Days Of Our Lives
DAYS and GH Show Increase In Younger Viewers! Daytime Soaps Getting Support From Their Networks!
Courtesy/NBC
Proof positive that your favorite daytime soaps are holding their own and then some, as we get heavily into the spring of 2014, comes a very upbeat look at the daytime dramas still on the air and the increases they have brought to key female demos and gains in total viewers from a piece in Variety.com!
In addition, with support from the network brass at the top including CBS Daytime’s Angelica McDaniel, NBC’s Bruce Evans and ABC’s Vicki Dummer, soap journalist Michael Maloney told Variety, “What the soaps seem to have is terrific support from the network. The right people are running them, and each of the remaining shows are doing a great version of their show for their core audience.”
Photo Credit: HutchinsPhoto.com
As for Days of our Lives and General Hospital, these two iconic brands have brought in the some all important younger viewers again. According to stats in the Variety article: “General Hospital has grown from last year by 9% in total viewership (to 3.32 million) but it’s also up by 19% in women 25-54 and by 11% among those 12-34, according to Nielsen. As a result, its median age of 55.5 for the current season is down from 56.1 a year ago. Days of Our Lives is up 10% (to about 3 million viewers), but its biggest gains are among females 12-34; its median age of 57.8 is nearly one full year lower than last year.”
But don’t forget the CBS soaps that are number # 1 and #2, Variety reports while, the CBS soaps skew older, they’re also the most popular overall. The Young and the Restless averages 5.3 million viewers daily and The Bold and the Beautiful bags nearly 4 million.
So soap fans, do you see the difference in the support from the network brass for your favorite shows over the last few years after the demise of four soaps in row? Are you a younger viewer who has begun to tune-in to one of the four remaining network soaps? And are you glad to see, as much as we are, some solid positive press on the state of the daytime drama? Comment below!
Days Of Our Lives
Kristian Alfonso Returns to Days of our Lives for Tribute to The Late Bill Hayes
After a few weeks of Days of our Lives fans being upset that Kristian Alfonso (Hope Williams) was not on the first list of initial returns for Doug Williams’ funeral and episodes honoring his portrayer, the late Bill Hayes, comes word that the popular star is back and taping scenes.
Kristian reported to work on the Peacock streaming soap opera on Monday, April 22nd. She shared how important it is for her to be back for this particular return to the show that made her a household name.
“My return is very bittersweet,” Alfonso told TV Insider, “because it is the end of an era with Bill gone. So to return to Days is very sad. I am appreciative that they came to me to include me in their series of shows honoring Doug and I’m very happy to see everyone, but I’m entering the studio with a heavy heart.”
Photo: JPI
It was back in 1983 that Kristian first debuted as Doug’s daughter, and now 41 years later looking back at it, and her time with Bill Hayes is very emotional for her.
“I remember my first scenes with him/ He was very loving, very welcoming. That he was very talented and an incredible actor and an icon, that all goes without saying, but my personal relationship and my working relationship with Bill, it was home,” expressed Alfonso. “Doing the scenes with Bill, I felt like I was with my dad because there was so much warmth and reality.”
Photo: JPI
Alfonso did express some deep regret, in that she had wanted to work with Bill Hayes during her last appearance on the soap back in 2023, but according to the iconic actress, there was something in the works but it never materialized. “I’m sad that I did not get the opportunity to do the storyline that Ron (Carlivati, head writer) had planned/ It was great; we returned to Salem to reunite with our families and I would have had father/daughter scenes with Billy. What Ron had written was beautiful and emotional and it was a fantastic story. I was 100 percent for it and the fans would have loved it.”
Photo: JPI
As for if Bo (Peter Reckell) and Hope will be back on-screen together anytime soon, Kristian would only say, “What I will say is don’t give up hope.” Doug’s passing and memorial episodes will stream later this year come late November into December.
So, are you happy to learn that Kristian Alfonso is back taping episodes surrounding Doug’s memorial episodes? Comment below.
Breaking News
Steve Kent Reportedly OUT as Sony Pictures Television VP in Charge of DAYS and Y&R
On Friday, reports surfaced that Steve Kent, Senior Executive Vice President of Programming at Sony Pictures Television, is no longer with the company and overseeing the Sony soap operas, Days of our Lives and The Young and the Restless.
According to Soap Opera Digest, a set side source reported that Kent’s last day was last Friday, April 12th, which was one day after what would have been his final appearance in his Sony VP role at the Days of our Lives 15,000th episode on set celebration.
During that ceremony, Kent gave a brief speech giving kudos to DAYS for its incredible milestone. Days is a co-production of Sony Pictures Television and Corday Productions, while Y&R is produced by Bell Dramatic Serial Company in association with Sony Pictures Television.
