Days Of Our Lives
Report Contract Talks: NBC Looking For DAYS To Roll Back To Traditional Soap Production Model!
Courtesy/NBC
NBC is looking for Sony Pictures Television and Days of our Lives to change course in their production model, which currently has the show shooting episodes almost six months ahead of air as part of the ongoing contract talks between the entities for the beloved soap’s renewal. Now whether that point can be hammered out in DAYS new deal with the network remains to be seen.
But Tuesday, according to a source reporting to Daytime Confidential’s Jamey Giddens, “The current production model doesn’t really give NBC the chance to make notes, or for DAYS to fix story and casting issues that might impact ratings.”
However, NBC’s requests are just the things that DAYS had to change in order for it to shore up budgets and remain on the air for several network pick-ups, by using cost-cutting measures to produce the shows at a quicker pace ahead of air.
With DAYS coming off a very successful 50th anniversary run in November through to the beginning of 2016,and up in viewership from the previous year, it is more than likely that an agreement will be reached by both sides in the very near future.
So, do you hope a deal can be reached which increases DAYS budget to be able to deliver the episodes anywhere between 3 to 6 weeks of taping, like the other network daytime dramas? Would you like to see that move made so casting changes that aren’t working, or storylines that are not striking a chord, can be gotten out of faster, or do you hope that things can stay the way they are in order for DAYS to just stay on the air, and continue the lives of the residents of Salem? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
The June 22 episode of Days of Our Lives reminded us all of why Deidre Hall is iconic in the role of Dr. Marlena Evans. Here we are 50 years later, and Marlena is still the heroine of the long-running soap opera, and Deidre remains one of the most most recognizable names in the history of soaps.
To pay tribute, and to look back at the life and times of Marlena, the story starts with Marlena flipping through a photo album of her with John (the late Drake Hogestyn) over the years. As she misses him dearly, she gets a knock on the door and its none other than John’s son, Paul Narita (Christopher Sean).
With Andrew (Colton Little) in Salem working on a case, he sits down with Marlena, who says she can’t believe its been fifty years since she first arrived in Salem! Cue: Deidre’s first scenes on DAYS when she finds Mickey Horton (the late John Clarke) playing chess against himself inside the mental institution she worked.
Courtesy/Peacock
THE FLASHBACKS OF MARLENA’S LIFE
From there, viewers definitely got the cliff notes version of the history of Marlena and entrenched within them, some of the biggest moments in Deidre’s enduring run.
Paul thinks he is looking at 70s, and early 80s Marlena while going through her scrapbook, but he is actually looking at her twin, Samantha (Andrea Hall). Cue: when Marlena confronted Samantha about impersonating her, and then later getting a call on her radio show from the Salem Strangler (Jack Coleman as Jake Kostichek) who killed Samantha thinking it was Marlena.
In the present, Belle (Martha Madison) has arrived at this time to meet up with Paul, unaware of this trip down memory lane. She wants to go over the findings in the chess board mystery Stefano willed to Marlena and John, in private with him, since Marlena previously said she wanted nothing to do with it.
Back to the history lesson, Marlena speaks highly of Don Craig and even though their marriage didn’t work out, she could find a path forward with the new love her life, Roman Brady. (Wayne Northrop however is never shown, possibly to keep the story focused on John as Roman for confusion sakes?)
Paul sees a photo of a young Carrie (Christie Clark) in the album and Marlena says she was such a godsend after losing her baby. In fact, Marlena says caring for Carrie prepared her for her having and raising her own twins, Eric and Sami. Cue: The twin visiting Marlena in the hospital.
JOHN AND MARLENA’S LOVE CONQUERED ALL
Then, in a way to get through and incorporate the wild storylines only Marlena could have been in, she tells Belle and Paul, she has been through so much in her life, how lucky she was to find John, and some of the most unbelievable experiences no one could imagine. Cue: Marlena possessed by the devil and levitating from the bed. Next, John confronting Marlena being the Salem Stalker, where she admits she killed Alice Horton, pretends she needs help, then pulls a gun on her beloved John!
