How to save Days of our Lives

[Darlotto99]

with the news that some of the top Day's stars getting axed (Drake and Dedire) it became very apparent to me that Corday for the best interest of everyone involved including Day's of our Lives fans and the cast he should sell majority interest of this beloved soap before if not already too late.

The one suites who I believe are best suited to take over Day's is Bell Dramatically Serial Ink (if they are interested) the owner's of both Y&R and the B&B . They would have the most capital to run Day's properly unlike Corday.

Sony already has a partnership with the Bell family as Sony is half owners of the Y&R and a partnership is already established.

Bell family actually listen to their fans and they respect the veteran actor's/characters.

Y&R fans hated our head writer and they listened by firing her and now look Y&R is thriving and is better then it has been in a long time using their Veterans.

NBC has already extended Days so if tomorrow it was sold to the Bell family and they would be able to put the right people in charge (i.e Ed Scott) to turn Day's around and hire back the Vet's that have made Day's of our Lives one of the top soaps in Daytime. their is no reason why it can't be the #3 soap.

another problem potential could be solved down the road is if NBC decides to get out of the Daytime business which many expect they potential could find a new home on CBS where the Bell family already air's the Y&R and B&B. If NBC is happy to keep Day's then that's great too.

I don't think GL will be around much longer so Day's would have a new home on CBS.

the Bell family do something better than any other soap and that's in the international market's Y&R and B&B are # 1 & 2 so for Day's to become a brand under the Bell family things can only get better with new international fans.

A marriage between Day's and the Bell family would bring things full circle as many of you know or don't know the late great William J Bell the creator of the Y&R and the B&B was an original writer of Day's of our lives in fact Ken Corday father owned a small piece of Y&R in a deal that let Bill Bell out of his contract with Day's.

It only be fitting if Day's of our Lives were to join the Bell family once again.

Day's is doomed under Ken that is my suggestion to Ken Corday how to save his father's show.

that is my suggestion how to save Days of Our Lives

what do you think or what would you do as a Days of Our Lives fan?

[MarkH]

For a lot of reasons, I don't think this will happen. The Bells have shown no interest in expanding/acquiring, and I'm not really sure these is a market for Days off NBC. In addition, there is a bit of a (friendly, I think) rivalry between Corday and Brad Bell. I somehow suspect Corday would rather sunset his show rather than relinquish control to the Bells.

THAT SAID, I would be very intrigued to have the Bells try this. It's the kind of thing where they could buy the show for $1, but promise Corday profit participation. Then, I'd love someone who knows the Bell style, and who remembers the 60s/70s version that Bell penned, to consult. (Is there such a person? Jerry Birn? Anyone?).

This goes on the heap of great ideas that, I fear, will never happen.

[Vee]

The Bells taking over again IS a great idea. But I agree, never happen.

[Rakesh]

I just love how some people have the nerves to dig GL's grave... be careful, your precious soap will be the one falling in...

I'm a Days fan, btw. I don't want to see any of our soaps going off air anytime soon. I also don't want any of our soaps off the air so another can have life. If that soap's time is up, then its up. There is nothing we can do.

Agreed. I just don't see Corday selling Days at all.

[Wendy]

The genre, like it or not, is dying. So once NBC cancels Days, I do not see CBS picking it up or Corday selling to the Bells. Not after the many years it has been owned by Corday's own family.

And, judging by what Days is about to be reduced to, there would not be much of a point to keeping just a shell around.

Once it's over, it's over. Just my opinion here.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

^I agree Wendy, just let it die already.

There's only so much you can do on a budget of Jolly Ranchers and Tootsie Rolls.

GL should've learnt this lesson in 2005 - it's better to die with some dignity.

Sadly, DAYS is approaching GL territory and doing it at an alarming rate.

[edgeofnik]

It's funny to read a story on DAYS regarding budget instead of pulling them out of crappy stories. How many times has SOD or SOW had a headline "The New Plan to Save DAYS!!!!" (and I think there's been about 50). At least the show is still around.

