Hogan Sheffer dies at 61

[Vee]

I know he'd wanted a moratorium on what he famously called "cousinfucking" i.e. Max and Chelsea. He had planned to do a triangle with Max, Mimi and the teen Abby (Ashley Benson). It would've worked IMO, except Farah Fath quickly left and then it all went into a spin. I think he was very behind Chelsea with Nick Fallon, his creation, and a character and couple I initially loved. But it was immediately torpedoed bc someone at DAYS clearly disdained 'nerds' and set about ruining and humiliating Nick, putting Chelsea back with Max, etc. (This even extended to villainizing Nick in future regimes.)

 

Sheffer's DAYS became a shitshow very quickly and he was not at all blameless, but it was also clear instantly he was being interfered with, and a tonal clash with a show/production that would've rather had John and Marlena sit around listening to Smokey Robinson in a mountain cabin.

[Roman]

I liked his starting writing better than anything JER wrote. it just went to hell. and KC is mostly to blame. like with every writer since Sherri's first term as HW.

[Sindacco]

HOGAN SHEFFER INTERVIEW 2006 PART 1

 

Last week, this TVGuide.com soap pundit had the great pleasure of lunching with Hogan Sheffer, the new head writer of NBC's Days of our Lives.

We spent two fascinating hours at Art's Delicatessen in Studio City, Calif., where we dished the current state of Salem and how he'll fix it. It's a big job, but if anyone can do it, Sheffer - who scored four Emmys while penning As the World Turns - is the guy.

 

During our chat, I found Sheffer to be candid, funny, down to earth and whipsmart. (I swear I'm not just saying that 'cause he promised he would order my new soap-opera book online - although a first-time author appreciates all the support he can get!) FYI, I got way too much great soap dish to blow it all in one blog posting. So I'll serve you my deli scoopage in delicious, digestible portions.

 

Let's start with Sheffer's take on the DiMera clan, that dynasty of deviants who've been stirring up terror in Salem since the '80s. "When I first got this job," Sheffer says, "everybody told me, 'You need to bring back the DiMeras.' This is the perfect time for that. I want to reward longtime Days fans by tapping the show's history of romance and old-school villains."

 

Need I say it? OK, I suppose I must... SPOILER ALERT!

Will Stefano DiMera return to Salem?

I outright told Sheffer that Days just shouldn't do any more DiMera stories sans Stefano DiMera, the cagey "Phoenix" himself. Daytime vet Joseph Mascolo recently left The Bold and the Beautiful and I've heard word he's returning to Days to reprise his signature Stefano role. True?

"Our problem, at the moment," Sheffer says, "is I don't know if [Mascolo] is willing to come back for a short span. We have to think about what to do about that. The first thing we'll do is make sure there's another generation of the DiMera family on the canvas. We need to start passing down those attributes that have been so successful to the next generation. The [younger] generation on this show is sitting around doing nothing."

 

Who is EJ Wells?

British actor James Scott (ex-Ethan, All My Children) has charmed Days fans as Sami Brady's mysterious friend, EJ Wells. It will be revealed this fall that EJ is a member of the DiMera clan and he's also the Gloved One who's been skulking around Salem.

"He's not going anywhere," Sheffer says. "To me, he is the next generation of the DiMera family. I think it will be a huge surprise as to who he is, how he's connected and what he's been doing. I won't tell you exactly who he is. Kudos to [former Days head writer] Jim Reilly for bringing on this character and for setting up what I think will be a great mystery. That's all his stuff, not mine. The way it's going to play out is mine."

 

Wasn't Jan Spears supposed to be the Gloved One at one point?

"Yeah, Jan Spears," Sheffer acknowledges. "One of the other versions of that story had Tek as the gloved hand. But there are only two people involved in that gloved hand business, EJ and Patrick. John and Bo will figure out their connection."

EJ Wells is not Benjy!

I recently offered up a wacky theory that EJ is Elvis, the son of Stefano and Susan Banks. (Read that theory here.) Several TVGuide.com readers countered by speculating that EJ is Stefano's long-lost Native American son, Benjy Hawk.

"You can say this," Sheffer winks. "Benjy is a DiMera and Benjy will be back. EJ Wells is not Benjy, though. We will see Benjy for the first time around the end of October. Benjy will be pivotal in what's happening in the months to come."

EJ is Getting a Wicked New Lover!

As Days fans know, Kate Roberts used to be Stefano's mistress. Let's keep it in the family, shall we?

"Kate and EJ are gonna start f---ing," Sheffer teases. "EJ is everybody's type. And why wouldn't he want her? She's a sexy woman! This also gives Kate her chops back. No more Roman and Victor - none of that. When Lauren Koslow (Kate) walks into a room, she just bowls me over. She's sexy, she's a great actress and she will be very, very busy."

[Contessa Donatella]

Now, that is fantastic! The only problem is not everyone is alive to pull this off!

[Sindacco]

HOGAN SHEFFER INTERVIEW 2006 PART 2

 

I promised you more scoopage from my recent in-depth interview with Hogan Sheffer, the new head writer of NBC's Days of our Lives. Last week, you read about Sheffer's big plans for the DiMera dynasty. Today's report is all about Salem rich boy Philip Kiriakis!

 

Just to refresh your memory, Kyle Brandt who started out on MTV's The Real World: Chicago has reached the end of his three-year contract with Days. He's chosen to leave the NBC soap to pursue other career endeavors. Brandt last airs on October 12.

 

Sheffer acknowledges that Days definitely intends to recast Philip because he sees the role as vital.

"Victor Kiriakis (John Aniston) can no longer be the big swinging [honcho] of that family anymore," he insists. "It's gotta be Philip, the next generation. He's gotta be the new Victor."

 

Could the charming, gorgeous and much-missed Jay Kenneth Johnson, who played Philip before Brandt, possibly return to Salem?

Johnson left Days in 2002 and went on to do the short-lived nighttime soap North Shore, as well as guest gigs on primetime series including The OC, CSI: NY and Scrubs. He's also got an upcoming guest-star gig on CSI: Miami (more details on that later).

Bottom line: Johnson's been working respectably, but it's not like his career has soared to such heights that daytime couldn't lure him back with a sweet deal.

"Jay will certainly be considered when the time comes," Sheffer says. "He's a great looking guy and everybody loved him on Days."

 

What's most important to Sheffer is restoring the integrity of Philip, who's been dumbed down like most of the men in Salem.

"There's been a lot of disrepect involved with [the writing of] Philip," Sheffer adds. "This character is missing a leg that he lost in combat. I didn't even know that until my co-head writer Meg Kelly called me and told me, 'Did you know Philip has a prosthetic leg?' I said, 'He doesn't even limp!' If you're going to do something like that, you've got to treat it with some kind of respect. I don't see Philip carrying much of a burden from what happened to him.

"In fact, if they can't get [Johnson], I would love them to cast a one-legged actor. And preferably, a [military] veteran."

Sheffer bursts into laughter. "Of course, that's a tall order!" he says. "[Executive producer] Ken Corday said, 'Why don't we just start with somebody talented, Hogan?' I said, 'That's a good idea, Ken.'"

[Khan]

Ken Corday: "Why don't we just start with somebody talented, Hogan?"

 

Now, when was the last time DAYS gave even one thought to TALENT?