RUMOR: Changes Tomlin made to Days

[koos]

I would only like to watch Hunt Block if he stopped squinting his eyes all the time. There were times when I thought his eyes were actually just little slits, on ATWT, because of his constant squinting expression. He'd actually open his eyes and I'd nearly choke on a Bagel Bite...

[DynamiteKiddo]

I think that for the first few months, DRT & MMcP were doing good work, it's just that there wasn't any "pop" to their content. They should have been able to figure out how to just give a single episode intensity, but they couldn't manage and their stories never, ever had a feeling of urgency. This was the original problem. Then around Feb., we could all really start feeling the rewrites and everything went to hell in a hand basket. This sweeps is a prime example. It's a shame because, still, there is a LOT of potential, they just couldn't ever translate their ideas well from the paper to screen.

Gary Tomlin and Dena Higley managed to successfully reinvent this show, which is something no one's been able to do since Reilly Round I. That was a huge feat. When their concepts stopped working, it was madness to revert to sentimentality (with no substance). And what a freakin' stupid financial decision to rehire the DH's, too (and Sarah Brown for that matter). (MA was reported to have been making pennies compared to the DH's, PR, KA, and MR when he was rehired in '04, and I know MR's '10 contract must have been a joke in comparison to what she was offered in '00; we know that PR & KA are making half of what they were, but they, AS, and the DH's are likely still the top earners. And good grief, Christie Clark is prob. earning less at 40 than she was in her early twenties). IDK . . . the problem is though, that DRT & MMcP DID reintroduce Jack, Carrie, and Austin and it's so irresponsible to quickly ditch them, esp. when J&M are being kept around, at a higher cost and with less creative potential. I hope this doesn't become a disaster, because "Days" can't afford another blow.

[JaneAusten]

He comes aCross plastic and fake and I haven't seen him gel with anyone including Lauren Koslow who pretty much clicks with anyone. No chemistry at all. And Sarah who I normally love, just didn't work. She reminds me of Missy Reeves on Days. No spark at all.

I wonder if Tristan Rogers would have worked. He really sparked on Y&R and he was playing a villain. Of

course because he sparked they fired him.

[DynamiteKiddo]

Missy Reeves gets such a bad rap around here; I think she's one of daytime's most underrated actresses.

[JaneAusten]

I was a huge Jennifer fan back in the day. I just think MR is sleepwalking now and has lost the spark she used to have. Much like her husband on GH who is awful.

[darraholic]

I used to love Missy Reeves, but she seems like she's just there to collect her pay cheque. She doesn't get into her role at all. I no longer see Jennifer, but see Missy Reeves trying to act.

[juniorz1]

Uh, I no longer see Jennifer at all. I don't get all this complaining about Missy Reeves when we haven't seen her in weeks, maybe months (or so it feels like).

Hell, I'm worried Ashford's gonna get a non-exit because I feel as though I haven't seen him since February!!!

[Paul Raven]

Maybe for some actors,the new taping schedule (with lack of rehearsal etc) affects their performance.I'm sure it can be quite gruelling at times and doesn't suit everyone.

[gtru1981]

Don't they also film like a weeks worth of shows in a day?

[sungrey]

I have often said this! There are some people who claim the actors DO get rehearsal time, but it sure can't be as generous as it was in the old days (or the days of any other soap, for that matter).

I really think it does affect performances more than you'd think. You have to go with your gut a lot more rather than have a director tell you in between dress and tape "No, no... don't play it that way. Do it this way, it works so much better..."

And that shows in what we see on air.

[John]

Days films 8-10 episodes a week but they also have a week off each month. GH does the same

[Michael]

Absolutely. It contributes to that atmosphere of "Just get something on tape." I can't even fault anyone specifically for that -- it's just a matter of time. When your job is to commit something to tape, you do that. When the job is to stop and think about your choices and work through a scene to get something interesting on tape, you do that, and it shows.

[dragonflies]

they should have been fired the instant they started damaging Alice's memory with this letter/secret crap.

[remos]

I think it also doesn't help that we know writers get paid extra for every new character they create, and because we know that it really sits in our craw when history is ignored and beloved character are pushed aside for new toys. Sometimes the new toys work and can be integrated into the canvas, but often they don't, and in the process they always get an abundance of airtime.

Bringing Sarah Brown on would have been a perfect time to recast Sarah Horton. The same people would have been working with her but she would have been anchored to an existing family and could have done her thing from that perch. But instead of something that came from history, the writers wanted to "start fresh". Fresh isn't always better in daytime were memories are long and viewing sometimes is reduced to a habit rather than an enjoyable part of one's day.

[ChitHappens]

I almost never talk MR because she tremendously FORGETTABLE! I've always found her to be one of the driest mediocre actresses in Daytime. I see no special or unique skills, and anything she does, I can name 75 actresses who could do the same, a 1000 who could do so much better. Today, the only difference is that she looks 80! Besides that awful hair, nothing much has changed with MR.

ANDREA