Days Of Our Lives
BREAKING NEWS: DAYS Fires Head Writers, Marlene McPherson & Darrell Ray Thomas FOR Gary Tomlin & Chris Whitesell!
What is happening over in Salem now? Breaking news today has that DAYS head writers, Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas have been fired! Apparently, executive producer, Ken Corday has made the decision on the switch, and according to Soap Opera Network the duo is being replaced by none other than dismissed former co-executive producer, Gary Tomlin and former DAYS co-head writer, Christopher Whitesell!
Marlene McPherson to Twitter to share her sentiments and her frustration over what has gone down today. “Thank you DOOL fans, You are the best and we love you! NBC never let us tell our stories. They kept stopping us and changing our direction. Sad.”
Tomlin returns to DAYS after being the Co-Executive Producer exiting in September of 2011. This will be Tomlin’s first writing gig since he was an interim Head Writer for One Life to Live during the 2007-2008 Writers Strike. Tomlin was head writer on Another World some 27 years ago. Whitesell also returns to the show after being Co-Head Writer from October 13, 2008 – June 13, 2011 (on air episode dates). Whitesell was most recently writing breakdowns for The Young and The Restless for the past year and has been co-writer for General Hospital, Sunset Beach, One Life to Live and As the World Turns.
What is most upsetting here to many fans, is that Marlene and Darrell were spearheading Will’s coming out story. However, during their tenure DAYS scored its lowest viewer total in the key 18-49 female demo, with the week of March 19th-23rd hitting an all-time low. So what do you think of the Salem writer shuffle? Do you think it will help the show? Or, do you think the powers-that-be should have continued with Marlene and Darrell? Let us know!
its about time know get it writers hahah this time
I love Gary and Chris . They are excellent writer and used to write for us at One Life.
If they wrote for one life to live then days of our lives should be getting interesting,you meant oltl right?this is great ,however, no other soap will ever be as good or even come close to being better then one life to live ,it was and always will be my favorite soap I miss seeing all my favorite characters every day I still cant believe its gone.
Ahem. Right on the mark Barbara T, right on the mark !
barbara t and Brian, do you realize who you are commenting to on this thread? Tonja….as in Tonja Walker. As in Alex Olanov. I think she would know what kind of job these people did. Glad you love the show but give her some personal respect. And since she worked there, she can refer to the show however she chooses. Love you, Tonja, and miss you on OLTL.
What did Brian and I say that is wrong? We were commenting on a post,theres nothing wrong with that.I love Tonja walker (Alex Olanov) And one life to live will always for me be the best soap ever .And no I did not know that Tonja is our alex Olanov,I love it, when she said when they use to write for us I did not put two and two together .I do stand by my post ,the words I said are true if these writers did write for one life to live before I want to see what they will do to days of our lives,Again,whats wrong with that?
Tonja it is nice of you to support you ex-boss but they were on Days just less than a YEAR ago, actually Tomlin left maybe in August 2011 and the writing was uber crap and the ratings awful so no most of viewers are not happy or hopeful, of course maybe they will get it right but i doubt it so major major disaster in perspective it seems..
Ugh, the fact that NBC kept interfering with the direction of the storylines tells me that it doesn’t really matter who is in the headwriters’ position, NBC is determined to drive this soap right into the ground.
right in the money it seems…
My mom watches this show and to be honest it pisses every time i see a gay reference in another attempt to indoctrinate more and more sympathizers. I dont mean to sound unorthodox but when you see a dude making out with another dude, you’ve gone to far over the line.
Isn’t this the same writing team that was fired from Days months ago for the current writing team? Now former Days writing team is rehired? Confusing?
YEP, this move is laughable the ratings with them were abyssal by the way..in the same vein as right now..but dialogue, storytelling were just worse with some character destruction as the ice in the cake…
I don’t know if I am upset about the writers switch..since to be honest most of the stuff within the last 4 months has totally sucked. But that could be NBC and the execs..not the writers. I do know that they need to stop with the crazy Stefano story lines. They are old and played out. How many times do John and Hope need to be brainwashed before people say enough? Can we get real story lines about real life events? I love the Will story…it’s relevant…but the brain washing crap has to stop. Oh and a Crystal Chappell return would always be a good thing. She knows how to bring it.
i don’t care who the writers are as long as they keep
John and Marlena together.
Thats what I say whats john and hope acting stupid for?and what is the egg that they took?Im really not liking the story.I want john to go home to marlena and hope to go home to bo.
problem : they don’t have other storylines for them so John and Marlena together reunited again…then WHAT ?
Whoever the writers are STOP the Gina/Pawn storyline! Last time I stopped watching DOOL, this time thanks to DVR I’m fast forwarding past it, but in time I’ll just stop watching again for who knows how long until I come back and see that things have changed. Been watching this show since the early 70’s, but I will take breaks from time to Tim when multible storylines stink. Summertime is coming & the way things are going it may be time for a break again.
