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NBC Executive Jennifer Salke On Ron Carlivati Writing Regime: "We're Feeling Really Great About The New Team In Place …"

By Michael Fairman

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On Thursday morning at the NBC TCA (Television Critics Association) Summer Press Tour executive session, the network’s President of Entertainment, Jennifer Salke said the network brass is behind Days of our Lives under new head writer, Ron Carlivati.

“We’re feeling really great about the new team in place and we’re evaluating it as it goes,” Salke told the media. “Right now, we’ve been so focused on the fall and making all these new shows.  We love the new DAYS and we hope it stays on the schedule forever. Everyone’s feeling really good,” she added.

So what did you think of Jennifer Salke’s comments on DAYS? Comment below.

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Wow wonderful news, It seems that Days is here to stay. The ratings will go up, I am sure this will happen.

When looking at the now available soap writers ( an endangered species ) there is only one that could turn DOOL and very possibly rise over GH and that is RC,
RC writes out of the box and he is a brave writer. He will be bring his A-Game to Days..
I am envious that days has RC .. (and that Days has Tyler)

You’re incorrectly thinking that only someone who has already written for soaps is eligible to be a writer for soaps. And that is the whole problem: they just keep recycling the same ol’ same ol’. That’s why all these shows are going the way of the dinosaurs: that’s who is running them.

Seriously!!! Good post! Doppelgänger plots are the cheapest laziest most sophomoric of all soap plots. That’s all Ron knows how to write! If DAYS is pinning their hopes on this….um….buh bye.

So true..mab n pratt both wrote ridicuolous doppleganger stories on y n r during their tenures. pratts with jack n marco probably the worst of the bunch. Mabb wrote not one..or two. .but three..catherine n marge, lauren n sarah, sheila and phyliss. Wat a waste of my viewing time

Su, obviously you haven’t seen any of the episodes RC has written.
Watched today–and it’s like a totally different show. Kayla and Steve were a just-remarried, sweet couple. Today, they were shouting at each other and Kayla was slamming doors. Overnight, “Adrienne” is an impostor as is “Marlena.”
And Morgan Fairchild is suddenly front and center. I could go on, but why? It’s all so cliche and predictable. Ho hum–and jeepers creepers!
Wow, what a difference a writer makes, huh??????

Words sound good but i wont get all giddy goo ga until i hear it once again is renewed…then and only then i can be happy and sigh relief!!!

I agree jimh read between the lines. A statement that reads this is truly the last shot for DAYS. If the numbers don’t project a significant rise by the early months of the New Year..IT WILL be cancelled. All the negative posters on various sites and twitter and facebook could quite possibly end DAYS days. People were negative and tuning out of Y&R over Pratt..they listened and brought back Sussman and within months the complaints and tuning out have now led to Mal Young in full charge and already on the sites people have started their negative campaign. He’ll surprise THE WHOLE DAMNED LOT OF YOU..TRUST THAT!! I WANT LOVE NEED MY DAYTIME DRAMA PERIOD!! The choice is four and I watch them ALL. STOP whining and crying and add your voice to the many reasons they should stay and your viewing/dvr to the reason why they are guilty pleasure appointment TV. Voice your complaints but at the same time voice your enthusiasm for never leaving daytime drama less. THAT IS ALL!!

Yes, too many complaints and not enough enthusiasm. I watch all four shows ,also ; not because everything is going the way I desire, but to help boost ratings. Believe me, I’m not overjoyed with every storyline ; however, if I / we continue to voice my/ our opinion and keep watching , hopefully, the powers that be will listen and do the right thing.

i think it is always great to have support from a top nbc executive . i would say to jennifer salke evaluate Days way beyond nielsen , you need to look at figures through streaming platforms not just the official ones but the non official ones , the traffic on facebook and twitter , through facebook and twitter the product is also being consumed , in a different way but it is being consumed , their is also communication from the fans through social media . Yes the market is more diversified on a multitude of platforms and consumed in different ways at different times .

Excellent point. I find it hard to believe the ratings are accurate. When DOOL stars appeared in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee two years ago, more than 5,000 showed up for a book signing. I am hoping that DOOL is turned around and that the show gets back to “can’t miss daytime.” It has NOT been that way since Ben was the serial killer.

great point!