Photo: JPI
Kent started his soap opera career as a producer for CBS’ defunct Capitol and then as the supervising producer of NBC’s Santa Barbara from1984 to 1993.
Photo: JPI
At Sony, before his role overseeing the soaps, Kent was Senior Executive Vice President of International Productions for Sony Pictures Television International department.
If reports are true, the question becomes who has taken over his position, and would oversee DAYS and Y&R from the Sony side? Share your thoughts on this developing story via the comment section below.
Breaking News
(WATCH) 2024 Daytime Emmy Nominations Special Live!
After exciting morning for your favorite daytime stars when they were revealed to be nominees for the 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards comes tonight 10th annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Special.
Beginning at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT, several of the nominees will talk with Michael Fairman on their reactions to the news they have been nominated for a Daytime Emmy, share what scenes they submitted that landed in the top five or six in their respective performer acting categories and much more.
Scheduled to appear are: Days of our Lives nominees, Tamara Braun (Ava), Eric Martsolf (Brady) and Linsey Godfrey (Sarah), The Young and the Restless nominees: Allison Lanier (Summer), Michelle Stafford (Phyllis), Courtney Hope (Sally), Bryton James (Devon), The Bold and the Beautiful’s John McCook (Eric), General Hospital nominees, Finola Hughes (Anna) and Alley Mills (Heather), and The Bay’s Mike Manning (Caleb).
Photo: JPI
The 51st annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ on Friday night, June 7th and emanating, once again this year from the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
Photo: JPI
For a full list of this year’s nominations click here.
Now, watch below as the stars chat it up as we celebrate their Daytime Emmy Nominations. If you have a potential question you might want posed to any of our guests, drop it in the comment section below and we just might ask it on air.
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Nina Confronts Ava for Sabotaging Her Relationship With Sonny and Signs the Divorce Papers
Kim Kardashian, Emma Roberts and Marlene King Land ‘Calabasas’, a Soap in the Vein of the ‘O.C’ and ‘Beverly Hills 90210’, at Netflix
Ellen Travolta Makes Another Return to General Hospital
Kristian Alfonso Returns to Days of our Lives for Tribute to The Late Bill Hayes
Y&R’s Eric Braeden Pays Tribute to Former On-Screen Wife, Meg Bennett: “She Was Such a Bright and Gentle Lady”
‘Knots Landing’s’ Donna Mills and Joan Van Ark Reunite for Los Angeles Ballet Season 18 Gala
The Young and the Restless Preview: Ashley’s New Alter Emerges
Stephen Schnetzer Talks On His Return to Days of our Lives and Working with Susan Seaforth Hayes In Emotional Episodes
(WATCH) 2024 Daytime Emmy Nominations Special Live!
51st Daytime Emmys: Outstanding Daytime Drama Series Nominations
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Nina Confronts Ava for Sabotaging Her Relationship With Sonny and Signs the Divorce Papers
AEW Dynasty: Swerve Strickland Becomes AEW World Heavyweight Champion, Jack Perry Returns, Will Ospreay Retires Move After Scary Finish
GH’s Finola Hughes Chats on Her Lead Actress Daytime Emmy Nomination, New Directions for Characters in Port Charles, and Anna’s Love Life
The Young and the Restless Preview: Ashley’s New Alter Emerges
(WATCH) 2024 Daytime Emmy Nominations Special Live!
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General HospitalApril 21, 2024‘Knots Landing’s’ Donna Mills and Joan Van Ark Reunite for Los Angeles Ballet Season 18 Gala
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General HospitalApril 15, 2024General Hospital’s Steve Burton Reveals the Emotional Scene He Almost Could Not Get Through
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Days Of Our LivesApril 13, 2024Ron Carlivati Talks on Decision to Make Days of our Lives 15000th Episode About Doug’s Funeral, and Previews Chances for WGA Award
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NewsApril 20, 2024The Young and the Restless Preview: Ashley’s New Alter Emerges
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RecapsApril 14, 2024Y&R’s Eileen Davidson Delivers the ‘Power Performance of the Week’
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Days Of Our LivesApril 19, 2024Stephen Schnetzer Talks On His Return to Days of our Lives and Working with Susan Seaforth Hayes In Emotional Episodes
Yes!!
The Young and Restless is any thing but young or restless..
It is senior citizens who are the main characters and the younger ones are gawd awful!!
Y&R tries to attract younger ones with grandma and grandpa sex stuff and now they try to make an older women look young by making her pregnant, good grief..
Then they will have Lauren lose the baby because she too old to be a mother..