The comment is made by Paul and Marlena, that she literally has been to hell and back and she could not have survived were it not for her beloved John. Cue the big emotional highpoint clips; The Pier Scene! Marlena steps out of the fog when John sees her from a distance. After believing she was dead for four years, here she was before him in one of the greatest reunions in a soap opera love story in history. What followed were other times of the life of times of Jarlena.
Courtesy/Peacock
MARLENA’S ‘GIFT’ FROM STEFANO HAS A NEW CLUE
When Marlena makes a brief exit to the other room, Belle fills in Paul on the chess set Stefano left her mother and the photo of the Lire. Paul said he will investigate. Marlena comes back into the room and overhears, and says to promise her if things get dangerous he will back off, she does not want anyone hurt by Stefano’s games.
As the episode comes to a conclusion, it’s just Belle and Marlena going through the photo album giggling about 70s hairstyles and all the memories. Belle speaks on the impact Marlena has had in everyone’s lives, and that she is both the heart of their family and the heart of Salem.
An end card comes up acknowledging Deidre Hall’s 50th anniversary as Marlena, and we fade to black.
So, what did you think of Marlena’s walk down memory lane? Were you happy to see the flashback clips utilized throughout? Were you touched by the scenes and the performance of Deidre Hall? Let us know what you thought of Deidre’s 50th anniversary episode via the comment section below.
If you have ever tuned-in to the soap opera genre over the last 50 years, and witnessed some of the greatest romances, drama, classic and outlandish storylines of all-time, you would have seen Deidre Hall smack dab in the middle of it as longtime Salem heroine, Dr. Marlena Evans.
It was 50 years on this date, June 21, 1976 that Hall first appeared on DAYS on NBC which was its home for 57 years before it moved to its current streaming platform on Peacock in September of 2022.
In Hall’s first episode she was introduced as a psychiatrist treating Mickey Horton (John Clarke) at Bayview Sanitarium after he suffered a complete mental breakdown. Mickey learned that his brother Bill Horton (Edward Mallory) was the biological son of Mike Horton (Wesley Eure) with his wife Laura (Susan Flannery) and that he had been lied to for years and years. From that moment on, the rest is television and soap opera history. Days of Our Lives put Hall front and center.
Photo: NBC
There were so many heartbreaking and shocking story twists involving the beloved Marlena. One of the first was the historic crib death of baby DJ (Don Jr.) in 1980, Marlena’s infant son with Don Craig (Jed Allan). The story had never been told on daytime television and Hall’s performances received accolades from TV critics to fans when Deidre received thousands of letters from grieving mothers who had gone through the same thing in their own lives.
DAYS also brought Deidre’s twin sister, Andrea Hall Lovell to the show as her on-screen sister Samantha, who had a grudge and even locked Marlena up in a sanitarium and took her place! Fast-forward and in 1982, DAYS launched the Salem Strangler story where everyone believed Marlena was his next victim, only it turned out to be Samatha. Jake Kositchek (played by Jack Coleman) was revealed to be the actual serial killer.
Later, Deidre would assume the role of Marlena’s look-alike, Hattie Adams in 2004, once played by her sister, Andrea. Over the years, Hattie has come back to Salem and caused trouble giving Hall a chance to play a different type of character, then the always upstanding Marlena.
Photo: JPI
THE LOVES OF MARLENA
Deidre Hall struck gold with all her leading men: from the late Jed Allan, to Wayne Northrop as Roman Brady, and of course, her enduring love story with the late John Black played by the iconic Drake Hogestyn. In fact, Marlena’s 1986 wedding to John (who was believed to be Roman at the time) remains a favorite of fans to this day.
TOP MARLENA STORYLINES OF ALL-TIME
While the list is long, here are several that were some of the memorable during Deidre’s five decades in Salem!
The Possession (1994- 1995)
Considered one of the most ambiguous, outlandish and unforgettable story arcs in soap opera history, then Days of Our Lives head writer, James Reilly went there! Marlena was possessed by the devil! That included; the demonic eyes, hissing at father John (Black) the priest, morphing into creatures, and the classic levitating in her bed! It became a cultural phenomenon and cemented Deidre Hall’s status as a daytime television legend. Just ask Ryan Gosling!
Photo:JPI
The Affair with John Black (1993)
John and Marlena’s forbidden love could not be denied and they had passionate affair, while she was still married to the real Roman. Problem was her daughter, Sami (Alison Sweeney) caught her mother having sex with John on a desk that changed Sami forever.
