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RATINGS: Y&R Hits New Low in Women 18-49! GH Stays Strong #1 In Women 18-34!

The ratings are out for the week of April 14-18th and three of the four network soap opera showed gains in their total viewers with The Bold and the Beautiful adding the most for the ratings week with +186,000.  But B&B still is in third place in the key 18-49 and 18-34 women’s demos.

However, all things weren’t rosy in Genoa City, either!  The number one soap opera, The Young and the Restless hit an all-time low in the key 18-49 women’s demographic, and this tops their other record low back in the first week of December in 2012.  Y&R also tied their all-time low in the ratings share for the demo, as well as for the 18-34 ratings share.  The good news for the week was that the series gained +146,000 in the total viewers category.

Over at General Hospital, while the ABC soap opera was the only soap to lose viewers for the week -8,000, it still held strong as the # 1 show in viewers for the 18-34 women’s demo, widening their gap on now 2nd place, Y&R  GH also remained in first in the ratings share for the 18-34 demo as well.  And as for Days of our Lives, it gained +60,000 in total viewers for the week, but remained in last place of the four soaps in the key demos. View the entire ratings picture via SON here.

A for a few story points in the ratings week included: the Chelsea byJabot fashion show on Y&R,  a stolen truck was the things of the week in the Liam/Hope/Wyatt triangle on B&B, Dr. Obrecht dangling the MIA embryo over Dante and Lulu on GH, and over at DAYS, Abigail and EJ’s romps were about to be revealed when pictures showed up seemingly out of nowhere!

So time for you to be this week’s Soap Opera Programming Executive Armchair Quarterback! What is working on your favorite soap?  What isn’t?  What storyline do you like?  What storyline do you wish would just stop?  Weigh-in!

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Go GH 🙂 :@

It is crazy good these days, with the pacing of stories being more like nighttime (DALLAS, SCANDAL). I feel like I can’t miss an episode because there are things happening in every episode.

That is what drove me away from daytime in the 90’s – taking f o r e v e r to resolve storylines, and repeating referential dialogue to every scene from two weeks ago, to connect the dots for every single viewer. Geez, how I dislike when they dumb things down for the audience. Much prefer when they push the accelerator, speed ahead, and challenge fans to keep up!

what do these numbers mean? whats the difference between the demo for 18-34 or 18-49. i know it has something to do with advertising revenue the networks can use to charge for advertising but how does it work? its so confusing, how are these numbers determined, it makes n sense.

W18-34 and W18-49 are basically used by the networks for spin. It sounds good because younger demos are coveted by most advertisers. But that is not really the case for daytime. Advertising is sold on a cost per thousand/cost per point basis. You pay for how many people are watching. 200,000 viewers 18-34 or even 650,000 viewers 18-49 are not large enough audiences to generate enough revenue to sustain a network show like GH. And the potential growth in those demos is limited because people that age simply don’t watch daytime TV in large numbers and they are not going to. Those demos are good to have, but they are additive. You need the mass of the older demos.

Y&R is profitable because it has on average over 4.5 million viewers. Over 3 million of them are 55 and older. That’s where the money is made. GH is in trouble because if you take away the baby reveal and 51st Anniversary weeks, GH is down to between 2.6 and 2.7 million viewers. They don’t have the mass of the older audience to generate revenue that they did a few months ago, when Robin came back, when they were over 3 million viewers. GH is trending down and a few more thousand younger viewers is not enough to change things.

All I know is that GH just stinks. There’s not a story on that doesn’t feel greasy and overdone. The pacing is wildly uneven and the show doesn’t even attempt to make sense anymore. Ugh.
Y&R is the same. What that show does to female characters should be against the law. And now we get to see Nick disown Count Chocula for what, the 90th time?

DOOL has a few problems, but it has BY FAR the best storylines and the best characters. It has held up in quality and stayed a soap while the others have slipped into cheap stunts and wannabe subpar prime time misses. GH is the worst offender.

ditto… LOL

for all we’re worth… fan outcry… we deserve this platform

GH is befuddling… after a year of noteworthy accolades… this “sophomoric” year… under the guise of RC/FV…

take note… fans of

it’s all over the place… and decries… mention… I can’t stand it!

I’m still ovation’ing… that GH stands head and shoulders above Y&R
that doesn’t bemoan my fact… what is going ON?

I dare not tread too long.. over boasting… how Salem.. coasts… and is not part of the derision

if you will… I think.. Salem… for it’s part… is deserving.. of 2nd year in a row… Best Serial.