I have to say I haven’t enjoyed the new writers stories, haven’t watched much since they took over. And Tomblin supported the return of Wally Kurth and Judi Evans. I’m hoping with his return we will see more Justin and Adrienne in town!!! That would make me very happy and get me to tune in again.
I AGREE. JUSTIN AND ADRIENNE WERE BROUGHT BACK AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A FAN FAVORITE AND THEY ARENT EVEN ON THE SCREEN AT ALL.
I WOULD MUCH RATHER PREFER THE SUPER COUPLE STATIS AGAIN WITH LOCATION SCENES MYSELF. LONG LIVE THE DAYS WHEN BO AND HOPES FIRST STORYLINE WITH STEPHANO WAS IN NEW ORLEANS AND ALICE WAS ON THE CABLE CAR THERE HELPING THEM OUT ALL THE WAY.
I HOPE IT GETS BETTER AS SOME TIME GOES ON. HOPEFULLY WE WONT HAVE TO WAIT TOO LONG.
Its a Virtual merry go round of hire and fire! Enough is enough, they should of never fired Gary Tomlin and Chris in the first place. The most crucial mistake was letting Crystal Chappell go. Could have made a terrific triangle for Bo/Carly/Hope! Will Days ever get it right????? I miss the Days of the 80’s and early 90’s!
Ratings were BAD with Tomlin and Carly TOO ! They don’t have any ideas for some great buzzing storylines that’s all no matter what characters, couplings are here.
YES BRING CRYSTAL BACK HOME AND IN A NEW DIRECTION.
Crystal’s home is not on Days of Our Lives, very few fans identify her with DOOL. Carly was never a do without character, proven by the fact that for 17 years DOOL did just fine without her and had some great ratings months. Carly is a character that had zero ties to Salem, Days started with the lives of the Hortons, then the Bradys and the DiMeras, that is how it should be, not these nothing characters that do nothing for Days of Our Lives.
The show also did just fine without Drake Hogestyn & Diedre Hall. I think the ratings went up without them on the show. Also did fine without Kristian Alfonso. Believe it did just fine without Peter Reckell as well. Same goes for Mary Beth Evans and so on and so on. The show is in the ratings toilet and longtime fans trying to keep Salem solely the domain of the Hortons and the Bradys won’t help it. If the nothing characters have done nothing for DOOL, tell me what have the “something”/vets/fan faves done for the show? Judging by the ratings these past few months, not a thing.
As long as they don’t mess with Will and “de-gay” him,the way the writers of German soap “Alles Was Zahlt”(“All That Matters”)did to Deniz after his boyfriend,Roman,died last year and they hooked him up with Sarah.
^ Agreed!
I personally think DOOL is stupid and the stories are not legitimate. I love GH and all the other ABC soaps that they took off the air.
I agree. DAYS has had really bad storylines for the past year. I have not tuned in and GH is much much better.
It looked like the wirters were going with EJAMi, which are my favourite couple by the way and then they went with LUMI. Ejole have totally bored me to tears and the SAME storyline that was given to Sami about lying to EJ is given to Nicole. Please go with different storylines and THIS TIME think about what the fans want.
Chris Whitesell was fired because of the 2 Rafe’s storyline which was soooooooooo bad that I literally pulled my hair out. Sami shooting EJ was awful and a very bad move from the writers .
Gary Tomlin fired Deidre and Drake and should that happen again- I shall walk and never come back. At ABC they do think of the fans when writing storylines.
Yep they NEVER EVER gave a chance for the Ej/Sami pairing whereas they are one of the most popular duos this soap have had in years..Corday seems to do everything to prevent some writing for them so i doubt it will change and with that their ratings will not change either..Otherwise yep with Tomlin the writing was disgusting right now it is just boring, not better actually..but at least there are some decent dialogue and character writing with Will, Sami and Marlena and different interactions but..I am afraid it will be worse with the ‘new old’ writers..SHUDDER
Tomlin was the one to fire the DH’s. I will walk should that happen again, and DAYS can pretty much guarentee to be canned. I have zero faith in the duo writing team. Sheri Anderson should have been named head writer. Corday needs to remove his head from his arse!
I don’t think it’s Corday, I too believe NBC wants to run DOOL into the ground.
Can we PLEASE end the ridiculous brainwashing story? Stupid garbage like that drove me from DAYS in the first place. I’m wanting to see more of Will’s coming out, not Stefano playing a budget-James Bond villain!
I think networks need to stop interfering with story-telling.
Allister ,your funny , stefano playing a budget james bond villian.I agree I dont like this egg story either I am a newbe to days and I have no idea whats going on.
Barb T.. off subject, hope nobody gets mad. I head Dorian cheated on David, and David Vickors is coming to Pt Chuckles. Have you heard that?
As long as they drop the gay stuff im cool with whatever they go with.