I hope it stays on the schedule forever too.

My username says it all…

Titanic…….

Okay call me a cynic here– but saying we hope it will stay on forever means nothing. No show stays on air forever— although Ron is great at kick starting the engine, he is not very good over the long haul– it happened at GH when he took over, but eventually, his style of writing cannot be sustained– so her statement sounds good, but when I am on holidays I hope my vacation will never end– but it does– and so will their support for the show if the numbers don’t go up or if something comes along that they think will bring in more viewers–

Mary!!! You said it best! His writing style cannot be sustained!!! It is short term, high impact, zero believability, emotionally void writing. There is absolutely no character development, or motivation, or people to root for.

Unfortunately this is true. I truly hope he can do it. I want the remaining four soaps to succeed. Can’t imagine daytime tv without the soaps.

His “engine” just sputtered–big time. Everything on DOOL is suddenly at sixes and sevens and UNRECOGNIZABLE.

I love that Ron is being appreciated for his work. He really is the best in the business.

Come again? I can’t hear you!

You might not appreciate his work but i do. We all have our own opinions. If you like someone better, that’s fine. It doesn’t mean I’m going to agree with you.

Sounds great. NBC & Sony seem to really support Days and want it to stay on the air.

What execs say in public and what they discuss in their conference rooms are two totally different agendas.

Didn’t ask you to! 🙂 🙂

Call me cynical here, but I’m just calling it like I see it. Ms. Salke’s comment “…we hope it (Days) stays on the schedule forever” means zero. “Hoping” it will stay on the air and it actually staying on are two entirely different things. The ratings are beyond putrid. What network executives say publicly and what they say behind closed doors are very often two different things as well. Folks, television is a business, not a nostalgic photo album. Networks have to answer to their advertisers and shareholders, and they can’t be happy at all with Days’ status. The fact is that TPTB are always going to publicly support a show in front of the media– until that show is cancelled. Remember ABC/Disney with AMC and OLTL? I rest my case.

Days has only been renewed by NBC through September 2018 (13 more months), so the next few months are undoubtedly do or die time. If the numbers don’t show any kind of upward trend, you have to think that the sand in the hourglass will finally run out. And if I’m a fan of Days, I’d be scared to have my show’s fate rest in the hands of overrated “Re-Ron” Carlivati’s nonsensical, cartoonish brand of writing (How does this man keep landing head writer jobs at daytime soaps?!?!) Talk about desperation.

Agreed, I wonder if she said this with a straight face, LOL. The “new Days” is an embarrassing hot mess.

She’s honestly feeling “really great” about falling under 2 million total viewers, 300K in W18-49?? The show being moved out of its longtime 1 pm time slot in many key markets??

Be afraid–be very, v-e-r-y afraid, Nick. I saw the show and your adjectives apply in spades.

Keep the faith!

I love Ron C

I think it’s a big mistake for Ron to start off with this double doppleganger story. I’ve been fast forwarding more than ever before… Sometimes I just delete the entire episode when I read the episode summary. Can we get some fresh stuff. Don’t want dopplegangerw, DNA switches, couples in love for 5 minutes and then they’re on to the next one ( Chad, Abby/Gabby/Abby/Gabby and now back to Abby…sucks. I’m waiting for Sami, Will, Vivian, Kristin and whoever Tyler Christopher is playing. Hopefully we’ll get something new and exciting. Until then it’s fast forwarding and skipping entire episodes for me. Beyond ridiculous and boring.

“Beyond ridiculous and boring.” Spot on. And that ol’ double doppleganger story–how unoriginal and fantastical. Verisimilitude? Say what? Lost in the shuffle.

So far not enjoying the new storylines, fast forward through most.

First thing out of the gate, Ron breaks out the lookalike imposters. At least it’s not the endless latex mask parade like it was at GH. But we really NEVER needed Bonnie Lockhart back again for any reason. Or any other member of her trailer trash family.

Hattie is at least amusing, in limited doses, but it’s a 666 mile stretch to claim that she would be associated with Angelica Deveraux, who had been gone for decades before Hattie was ever seen.