I welcome… Eileen Davidson… AND… Kassie DePaiva

leave Jeanne Theresa Donovan be… she’s mingling and between the sheets with Brady…

me thinks… it’s time for Father Eric… to take some swimming lessons… or cold shower

all the shenanigans over the virtuoso Nick and the uninhibited Theresa.. take notes… they quiver and pull asunder libidinous salacious appetite

as for Sami and EJ : they stand alone… they ARE current Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton

once again… we are deluged with overkill… Jenn and Daniel… WHY? because of lack of imagination?

get over Paige… JJ is in the show… big leaguing… he romps

Where is MY Kayla… attach her with Abe or Aiden… give me Her presence

I love that Hope is distracted and can pull off… Aiden… and let go… Big Bo

please give Rafe and Jordan… your attention… He goes overborad with his care and attentiveness about lil’ dim Gabs… but I love her…I love that she SHOULD love Nick I wouldn’t lose him

Days of OUR Lives… is the best of the current choice

Fan Salute

Totally agree! I am glad, however, that GH is beating Y&R for the simple hope that TPTB will dump JFP and bring on someone else to run the show. It’s gone downhill ever since she’s arrived and it needs to stop.

Boes, your first paragraph about GH just says it all. Greasy and overdone, perfectly put.

Wow! Well I guess coherent women are into stories about murderers who have grotesque intercourse in crypts. How the mighty have fallen. Personally, I loved it. It showed what depraved disgusting pigs Sonny and Ava really are. If this story is not leading to a big downfall for Sonny, at least I can enjoy it for a while as Morgan utterly hates his father. Sonny does not deserve children, or the title of father, or any of the respect Michael gives him. He deserves to be behind bars for life. And none of his caterwauling or whining makes me feel an ounce of sympathy for him. He has no remorse or repentance for anything he has done ever!!

Not only that Johnny, it seems that they just can’t stop kicking AJ even after death. They speak badly of him, they distort the history of him, and the 2 people basically responsible for his death have sex on the AJ’s body. Judging by Ron’s Tweets, he is really proud of that sleazy, repulsive and ridiculous scene.

Meh – I was a big fan of BUFFY. That series greatly desensitized me to cemataries, crypts & graves in general. Also, ONCE UPON A TIME. I cannot look at a crypt now without thinking it must lead to a secret underground bunker/lab/storage/brewing area.

Sonny and Ava are ruthless coldblooded killers who deserve a Bonnie and Clyde ending!!!

Days has minor problems with its storylines but is the most entertaining and remains my favorite soap…GH is entertaining on occasion and could do a lot better…sex in mausoleum is totally disgusting and ive lost interest in Sonny and Ava…Tracy has become somewhat dumb…cast needs to be trimmed stat…MORE continuity and less campiness in the storylines…B&B is ok…i like Quinn, Wyat, and Ally, Y&R slightly improving but i rarely watch…a cable company needs to carry British soaps…Coronation is so much better than our 4 soaps combined: storylines move smoothly and the humor is funny…a very entertaining soap about the working middle class families with close to real life issues in its storylines…this show rarely disapoints and i hardly ever miss an episode…why cant our soaps be more like that?

Coronation Street…

The ghost of A.J. shouldve puked ,like in the Exorcist, on Sonny and Ava while they were making out in the crypt!!! Then id be somewhat ok with it!!!

I watch those scenes… and i think…

why are they : as in, TPTB, the writers’ : the executive Producers’

see

the talent : in front of their eyes

Sean Kanan : AJ… is knocking it out of the Park! give props to Maurice Benard’ Sonny… for following with…

but… it’s further proof… just, how good… SK’ AJ IS. so wasn’t Kelly Sullivan’ Connie… and just how good we had it… with Kimberly McCoullough… Kimberly

so… I take it… our soaps… for what we can

if, only… Sean Kanan’ AJ should have done the same, thing.. with Ava.. haunted her

was a nice send-of of AJ

all for naught… though… as he belongs on/with GH

The Nielsen ratings system is a stinking mess!

I can’t wait to see the ratings for “DOOL” from this past week? The Monday episode still has people talking.

Y&R is a total disaster. It deserves all the bad ratings it is getting. Phelps and her soap killer writers have made the show a boring mess.