This really sucks. For the most part, I think Days has been better than ever. The Will coming out storyline is fantastic- and I love all of the returning veteran actors. (Especially Deidre Hall!!!!) However, the Gina/Pawn storyline is pretty lame. I actually enjoyed it the first time around. However the current writers ignored the most important aspect of the Gina transformation. During the first Gina/Hope arc, Hope was in a car accident, and this blow to the head is what precipitated her 10 month long descention into “Gina”. (I don’t remember how John got involved, but I seem to recall that it had something to do with John/Marlena’s honeymoon in a faraway island?!) It was the accident that made the “Gina” character somewhat believable. However, the instant “hypnosis”, as initiated by Stefano (and Dr. Rolf’s lookalike) was just annoying and totally unbelievable. Also, John and Hope/Gina just don’t have the chemistry that together that they did well over ten years ago. (On one hand it’s good to see John/Drake back on canvas, on the other hand he “tries too hard” in every scene.)
All the above aside- I really hate that NBC has been interfering in story lines- look what ABC did to its soaps. Also, I think the current writers have done a great job, despite the ratings. I LOVE Days and have watched this show for over forty years. In this fragile soap climate, I just hope Corday does everything and anything to keep it on the air for many years to come.
Corday is dumb..so don’t count on it
Hope they bring Chappell back. I’d return to watching DOOL, in a heartbeat.
You may be back in a heartbeat, but the majority of fans who have never left DOOL will leave now. Enough is enough. And long time characters who are Days of Our Lives should not be sacrificed for characters who lack substance. Which is not the actors fault, it’s the fault of writing, but Carly was always boring to me back in the 90s and in in 2.0.
Under Tomlin’s watch, wasn’t Maggie in a coffin? The recently fired writers brought back fan favorites and they probably weren’t on board with that stupid Princess Gina and the Pawn Storyline. Instead of firing the cast, writers and producers, maybe it is time for Ken Corday to go. He doesn’t seem to know what the hell he wants! Let the stories play out and cut the over the top crap! Days has the potential to be a really good show.
You know what? Marlene’s tweet is so unprofessional I’m almost happy she was canned. Upset or not, there is a way to handle yourself when you lose a job, and a way not to. And this was not it.
While I’m enjoying DAYS right now, mostly, there are some parts that are so boring I can barely stand it. On top of that, there are so many dropped storylines it actually is making my blood boil: who was following Jen on Halloween? Why aren’t Doug and Julie back yet from wherever they went in search of answers? What was the secret that involved the paperweight, the wired account, and EJ? What was the secret Alice had on Stefano? Have the writers forgotten they made Hope and John married- it didn’t sound like they cared about that at all while they were still Hope and John? What happened to Victor’s interference with Maggie’s eggs? What happened to Victor and Maggie period? Where’s Jack and what’s up with his PTSD?
They have so many eggs in the basket I can’t keep up with it all. Maybe their heart was in the right place but the execution was comme ci comme ca.
I think Tomlin and Whitesell are commendable replacements. I liked their contributions to the show in periods’ past and will look forward to their work…..in like 5 months lol.
Marlene has the right to express herself and guess what if majority of the stories were dropped it is because of Corday and the Network interference, buy you a brain and i don’t even like what Marlene and co did (but Tomlin last reign of terror was WORSE) but your comment is so stupid that i had to answer..EYEROLLL
First, “the smart Jules”? Don’t strain your brain too much on that one. Oh wait….
Second, that thing called proper punctuation? Use it. Don’t be frightened. It won’t make your arguments sound smarter, but at least I’d be able to follow them more easily.
Third, your attack is completely uncalled for and entirely ridiculous. My comment was fair and honest. And it was also mine, for which I am entitled to.
Fourth, I would have gladly had a reasonable and mature conversation with you over this, but you clearly don’t seem like the kind of rational person to share a dialogue with so I’ll sidestep that one. Seeing how over the top and baseless your comment actually was, I’m happy to have been spared that.
I stand by my original post. You don’t like it or take such offense to it, too bad.
Personally I believe all the networks are in cahoots with eachother as far as the Soap Operas go; they all are on the way out. We have seen the mess ABC has made of things. They feel thye viewers want less drama and more health related topics.
Bahahahahahah. Lets all roll on the floor with laughter!!!! We need these drama related soaps, we need to laugh, to cry, get angery, be happy with every one of them.
They have been in our hearts, our homes for over 40 yrs. We want back what was taken
from us!!
The castmates the crew need their jobs back.
Of course all the networks are in cahoots. People are foolish to think that ABC is the only network that wants to be out of the soap business. CBS and NBC are just as bad.
I don’t think they can bring back the cancelled soaps because so many castmates and crews have moved on . But they should at least have the decency to create new soap operas to replace the ones they cancelled. It would be better than all these junk shows we are flooded with.
bravo
I couldn’t be happier knowing that the rein formerly known as MARDAR is finally over! Partner swapping and writing characters beyond recognition is NOT the way to go!!!
Tomlin will not be better, actually if you watched his last writing on Days you know it will be WORSE and ratings will not improve, to say the least..
Seems like we’re not watching the same show because last I know about the ratings is that MARDAR has consistently tanked since they took over…the ratings have no where to go but up!
