True, lol. OTOH, although DAYS often resembled an afternoon kids' show with its' over-the-top supervillains bent on world domination, it still had more "heart" and emphasis on family than JER's variation did; therefore, in one sense, JER's DAYS was something I couldn't recognize. And those who watched the show before either one of us probably wished both versions - the '80's "supercouples" DAYS and the subsequent JER's DAYS - had never happened, lol.

No doubt, DAYS was never boring, per se, during those years. However, the campier stuff, while entertaining in the short run, was not sustainable, IMO. After awhile, it all came off as forced, excessive, and completely uninspired. Whether or not you think Gary Tomlin has brought DAYS back to its' roots (and in the beginning, anyway, I felt he did), I think we should give him credit, at least, for pulling us out of that mess.

I guess admittedly I am apart of that *later generation*, so that is the way I remember DAYS. Any way you slice it, after that Cruise of Deception, I simply wanted more of that *ish lol! Despite my displeasure with the current state of things, I definitely agree Tomlin deserves some credit for making the show watchable again (especially with Higley writing). On the real tip, I don't even think he is the problem here. Whitesell and Higley just seem to be incompatible as writers. I see no reason why there can't be campy elements amid character-driven elements, and have it be sustainable--its all about balance. JER was able to sustain his take on DAYS his entire run (a long-term plan helped too), and only after he left did his imitators fail to do so, seemingly from sloppy storytelling.

They need to go back to that darker, moodier lighting that they, and most of the other soaps, used in the 90's. Not only is it aesthetically more pleasing, but it helps cover up the cheap look to their deteriorating sets.

I've been saying this for ages.

Not only does darker lighting help to hide the cheapness of the sets and make the show look more rich and expensive, it somehow makes the stories seem more dramatic and... I dunno... moody. Atmospheric.

Your assessment that the show looks cheap and starchy is right on the money. Starchy is the perfect word. It was perfect for AMC and now it's perfect for Days. Sad.

I've been saying this for ages.

Not only does darker lighting help to hide the cheapness of the sets and make the show look more rich and expensive, it somehow makes the stories seem more dramatic and... I dunno... moody. Atmospheric.

Your assessment that the show looks cheap and starchy is right on the money. Starchy is the perfect word. It was perfect for AMC and now it's perfect for Days. Sad.

:::sigh::: Oh, Kenny... remember when this show was OFF-THE-CHAIN?! Hahaha... oh well, at least I have my dozens and dozens of VHS tapes and DVD's of the possession story and tapes of Aremid... now if only I could get my hands on everything 1993-1994.

:::sigh::: Oh, Kenny... remember when this show was OFF-THE-CHAIN?! Hahaha... oh well, at least I have my dozens and dozens of VHS tapes and DVD's of the possession story and tapes of Aremid... now if only I could get my hands on everything 1993-1994.

Good times!

The Affair, Night Sins, One Stormy Night, Who Killed Curtis, Buried Alive, The Desecrator/The Possession, Maison Blanche, Aremid, The Secret Room...

I've been saying this for ages.

Not only does darker lighting help to hide the cheapness of the sets and make the show look more rich and expensive, it somehow makes the stories seem more dramatic and... I dunno... moody. Atmospheric.

Your assessment that the show looks cheap and starchy is right on the money. Starchy is the perfect word. It was perfect for AMC and now it's perfect for Days. Sad.

I hate dark lighting. It looks like they can't afford light bulbs. DOOL has no atmosphere I admit, but making it so the characters need flashlights like they do on GH and Y&R isn't the answer. They just need better lighting and better sets that work with the light.

I hate dark lighting. It looks like they can't afford light bulbs. DOOL has no atmosphere I admit, but making it so the characters need flashlights like they do on GH and Y&R isn't the answer. They just need better lighting and better sets that work with the light.

When I say they should use darker lighting, I don't mean dark light midnight. I mean dark like moody. It shouldn't be lit like a local access sitcom.

When I say they should use darker lighting, I don't mean dark light midnight. I mean dark like moody. It shouldn't be lit like a local access sitcom.

ITA. One thing that might help would be to focus more on night time scenes and less on "day" scenes. I remember when Y&R would have lots of scenes at Jabot and Newman that took place "after hours" -- they would have night skyline or "dark" in windows. It created a very dramatic, mysterious effect. On top of it, the confrontations took greater importance because of this. I know this is a shocker, but I've been watching EON episodes recently and the difference between the night scenes are days scenes was 10 fold. (And, that was a show that was definitely on the cheap.)

I know this is a shocker, but I've been watching EON episodes recently and the difference between the night scenes are days scenes was 10 fold. (And, that was a show that was definitely on the cheap.)

I've said this before, but it always amazed me how EON's longtime producer, Erwin "Nick" Nicholson, was able to procure so much from so little. Then again, as good as the stories often were, you never really bothered to notice. ;-)