I couldn’t agree more. These doppleganger s/l’s on Y&R are so overdone that it has become a cartoon show. How can you take any of it seriously now? The two best actors they had are gone and now it’s a bunch of newbies and old people sleepwalking through dialogue. To watch Y&R now is tragic. Such a shadow of itself. David Tom is a disaster as Billy. Even Tristan Rogers and Jess Walton’s s/l is a stiff. Get rid of JFP, she’s ruined this once great show.

J Willis wow you said it all about Y&R I,m sure William J Bell is turning in is grave I,mean Laura lee bell( father) all the thousands & thousands of fans that hate JFP you think she would leave the Y&R ( do un to others as you want them to do un to you) YES THE STUPID Y&R SHOW IS NOW THE BIGGEST CARTOON (OLD & THE WRECKLESS)

Y&R is just horrible now. Who writes this trash? Dumb and dumber? Jill Farren Phelps has turned this once great soap into an ABC cheap-looking has-been.

Pamela…I AGREE!!!!! Of course, that’s what that dreadful Jill Farren Phelps does…SHE RUINS SOAPS!!!!! Beyond sad.

Y and R storylines I am enjoying – Faux Cassie. Camryn Grimes is
a great actress! Hilary and the 2 men in one family drooling over her.
Ha. She has come a long way. I like her. Loving Noah and Courtney,
and Dylan and Avery (minus the cooking show). Still and always loving
Chelsea.

NOT working for me – Victoria with Stitch. Esmerelda – ugh. Want her
to leave! Where is Chavez? He needs to come back – miss his funny,
quirky personality and his banter with Kevin. Wish Gloria was on the
show more, love her!

Nanci, I agree. Y&R has improved since this ratings period somewhat. Some people turned off Y&R after both Michael Muhney and Billy Miller left. I tuned back in because I think Tristan Rogers is a charismatic, talented and strong actor–no matter how bad the writing is, he rises above it.
I do think the Winter’s family is killing this show. Lily is just awful–always utilizing that sassy, bratty voice whether the scene calls for it or not. Whenever she tells someone off, I am on that someone’s side because I detest Lily. And when are they finally going to admit that Neil is more boring than my humidifier? Abby and Tyler? Well, my toaster and coffee maker enjoy more heated chemistry. And how many times must we hear Summer say,”I can’t be happy as long as Mom is in a coma?” Well, Summer, that is the effect Y&R is having on the viewers as of late.

Lol, “more boring than my humidifier.”
And YES, the Lily thing, I forgot her in my post.
Too uppity and judgmental, BUT for some reason,
is fine with Kelly’s fling with Billy? Contradiction!

Please do not bring Stephie back to get in the middle of Hope and Liam again. Let Hope make up her own mind with no interference fro th peanut gallery

Wow. Yet another obvious GH plug.

The show is down across the board, especially in total viewers but is praised for doing well in one demo.

C’mon. Let’s be objective.

GH has the most whiner’s..
some constantly bitch whine and moan but they still watch lol
Perhaps those GH watchers watch simply to find something they can complain about ..
there is no reason for anyone to punish themselves watching something they hate, so they do like GH they just have need to complain… lol

The demo numbers are the numbers the sponsors care about and GH is doing really well..
ALL soap, the numbers go up and down..

Y&R n has the most boring couples in soap land…
All they do is have long boring conversations that hold little interest.
They make love like old people, really! it’s terrible!

GH has hot hot sex.. Alexis and Julian and just now Sonny and Ava, burnt the bed, so to say..
and- GH stories are full of mystery, intriguing and they move at a good pace, no waiting a year to figure out a music box or to find out about a DNA switch /both dragging on for over a year LOL ….

yahhh what can one say.. you either love them or not..
if you don’t like them don’t watch and shut it up lol..
complainers are very unpleasant people to hang with 🙂

Long live the soaps.. good or bad !!! ((( we are addicted !! we need them, daily!!

I love GH, but until I saw Sonny and Ava doing the nasty, and yet another betrayal for Morgan, I kind of had enough of the character of Sonny…This character has finally been dehumanize..First exposing his son while he was on bipolar mode and now THIS…The show entertains but with lots over the top nonsense and cartoonish garbage..Yet I still tune in to GH and enjoy the show.

suOOOO, you must work for ABC or GH, cause you find nothing wrong in the direction the show is going “and that is your respected opinion” and you say “long live our soaps bad or good”, YET you are always thrashing Y&R,” good or bad.”.Just another person thrashing what is not to her/his liking and expecting everyone to shut their mouth if we disagree with your opinion..I think Y&R is doing very good considering its flaws like all shows.

