SOD: Days Renewal News

[brimike]

Aw, thanks, Mark. But honestly, I wasn't the first to come up with this idea. It's been floating around for awhile. But sure, I'll take the credit for writing the post.

And it's true, the telenovela thing has NOT worked. It was weird when PC did it, because it was STILL a soap that was on all year. And UPN's prime-time soap didn't work because there's too much on primetime that already has their fanbases, and they weren't going to give their shows up to watch Fashion House.

But honestly, in the summer? When people are home? Write a huge umbrella story with the cast (or those willing to come back), and I guarantee people will be back in droves. Because basically, they "don't know what they've got, 'til it's gone"

[IMissAremid]

I'm not sure I understand your idea of canceling soaps and then bringing them back in small doses. Are you talking about still keeping them in daytime? Cause if so I just don't see that working out that well at all. Soaps need the constancy to keep their viewers in the habit of watching.

[MarkH]

Scheduling is an issue. I think--pulling other threads--that the 4-7 pm slot, with lots of repeats, lots of promotion...is a way to go. It does work in Canada and apparently---I guess it is the Cajun tie with Canada--Baton Rouge.

The constancy/habit factor IS a big deal. Even Lost experienced a lot of audience erosion over time, in part because of breaks and interruptions.

So, BriMike, any thoughts on how you'd handle the "habit" part of soaps?

[brimike]

Yeah, but my point is, that audience is no longer watching. The habit's been broken for most. And they're not coming back. We're never going to see 3.0's again. Hell, we're going to hit a point in a few years where we won't see 1.0's again!

I'm not saying it's the perfect plan. If it were, they would have done it already. But the audience is disappearing, faster and faster. And I'm not so sure even if the quality of the work was higher, people would even come back. The people who are going to get jobs are still going to get jobs. They're going to walk away from daytime ANYWAY because it's just not their thing anymore. They're working, or they're with their families, or they're bored. They're already LEAVING.

But if they lose it for six months, they miss it. They want it back. Even if it's not there when they're home on a Monday of a holiday weekend, they wish it was still on. Hell, I *still* miss Another World. Did I find something else to do in that hour? Yeah, sure I did. And for a long time, it WASN'T watching soaps (like I watch OLTL now)

But you know what? If someone told me that Cass, Felicia, Rachel, Jake, Vicky, Donna, Amanda and Matt were coming back for a 13-week series about Carl Hutchins' Descent Into Madness or Grant Harrison's Ultimate Revenge, something totally jaw-dropping? You bet your ass I'd be at my TV instantly. I wouldn't even think twice, and that habit is GONE.

[DaytimeFan]

You're so right. I also STILL miss Another World! And I was one of those who also found something else to do that had nothing to do with watching a soap...but if I could get 3 or 4 13 week AW telenovelas a year...I'd be on them faster than Oprah on chocolate cake.

[brimike]

I'm not even saying 3 or 4.

Like, one or two.

Really let the writers take a few MONTHS to write the whole thing, so they have longer than three days to write a script.

Make it work from beginning to end.

Take the time to shoot it. You can shoot it like a prime-time show, since it's only 13 weeks.

And show it during the day. Viewers get their favorite characters, AND they get prime-time quality. With solid writing from beginning to end. And no burn-out. No laziness.

Or maybe not. What do I know... I just see it dying slowly, and wonder if there isn't another way out of the box to fix this other than the slow erosion.

[Jess]

I'm very much enjoying DOOL right now. I'm glad it is being renewed. I think Roscoe Born is great and I'm glad he is going to the show. All is fine with the show in my opinion, although I'd like to see Billie back. I also think Ed Scott is great.

[JackPeyton]

i get what you are saying. almsot in a way like seasons of a tv show. but IMHO it wouldnt work. people are not going to invest 5 days a week random weeks of the year. history proves that for most soap fans once they are gone - they are GONE.

[ian]

I think they should just let Days die already. Nothing's been announced yet... heck even GL got it's renewal already you'd think that'd be the one they'd take the extra time to mull over.

[JackPeyton]

i disagree. i mean with that theory why not just let daytime die? why bother watching?

[Cheyenne]

^^ lol Exactly.

I guess I'm in the minority here but I'm sick of all the negative thoughts in this thread. It's like chewing an old gum.

It seem like DAYS is getting to go on a while longer. If there's nothing after that, then at least they'll get more time to finish it off. IMO that's way better then to have it end tomorrow. So if you're looking for them to go off with a bang as you're saying, then you should be happy about this. Now they've got the time to create that scenario.

[brimike]

http://goldderbyforums.latimes.com/eve/for...864/m/895104771

I didn't see this link in the other thread, so I thought this was pretty official.

Sounds like it's a 2 year deal with the option of canceling after one, but I guess we'll learn more from the official press release.

[Toups]

Brimike, "Scoopster" is not actually a real scoopster. He/She collects information from various boards.

Threads merged.

[brimike]

WHOOPS!

Sorry, guys.

That's what I get for jumping the gun.

SORRY!