Fen is at the age of marriage and babies, not Michael and Lauren..
I have found, theses days, when I watch Y&R I laugh a lot at the stupidity of it all, and senior citizens have boring lives and they all are boring me!!
GH rocks!! mega drama and the couples are not using walkers!!
And a lot of really good looking men to drool over..
I watch Y&R every day, and it has become empty of the great soap it once was.. 🙁
(a music box story and DNA switch story going on for a year, yawn..
With Katherine , Billy miller/Billy, MM/Adam, Phyllis, and others who are gone it just is not right, not at all..
And recasting will fail..
I’m sorry, but– there is not one couple of interest on Y&R..
And- most all the women have hair styles from the 70’s, and bad wigs..
Nonetheless; I tune in every evening..
I may need bad soap opera therapy to break my Y&R watching habit and free myself….
I agree! If it wasn’t for Nursing homes Y&R would not be #1.
Love my Days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Glad the networks are again supporting our Soaps. WE don ‘t want talk in the afternoon, we want good stories about good characters we care about. Keep the drama coming!!!!
Days of our Lives and General Hospital are hip and happening!!!
Y&R and B&B are broken hips and helpless!
DOOL and GH…relevant and unique!!!
Now it’s time to bring back amc and oltl!!!!
NO no Skye, get over it oltl and amc will never come back. I have moved on, to the other soaps. gh and days of our lives are on fire. great soaps to watch.
I agree with Justin. It’s people like Skye that make people think that soap fans are delusional and out of touch with reality.
This can still happen!!!! It’s not to late. I truly believe that abc will bring back those shows. Even as a 30 minutes like B&B. There is a reason why abc is suing pp. The
And beside we can only hope…
It’s great to see the soaps getting positive press.
I can understand why Days is on an upswing with younger viewers. They have some really talented teen performers…who are in teenage, age appropriate stories. Casey Moss is outstanding as JJ, and I love his friend Rory. He is such a typical carefree kid. I like Bev, and this new Paige girl is cute too. JJ and Paige are starting one of those old school awkward teen soap romances and it is refreshing and fun and there’s no angst and misery. No teenager is pregnant here…no teenager is getting married…no teenager is desperate to get pregnant…they are just being written as kids. For the life of me, I cannot figure out what or who is responsible for younger people tuning into GH. It is a show full of creepy disgusting people wishing death on one another.
Days should expand on the Rory character! I see Rory living in a trailer with his mentally abusive and bipoler mother, and his father had abandon them and run off with another woman years ago. Rory has a younger kid brother in foster care because of their mothers mental health issues. Rory had turned to drugs because of his unstable family life(thats the backstory id like for him)…J.J. and Paige are far more interesting than GHs boring T.J. and Molly…i can see Bev as Paiges rival…id like to see that written the way Julie and Susan’s were rivals for the same men like it was when i first watched back in the 60s!!!
Imo…The actress playing Days’ Paige reminds me of a young Sydney Penny!!!
I agree about expanding the rory character. Respectfully, I don’t like the circumstances you present. DAYS has done that story over and over and over….the teen with the crappy, abusive background…they did it with Steve and Adrienne, they did it with Billie and Austin, they did it with April and Emilio, they did it with Nicole and Brandon, they did it with Mim and Connor. For once, I would like to see some teens without all the serious, intense drama that stems from their parents. i would LOVE to see a soap write teens in a Gilmore Girls/Dawson’s Creek kind of way. Where they are just teens, yet have intelligence, and wit, and lives that are normal for the most part. There is so much drama and humour and interest just being a teenager. One of the best examples of a teen storyline was on DAYS…from 1999-2002, involving Shawn, Belle, Philip, and Mimi. Their parents all had major issues, and yes, the teens were affected by it, but their normal teen problems took precedence. They worried about things like dances, and exams, and first crushes, and all those things that to teens, seem SOOOO important. Even though I don’t smoke pot myself, it is a fact of life that MANY teens just smoke pot. They are not drug addicts, they are not out of control bad-asses, they are not criminals, they just smoke pot. I love that that the show can have teenagers who do normal teenage things without resorting to the cliched drug storylines that are usually written terribly. I also love that Days makes conversations between teens and parents very awkward and uncomfortable. Contrast this with GH, and their horrifically written story of Molly and TJ wanting to have sex, and Alexis’ involvement. WHAT teenage girl spends endless amounts of time telling her mother that she wants to/plans to/is going to have sex, and have that be ALL they talk about?? If she is going to do it, she will not tell her mother all that, she will just go and do