All remaining soaps move about the same pace..And don’t tell fans to “shut it up” lol..This is a blog after all..Long live the soaps “good or bad”

Many fans have been watching for decades and you don’t invest that much time in a show and just tune out completely. It happens over time. But people are tuning out. The numbers for GH are down in the last few months. GH was averaging over 3 million viewers when Robin came back and then when she left, the next two weeks went down to 2.6 million. They rebounded the week of the baby reveal and have gone down each of the subsequent three weeks.

And you are wrong about the demo numbers when it comes to this show. Advertisers care about the demo numbers for shows that bring them enough viewers in that demo. How much do you think ABC can charge an advertiser if they are only delivering 200,000 viewers in W 18-34? Or 650,000 viewers in W18-49? The answer is not enough to sustain the show. Daytime shows need the mass of older viewers for the majority of advertising revenue and being well under 3 million viewers will not keep GH on the air in the long run.

They make love like old people, really! it’s terrible!

LOL. OK

although… it would do me good.. to see Eric Braedon… Victor going through, with

i’d enjoy his downfall

you know.. you have to question.. Nikki’ involvement with this… how could such a viable WOMAN go through this

she doesn’t NEED HIM

I rue the day, for Nikki… when Niiki has her time… and needles dead Victor and she commands

Su00, why do you think it’s okay to whine about people whining about GH ? Do you not only see your double standard, do you also recognize that the majority of GH viewers who are “whining” about GH might have a point.? Many of these “whiners’ have been GH cheerleaders for thirty plus years, therefore, if they (we) are finally resorting to whining, you can bet your bottom dollar that something smells rotten in the state of Port Charles. So, quit your whining about whining–will ya? Things cannot improve until one admits there is a problem. It’s not disloyal to point out that there are inherent structural problems both with GH and Y&R’s writing.

I knew GH’s rating was going to be low. It’s been two boring weeks. Whenever Kelly Monaco is on the ratings has been higher and better. #JustSaying

Well all four soaps are coasting right now, nothing terrible, but nothing too exciting. Hopefully May sweeps will bring back some zing in daytime.

Y&R rushed the whole Stitch and Victoria story and now she could be pregnant with his child– blah. Their chemistry might have been great if they didn’t break the sexual tension that was building between them with a drunken quickie in her car. The fashion show was a bust– Jabot should get out that business and stick with cosmetics. The engagement party was dull– Nick finding fake Cassie was interesting for a second, then it went back to dull melodrama with Nick’s over the top reaction with Victor– those scenes have been done before, just the subject of the shouting match changed.

On B&B the endless triangles continue– the only refreshing story on the map is Oliver and Aly— is he dating her to get ahead or does he sincerely like her. Please Brad don’t make this romance? a triangle, — but the predictable meltdown Aly will have once she finds out Daddy is dating Taylor again I could do without.

Days fake out this week ruin the best thing I saw in a soap in long time. But I will over look it if they will wrap up this Liam the psycho story next week. Also the character Ann is working my last nerve– either give this woman a life, other than hating Jennifer or take her off the canvas please.

I once said same about Ann and even wrote to Days…give her a backstory!!! I liked her in the beginning but now im beginning to care less about her…first Ann, then Teressa hating Jen and Danial and now its Liam starting trouble…Jennifer used to be far more interesting…the writers need to change this storyline…enough with ‘Everbody Hates Jen’ and lets move on!!!

I forgot GH in my earlier post– my biggest pet peeve with this show is the flow– whole stories get drop for long period of time, while other stories are being told– also when the writers change who characters are in order to make their stories fly is annoying; like Tracy and Lulu who can’t see Luke is not acting like Luke when it is obvious he isn’t Luke or even trying to be Luke. I can’t imagine a Lulu who wouldn’t wonder why her father wasn’t there by her side during the kidnapping of Ben/Rocco– but this version obviously hasn’t even notice her father’s MIA. And Tracy, I know love is blind, but it ain’t stupid— Luke not wanting to sign a pre-nup should of had her telling him where the door was, not caving in in fear he would leave her. She is mature woman for goodness sake– this isn’t the Tracy Q most GH viewers know and love. And I thought Sonny was the Victor Newman of Port Charles, so why is he being consumed with guilt, men like Sonny should be able to justify all their actions no matter how heinous, so I ain’t buying Sonny suddenly has a conscience.

