the soap was, at that time, the longest in daytime serial history. New headwriter Lee Sheldon accelerated the pace of the plot, focused on younger characters, and added humor in efforts to capture a new audience for the ailing serial. However, more and more ABC affiliates continued to drop the show.

By the fall of 1984, The Edge of Night was airing on less than 62% of ABC's affiliates, and over two dozen more had announced their intention to discontinue the series in the first quarter of 1985. Although ABC was committed to continuing Edge, even offering to move it to a mid-morning timeslot, P&G could no longer afford to produce the series. On October 26, 1984, ABC and Procter and Gamble made a joint announcement that Edge of Night's December 28th broadcast would be its finale. After The Edge of Night ended its 28-year run on December 28, 1984, ABC returned the 4/3 p.m. timeslot to its affiliates, something NBC had done back in 1979; CBS would do so in 1986.

My question is...could NBC legally cancel DAYS if the station clearance for Fall '08(following the Olympics) drops really low? We know NBC Affiliates in the past have had no love lost with the soaps...we saw it happen with the timeslot shift of ANOTHER WORLD(some markets even refusing to carry the show altogether), with SUNSET BEACH being aired in late night and then not at all when NBC replaced its second airing with Conan O'Brien in Fall 99.

If the stations aren't airing the show, then that means no money. If there's no money, then wouldn't that affect DAYS's budget as we are seeing it now or would that be affected during contract negotiation time?

If the station clearance isn't THERE, could NBC legally axe DAYS, leaving it free to no longer suffer, or even better for its fans, finding the show a new home?

I would think if a huge number of affiliates(especially ones in larger markets) dropped the show, wouldn't it just be wrong of NBC to keep the show without leaving SONY/Corday or explore all their options, including syndication?

The writing is on the wall for DAYS, no doubt. But I think it will end long before March 2009.

Edited October 16, 200718 yr by bellcurve

I knew this thread was coming. THanks Bell Curve. Anxious to hear everyone's thoughts

I think the most scary thing is, with the ratings so low for so long, Corday won't be able to charge as much to advertisers thus reducing the budget will be needed, hence why John Black is leaving. Days has to be paying big bucks to Sami, Marlena, Bo,Hope, Steve, Kayla, Maybe Kate, Stefano, Tony Feel like i am forgetting people but with only these veterans left, maybe no more cuts will come. I'd say shorten Days up an half hour and get rid of the BS storyline and characters because there is a lot of them

I knew this thread was coming. THanks Bell Curve. Anxious to hear everyone's thoughts

Me too. It's something I've been saying for months, but I feel as though I haven't put it there in a post by itself or that it has fallen on deaf ears. I really want to know what people think...

Aren't there always outs in contracts? Though NBC is stupid, I'm sure they weren't that stupid enough to enter an ironclad binding contract with Sony/Corday Production over Days' future.

Once you get into the 1.7-1.9 region in the ratings, it's pretty damn hard to bounce back. Even if Days gets back to the 2.0-2.1 region, that won't be enough to sustain its survival, on NBC. The show has failed every sweeps period this year, which means its budget is already shot to hell for 2008. Unless Days has a ratings resurgence for November sweeps, and Februaray 2008 sweeps, then I really don't see the show lasting much longer on NBC.

There's also the problem of the Summer Olympics, with Days at a 1.8, it certainly can't afford to be off the air for 3 straight weeks.

It's all so worrisome.

Also, didn't NBC affiliates start dropping AW a year or two before its cancellation?

Edited October 16, 200718 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

i just can't belive Days has fallen so low so fast. If the got a new EP then hell lets go out with a bang and get a new writes. Why not bring back Brash and Cwickly. I am sure they are cheaper than Hogan

Aren't there always outs in contracts? Though NBC is stupid, I'm sure they weren't that stupid enough to enter a ironclad binding contract with Sony/Corday Production over Days' future.

There are always outs in contracts, but I'm just wondering if the last renewal was set to keep DAYS on the air till March 2009 or whether that was a year-by-year renewal. I can't imagine that NBC is happy with the numbers for DAYS, especially because they just fired their VP of Daytime Programming and even though it is rumored that someone else is taking her place, who know what his credits are.

Also, didn't NBC affiliates start dropping AW a year or two before its cancellation?

Yup.

I remember a few months ago someone posted an interview with Corday where he said he could shop the show around beginning in September. So I'm guessing if he can do that then NBC can pull the plug. Though I think its chances might be good for it to be picked up elsewhere since PASSIONS was.

All I can say is, Days better deliver the best damn CLIFFHANGER EVER (one that trumps Who Shot JR?!) before the Summer Olympics, if it wants to recover from its 3 week preemption.

Edited October 16, 200718 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

At this point, I really just can't see DOOL bouncing back on NBC. At this point, they are going to get canceled within the next two years. I do think, however, that it has an excellent shot of getting picked up by another network.

So here's a thought: might Days be better off getting canceled by NBC now, so that it could presumably switch to cable before the summer olympics?

Why is Sheffer still in a job? Surely he's been given enough chances.

Bring back Sheri Anderson, Brash/Cwickly, Beth Milstein, even a few talented younger writers - that'd be a good starting point for fixing the mess, and at least giving DAYS a chance of lasting until 2009.

wITH hOGAN YEA RIGHT> Like Evan said Hows does Sheffer still have a job! It I was EP surely he would have been fired by now and I would put Sherri/Paula/And Peter in there ASAP

All I can say is, Days better deliver the best damn CLIFFHANGER EVER (one that trumps Who Shot JR?!) before the Summer Olympics, if it wants to recover from its 3 week preemption.

Sheri Anderson in anything but a co-HW position would be like JER all over again. Same goes for Milstein, especially since we don't know if she is capable and, no , I don't count her interim work. She was tying up JER's stories so of course it was exciting. Things always are when stories end. B&C is fine. In fact, they are the most suited for this. They run a balanced ship and don't favor any one particular couple/characters/faction. I love Sheri, don't get me wrong. However, I don't want supercouple mania every day and I think that is where she would go. She would try to please fanbases and that may make fans happy but will not help the Nielson's. Days just needs writers capable of writing good story and involving the whole canvas and B&C fit that bill perfectly.

I kind of wish NBC would just can it now so it can find a home elsewhere before NBC does something else to mess with it. I think NBC may be trying to destroy the ratings so much that no one picks it up. If I'm Corday, start shopping the show now. He has the advantage of time right now. The Olympics worry me too. That is why I think searching for a new home now is a good idea. That way everything is set up. Maybe another home can do wonders for Days because NBC sure isn't helping it.

I mean but honestly, who would pick up Days? If I was looking at the numbers I sure would say no. But then again ask me again next year this time, after Ed Scott has been there a year like Hogan had his year. But if the decision had to be made today, I would pass on Days.

I haven't seen any of Sherri's work, but I heard a lot of people rave about her. In fact, PR05 this is the first time I have heard anything close to being ill of her.

But Agreed, Cwickly/Brash are the golden ticket right now. I just wish Corday would cash in

^This isn't like Passions either. Days has much heftier production costs and a lot more of its veteran cast, than Passions ever did. We might still get 'Days', but it won't look a whole lot like 'Days'.