Jesus christ, you people are masochists...

So apparently people are now tweeting pages of Dena Higley's memoirs in which she discusses her various meltdowns at length. I think that's going a bit too far as a fan myself but she does sound like a deeply unwell woman both on the job and off, and hers isn't the first voice I've heard that from.

 

This is telling though, and focused on the show and thus not as invasive as some of the other excerpts:

 

Edited February 22, 201610 yr by Vee

Even with my very limited knowledge of American soaps, I know what resonates with me and Dena Higley's writing does not. However, bringing this up is a bit close to the knuckle.

As for the time this refers to, it looks like it's from when Ed Scott was Executive Producer. I think this episode is what led to Scott being shown the door. Pity because he produced a very good looking show.

Nothing wrong with posting quotes from a published public book.

Maybe Josh quit because he hated working with Dena. Josh did quit the show he had a one year deal. Honestly I can see Dena being a little cuckoo. I don't know why Ken keeps hiring her. She took credit in 2009 for the big baby switch story but it was Chris Whitesell that wrote it. In fact when Whitesell quit because he did Dena crashed and burned. I have no clue why Ken brings her back. Why not let Ryan Quan try to write days himself 

Aside from "shoot each other," I really doubt that's what Dena ever wants to do.  Also?  She probably did more actual writing in that excerpt (forget about the rest of the book) than she has EVER done as a HW.

Her vision and the EP's alleged vision both sound terrible. 

Also I heard Dena ghost writed in 2008 during wga strike. Her she was saying she defended her guild but then secretly wrote during strike and kept her wga status.

Her vision and the EP's alleged vision both sound terrible. 

True.  But Ed Scott's vision sure beat the hell out of spending money the show didn't have.

Wasn't that one of the other reasons why Scott was fired? He was spending too much money? Tomlin came in and revamped the production schedule (to the detriment of the show) because they could no longer afford to produce the show the way it was being produced. 

 

 

At this point, I honestly cannot think of any known headwriter who could take over DAYS and turn it into a well-written viable winner in the ratings. Once upon a time, in the days of William J. Bell and Pat Falken Smith, the show was adult, compelling, mesmerizing and POPULAR. Who could help make that happen again? Certainly none of the familiar hacks who keep getting recycled from soap to soap, and only end up crippling the show more. Maybe the network needs to go with someone who has never written for a daytime drama before. It worked with Harding lemay and ANOTHER WORLD.

Wasn't that one of the other reasons why Scott was fired? He was spending too much money? Tomlin came in and revamped the production schedule (to the detriment of the show) because they could no longer afford to produce the show the way it was being produced. 

 

 

No, Scott was fired because of the scandal (changing written stuff). Tomlin came on several months before NBC cut the budget with 40 %.

Dena writes: "The network and the EP (executive producer) at the time wanted our characters to sit around for an hour and talk about their feelings."

I have a hard time believing any network exec past 1982 actually wanted that.

 Maybe the network needs to go with someone who has never written for a daytime drama before.

Frankly, it would not make any difference.  DAYS has been gutted by decades of horrendous decisions; and whatever ideas he or she would care to implement would be destroyed by network interference.

And NBC/Corday/Sony would likely find the wrong person to bring in anyway.

 

Unless you're a pushover that can implement the vision TPTB have, you don't have a chance in daytime drama these days.