Mary, you are scaring me…lol…we think to much alike! A man like Sonny wouldnt have a guilty concious…perhaps Sonny is really having a mental collapse…he then will go to mental hospital(instead of prison) for A.J.s murder…and what bugs me is Alice wasnt even at the funeral!!! Also, i mentioned how dumb Tracy is now…she shouldve wondered why Kiki would suddenly hit on Luke and realized its the other way around knowing Luke has been acting strange and hasnt been himself in weeks!!!

Yep– if our lives were a soap I would definitely suspect you are my long lost twin brother LOL—– As for Sonny maybe this is where this story is going– maybe he will have a melt down of sorts and Fluke will convince Dante, Michael and Morgan that Sonny needs to committed for his own good– and while there Sonny finds the real Luke and realizes Fluke is an impostor. And then real Luke and Sonny have to team up and escape and find a way to expose Fluke, who has taken over PC criminal element and is running amok— sounds plausible– guess we will see.

It’s been two disappointing weeks on GH. I’m glad to hear GH’s ratings went down because it tells RC, FV & ABC that their crappy writings sucks. I wish they would focus more on love stories, family stories instead of forced pairings and sex.

Y&R the only thing that is working for me is the fake Cassie storyline. Memo to JFP we still want to see EB, JM & SC these people are vets we know their stories & we either hate them or love them but we have watched them they are Genoa City. GH nothing is working for me a mess. B&B same thing so sick of Hope & Brooke. Days I do not watch so no opinion there.

It would be very interesting to have your opinion on DAYS as a fresh eyed viewer that knows how to write!

k/kay…OH I AGREE!!!!! I (also) am so sick of B&B’s Brooke and Hope. More and more, Brooke acts like such an over-the-hill B-I-M-B-O…LOL!!!!! As for that self-righteous and annoying Hope, the mere sound of her voice makes me wanna S-C-R-E-A-M!!!!! All in all…YIKES!!!!!!!

@ 4everDAYS I was a faithful watcher of Days for years back when they were the soap known for the super-couple. I quit watching when they had the storyline when Marlena was killing everybody but they were actually alive and on some island back when the great Alice was frail but still kicking. What year was that? I do not remember who was writing for the show? Still a fan of Deidre Hall but just never started again!!!!

I don’t like these demo groups, and I couldn’t care less about about the women 18-49 demo. I think total viewers is what should count, and Y&R will probably always have that edge, until the remaining four traditional daytime soaps, one by one, disappear into television history. I think the cold winter may have influenced increased viewership earlier this year, which gave us all the false sense of a soap resurgence. Given the perpetual norm of low ratings, I can’t imagine that DAYS and GH have much life left beyond their current renewals. I could be wrong, but I’ve come to terms with the fact that this incarnation of the soap genre is on its last leg. From a prior stalwart of the soaps, I can hardly watch anymore. I haven’t seen DAYS since SoapNet went off the air, and I haven’t kept up with GH. What I have seen is an unwatchable plot-driven mess. Y&R is a snooze fest, except for the somewhat interesting faux Cassie story. B&B is the only remotely watchable show for me now, and that’s saying something, because I can’t stand liberal Bradley Bell and his historically incestuous storytelling. I just don’t know what else to say. I expected better, but maybe they all just want to be canceled.

I love only DOOL, 100%. I love almost every actor on the show. My favorites are Sami Brady and Nick Fallon; although they are supposed to mean trouble. Alison Sweeney and Blake Berris are outstanding actors; they can make you love them and hate them at the drop of a hat. Y & R deserves to have a slide in ratings rapidly; that’s what happens when clueless writers like JP are hired as a co-HW.

my commrnent is without Michael Muhney & Bill Miller who cares about Y&R

I agree with Loretta. The jealousy between Adam & Nick. The fact that he was settling down with Chelsea & peanut. Billy Miller & Victoria were a great couple. None of it is the same so it’s ok at best.

Y&R what have you been up to? Seriously, there has been so much change. So many of your leading stars have left the show… I am about done. Not too much holding me here now.. My favs are all gone. There are only two of them left. You need to fix your Employee Morale Issues!! Yah, I’ve heard it all… Soap Stars are like gypsies…. Alway moving on, always changing. Money talks people. Get Phyllis back, get the “real Billy” back…. Stop killing children. This would be a good start. I’m almost done watching and I’ve been a supporter for 35yrs…

No surprise there. I haven’t watched it since January 31st. Not just because they fired MM, but also because I just lost interest after the Delia death storyline. It was a senseless character kill, and one just to make watchers hate MM but instead made alot of watchers literally cringe at the entire show. My husband can’t believe that I’ve quit watching because it used to be an everyday event and sometimes even 2 times on my off days (CBS and SOAPnet before it went off the air) and it was Y&R this and Y&R that- and then it just stopped. I lost COMPLETE interest!