They should have been fired for making EJ mayor of Salem; what a disaster. The show has been too dull lately, and Whitesell was doing a good job prior to the double-Rafe mess. They need to make Days appointment viewing again, something it hasn’t been since the first weeks of 2011.
while I would love to see a true Bo and Carly reunion and see the beautiful Crystal Chappell back on daytime, I believe Crystal and her amazing talent is too good to waste on Dool.
I think Y&R or GH would take her talent and do her justice. i think after how things ended Crystal will never go back and rightly so.
Wait a minute stop the presses! I haven’t watched DOOL for 10 years I thought everybody said it was rebooted doing great etc so what gives???
I will add this Ken Corday gave an interview that he had to change the direction of DOOL when he fired these guys that he has now rehired they just were not writing for the soap blah blah blah now he does a 180 and hires them back. These guys are like Politicians when do they lie? Answer every time their mouth moves!!!!
corday is a big JOKE, a pathetic joke that is all
Spot on!!!!!!!
Not surprising. The only decent story line is the Will/Gay story line. The rest of the show is all over the place with hollow story lines, dropped story lines, missing pieces in story lines, and recycled story lines that are not compelling to watch. It is a directionless hodge podge. With that said, a few months back they seem to be making some progress improving the show with better story lines, but then they lost it. In order to recoup and move forward they need to concentrate on developing story lines on the quality of the Will/Gay story line dealing with real life contemporary issues then add some romance, intrigue, and if possible adventure. They need to focus on fewer story lines, the core characters, tighten up and improve the quality of the existing ones, and keep the newer characters peripheral. Just some thoughts of how I think they could get back on track. I have really liked the Will/Gay story line especially the Marlena/Will scenes. More of this type writing/story line development, please!
I’m nervous about this. I’m actually enjoying Days the past few months (except for the Princess Gina and Pawn story, seems we all agree on that one!). I hope the new team does as well or better with the Will storyline, and I hope they don’t get rid of the vets and returning favorites either!
The Will story is the only watchable part of Days. Massey and Hall are great together. The Daniel being Maggie’s Son and the Princess Gina storylines are soap opera at its worst.
Nicole being pregnant whereas all the baby-switch story just few years ago was about her not being able to have children is garbage !! So this very long baby-switch, kidnapping story was for NOTHING ! Awful.
They can fire as many writer’s as they want but the problem is the backstage drama and politics. When you have an executive producer who lives in the past and banks on recycling stories with outdated couples and ignores what fans want they are doomed to FAIL! When one of the best actresses on daytime was let go over nonsense – I stopped watching as did many viewers.
I love Crystal Chappell but don’t play this game, where Carly was still on the show ratings were awful awful awful !
I just wish I could understand why this happened. Why didn’t they bring back Sheri Anderson. Everyone seems to love her. Why rehire Gary and Chris as Co Head Writers. What is the reasoning behind all of this. If Days doesn’t get a grip soon it will be goodbye days. Someone please help me understand.
corday has no brain that is all
The gay Will Horton story doesn’t play to the target market of women ages 18-49. What is in this story for them? NOTHING! Why would they be intested? Bet if there is a hot heterosexual love story on Y&R or B&B that is where the women ages 18-49 are!
You think women aren’t reading male/male romantic fiction? A lot of the male/male romantic fiction I’ve read is written by women! Some women I know do find male/male intimacy just as hot as heterosexual love stories!
Evidently there were not enough women interested in the Will Horton story to boost the ratings! Even Greg Meng admitted the women weren’t interested!
But regardless, I thought Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas, Jr. were good writers. A few story turns I did not like. But if Marlene McPherson’s tweet is true and NBC execs interfered with the writing then that is probably where the problem lies. NBC should just admit their mistake and allow Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas to get the show back on track. It is unfair to dismiss the writers if they weren’t allowed to do what they had planned. No one really knows if their planned stories would have worked very well. The writers, the fans as well as the cast and crew deserve a chance to find out!
don’t be bitter, the will story is decent (somewhat a little too cheesy but it is Days after all..) but it is not enough to gain an audience
I am not bitter. I never wanted a gay Will Horton story in the first place. Lack of interest by women aged 18-49 is what I expected. But I am not bitter.
If the target market for soaps is women aged 18-49, doing a story that does not interest those women does not make good business sense to me.
If anyone is bitter, I think it might be some (certainly not all) persons who want gay stories on soaps. Gay stories do not seem to work well in terms of ratings. Yet there are persons who still push for them. Why not support specific works that cater to those type stories, like Crystal Chappelle’s work, Venice? I am sure she would appreciate all the support she can get?
Why target traditional soaps like Days of Our Lives? You know what type of audience Days has played to? (Days seems to have a somewhat conservative audience as far as soap audiences go.) Why would anyone expect a different outcome from such an audience? That is a little stupid. Then to blame Ken Corday for wanting to produce a show that is of interest to women ages 18-49 is beyond stupid. Ken Corday is a businessman…and a smart one too…otherwise Days would not have lasted as long as it has.