And locking Marlena in the nuthouse?? Is this a sign that eventually Ron will change the whole story and turn Hattie into Marlena’s other personality….. like that “Fluke” dragonshit rewrite on GH (even though we saw Luke Spencer physically locked in a rubber room while the wannabe ran around Port Charles stealing his life)

Yeah, sounds like! (Snore!)

The fact is…Ron really doesn’t know how to write anything other than look alike sandbox doppelgangers and plastic surgery fake outs. His entire 3.5 year run at GH was exactly the same…first Faison and his masks, Obrecht and hers, Julian coming back surgically altered, Kate and Connie as alters, the notorious Fluke, Jason returning with a new face etc etc. Even going back to his OLTL days, he had the luxury of multiple personality disorder for core favourites Viki and Jessica. That was any combination of 10 characters right there! He did Stacy and Gigi…the Tale of Two Todds, and more. This is just more of the same because the man doesn’t know how to write genuine human interaction. He is fantastic at umbrella plotting! He does not Lack all the good things that make a soap headwriter great. It’s that his writing style is so jeuvenile, so predictable, so uninspired, and so cartoonish. What I would love for this show to do (or any show)…is on Bonnie’s first attempt at being Adrienne…is for someone…ANYONE…to hear her say “Hi” and to have that character say “Oh hey Bonnie, what’s with the Adrienne get up?” To sell whatever major plot point he is pushing, Ron makes all his characters look stupid! He completely underestimates his audience. We are NOT stupid! Put yourself in any of these characters’ shoes. Your significant other comes home one day and acts completely different, sounds different, kisses different, doesn’t understand or appreciate all the little inside jokes you have between you. No one can replace someone like that. It’s not entertainment anymore. That two senior citizen off their rocker loons and a 50 something trailer park trash would be so deluded that they could even begin to pull something like this off is absurd. To suggest that Anjelica…charitably 70… would be lusting after a young man she had a fling with 30 years ago and thinks she can “get” him is demeaning and disgusting. Where is the character motivation in that type of writing? The realities of psychosis and dementia and obsession are not pretty, and to have all these women on at once who are all clearly diminished in their mental capacities and should be locked in the loony bin does a real disservice to those who do suffer from mental disorders. The fact these women would willingly and gleefully destroy the lives of countless people around them is scary! Marlena is a trusted doctor with mentally ill patients! What if one of them committed suicide on Hattie’s watch? What if she prescribed wrong medication that killed someone? Doppelgänger plots are done. They are irrelevant. They are not entertaining and have been done to death! I know that in Soapland, not everything is realistic and kids go from 5-18 in the span of a day. I just don’t appreciate stories that completely insult my intelligence. When there is no emotional core of truth in the writing, no logic, no motivation, no character development…there is little reason to tune in. I just know that Bonnie will be revealed as Adrienne’s twin and that will be her get out of jail free card. Probably same…Hattie will be a triplet with Marlena and Samantha. They won’t pay for their crimes and will be kept around for future shenanigans. Speaking of Shenanigans. I would like to see that joint resurrected! I don’t want Days cancelled… but my initial feelings are not positive. Should that happen…at least we know that Ron can write one helluva finale for a long running soap! His two part finale for OLTL was awesome!!!! Although I would have reversed the order in which they aired. Unfortunately, we will not be able to assess the full spectrum of destruction that Rons stories have caused for about 6 months. Although he has recently stated that some of his stories will have already wrapped on air in 6 months. So that is good news! I really can’t see 6 months of this doppelgänger nonsense! I think probably Kristen is pulling Anjelica’s strings. Maybe Anjelica is even Kristen’s birth mother. That’s a scary thought! Wait and see.

So FAR THE WRITING IS EVEN WORSE!! DUAL RULES STUPID, THE ACTING HORRID! THIS IS NOT COMEDY ITS JUST LOUSEY

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53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Presenters Announced

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Daytime Emmy Presenters

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) revealed on Thursday, the lineup of presenters for 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards taking place on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.

The ceremony will stream live on the NATAS YouTube channel at YouTube.com/@theemmys and watch.TheEmmys.tv.

Scheduled to present from the current soaps are: Katelyn MacMullen (Willow, General Hospital), Delon de Metz (Zende, The Bold and the Beautiful), James Preston (Nick, The Bay), Paul Telfer (Xander, Days of our Lives), Tamara Tunie (Anita, Beyond the Gates) and Susan Walters (Diane, The Young and the Restless).