Days Of Our Lives

Days of our Lives wins WGA Award for Daytime Drama Series

Sunday night, April 14th in concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York City, the Writers Guild of America is handing out their 76th annual WGA Awards in the fields of motion picture, television, news media, and radio/audio.

In the Daytime Drama category, Peacock’s Days of our Lives was the winner, taking home its fourth WGA Award in this category in a row.

The DAYS winning writing team consisted of Head Writer Ron Carlivati Creative Consultant Ryan Quan and Writers Sonja Alar, Jazmen Darnell Brown, Joanna Cohen, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Cheryl Davis, Kirk Doering, Christopher Dunn, Jamey Giddens, David Kreizman, Henry Newman, Dave Ryan, and Katherine D. Schock.

Photo: JPI

The team from Days of our Lives bested the only other team in the category from General Hospital, which consisted of former GH head writers: Dan O’Connor, Chris Van Etten Writers Ashley Cook, Emily Culliton, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Lucky Gold, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Shannon Peace, Stacey Pulwer, Dave Rupel, Lisa Seidman, and Scott Sickles.

Courtesy/Peacock

As previously reported, a show spokesperson for Days of our Lives shared that the episodes submitted for the competition were #14663, #14678 & #14679, and mostly centered around the death, and the funeral of Victor Kiriakis played by the late John Aniston.

This week, DAYS head scribe, Ron Carlivati, confirmed that, and told Michael Fairman TV on the decision of the scripts the team submitted: “I like to have some humor, but it was also the funeral, and then there was Sarah (Linsey Godfrey) giving birth, and then Vivian’s (Louise Sorel) crashing the reading of the will.”

You can follow along with the live updated list of all the winners from tonight’s WGA ceremonies here.

Michael Fairman TV will have more on DAYS WGA Award win as it becomes available.

So, what do you think of Days of our Lives winning the WGA Award writing award for a Daytime Drama series for the fourth year in a row? Comment below.

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Days Of Our Lives

Matthew Ashford and Melissa Reeves Talk Return to DAYS for Doug’s Funeral, Susan Seaforth Hayes, and Their Enduring Friendship

Last week, Days of our Lives celebrated the taping of their 15,000th episode which is tentatively scheduled to air on December 3rd. The story will feature emotional and heart-tugging scenes of Doug Williams funeral and honor his portrayer, the beloved Bill Hayes, who passed away on January 12th at the age of 98.

While the actors, producers, and crew took a lunch time break to pose for some pictures and speak with the press, they knew they would have to get back to taping the funeral, which was going to make it a tough day, but also cathartic for all who loved Bill Hayes.

Several returns have thus far been announced including; Melissa Reeves reprising her signature role of Jennifer Horton (a part she first played in 1985), and Matthew Ashford as Jack Deveraux. Reeves had last appeared on the show back in 2021, and she was replaced by Emmy-winner Cady McClain in her absence when Jennifer was in storylines. In real-life, Melissa had moved full-time to Tennessee along with her husband, Scott Reeves (ex-DAYS, GH, Y&R). Now, and as previously reported, Reeves will first appear back on DAYS for the Thanksgiving episodes with the Hortons.

Photo: JPI

Michael Fairman TV caught up with Matt and Melissa during the 15,000th episode celebration to get their take on: being back for these special episodes, how it has been working with and watching Susan Seaforth Hayes portray Julie’s grief over losing Doug, and how they have supported each other through the years. Check out what they shared below.

Melissa, you are back on the set of Days of our Lives for this very emotional and special moment in the series history. How does it feel?

MELISSA: Oh, my goodness. I am honored. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but to be here for Bill. He was like my real-life dance partner. He taught me how to ballroom dance. And to be here for Susan, of course, who’s just been our sweet hero this whole week. We’re just following her lead. She’s just been this incredibly strong example for us in the midst of this trial and season of her life. She is like just lifting us all up with her. It’s been incredible.

I was at Bill Hayes memorial service which was truly incredible and I know at the time you were in Tennessee. It was moving and celebratory of his life, all at the same time.

MELISSA: That’s all I have heard. I have to watch it on You Tube. They said it was just a real celebration of his life and I love that.

