Days: Where are the cliffhangers?

[jdawg1077]

I'm not a regular contributor here by any means (although I am a regular lurker), but there has been something happening on Days that has really bothered me as of late, especially in light of the eroding viewership, and I had to speak up, if for no other reason then a hope that someone at the show might read this and rectify it.

First, let me say that I actually think that Dena Higley is doing a decent job as headwriter this time around. I'm sure some of that can be attributed to Ed Scott being the producer. The quality of what we see on the screen lately (with the exception of the strange dubbing of a few lines in recent episodes) has been very good. In my opinion the acting has never been better. But in terms of what can be attributed to Ms. Higley, I have to give her credit as well. The stories, in and of themselves, are good. I really like the new character interactions that they have going. The dialogue ranges from iffy to really good (depending on the character), but works overall. And I think the writing within individual episodes is very entertaining.

My main concern is the structure in which the stories are being told. In the past few weeks I can think of several instances of storyline beats that had the potential to provide classic soap opera cliffhanger moments, but instead have been wasted:

1. Lucas walking in on Sami and EJ in bed. Regardless of whether or not you like this story, the fact that Lucas walked in on them in the middle of a Tuesday episode was unacceptable. A moment like that is an episode-ender if I ever saw one. Lucas walks in, cut to Sami and EJ startled, cut back to Lucas, fade to black, credits. If I was not a regular viewer and I saw that scene as a cliffhanger, I would be much more likely to tune in the next day to see the fallout. The moment was there, but it was in the wrong place.

2. Max telling Stephanie that Trent is his father. The episode ended with Stephanie having walked in during their argument at Trent's place, and when she demanded to know what was going on, Max said to Trent "Do you want to tell her or should I?". End of episode. In the very first scene the following day, he says "He's my father". No! That line should have ended the previous episode. "He's my father", cut to shocked Stephanie, cut to Trent, cut back to Max, fade to black, credits. The moment was there, but it was in the wrong place.

3. Abe and Lexie learn that Theo is autistic. In this case, the moment wasn't even there. Much has already been written about this, but how the reveal of Theo's autism was done off camera is something that is beyond me. Talk about a perfect episode-ending moment! Abe and Lexie should have been shown wringing their hands as the doctor comes in and reveals to them their son's condition, with the emotional fallout to come the following episode.

<Spoiler Warning for anyone who hasn't seen the 6/30 show>

4. Sami learning that EJ lied about the annulment. Here we had an entertaining story building up where Nicole had the goods on EJ. They had played it up for a few weeks and then Nicole inexplicably told John of all people. Strange, but I can get over that. What I can't get over, once again, is the reveal. EJ and Sami weren't even on Friday's episode. But Monday's episode opens up with Sami overhearing John ask EJ about the annulment. Talk about wasting a perfect Friday cliffhanger! If i were writing it, I would have drawn out Nicole's knowledge of the annulment, and then finally, on a Friday, have it revealed in some way to Sami. But regardless of how it would be revealed, it should have been done so as a cliffhanger to an episode, not a cliffhanger to an opening segment. Again, the moment was there, but it was in the wrong place.

The reason these examples concern me is because I see Days' viewership eroding, and I don't think it needs to. I think the stories and the production and the acting are good enough so that Days should be running even, if not gaining a little, in viewers. And I think these examples are missed opportunities to keeping some viewers tuned in. It strikes me as Soap Opera 101 that good cliffhangers are a must. To pass up so many inherent opportunities to feature such cliffhangers on a regular basis is akin to shooting themselves in the foot.

Just my opinion...

[marlenafan]

If you want good cliffhangers, bring back JER as headwriter! He knows how to write a good cliffhanger, even when its a false alarm...lol

[tylerbo20]

agreed!

[Toups]

There's no end of act cliffhangers and there's no end of show cliffhangers. Dena doesn't comprehend the concept of suspense.

[JackPeyton]

yup - good ol JERk and his cliffhangers - that are fake 99% of the time, and when they are not he undoes what was done. nope, ill pass on that.

[detroitpiston]

I remember when Mimi had a daydream that she told about Claire being Shawns, and I thought it was real too. I was so pissed when I realized it was nothing but a fake. Damn you JerK.

[JackPeyton]

i agree

and to be honest, i will take boring, mediocre, and good char's over OTT fgakeouts and treating me like a dumbass. May JERk *NEVER* write on a show again.

[psychofan]

You've got that right. JER forever!

And I agree with the original poster. I like Dena Higley and think she's doing a decent job (better than Hogan, IMO), but she has got to start writing cliffhangers. I don't know what her deal is because at OLTL I don't recall having a problem with that.

[JackPeyton]

ya know i was just discussing this with my co worker. she said she missed her clifhangers and i told her i really didnt care one way or the other. she told me thats because i read too many spoilers - and i think shes right. because even actuall cliffhangers on other soaps - they are not cliffhangers for me because i know whats gonna happen. so im gonna try and go 100% spoiler free to see if that helps...

[MichaelGL]

Suspense and Dena Higley are like oil and water.

Perhaps the lack of cliffhangers have contributed to the shape the show is in ratings wise?

[marlenafan]

LOL...oh come on! You know those fake cliffhangers kept you wondering when the real one was going to come!

[Cheyenne]

I'm managing fine without JERk's fake cliffhangers. Not even did the stories suck when he was around, the "cliffhangers" did too. I mean, what's the point in constantly making fake ones, why not just go with REAL cliffs? No that's right, nothing exiting happened when he was around.

Go for it. I stopped reading regularly spoilers about a year ago and it's a total different show!

[SeanM]

JER did a fake "cliffhanger" before every commercial break. It was painful to watch. But I hate it too when a soap never has any cliffhangers like Y&R did under LML.

[cubsgirl]

Oh those fake cliffhangers use to drive me crazy. Especially the ones like Mimi's dream that went a couple of commericals or even onto the next day before you found out it was fake.

I do think cliffhangers are good because it is what gets you to turn in the next day to see how the rest plays out. You don't need them everyday, but I do think they work at connecting the days together.

[marlenafan]

Well I for one actually enjoy the fake cliffhangers...lol. and in JER's defense, they weren't all fake. But I just think cliffhangers give soaps that "soapy" feeling. Cliffhangers, catfights, triangles, and good villains/vixens...that's what makes a soap a soap!