it, and then either hide it from her mother, or just NOT discuss it. I know these are soaps, and not realistic or real-life, but when teen stories are written and acted badly, which they normally are on soaps, it is just cringe worthy and embarrassing and painful to watch. I am LOVING this burgeoning, blossoming teen scene on DAYS, and am hoping they don’t ruin it with the same-old, same-old tales of unwanted pregnancies, drug addictions, psycho stalkers, teen marriage, etc. Let them be kids! Let them have fun ancd be reckless, and rebellious, but learn a few lessons along the way, and we as the audience can enjoy watching them grow, much as we did with Jennifer back in the day. And about rory…heck yeah…the actor is not stellar, LOL, but he plays the part of a teenage pothead SO well. He has the look, the talk, the posture, etc. He could be linked to any number of families on the show through newly created backstory. He could be some long lost Horton, or Brady. If GH can make Liesl Obrecht and Madeline Reeves sisters (just about the most unbelievable sisters and plot twist EVER), then DAYS can find a clever way to work Rory into this canvas. I’d like Bev and Paige to be frenemies, not enemies. You know, like they are friends, but there is that underlying teen girl thing going on. Best of all, these kids LOOK like teens. They don’t 32 look years old and worn out from life like Andrea Zuckerman from the original 90210, or that Taylor on GH, who has mercifully and thankfully not been seen or heard from for MONTHS. I LOVE the innocence and cute awkwardness that JJ and Paige have. Contrast this to when Taylor on GH was pursing her lips like a trashy pornstar and disrobing in front of TJ, a boy she had just met. Ron Carlivati ( and most soap writers) writes ALL characters, regardless of whether they are 14 or 73, as if they are somewhere around the generic 30 age range. they all talk the same, use the same vocabulary, and there is nothing to distinguish the way Molly talks or acts from the way Monica Quartermaine talks. It is a good writer who knows how to be the mouthpiece for different age groups for different aged characters. Sadly, most soap writers have no idea how to do that. Keep it up DAYS…you have a winning teen quartet in JJ, Rory, Bev, and Paige. It is kind of a Shawn (JJ), Philip (Rory), Belle (Paige), Mimi (Bev) redux, only 12 years later, and I’m digging it, dude (as Rory would say).
Yes jimh, I can see that happening! We already had a glimpse of Rory’s mom at the police station after Rory was arrested. It makes sense to me!
TJ and Molly are so DULL! It was around this age in the 80’s that the phenomenal Luke and Laura story came about… we all need one of those epic love stories… it has been years! In fact I am still peeved at Tony Geary for saying he wanted to move on from that….
I felt pretty close to the magic when Jack and Phyllis got back together….
Also I have to say Sonny and Brenda had undeniable sparks as well….
Im agree with you…Shawn, Mimi, Belle and Philip were one of the best teen storylines ever in daytime…let kids be kids. Rory could easily be a Horton…grandson of Sandy Horton, a Days character we havent really heared from in over 30 years…now id like that idea! Maybe Sandy got married and had a son who married Rorys mother at an early age and 9 months later Rory was born…there could be several reasons why he doesnt know he was related to the Hortons…i remeber having hair like Rorys when i was his age…where did that go…lol
In spite of mixed feelings i have with the storylines on both GH and Days im grateful both are doing well enough in the ratings to keep them on the air…im still entertained…also watching B&B!!! I still ocassionally watch Y&R!!!
Such a relief, it was a worrying time when all the soaps were going off the air. I have always watched 4, except I used to have a choice, now I watch the 4 that are on but am very happy with them all 🙂
I absolutely love Casey Moss on DAYS! He is incredibly talented! I’m not a big “Wilson” fan, especially since Will has been recast. I find the pair nauseating. I can’t stand Teresa. Talk about a waste of air-time!
I’m glad that the networks are behind the soaps.Yeah DOOL and GH attract younger viewers and Y&R and B&B attract older ones but maybe that’s the way each soap likes it.
Love my General Hospital. Way to go, keep gettn younger and younger 🙂
I absolutely LOVED the soaps as a teen. I recall the late 1970s when the Rick-Monica-Alan triangle was at the fore on GH. Oh, how we marching band geeks were abuzz. And we loved the drama surrounding the murder of David Hamilton with Leslie taking the charge for her daughter Laura. And I could not get enough Karen Wolek and Marco Dane on OLTL. We all rode the Luke & Laura wave on GH, too, but there was so much more to enjoy as I wasin college and my early 20s. The launch of LOVING, my discovery of THE YOUNG AND RESTLESS before Jess Walton was Jill Abbott. I checked in with ATWT and AMC eventually and thank God to this day for the VCR. Daytime dramas are for everyone and I learned a lot I am sure, especially about some key social issues along with an appreciation for storytelling, acting and production. Theater remains an important part of my life and soaps helped inform that interest.