Photo: JPI

This must be difficult for Susan Seaforth Hayes depicting the death of Doug, when she is still grieving the loss of her beloved husband. (Susan pictured above with the returning Stephen Schnetzer who plays her on-screen brother, Steve Olson).

MELISSA: I’m sure Susan has those moments at home by herself, but she’s so good at being a leader and leading all of us. We’re following her, you know, and she’s like, “This is how I want to feel today.” And we’re just going along with her, you know? It’s so sweet.

Photo: JPI

How is it to see Matt Ashford again live and in-person?

MELISSA: You know, Matt and I can go years without talking, or seeing each other, and then the minute we see each other we’re chatting away.

MATT: Melissa was out on set doing a scene yesterday on the phone talking to a stage manager; as she was telling some really tough news on the phone. I’m like crying in the background, literally, I’m off-stage crying.

MELISSA: And then we get like back into normal life, and we’re like, okay, “What’s happening? What’s happening with this … or what’s happening with that?”

I had read, Melissa, that you were in touch with Matt about if there night be a possibility for you to reprise your role as Jennifer for these special episodes?

MELISSA: Yes. Well, Matt was like, “Hey! Would you want to come back? “And I was like, “Matt, you know, I would always come back. ”

MATT:  Every time I come here to Days of our Lives, they ask, “Where’s Missy? How’s Missy?” Everybody backstage says, “I miss her.” All of the crew is asking about her and saying, “It would be nice to see Missy. Nothing wrong with you Matt, but …”  They said, “Where is she?” I said, “She wants to come!”

Photo: JPI

There are some beautiful photos of Missy and Bill and Susan thorough the years that I found. It just reminded me of just the deep and entrenched history we all have had with the show, personally and professionally.

MATT: Missy is roughly the age where Francis Reid (ex-Alice Horton) was when she started the show, which is just crazy.

Photo: JPI

I’ve always said Missy was going to be the next generation Alice. Do you feel that Jennifer is the heir apparent matriarch of the Horton family?

MELISSA: Yes. I mean, this has been greatest blessing of my life, and that would be great. I told Ken Corday (executive producer, Days of our Lives) when I was 17 that this show would be my life. Ken always told me, “This is your home,” and I’ve always felt like that.

How have gotten through the scenes watching Susan Seaforth Hayes as Julie go through the loss of Doug?

MATT: Susan is bringing her best performance life for her and Bill. I mean, she’s a showbiz baby. She always has been one hundred percent, and she’s doing it for him, and this is who they’ve always been. So, you’re seeing this amazing performance colored by her life. She has her private life as Susan, but she has enough plugged into Julie that she’s done amazing work. The director, producers and writers are giving her room to live in these moments and it’s quite wonderful.

Photo: JPI

Have you already broken down in tears during the taping?

MELISSA: Yesterday, but today’s taping of the actual funeral I think they want us to try and be just more celebratory.

MATT: I mean, it is a beautiful long life for Bill Hayes and his character of Doug Williams, and so it will be about that. Then, you get a bunch of us together in the church pews, and there’s going to be hijinks.

MELISSA: We all have been through the waves of grief. You have that awful cry and then all of a sudden you feel okay.  There are those family situations we are portraying where you’re like, “What do we do? What do we do now? You know, no one knows what to do. But, it’s so sweet. I’m looking forward to seeing how the scenes all turn out.

So, are you glad that Matt and Melissa are back for the 15K episode and Doug’s funeral? From what we can tell, it’s going to be quite an emotional journey for Days of our Lives fans, and especially the performance of Susan Seaforth Hayes, 

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Days Of Our Lives

Ron Carlivati Talks on Decision to Make Days of our Lives 15000th Episode About Doug’s Funeral, and Previews Chances for WGA Award

This week, Days of our Lives celebrated the taping of their 15,000th episode. In of it itself, that is an incredible accomplishment for the long-running soap opera currently streaming on Peacock.

However, this on set gathering was a bit different. Though the show is celebrating their achievement, they are also in the middle of taping scenes surrounding the death and the funeral of Doug Williams, played by the late Bill Hayes, who passed away on January 12th of this year at the age of 98.

As previously revealed many longtime favorites are back to honor Bill and the character of Doug including: Gloria Loring (Liz), Melissa Reeves (Jennifer), Matthew Ashford (Jack), Maree Cheatham (Marie), Victoria Konefal (Ciara) and Stephen Schnetzer (Steve) to name but a few.