I think there are black-hearted persons who want what they want even if it means destroying the soap opera. Such persons completely disregard the lives and jobs of persons who work on the soap as well as the lives and jobs that are affected by their indirect association with a soap. This is the height of selfishness and bitterness. I’m just saying…
I began watching for the Will coming out story and believe it has been well written. If the new writers ax this story I will just return to CBS Y&R and B&B. Really no skin off me either way, most of the DOOL stories are nonsense.
So can we officially call the reboot a failure now? Biggest mistake of that decision — the firings of Sorel/Bjorlin/Chappell. Bjorlin & Chappell both -have core fans that are in the 18-49 age group — exactly the demographic that this show is losing by the second.
I like Tomlin and Whitesell as HWs. However, if NBC is calling the shots, not sure what difference they will make. Same crappy stories with new dialogue is all we’ll get.
dialogue is actually better now than under Tomlin and by far !
ITA!!
Bjorlin has fans in that age group, but CC’s fans are typically older and you have to be joking to say Sorel has fans in the 18-49 age bracket, that’s a joke. I love Louise, but let’s be serious, she never had a core fanbase.
Have we all forgotten that under Tomlin and Whitesell we got Chloe the prostitute, Rafe 2, Nighttime Hope, Johnny’s blindness, Sami shooting EJ in the head and Carly the drug addict, how stupid were those storylines.
Please point out where I stated that sorel has a core fanbase in the key demos? Yes, Crystal’s core fans are in the key demos.
I was a Days fan back in the “old” days of Laura, Mickey & Bill. I stopped watching once the revolving door of who John was/wasn’t began. Currently, I have tuned in for the Will storyline and think the interaction between Will & Marlena has been fabulous. Most of the other storylines are just meh. With the exception of the Princess Gina/John the Pawn one…that plain sucks. The FF button has been a blessing whenever that is shown. Oh, and this dreary Madison/Brady “love” story has got to go…fast.
The other irritating issue is that no one can seem to decide what the weather is like in Salem. Half the people are wearing winter coats, scarves & gloves, half are running around dressed for summer. If they can’t even get the costuming correct how can they present decent plots?
That is so funny you should say that. I have thought of the same thing. They have trees blooming outside of the Brady Pub in winter. Some people are wearing winter coats outside others are in shirtsleeves. In the Town Square some people are bundled up (coats, gloves, scarves) and others are with out jackets and sleeveless at the same time. Is it inside or outside?
I’m thinking it’s time someone fired Ken Corday. It all stems from him and his gross mis-management of that show. He doesn’t really know what he wants to do with DAYS, and it shows. That show is a mess.
Spot on comment. I couldnt agree more!
totally agree, his parents are crying in their graves right now, he wanted to do music he should have followed his dream..lol
Other than Will’s s/l, I think the show has been a mess since the so-called reboot. I have not been enjoying it at all. I’m not thrilled with the returns of Tomlin and Whitesell, but I don’t think they will be any worse than what we’ve been seeing for months now. At least they know how to structure and pace stories, something at which MarDar utterly failed.
it could be worse with Tomlin, did you watch his last run..it was really not a long time ago..just last year…And it was just disgusting and boring
Love DOOL. I got interested in it during the 40th anniversary marathons on Soapnet. Then checked out the plotlines on the internet and started watching for a while. I stopped watching when I got just too busy for more than one soap (OLTL being my faveorite) in the evening when I was working. Now, I watch GH and have adopted DOOL again. I love the show, but I can’t deny that some life needs to be breathed into it. For one, they are depending on classic characters to entirely carry the show. Younger legacy characters are not being given enough storyline. The show’s legacy must be preserved, but there has to be a move to the future to keep the show going to the next generation. Stefano/the Pawn/Princess Gina is an example of playing off the legacy iwthout moving forward. If I watched 20 years ago and came back now, I would not have any trouble figuring out the characters or the plotlines. Not saying the gear toward 20 somethings is right, but new blood needs to come in. A balance between old and new needs to be found. And I do agree, it may be time to move the show from the hands of the Cordays. They will not keep this show alive by landing in a time warp.
So, I guess this will be the reboot of the reboot? Love the Will storyline. Hope that doesn’t change. They need to tone down the campiness (and not in a good way) of the brainwashing debacle. More Sonny!
I would like to see Carly and Chloe come back. I am tired of Carrie/Austin. I agree about Drake H. overacting in every scene. I would like to see Eric recast and mix it up with Nicole again. I also think the show needs to bring some glamour to the show. Jennifer dresses like she is raiding Alice’s closet.
Here’s an idea………..GIVE US THE COUPLE(S) THAT THE FANS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOREVER FOR……..ONE IN PARTICULAR (EJ and Sami)!!!!
If the new (old) writers don’t listen to the fans, who have been way beyond patient and hanging on for YEARS, then here we go again with the BORING couples that are not must see TV!
CHEMISTRY……..you’ve gotta have it, or a couple just doesn’t work! This is a word that the new (old) writers need to learn, and quickly I might add!!!
