Days: Deep Soap: How Days is thriving by ignoring conventional wisdom

[dragonflies]

She's talking about how the show thrives by ignoring conventional wisdom

http://www.fancast.com/blogs/2010/deep-soap/deep-soap-days-of-our-lives-thrives-by-ignoring-conventional-wisdom/

[NorrthCafe]

It's exactly what fans have been saying all along. The heads of ABC and CBS would only read and ignore, despite all evidence that their help is not so helpful.

[JackPeyton]

It really is simple what DAYS has done.

Its telling simple basic soap opera storylines. Mixing vets with newbies with characters who have grown up on screen. Its nothing new or exciting or amazing. But its entertaining, and thats saying a lot.

[DeliaIrisFan]

It's an interesting theory of Bibel's (which I've seen articulated elsewhere) about the lack of executives needing to justify their overbloated salaries at NBC Daytime by micromanaging the show to death turning out to be a good thing for DAYS. I know I've enjoyed what I've seen of it in the past year more than anything I've seen of the show in well over a decade, but it still wasn't enough to hold my attention past the initial curiosity of seeing Carly and Vivian again. Then again, its head writer(s) aren't exactly the most acclaimed in the business. It seems like such a waste that there's not some daytime legend at the helm, being left to their own devices.

I wonder if this will end up becoming a trend, not necessarily intentionally but as the other networks' daytime lineups dwindle down - will CBS keep the VP of daytime position when they're down to just two soaps next fall? And this adds a new dimension to the recurring debate about which ABC show will be the last one standing. I've avoided participating in that to date but it seems a little less morbid if the demise of the rest of the lineup could indirectly give new creative life to the surviving show in its golden years. I would so want that show to be OLTL, if it meant Carlivati would have more creative freedom - assuming he were still there - but I know OLTL is most likely not going to outlast AMC and GH. Especially with the recent casting spoilers, it seems pretty clear that there wasn't anything to the rumor that OLTL's budget is so well-managed that it's making more money than the marginally higher rated AMC and GH (or if it was/is true, it's no longer enough to keep the show afloat). I'm not rooting for any of these shows to be canceled, but I have to say at this point GH's "creative" team seems to be so in sync with the network's "vision" that they wouldn't really need Frons to keep it going on that course. I can't say I'm overly enthused about the new writing team at AMC getting to have carte blanche, either, but Kreizman seemed to show some promise when he took over at GL and I don't see how anyone - especially someone with no head writing experience - could have sustained a high-quality show under the network interference that must have been mounting as the show headed toward cancellation. I was not a big fan of Swajeski's time at AW, though, but it was mostly watchable at the time and the way that it was crafted actually seemed like a throwback to classic soaps when it aired on SoapNet a few years back, even though most of the stories themselves weren't that much better than what was airing on the current soaps. Still, I would love to see a head writer I truly admire outlast Frons and his kind and get to execute their vision for a little while before soaps as we know them are gone forever.

[Ann_SS]

Sara Bibel's argument is always that if the network left the writers alone the soaps would be so much better. Eh, I don't buy that for a second. I don't trust the writers who I think are well meaning, but overall self-absorbed lunatics without executives watching over their shoulders. Look at GH, from all reports Guza basically runs it with Phelps with minor input from Frons. Without the network worried about PR the hospital would have completely disappeared years ago. Days has improved quality wise, but it was the network's budget cuts that forced the writers' hands. I also think that Ali Sweeney's popularity as the host of the Biggest Loser is likely the real reason for Days' ratings boost. Bibel is always crediting the writers for any improvement, but there are lots more external events that impact a soap.

[JackPeyton]

Honestly, i think they would ruin what days has going for it.

I wouldnt say days is boring, id say its simple. I cant see anyone else coming in and keep it where its at, just add more drama and high stakes. The only mistakes these writers made was not setting up the next big story when the carly/mel story was going on.

[JackPeyton]

EXACTLY!

I also hate that arguemnt of the networks get in the way and they need to back off and let the writers write. Part of running a show is like running a company. You dont own it, there is someone above you, and you have to make their mandates work.

I also always say days didnt change willingly. They were force to do it. They took a chance in firing dhx2 and it has paid off.

And i also agree that Sweeneys popularity helps.

[bellcurve]

Is this supposed to be some kind of compliment to DAYS?

She's right that DAYS is getting a crowd of viewers(returning and new) by just being itself instead of trying to be "edgy" or "hip." But to completely pooh-pooh good aesthetics like they don't matter is complete and utter BS.

[Vee]

There is nothing unconventional about DAYS.

[JackPeyton]

Ill take a good ol soap opera with basic sets and boring camera work, lame sets, and no edge over edgy camera work, new sets, and crap stories anyday.

Days is far from perfect, but its a soap opera. romance, mystery, drama, family, friendship, etc.. what i want from a soap is there and im obviously not alone.

[Sylph]

Yeah, I think it would ruin it too.

The recipe for Days is: dreck. If it was quality, literary soap, people would tune out.

After 2 decades of horrors, people got used to it and that's what they expect.

If you try something "lofty", say goodbye to your followers.

[Sylph]

People who follow Days don't give a f*ck about aesthetics.

When it was beautifully produced, it kept looooooooossssssiiiiiiiiiiiiiing viewers.

Now when it looks like sh*t, people are there.

[Sylph]

Bibel is right in that... People who run these shows are all wannabe, D-list, sh*tfest writers who aspire to some lofty heights or whatever and their inferiority complexes get projected onto other people's stories/outlines etc. That's the problem: network people wanting the salary of network people, but the job of a writer and the "acclaim" that goes with it (and also want their worked to be loved, loved, love, d'oh, 'cause it's fab).

If they were just doing their jobs — as in not having people burn fetuses on shows and making sure that what you see on your screen is not completely schizo and horrifying — things would be much, MUCH better.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Much like Bibel herself.

[bellcurve]

But what I mean is, she's saying this like it's a compliment or as if it's something all soaps should do.

The DAYS model doesn't work for everyone. Some people actually like depth and colors and camera movement.