LATEST RATINGS: December 23-27, 2019

[DramatistDreamer]

Anytime I look at these ratings these days, my first and only question is 'how do these networks sell ad space during these soaps' timeslots?  If you look at the caliber of products being advertised during these shows over the last decade compared to twenty, thirty years ago, the differences are stark!  

 

I know that ratings are down across primetime too but because there is an assumption that people are actually home in the evening to watch, primetime has still been able to maintain those ad dollars, I know the same cannot be said of daytime.  It's always been a given that daytime has had to work harder to command a competitive rate on ad dollars and they're just no longer putting in the effort, not with these ratings. 

At this point, treading water is an achievement, it seems. 

[KMan101]

 

Yeah, they'd never reshoot or scrap anything. Not when they're 8 months ahead. 

 

Our luck we'd get Dena Higley back.

 

I wouldn't mind giving Quan a shot at being solo HW, but I think he'd need a co like Sheri Anderson (who never shoulda left)

 

A time jump gets buzz initially. Which it did. But they fumbled it all. Which is typical of DAYS. No one's tuning in for Justin and Kayla, or Ciara propping Ben, or Steve as Stefano ... 

 

And honestly they should have gone bigger. Really change the canvas up. Really change the stories up. But they didn't. We get reveals in flashbacks and we're still slogging through the same [!@#$%^&*] just "a year later"  .

 

Not to mention the interference. Things are cut that we'd WANT to see. Like John and Marlena talking about the Gruesome Twosome. Scenes were cut with them in it today, I believe. But supposedly they also did us a favor and cut a Daniel reference last week so yay for that.

[beebs]

Realistically, I know that. But creatively/ratings-wise, it would be necessary to turn the ship around at this rate.

And yeah, Sheri was the only thing reigning him in, it's plain as day. Quan had good ideas, like I'm fairly certain it was his idea to bring on Eli and Valerie during his last stint, but of course, Dena doesn't know how to execute anything, and I think he's too green to really know how to execute his ideas effectively, either. He would need someone like Sheri or Lorraine Broderick to help him steer the ship. But even if they were to drop the axe on Ron tomorrow, it still would be way too late to course correct with them so far ahead. SMH.

[Melroser]

I keep trying to get back into DAYS because I do enjoy many of the actors on the show, but the writing just kills me.

 

Ron needs to stop this double character crap:  Hattie/Bonnie/Gina (Hope), and "Stefano" (Steve). It's annoying. If  you can't find a story worthy enough of these vets other than campy sh*t then you're doing something wrong.

 

Not one of the couples on this show are worth rooting for anymore. Not even his "beloved" Ciara and Ben. As others have said, couples are on to someone else two weeks later, back-and-forth, so how can you invest in anyone?

 

Xander and Gabi running multi-million (multi-billion?) dollar companies is ludicrous. 

 

I'm so tired of Dimera and Kiriakis battles over their perspective companies. There is no build up for anything. An underhanded takeover could be great if they didn't switch CEOs every other week as it is. Everyone watching knows that the newest person in charge won't last long...so who cares?

 

 

[KMan101]

 

It would be too late. I really tried giving Ron a shot. I knew there'd be things I'd like and absolutely hated. But he's already at the "I give up so I'm just doing whatever I want" stage.

 

And that's what I mean about Quan. I'm sure he has some good ideas on paper but he would need a Lorraine/Sheri with him. And I bet neither has any interest. Lorraine's probably content on the writing staff.

 

The problems with DAYS also run deeper than *just* Ron. There needs to be a total overhaul (except Greg Meng, however I'm sure he has no power or pull at the show unfortunately, because he seems to care and know what we want to see). Albert Alarr needs to go but I have a feeling he's buddies with Ken and in his ear ... not to mention the awful awful Steve Kent at Sony, but I figure he messes with Y&R more.

 

I hope some of you all realize just how deep and messy the interference is. Our shows just don't stand a chance. (And to be fair, you can see on-screen when he clearly is forced to abandon ship ... Diana/Leo is a prime example, Vivian's quickie exit in May 2018 ...)

[dragonflies]

I don't watch any soaps at all now. I just find myself tired of them overall. But if I did start back up it would be with Days

[Contessa Donatella]

I just watch DAYS - nothing else.

[edgeofnik]

Honestly I believe the Stevano/Princess Gina has been a big turnoff. Didn’t the ratings really start to crash after the Stevano reveal? Also, while I like seeing KA looking good, the PG stuff is beyond unbelievable. Ciara is so clever she can pull all this stuff for Ben, but doesn’t notice a huge change in her mother? Dr Marlena Evans, who really should’ve stripped of her medical license for ineptness years ago, isn’t at all tipped off by Hope’s predatory behavior?

 

Viewers are willing to suspend ‘reality’ if the stories are good, well acted and the premise could lead to a great payoff (e.g., Kristen/Lani, the convent, unexpected friendship and common goal of getting Gabi). None of these are present with Stevano - it’s just embarrassing. You know it’s bad when Mumbles is out acting SN. 

[Gray Bunny]

Yikes. I just hope there's adequate time to pin a worthwhile, respectable ending to the series. I'm guessing September 2021.  DAYS is/was good at pumping up the schmaltz for reunions, anniversaries and special events. There's two soap casts worth of out-of-work former DAYS actors who would gladly pop in for a final bow in Salem. Just be kind enough to give Christie Clarke advance notice. She's living overseas now, right? 

[Contessa Donatella]

 

 

 

[te.]

I genuinely don't mind Ron running Days until further notice - why? Because the fundamental problems with the shows production will still exist with or without him. There's still the issue of airing eight months ahead and getting no audience feedback on what works and what doesn't work, obvious budget issues and of course Corday himself hovering over the show, stifling any headwriter with "Plan to Save Days Pt 39249".

 

And yes, Ron isn't great, but overall anyone stepping into his shoes will have above problems so it really doesn't matter who's writing this show.

Please register in order to view this content

[Khan]

 

I'm starting to feel the same as you, @te..  It truly doesn't matter anymore who's HW'ing DAYS (or any soap).  There's too many BTS issues getting in their way.

[te.]

 

It's like an old car - yes, you can change a part every now and then and it'll run a bit smoother for a bit, but the truth is that the entire machinery is rusted and nothing is ever going to really change until you gut it entirely. But is it worth the cost?

 

Ron isn't great by any means, but at least he allows me to dip in and out every now and again and enjoy "events". Obviously he sucks at long-term but who can plan long-term under these conditions?

[soapfan770]

Oh gosh are we going see Days be the first soap to go under a 1.0 that actually does count? 

[KMan101]

 

I have to agree. I wouldn't mind a break and they just show 'classic' episodes (along with the regular preemptions). Build to a "Christmas finale" and then come back in January. Risky but the numbers suck as it is.

 

Yeah. Short-term he gets me back, then I start losing interest, like now. There's just too much interference. Deliberate interference. Ron has many faults but I think he's shown he can do better than this. Family references are cut, there's some bizarre agenda against the John/Marlena extended family ... it's so messy BTS. Too many agendas. Look at the webseries. Folks are enjoying it. They aren't enjoying the main show. Why? It's focused on fan-baiting (nostalgia, popular characters, history). All soaps just need to fan-bait at this point, they should have started about 5-10 years ago. 

 

Funny how folks could discover the soaps back in the 70s and 80s before the "ew old people we need hot young bodies" trend keeps repeating itself. They just don't ever learn: DON'T FIX WHAT ISN'T BROKEN.