The Salem Stalker Mystery (2003-2004)
In a shocker, Marlena was revealed to be a serial killer who bumped off several Salem favorites residents who were all alive on the island of Melaswen (spelled “New Salem” backward). Turns out, she was manipulated and gaslighted by Andre DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) to do the “killings” and had no memory of her actions.
The Pier Scene (1991)
This remains Michael Fairman TV’s all-time favorite Deidre Hall moment, which featured some of the best acting in the storied careers of both Hall and Drake Hogestyn.
In the story, a presumed-dead Marlena returns after four years. One foggy night on the pier, John is alone, and Marlena steps out of the fog to reveal herself, and is reunited with the love of her life. You can watch it any year, any decade, and in any moment, and it will have you reaching for the hankies again and again. (best music score fo a soap scene of all-time too!)
Photo: NBC
Kristen’s Secret Room Reveal (1997)
Marlena was caught in Kristen Blake’s (Eileen Davidson) elaborate web of lies, when she was held hostage in a secret wine cellar/room until John managed to track her down, leading to an iconic on-screen reunion. The classic catfight between Hall and Eileen Davidson was one for the ages.
It should be noted that Maison Blanche, Queen of the Night, Possession, Aremid and Lady in a Cage were all a part of classic DAYS storyline and all featured Hall at the epicenter of it from 1993-1996.
THE RECENT YEARS OF MARLENA
In recent years, DAYS brought back the possession 2.0 storyline under then head writer Ron Carlivati in 2021 where the devil leapt back in Marlena after taking advantage of a frail Doug Williams (the late Bill Hayes)
In 2025, viewers watched the end of the love story of John and Marlena, as John succumbed to injuries sustained in an explosion saving a vial of medication needed to bring Bo (Peter Reckell) back to life. Marlena has been a widow on-screen since June of 2025 as Hall as portrayed the good doctor struggling with her grief and to move on with her life since his death.
Photo: JPI
One story that never goes away is Stefano DiMera’s (the late Joe Mascolo) obsession with Marlena, his “Queen of the Night.” Even in death, Stefano is toying with her from the great beyond with the mysterious chess set and the missing “pawn,” that he had gifted John and Marlena in his will. The mystery is currently unfolding on all-new episodes of Days of Our Lives.
Tune-in to Days of our Lives on the Monday, June 22 episode as Marlena looks back at her 50 years in Salem.
Share your congratulations to Deidre Hall for this incredible 50-year milestone as Dr. Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives in the comment section. Then let us know, what is your all-time favorite storyline or moment in the life of Marlena over the past 5 decades? And, just for kicks, and to celebrate this amazing milestone, here is Marlena levitating below circa Christmas Eve 1994.
Days Of Our Lives
Al Calderon Reflects on ‘Major Chapters’ Coming to an End on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Brilliant Minds’
It’s been a bittersweet time for Al Calderon. The talented actor/singer/songwriter has watched from his vantage point to roles he loved so much come to their conclusion for different reasons.
In a heartfelt message posted to his Instagram story on Saturday, Calderon took a moment to share how grateful he was for the opportunity to play Javi Hernandez on Days of Our Lives, and nurse Nico Silva this year on NBC’s second season of Brilliant Minds. Currently, Brilliant Minds has two more episodes that will air on June 24 and the series finale on July 1.
Calderon expressed, “As I sit here reflecting on this lovely Saturday afternoon over the last two years of my life, I have two major chapters closing that have been part of my life every day for the last two years. We have Brilliant Minds. Our last episodes are wrapping up, and then my last scenes aired yesterday as me as Javi on Days of Our Lives.
Photo: JPI
“I’m just unbelievably grateful for the chance and the opportunity to be a part of something so much larger than me,” continued Al. “I (will) love Days of Our Lives forever, my family. Thank you for supporting me and supporting my decision to take the leap of faith and believe in myself and, and tell other stories. You know, it’s never goodbye. It’s always ‘see you later’ to me and just leaving with love and leading with love.”
Al concluded with a special mention to some very important people, the fans: “Thank you to the fans and the support from everyone, the lovely messages. So this next chapter, hopefully it’s not a dragon, hopefully it’s a gold coin.”