Genie Francis

Photo: NATAS

In addition soap alums, Crystal Chappell, Lesli Kay, Joe Lando, Eva LaRue, who is also a nominee this year,  A Martinez, Juliet Mills, and Alicia Leigh Willis, will also be on hand to present.

The ceremony which celebrates nominated lifestyle programs and dramas will also include presenters: Eva zu Beck (Superskilled with Eva zu Beck), Danielle Chang (Lucky Chow), Sunny Hostin (The View), Derek Hough (Extra), Pati Jinich (Pati’s Mexican Table), Star Jones (Divorce Court), Michael Jr. (Stand Up and Do Something), Judge Greg Mathis (Mathis Court with Judge Mathis), Keke Palmer (Glam Through the Ages), Nischelle Turner (Entertainment Tonight), and Andrew Zimmern (Andrew Zimmern’s Wild Game Kitchen).

The 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards will bring together an exciting mix of presenters representing the full spectrum of daytime television,” said Adam Sharp, President & CEO of NATAS. “From familiar faces in daytime drama to the personalities and creative voices behind talk shows and lifestyle programming, this year’s lineup reflects the breadth of talent that makes daytime so special. We look forward to celebrating the people who continue to shape the genre.”

Matthew Hoffman (Love Island USA, Cheap A$$ Beach Houses) will serve as the ceremony’s Voice of God, bringing his signature comedic narration to the evening’s celebrations. As previously announced, Lifetime Achievement honoree Genie Francis (Laura, General Hospital) will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by her husband, Jonathan Frakes.

So, what do you think about the list of presenters for the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards? Let us know who you are looking forward to seeing via the comment section below.

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Days Of Our Lives

‘Days of our Lives’ Reveals Kyle Pryor Cast as Dominic Marino

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Kyle Pryor

For months now, Days of our Lives has teased the character of Dominic Marino. In recent weeks, viewers learned that Marino is on the down low working with Sami Brady’s (Alison Sweeney) apparent fiancé ‘Dante Vitali (Franco LoPresti), and that he is the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall)!

Up until now, the Peacock streaming soap opera has never revealed his face, but that all seemed to change on the Tuesday, October 2o episode of DAYS. In story, Dante met Sami’s parents for the first time, Roman (Josh Taylor) and Marlena.

He shows them a photo of Dominic, which he happened to have on his own phone and even commented he kind of looked like he could be Marlena’s son. The photo, which has quickly made it around Soap Twitter/X, revealed that British-born actor Kyle Pryor is the man in the photo and eagle-eyed viewers actually located said photo on Pryor’s Instagram.

Dominix

Photo: Peacock

Deadline revealed Pryor started taping at the end of 2025 and will first be seen in the role, on air Monday, November 2.  In addition, Days will celebrate its 61st Anniversary with two special episodes featuring Dominic’s arrival, as well the returns of Tony and Anna DiMera, played respectively by Thaao Penghlis and Leann Hunley, on Friday, November 6 and Monday, November 9.

Those in the know, are are that Pryor previously held series regular roles on Australia’s Home and Away, and the UK’s Hollyoaks and guest starred on Emmerdale. In an ironic twist, Pryor appeared in the series Spartacus: Blood and Sand which is the same action series his apparent TV brother, Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera), once appeared in before coming to DAYS.

So excited to see Kyle Pryor take on the role of Dominic Marino as Days of our Lives sets its anniversary story to kick-off with is arrival in Salem? Share your thoughts in the comment section. And in case you missed our latest conversation with Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera) he weighs-in on how Dominic’s appearance will shake things up in Salem. You can check that out below.

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Days Of Our Lives

Days of our Lives’ Conner Floyd Talks Dominic Marino Mystery, Chad and Belle, and Susan Seaforth Hayes (Exclusive)

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Conner Floyd

Fasten your seat belts Days of our Lives fans, as the mystery of Dominic Marino continues to unravel on all-new episodes of the Peacock streaming soap opera. Last week, Chad DiMera (Conner Floyd) learned that he may have a half-brother, who may be the biological child of his father, the late Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), giving him great pause, because he knows Stefano had kidnapped Marlena for four years back in the late 80s and early 90s.

