News

DOOL facing an uncertain future? Saturday, February 03 2007

Since Soaps.com reported the news that Passions has been cancelled, we have been inundated with emails from loyal soap fans everywhere, who want reassurance from us that the rest of their soaps will not meet their demise in the same fashion.

Here is just one from a long time viewer, Mindy W, who writes, "I heard that Days is going off the air. I wanted to know if that is true? I hope not I love watching Days. I have been a huge fan for so many years so please tell me that it is a rumor."

When we watch tearfully as one of our beloved soaps comes to an end, we automatically think to ourselves, "What now? Which one will be on the chopping block next?" We're hearing a lot of rumors that are a little too close for comfort. With the demise of the NBC daytime drama,Passions comes talk of the future of yours and my favorite soap, Days of Our Lives. Rumor has it that when the show's contract expires with NBC in 2009, the show will be either canned or shifted to another network, such as ABC or
CBS.

NBC Universal Television president Jeff Zucker recently suggested that because NBC's only other soap is Days of Our Lives, it's is unlikely to continue past 2009.

While we don't know the future of the soap, we do know that 2009 is a solid two years away and anything can happen between now and then.

Back in October 2006, Hogan Sheffer was hired as head writer. In just a few months he has added quite a few new writers to his staff and has let go of some of ex-head writer James E. Reilly's staff. Already we're seeing various improvements in the storyline, including pace and execution.

On the boards we're hearing that many of the viewers are planning to 'boycott NBC' if they have a hand in canceling the show. I understand this thinking. When the now defunct Sunset Beach was canceled, I cried like a baby! Since Days of Our Lives is produced by Corday Productions Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television, we can rest assured that it is not completely up to NBC, so perhaps the rumors will become fact, if NBC wants out. Maybe we'll see the show on another network!



Soaps.com's Soap Journalist, Shannon Burrell, spoke with Rachel Melvin (Chelsea Benson Brady) last Tuesday, and here is what she had to say regarding the future of DOOL:

"I think when people heard that Passions was cancelled, some of course wondered if we were going to be next. But, we had a pep talk/rally with the head of NBC and Ken Corday, and they assured us that we are going to be fine and for us to keep on doing the best that we can do."

Cheers to Ken Corday. Hopefully this will make fans feel a little more at ease.