They need to bring back Santa Barbara! That was my favorite soap. Or 666 Park Avenue which was really good. Yes, I know it wasn’t a serial but I enjoyed it.
I loved both those shows…
I’m still waiting to see the support from ABC / Disney for General Hospital. Not only do they continue to cut General Hospital’s budget every year but not once have they run a GH promo during any of their primetime shows, even though they run promos for their primetime shows during General Hospital every single day. If they’re trying to be supportive of GH, then why not run a promo during some of their primetime scripted soap dramas such as Nashville which stars Jonathan Jackson who used to star on General Hospital? And a GH promo would be perfect to run during Revenge and Scandal as both are evening soaps. When I see a GH promo during those three shows then I will believe that ABC and Disney are being supportive of General Hospital. For now I just don’t see it!!!
I agree…
Days of OUR Lives : #1 : the best show : cast aplomb : Salem’ites stand together
Love ’em or hate ’em, WilSon brings in younger viewers as do JJ and even the out of control Teresa. Younger viewers relate to their peers — not their parents — and (usually) don’t have the hang ups their parents do. GH and Days do well online, with GH doing a bit better, actually. PP’s AMC is way down online, yet OLTL viewers are keeping their show relevant as of right now (according to what’s popular on H*l*.) I think OLTL fans may feel if PP can pull it back together, they may see OLTL as the more viable project to continue. Fans of hip, young soaps should check out Hollyoaks (also on H*l*, it’s amazing! Coronation Street is also an excellent soap!) JMOP.
I love Coronation street…the lives of everyday middle class families with real life issues and children who act like real children and the dead stay dead!!!
Check out Hollyoaks. It skews younger but has some older characters, too. It’s a great show. So is EastEnders (if you can find it in the US, some PBS stations carry it). Classic and current Aussie soaps like Neighbours, Sons & Daughters, Home & Away, Prisoner are also great soaps to watch. NZ soap Shortland Street is fun but sometimes light entertainment (it’s on the Y as are most of the Aussie soaps). With US soaps down to 4, we have to get our soap “fix” somewhere — and fortunately there are lots of great soaps out there.
I doubt that Prospect Park can pull up their pants let alone put together another soap Matthew but I do appreciate your optimism. I don’t like their lack of communication with the fans of both AMC and One Life but that’s my opinion. Sorry, don’t want to go off-topic here – so let me say that I am glad that
younger people are enjoying soaps these days, I hate to think of soaps as a dying genre, I think they can survive in today’s entertainment market if produced and handled properly.
I wasn’t being optimistic. It was purely an observation. Period. I agree that soaps can survive if handled properly. Soaps have been having identity crises for some time, both soaps themselves and, unfortunately, viewers — from changing viewing habits to some viewers no longer wanting soaps to be as “broad” in terms of social issues, etc. Of course, soaps have reflected the times (including social issues) in the past and will probably have to continue to do so, if they are to truly survive. I prefer soaps to reflect how (soap) people live and how they cope with life’s and society’s ups and downs, but I know others watch for their own reasons. Many of the soaps I mentioned, past and present, reflect my interest in seeing people deal with life (much as jim said about CS).
Love my GH.
Well it’s evident that DAYS is concentrating on the younger storylines with summer just ahead of us – don’t soaps generally do that to attract the younger set for the summer months – but it seems to be well executed and well acted – there are so very few shows to follow these days –
Yes, soaps traditionally have concentrated on younger storylines in summer months to bring in younger viewers, but these days soaps need to be wooing these younger viewers (and all others as well) year-round. Passions appealed to younger views overall and was given an extra year on TV (even after NBC pulled the plug), thanks to a satellite channel for picking them up. I also agree that Days is one of the better written (and acted) soaps on the air right now.
DOOL : Sheryl exit
dang it all
she was so real : crying… as she tells Jordan she’s been promoted and moving to Houston
THIS is the ONE time : I hope she is pregnant with Lucas child…. what a way for her to return
sorry to see her go… she could have been a great contributor to the DAYS canvas
I have a feeling that perhaps that’s the way Sami will be ushered out…finding out about EJ’s affair and falling back to Lucas….
Their Swan Song…
I am ok with that…..EJ is terrific…and now there’s Kassie DePavia coming to DOOL…. that would be chemistry for sure!
I’m with you there, Patrick!
In my house we represent all those demographics. My mom is 50, I’m 25 and my sister is 12. My mom watches Y&R and GH. My sis and I only watch GH. My sister even tells the kids at her school what’s going on in Port Charles lol! She is the next generation of GH fans!!!