I remember a quote from Ken Corday himself in SOD…..”Listen to what the fans say. If you ignore the fans, you’re going down in flames”.
agree but it will not happen, they are not talented enough for it
I agree. EJAMI ALL THE WAY. Ejole just sucked BADLY and it really brought down Arianne Zukers Nicole character. This is not Nicole. The old Nicole was a baddie and always fought for what she wanted. They have made her a goodie two shoes and her pairing with James Scott was like watching paint dry and I’d rather watch paint dry. However, Gary Tomlin is a GG and Rafe lover so that means SAFE will be together within 1 week of the new writing and Nicole will tell EJ it is jis baby. This to be honest does not work. It utterly sucks and Korday and Co need to take a long close look at themselves in a mirror and determine if they want DAYS off the air within the next year because at the rate it is going, it wont last till the end of the year. Its a shame really.
This fan wants EJami!!!!!
This fan wants EJ & Sami too, they are so compelling & it is new territory for the show, up to now they’ve never given them a real chance it is a story yet to be told. I hope the writers continue to reunite EJami as it has been something people have been asking for a long time. James Scott & Alison Sweeney have that intangible certain something that makes them mesmerizing to watch, they draw you in . They elicit an emotional response & have such amazing depth.
I want to see the show follow the chemistry with both EJ and Sami & Brady and Nicole – they are characters that when paired together are most true to themselves. They are at their very best together & make the show much more interesting & entertaining to watch.
It’s disturbing that things have once again been shaken up behind the scenes & I just hope things don’t go back to the way they were before the reset. I hope they give us the best of what the show has to offer & use it’s best assets to their full potential.
I’ve been watching DAYS, on and off, since I was in kindergarten. Yes, I vividly remember Francis Reed with her hair bun when I wa a kid. (Reminded me of my grandma.) The shame of it is that we are still having the same conversation and shaking our heads because the network execs are interferring with what the writers wish to write. They fire writers at the slightest drop in the ratings and then hire the same old writers they fired a few months ago. Like what? A little time off is supposed to instantly fix whatever they ethought was wrong with their writing in the first place? This is insanity! I’m not a fan of Ken Corday at all; think he’s rather crass after his unkind remarks regarding the cancellation of ANOTHER WORLD, but I do enjoy the cast. I hope whomever the writers are at any given time do not ruine Will’s storyline. It is the only one that I definitely DO NOT fastforward through. That being said, good luck to the next set of writers.
great post Rodd
I was never a DOOL fan, preferring CBS and ABC soaps through the years, but with news of the reboot and the loss of my stories, I thought I would dive in deep. Why not?! I do like the Will coming-out storyline very much and Chandler Massey is amazing. This is the kind of story that is family-centered. I know DOOL has always had a way of going over the top (devil possession? serial murder transporting victims to an alternate Salem?) but the reboot promised more family ties. I could do without the machinations of Stefano diMera and anything about brainwashing. How about developing the political aspirations of EJ? How about a major hospital crisis? How about cooling middleaged sex drives and let couples ride out some pain and find their way back together without falling into bed with another so quickly? Give viewers a build-up. Let people age. Show some blue-collar folks making their way. The crazy family trees in Salem are difficult still for me to understand after six months. Iam trying and I hope the new writers will keep trying, too.
What stories did they want to tell? So you mean to tell me that it was NBC’s idea to put on this Gran has a secret and Princess Gina debacle? C’mon! I think they were over their heads from the get-go. I hope story turns around right quick! Some stories are good. I’m not crazy about Will being gay, but his character has been interesting of late and I like him working for EJ. Carrie and Rafe working together could have been much better, but the pair has no chemistry. Rafe has more chemistry with Nicole and they don’t really like one another! Turning Abby into an obsessive stalker was so wrong. What’s going on with Jen and Jack? Giving Daniel some hand problem so he can’t operate was also stupid. At least make it curable. Magic has been on the back burner since they got married. Turn up the heat on them. The Madision story has turned yawnsville. There is stuff to work with, so not all is lost.
This move is LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
The show has been the best it’s been in yrs! All my girlfriends are starting to rewatch. And now they are getting rid of these great new writers. BAD MOVE.
The problem with DAYS has been and continues to be Corday. Until he goes, it’ll be a continued not-so-merry-go-round of hirings and firings and re-hirings, along with broken promised to the fans.
MarDar were reviving days. They were not given a chance to clean up the mess created under the Higley-Tomlin-Whitesell era. I guess TPTB want to return to dark and crazy storylines like the body parts, Sami shooting EJ and most of the citizens of Salem using EJ as the residential punching bag. I enjoyed how EJ was returning to a gray character and he and Sami were civil to each other. Now, I feel that any future EJami connections will be volatile. I commend MarDar for writing Rafe with flaws instead of how he was “Mr. Do No Wrong”. If major changes in the s/ls occur after July, I will no longer watch Days. I say this with a heavy heart because I love watching James Scott and Alison Sweeney….Best of luck to Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas Jr..
wasnt it Tomlin that got rid of the vets two years ago?
John Lucas and Marlena and killed off Tony.
and its Tomlin that gave Rafe all the air time.
and wasnt it Tomlin that put 3 of soap Passons actors on Days.