Chad has already been hunting down clues with his current girlfriend Belle Black (Martha Madison) in Italy and Salem, which revealed a photo of a young boy with Stefano with the date 1992 on the back of it, hidden inside Stefano’s chess set. So, what’s next?

Conner Floyd chatted on the Michael Fairman Channel in a new virtual interview released on Sunday, October 18, where he spoke on what the new addition to the DiMera family could do to the already dangerous sibling rivalries, the state of Chad’s relationship with Belle and much more.

EJ and Chad

Photo: JPI

DIMERA RIVALRY

After finding out from EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) that Dominic Marino could be the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano and Marlena, Conner Floyd explained, “I think it blows Chad’s mind a little bit. I think there’s a lot of things working there with old Chad. Obviously, bringing in another DiMera could cause some noise and the whole situation with Marlena’s a little awkward as well because he’s dating Belle, so this could cause a little tiff there. I think his head’s spinning and he does not know what to expect, but I also think he kind of expects that from Stefano, for sure.”

As to how this will change and color Chad’s relationship with EJ, Floyd responded, “Chad knows EJ’s not happy about it and I think he’s going to be real upset if this gets in his way of doing what he wants to do with the DiMera legacy and all that. However, for Chad, I think he’s just going to keep a sharp eye, see what this guy’s about, see if he’s here to cause some trouble or here to be a friend and kinda play it by ear.”

Belle and Chad

Photo: JPI

BELLE OF MY HEART

With Chad and Belle already being sleuths, Floyd says, you can look for the duo to continue getting to the truth. “I think Chad and Belle are committed to this. They’re going full National Treasure, Nicolas Cage,” says Conner. “They’re going to follow the clues. They’re going to get some answers.”

Since beginning in the role of Chad in June of 2025 and debuting on-screen back in April of 2026, the former Y&R star (where he played Chance Chancellor), says it was Madison who helped him get comfortable in his new surroundings.

“Martha is phenomenal. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to get tagged up with when I started here, just because she knows everybody,” shares Floyd. “She knows where to go, who to talk to. She’ll get the tea if you want, and so it was kind of cool. Martha took me under her wing, showed me the ropes. She’s a sweetheart.  I love working with her too. She’s a great actress.”

But, is Chad in love with Belle after such a tortured past with his beloved Abigail Deveraux DiMera? Floyd thinks so! “I think he’s into it. They’re such good friends and they have such a rich history. I think he’s in for the ride. You know, it’s one of those things you probably overlook at first and then they reconnected, and it feels easy and they’re going on these fun adventures.”

MAKING CHAD HIS OWN

Conner had the arduous task of being the successor to Billy Flynn in the role of Chad.. Flynn had played the part for 12 years before deciding to exit and head to Y&R. So, how did Conner approach learning the ins and out of Chad? Floyd shared, “I really dove into Chad when I first got this job. I liked that he kind of walks this tightrope of DiMera and not DiMera, you know. He want to so honor his family roots and really do something for the DiMera family, but he doesn’t want to fall into that trap that all the other DiMera have found themselves in. Chad is a DiMera at heart. He’s got those demons, but he’s just trying to keep them contained.”

Susan Seaforth Hayes

Photo: JPI

ICONIC

When Floyd got to DAYS, it was none other than Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Williams) who most surprised him in the most delightful way, given that he knew Hayes was a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and the current longest-running cast member on the canvas.

“I love working with Susan Hayes! I love her. She’s a sweetheart. Susan is one of the nicest people there. I just thought she was cool and it’s Susan Hayes, you know?  We’ve had a lot of scenes together, which is nice,” explained Conner.

“We’ll go to her dressing room, we’ll run our scenes, and then we’ll spend about an hour just talking about life and she’ll tell me about a book she’s reading. She’s such a history buff, which blows my mind. She’ll start dropping all these historical facts on me. I learn something new by the time I walk out of her dressing room every time!”

Now below, check out the full conversation with Conner Floyd via the Michael Fairman Channel.

Weigh-in: Do you like Chad and Belle as couple? Do you think Chad will get to the bottom of the Dominic Marino mystery? If so, do you think Dominic is truly Stefano and Marlena’s son … and what about Rita (Maggie Carney) in all this? Let us know your theories in the comment section.

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