Photo: JPI

Michael Fairman TV was in attendance and spoke with Days of our Lives head writer, Ron Carlivati to gain some insight into how the 15,000 episode was crafted and the decision to honor the character of Doug Williams and Bill Hayes as its epicenter. In addition, Ron weighed-in on this Sunday’s April 14th WGA (Writers Guild of America) Awards, where he and his writing team are facing off with General Hospital for the daytime drama prize. Here’s what Ron shared below.

Was this your idea to make the 15,000th episode centered around Doug’s funeral and passing?

RON: It was. When you’re looking at it, and laying out the calendar for the whole year and you see 15,000 is coming up, we’re like, “What are we going to do?” And then, we got the news that Bill had passed away and something kind of clicked. I was like, “We should honor Doug on that show.” So then, we started to kind of build around that … when does he pass away? How does he pass away? Who could come back? You know, it’s a lot.  I’m very pleased with the returns that we got as there’s so much that you could do. We wanted everybody we could get. So, we put together a wish list and Janet Drucker (co-executive producer, Days of our Lives) made it happen.

Photo: JPI

You have Melissa Reeves back as Jennifer, when the role was last played by Cady McClain. What has it meant to have Missy back for these shows?

RON: It was so nice to see Missy Reeves. I think Cady has done such a good job, but on the 15,000th episode to see Missy as Jennifer, it’s a big deal. So having her was great, and overall, the milestone was a big undertaking, because you want to live up to it. You want the 15,000th episode to be good. Now, it has a lot of real emotion that you’re playing. because for the cast and the crew they’re honoring Bill Hayes just as much as we’re honoring Doug Williams.

Photo: JPI

Was it hard for you and the team to write this episode?

RON: Yes. I’ll tell you why it was hard to write.  When I wrote, for example, Asa’s (Phillip Carey) death on One Life to Live or Victor’s (John Aniston) on DAYS, Asa is a different type of character. Like, you could have characters going, “Oh! I’m glad he is dead.” You could have different points of view, but with Doug, you’re not having that. Every person loves this man. No one had a bad relationship with him. So, you’re challenge as a writer is how do you make it that not everybody’s saying the same thing and doing the same thing. And so, we tried to find ways to make the episode about all the familial relationships and yet, how do you make it about Doug and yet broaden the scope.

Photo: JPI

I had spoken to Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie), a week after Bill’s memorial, for an interview. She said that she felt very fortunate that you did include her on discussions of how you would tackle Doug’s passing. How did that conversation go?

RON: First, I attended Bill’s funeral, which was incredible. I said to so many people it was an emotional service, but it was hard to be sad at this. The guy had an incredible life and it was an incredible celebration. And so, you’re sitting there watching this knowing that you now have to write something similar. And how do you write something that lives up to what you just witnessed? I wanted to talk to Susan to get her thoughts about, you know, how much do you want this to be about keeping Bill separate from Doug. How comfortable are you sharing your grief. She was incredible to talk to. It was a great chat.

You’re in the middle of taping these major scenes for the 15,000 episode to air in December. How do you think it’s going? Have you seen any of the scenes?

RON:  I haven’t seeing anything. I mean, we were still making changes to the script up till this morning!

Photo: JPI

The Writers Guild Awards are this Sunday, April 14th and once again this year there are two daytime drama nominees, General Hospital and Days of our Lives. How are you feeling about your chances this year?

RON: It is often just GH and us in the category. I’ve won three years in a row, so I’m kind of feeling like it’s their turn.

Photo: JPI

What episodes did you submit for contention? If I recall, they had to do with Victor’s memorial.

RON: The episodes we submitted were centered around Victor’s funeral. I think one has story with Vivian (Louise Sorel). We had some fun stuff, we had some emotional stuff at Victor’s death, and I am pretty sure that our submission was three episodes right around that time.

Did you make the decision to go with those episodes because there was a mix of humor and drama?

RON: I like to have some humor, but it was also the funeral, then there’s Sarah (Linsey Godfrey) giving birth, and then Vivian’s crashing the reading of the will. So, we had a lot of fun and it’s hard sometimes to pick three that tell a story, as opposed to submitting for the Daytime Emmys, where the writing team only submits two shows. So, we shall see how it goes on Sunday.

Courtesy/Peacock

So, are you looking forward to the emotional 15,000th episode of Days of our Lives? Do you think DAYS will take home the WGA writing award for daytime dramas for the 4th year in a row? Comment below.

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