I love our vets on Days and want them to stay till the end of Days. 🙂
I think a change is in order, when you have ratings that drop drastically it’s time to move on to something that will work. I will be honest and say i am one of the ones who wasn’t watching as much do to story lines. I hope you can give us something where we will be on the edge of our seats.
So theya re bringing back thspe who gave us siome of the worst sl on ths show;The Daniel./ Melanie disgusting show,Chkioe as a prostitute,…and that;s hiw they [lan to save the show?Days is so dead.Thank God that nadia told them to F…off when they tried to bring her back.I don’t ever want her to work for these writers, ever again.She’s too talented and gorgeous to be wasted on their crapy material
So they are bringing back those who gave us some of the worst sl on the show;The Daniel/ Melanie disgusting show,Chloe as a prostitute,…and that’s how they plan to save the show? Days is so dead.Thank God that Nadia told them to F…off when they tried to bring her back.I don’t ever want her to work for these writers, ever again.She’s too talented and gorgeous to be wasted on their crapy material
If Tomlin gets his way we can expect darkness and insanity, he doesn’t know how to do romance. Whilst I haven’t enjoyed The Pawn and Gina, or Mrs H’s secret, the prostitute, EJ shooting, Nighttime Hope and Johnny’s blindness were much worse. And for heavens sake lets not forget Rafe 2, I mean come on guys, that was the worst storyline in the history of Days and it went on FOREVER. If Tomlin is back then I hope nbc nixes any stupid ideas of his. But I believe that NBC would happily cancel DOOL, maybe thats why Tomlin is back, to run DOOL down even further.
Days Of Our Lives
‘Heated Rivalry’ Star Franco LoPresti Opens Up About ‘Days of our Lives’ Debut as Dante Vitali
Next week on Monday, September 14 will mark the first appearance in Salem of Franco LoPresti in his new Days of our Lives role of Dante Vitali.
Heated Rivalry fans now LoPresti very well from his part as hockey player Cliff Marleau in the series first season. (No word yet if Cliff appears in season 2).
Now in a conversation with TV Insider, DAYS fans will learn that LoPresti is on the soap for a limited run. No timetable was given.
Photo: Corday Productions, Inc
When LoPresti does burst onto the scene come Monday, Dante makes quite the impact as Franco LoPresti explains. It seems that viewers will first see him in scenes in Monte Carlo at a poker table with none other than Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) and Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier). However, Dante will come to Salem to talk to the Brady family about his supposed fiancée Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney).
Franco shared, “Dante was born and grew up in Italy and educated at this pretty top-tier English boarding school. He then went on to build his own dynasty in finance, all the while trying to distance himself from the Vitali name (as viewers know Tamara Braun played his cousin Ava Vitali).”
“But at the core of Dante, there’s definitely an old-school quality to him”, continued LoPresti. “He’s super passionate, he’s sincere and incredibly generous, but he’s also someone that you probably shouldn’t underestimate. Loyalty is something that means a lot to him. As Dante enters Salem, I think the audience will get to slowly peel back those layers and discover what’s really driving him. So, I’m excited for Days fans to go on that ride with Dante.”
Photo: Almay
As it turns out, LoPresti taped his episodes of DAYS starting back in November 2025 which happened to be weeks before Heated Rivalry became a smash hit.
Franco recalled, “It’s so funny because I thought my episodes would air in a month (on Days of our Lives). But I found out it was nine to 10 months and I was like, ‘I gotta wait that long?!’ So, I’ve been biting my nails, trying not to think about it, and I think it’s actually kind of helped because now it’s here and it’s all coming at me from all different angles. I’m nervous. I’m excited, and I just can’t wait to see it all come together. It’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever had for sure.”
In his personal life, Franco just had his first child with wife, actress Emily Alatalo, just a weeks ago on August 23rd when they welcomed their daughter, Stella into the world.
So, looking forward to seeing Franco LoPresti’s debut come Monday? What do you think about the fact that it’s being reported as a limited run? Do you think Dante and Sami have a chance on-screen or off-screen to be a happy couple? What do you really think brings Dante to Salem sans Sami? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.
In a metaphor for the start of the school year and their upcoming anniversary in November, Days of our Lives revealed its “Class of Season 62,” with a very clever yearbook montage on their social media handles, welcoming new cast members, while paying respect to the veterans and “class”-iying the other characters in Salem.
The official Days of our Lives Instagram account shared on the posting, “The Class of Salem Season 62 has arrived. Familiar faces, new names and plenty of personality. Flip through our yearbook for a peek at this year’s class.”
Let’s take a look at how they broke it all down: The Salem Yearbook starts with saying “another unforgettable season,” with some group pics, and then we dovetail into Salem’s new class which features: Sydney Malakeh (Sydney DiMera), Brandon Butler (Mason Whitfield), Angelica Nero (Victoria Kiriakis), Cole Gersmeyer (Thomas DiMera) and Lorelei Olivia Mote (Rachel Black).