[All My Shadows]

LMAO! "The New Plan to Save DAYS!" is such a catchphrase now. I can imagine Corday sitting in a small office with a typewriter, constantly typing, and every time he holds up the paper, he screams..."This is THE NEW PLAN TO SAVE DAYS!! WE MUST GET IT TO THE PRESS!!"

The thing that offends me most is how (especially back when the Jeff Zucker comment was still circulating heavily) so many DAYS fans are completely inconsiderate of other soaps, nonchalantly guessing that either ABC or CBS would ditch one of their own in favor of DAYS. "Yeah, ABC is so gonna cancel OLTL to get DAYS..." or "CBS should just drop both GL and ATWT and pick up DAYS..." It's disgusting, and if you ask me, a little arrogant. DAYS is not some piece of gold that every prospector's searching for, nor is it some loose cheerleader that every football player is itching (hee!) to roll around with. If either network canceled a soap, I can guarantee that it would not be in order to pick up another soap.

[Darlotto99]

well under the Bells Day's would be better off they wouldn't have the problems that is going on now

[Greg's GL]

ICAM. The GL that "survived" the last 2 years hasn't really achieved anything other than the decimation of it's reputation. This entire thread reminds me of all the threads over the last few years on "How to save GL".

"Saving" a show is not getting rid of the veterans and dismantling core families. It's not new "production" models nor bad rock music playing in the background. I believe if the writing is on the wall, let the show go out with style.

I wouldn't wish what happened to my show on DOOL or any other.

But, I do like the idea of the Bells taking ownership but IA - probably ain't gonna happen.

[SFK]

Did you guys see that Deidre and Drake's firings made Yahoo's front page in an article discussing the death of soaps?

Are Daytime Soaps Doomed?

http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/are-daytime-soaps-doomed--43

[asa]

The genre of soaps is NOT dying. The landscape is littered with soap opera drama.

The species of DAYTIME soaps are dying because they can't compete with the outlandish, yet grounded storylines of primetime and cable soap operas. Daytime has been in trouble for the last decade and yet they haven't adjusted according to the times. It's not just head writers and staff's fault--it's the fault of executives who only view daytime as a way to sell advertising to housewives and college students. The daytime sect of soap operas go for shock value as it pertains to conservatism rather than trying to do something that is liberating and exciting. Bianca becoming a lesbian was to shock the conservative daytime base. DAYS killing off half the town and having them stranded on an island was an over-the-top stunt done to try to shake up the daytime base. Those are two examples of lazy stunts that didn't pan out (even if people love Bianca--it's not because she's a lesbian).

The Yahoo article is a little outlandish. I think daytime is all but dead on NBC--they seem ready to move on but just haven't settled on something to fill the hour lost should they remove DAYS from the air. I think ABC still has a lot invested in their soaps and I think CBS has been trying their damnedest for quite sometime to turn their daytime soaps into something important considering their network skews to an older audience.

[Dan]

You mean 2003, but hey, who's counting?

I agree, saving a show means NOTHING if in order to do so, you must transform it into a different show (I'm talking to YOU now Wheeler!).

If they are going to rip the show's heart out (along with everything that made it unique in the first place), then just let it go with some dignity. This GL fan can only shudder to think who is going to be in that final GL scene.

[Vee]

Just an idle thought. I'm not trying to hijack the conversation. I have long thought of ways to fix DAYS, using a mix of adventurous or exciting storylines (i.e., the 80s, even Reilly) with down to earth drama and deep historical background (the Bells). I would insist on the latter, on bringing the show back to reality, but I would also accept that it has equally deep roots in high adventure, both good and bad (JERk).

But it occurred to me: Would it ever be remotely possible to do another storyline with the Devil, except make this one actually scary, subtle, and halfway decent? Like it or not the whole Mardevil thing is very emblematic of DAYS too, and as much as I laughed at the story during the original run it makes me wonder - could it be done with class?

I like to think my way out of impossible scenarios, is why I ask this.

[dawn9476]

I think Days is done in 18 months. The lot it is on now has been sold and NBC is suppose to be totally off it in 2011. I don't see Sony nor NBC wasting time, energy, and money moving it to a new lot.