January 16-20, 2006

[SIPort]

GH especially, since it's completely written BY MEN FOR MEN.

[FanSoAp07]

OMFGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

LOOK at DAYS & PSNS on Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OMGGG

[WTGH]

Sad to see ATWT dropping position in comparison to one month ago.

Congrats to Days on their improvement.

[JERSoapsFan]

I have to agree with you, too. The original person is NOT watching DAYS, because it is incredible right now. It's like I can't fast-forward through anything! And it sucks because I work long hours and I have to sometimes watch two or three episodes back to back because I have to put them off one or two days...but I HAVE to see them, too because they're just great. The acting has increased like, 1,000 percent, the right characters are being featured when they should, and the writing is so natural and nothing really seems out of place or contrived. Aside from Nicole leaving the show, which sucks, EVERYTHING is just right. I'm just surprised we haven't reached 4.0 with these amazing stories. God knows it's the best soap on the air right now--and not for campy reasons!

[PhoenixRising05]

I agree 100% .

[darraholic]

I agree that Zack's death has been written very well. It's turning into one of my favorite storylines. Granted it will probably get screwed up somehow but still I'm enjoying it right now. Even Marlena & Alex are getting interesting for the first time in a long time.

[Mitchapalooza]

DAYS is just ROCKING right now. And anyone who says that DAYS has fucked up the Zack Dying Storyline is ABSOLUTELY not watching the show!

This is like the ONLY story that DAYS is absolutely hitting outta the park with.

[Kwing42]

I was flipping through the channels one night and caught some of the Zack story on Days. I think it is great they are doing something like this because..well it reflects real life.

I was however disappointed in the acting. For the big time stars that are doing the story, it seemed poorly acted.

Maybe it was just the couple scenes I saw, but ouch...it was not pretty.

But kudos for them for doing a good, realistic story like this

[Gray Bunny]

Kristian Alfonso is doing okay, but she's no Meryl Streep. I wouldn't expect any Emmy nomination for her next year, despite the praises she's been given.

Julie Pinson is the worst, though. She has been guilty of melodramatic "soap opera acting" since the first day she started at DAYS. I'd rather see acting, not soap opera acting. Any non-soap fan who would turn on DAYS while she's on would think she's terrible and fake. JMO.

I hope this doesn't place me in the "anti-DAYS" group just because I don't think the acting is 100% top-notch. I'm glad to hear there's a twist coming in the Alex/Marlena story, because that clunker has been dragging! But I'm lovin' the Austin/Carrie/Sami/Lucas quartet. Too bad Arianne Zuker has decided to leave without being given the chance to really delve into the psyche of the character.

[Chanel]

IA. I thought JP was going to do an AMAZING job, just like KA is doing, but JP hasn't impressed me yet.

[Ponz]

It is not just Matt Ashford fans who are fed up with Reilly's stories. The vast majority can't stand his writing. Once the shock value of this story wears off, the ratings will head south again. It's been the same pattern throughout Reilly's tenure. He gets spikes here and there when something shocking happens (Marlena revealed as SK, Alice's murder etc.) but the ratings in the long-term remain mediocre. There was a six week period at the start of 04 when he reached the mid 3's. The rest of the time they have been as bad (or worse) than those drawn by Higley, who was fired to make way for JER.

The positive comments about this story reflect the strong performances of the actors involved, not the quality of writing. JER was widely criticised for using Zack's ghost to pimp Belle/Shawn. Billie confessing when she wasn't even in town at the time of the accident is also a ridiculous plot twist.

I hope the ratings stay up for renewal purposes but they should not conceal the fact that he is a terrible writer who should be fired ASAP.

[PhoenixRising05]

Well I have heard alot of people praising the writing. I can understand them pimping Shelle because Zach saved Claire's life. I had no problem with that since we are talking about the future generation here. The ratings for Days have been steady and slowly increasing. This is not a trademark JER ratings boost where days jumps .5 and then drops .5. its been .1 here and there, same goes for demos. This is not shock value because if it was JER would have made it over the top and maybe even not as sensitive as it has been portrayed.

As for Billie, no one knows when she got back so how is that preposterous? She has no alibi so I can't see how that doesn't make sense.

I have not been JER's biggest fan in the past (loved his first run and hated up to last August of his second run) but these last 6 months of Days, moreso this past month, has been the best drama I have seen on Days in years. I am enjoying pretty much everything, especially the acting which has been alluded too.

I only cited Matt Ashford fans because I am a J&J fan and I have seen how there is alot of venom from them when it comes to JER. I understand that-I personally don't blame him though because its show biz. You are always gonna run into writers, directors, etc who can't work or do anything with you. Jack is a tricky character to write for and, as a writer, you either get him or you don't. I always question whether hatred for Days in its current state is because of past mistakes so that is why I brought Matt up. Its always an instinct of mine lately to do that. I just think the show has not been this good since at least 2002 IMO.

[Ponz]

Fair post.

Jack and Jennifer fans (of which I am one too) react with the most venom because they have probably been burned by JER more than other fanbases. But other viewers level the same criticisms. I do not believe Reilly's inability to write for Matt Ashford's Jack is just an isolated problem. Reilly struggles to write for ANY complex characters. It is the same reason Steve's return hasn't happened, Tony was turned into a cartoon villain and Sami and Lucas are back to behaving like immature teenagers. Reilly's own characters (Patrick, Chelsea etc) are completely lacking in depth.

Yes, people do criticise Days in its current state because of past mistakes. But they have every reason to be distrustful of JER and question his ability to sustain this storyline over several months. He is not going to suddenly transform himself into a great writer.

Moreover, regardless of JER's ability or lack of it, there has to be accountability for the state of the show. Higley was fired after 4 months for getting the same ratings JER has been drawing for 2 years! You say the ratings are improving steadily but a 0.3 increase over 3 weeks is not really evidence of anything. If the numbers continue to improve to the mid 3's and stay there, then you might have a point. But I'm not holding my breath.

[OneLife Fan]

Poor OLTL!! Come on viewers...get with the program!!

[Mitchapalooza]

DAYS ratings gain has been a 3-4 month period.

They were hovering near 2.5-2.6 in Nov, then 2.7-2.8 in Dec, 2.9 in Jan.

It has been a steady, but slow climb, with no sudden spikes or falls. IMO this is not like JER ratings spikes during the SSK which saw DAYS rise suddenly from thw 2.7 range all way to a high of 3.9 and then back down to the 2.6-2.7 range...all within the span of 5 months. Not to mention their was up's and down's consistently throughout that 5 months which proved that people were tuning in to watch each of the deaths, then would tune back out until the next death and then it all culminated with the reveal of Marlena being the killer which drew a MASSIVE 3.9 for the week and a 4.2 for the day it was revealed.

This ratings gain has not been like that one, DAYS has been slowly averaging a .1 gain per month since October. With no spikes and only very small falls during the time. In addition their have been NO sudden jumps in viewers either, just slow steady gains which has me believing that SOME viewers are returning AND STAYING.

This weeks ratings will be a HUGE indicator of what trend DAYS is following IMO.