Photo: Days of our Lives
Next up, are the likes of: Cherie Jimenez (Gabi Hernandez), John-Paul Lavoisier (Philip Kiriakis), Tyler Joseph Andrews (Theo Carver) and LeeAnn Hopkins (Joy Wesley). Then, in the “Drama Club” section are: Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera) and AnnaLynne Cipriani (Cat Greene).
Following the ‘Recess” section with some group snaps, comes “Homeroom Highlights” with: Abigail Klein (Stephanie Johnson), Eric Martsolf (Brady Black), Rob Scott Wilson (Alex Kiriakis), Lamon Archey (Eli Grant) and Sal Stowers (Lani Price Grant).
The “Salem Spectator” section features: Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera), Greg Rikaart (Leo Stark), Stowers again, and Ashely Puzemis (Holly Jonas). In the “Afternoon Sweets” section look for: Paul Telfer (Xander Kiriakis) and Linsey Godfey (Sarah Horton), Emily O’ Brien (Gwen Rizchech), Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera/Susan Banks), Brandon Beemer (Shawn Brady), plus Jackée Harry (Paulina Price).
Towards the end of the yearbook, veteran performers such as: Mary Beth Evans (Kayla Johnson), Stephen Nichols (Steve Johnson), Lauren Koslow (Kate Roberts) and Josh Taylor (Roman Brady) are featured, plus Deidre Hall (Marlena Evans), James Reynolds (Abe Carver) and Matthew Ashford (Jack Deveraux), Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Williams) and Suzanne Rogers (Maggie Kiraikis) with her on-screen daughter, Linsey Godfrey.
The Salem Yearbook comes to a conclusion noting “Big things happening in Salem” and to tune-in on Peacock, where we also find Jacob Martinez (Javi Hernandez), Maggie Carney (Rita Lesley), and a host of other favorites previewing what’s to come this fall.
So, what do you think of the Days of our Lives Class of Season 62? Looking forward to seeing what happens in Salem? Did you like the yearbook concept for promotional tune-in? Let us know via the comment section below.
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Days Of Our Lives
‘Days of our Lives’ Head Writers Give Fall 2026 Preview: Marlena and Stefano’s Chess Mystery, The Arrivals of Dante and Sydney, Romance Drama for Sarah and Others
As summer comes to a close with Labor Day weekend, the former Days of our Lives co-head writing duo of Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford have given their annual fall season preview in episodes taped some 10-11 months ago.
As previously reported this past July, Ryan Quan returned to Days of our Lives and is now co-head writing the show with Ford, while Cwikly is now a consultant. The new co-head writing teams stories will not be seen till late spring/early summer 2027.
So for now, the stories pick up from where we left off with Cwikly and Ford promising via TV Insider, “Fall in Salem is full of twists and turns and secrets and surprises. Dots connect in unexpected ways as seemingly unrelated threads converge.”
Photo: JPI
CHECKMATE?
In one of the top mystery’s, Marlena is still having troubling memories and she will have another one on the Monday, September 7 episode. Meanwhile, her daughter Belle (Martha Madison) has gotten very close to Chad DiMera (Conner Floyd) and as pictured here, the two smooch while in Italy searching for answers to the chess set that Stefano DiMera gifted th the late John Black and Marlena (Deidre Hall) that has some significance.
The head scribes share, “The (chess board) mystery and its fallout are central to the fall stories. Chad and Belle follow the clues to a discovery that changes both of their families, and Salem, forever. Marlena worries that their investigation/the chess set may be a Pandora’s box that has been opened. And she is right…”
Newcomers are also the order of the day for Cwikly and Ford, this fall. We have already seen the debut as Brandon Butler as Mason Whitfield, and next week you can add as previously reported Sydney Malakeh on the Thursday September 1o episode as Sydney DiMera, followed by the the Monday, September 14 arrival of Franco LoPresti as Dante Vitali.
Photo: Corday Productions
Paula and Jeanne Marie expressed on the incoming Dante, “The arrival of a stranger who will set the whole town on its ear. The character has several strong ties to the current canvas and impacts many storylines.” What will Dante be up to? We know Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) had mentioned in 2025 she got engaged to the man, but that was off-screen.
LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH OR THE ONE YOU WANT?
In the romance department, the triangle between Brady/Sarah/Xander heats up with a very conflicted Sarah (Linsey Godfrey). The head writers reveal, “When Sarah faces attacks personally and professionally, Xander (Paul Telfer) and Brady (Eric Martsolf) work together to help and protect her. Sarah’s new love for Brady is challenged by her lingering love for Xander. Xander risks everything for Sarah.”
In addition look for, “Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) and Philip (John-Paul Lavoiser) to draw closer as he tries to save the family company and home.”
Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) will also be returning at some point this fall and she won’t be alone. Who might she bring with her? And from the looks of the Peacock promo for next week’s DAYS, someone is wearing Stefano’s ring around their finger, but who … and how does it all tie in this fall?
So, what do you think about some of the highlights coming up this fall on Days of our Lives per the series head writers? Does anything float your boat or pique your interest? If so, what? Let us know via the comment section. But first, check out the action next week on DAYS in the promo entitled “Bag of Tricks” below.
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