Photo: NBC
Calderon’s journey on-screen on Days of Our Lives began in October of 2024 and concluded this month. In one of his last appearances Javi was asking a favor from Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) before bumping into his ex, Leo (Greg Rikaart). In story, Javi has a new romance with Gus (Michael Ocampo), while fighting his feelings for Leo. The role of Javi will be played starting on June 30 by Jacob Martinez who takes over the role.
NBC decided to cancel the Brilliant Minds, after it split up the airing of its second season which began in the fall of September of 2025 and the back-half started airing after a long break this past May. Calderon joined the medical drama staring Zachary Quinto for the new season, which sadly was its last.
So, will you miss Al on Days of Our Lives and Brilliant Minds as his time on-screen has come to an end? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
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DAYS must make the move to shoot 3-6 weeks like the other soaps.
It makes sense to stay alive. Otherwise, we might have another character talking to an elephant for 6 months. Just do that then.
This production change would only help DAYS in the years to come.
Even shooting 2-3 months in advance is so much better than now. That crazy elephant story, ha!
Let’s hope and pray Days get renewed, I agree if they tape 3 weeks ahead it will be better. Especially if a storyline needs to be changed.
Andrew I still love you, call me tonight. Let’s work this out, please baby. I know you still love me too.
Andrew…call David. He still loves ya!
I have always said something along the lines of what you said—if a story isn’t working, it takes a good amount of time to fix it and by that time, viewers are ticked off and they either fast forward through many scenes or they switch the channel. By having the show taping just a few weeks or so ahead of the actual air date would help.
Yes I hope they can make a deal and I also hope that they give them 4 months off work and are then only 2 months ahead of schedule! 🙂
This soap is a big mess. Just cancel Days of our lives, and replace it with Lisa Rinna talk show.
Yes, give one person a job and screw the other 250.
Stop being so negative !!! Long live the 4 soaps that are still on air !!! Love, Love, Love My Soaps !!!
Emma please go take your meds, Days will get renewed and we don’t need any more talk shows. The same old garbage talk shows on TV. Emma are you really Brian Frons in disguise. LOL.
This ‘Emma’ only comments to ruffle fans feathers-that’s how some of these trolls get their kicks=ignore them and they will hopefully go away.
I say your comments are a big mess. .just cancel all posts from Emma and replace them with Su000 posts..lol
Amen. Give Lisa a talk show on WE or something.
It is definitely a BIG mess! But I do not want it to get canceled. They just need to FIX asap!!!
Let’s hope you’re not really Lisa Rinna and don’t say that to any DAYS fans in person because a fat lip on you wouldn’t look good at all.
If they cancel Days it will be replace with another Today show so NBC
would have Today on all day and that would the network daytime programming Daytime would only be Today.
Great Hoda and Kathy Lee drunk 24/7.
No celeb talk show has stayed on the air in forever, it’s just a cheap, vicious cycle.
You honestly think people want another talk show? And with Lisa Rinna, no less? I have had enough of big, fat lips….literally and figuratively.
Hey, CeeCee…oh, I agree!!!!! Also, the L-A-S-T THING that Lisa Rinna needs is a talk show of her very own. N-O!!!!! I find her annoying enough already!!!!!! So, again…n-o.
Later, my friend.
P-e-a-c-e.
Good one CeeCee LOL. Lisa Rinna is very annoying and a has been
Awww, Emma, did you get your wish? Lots of people responding to your nonsense? Hope you’re happy. Best of all, since you want it, wish you HAD to watch Lisa Rinna and her botoxed lips on an eternal loop. For ever and ever and ever.
You deserve it.
I have loved Days of our lives since it started.. please keep it on the air. NO more talk shows or cooking shows. Do what you need to do. stay on the air. PLEASE.
I hope not. I still believe that NBC or ABC could mimic Prospect Park and create two low budgets scripted soaps and fans will eat them up. Fill that slot between 2:00 and 3:00 (EST) with soaps. Put people to work. Give fans what they want.
OOH, I mean’t I hope it’s NOT CANCELLED!!!! (silly me)
I’m not so keen on the idea of fixing casting changes that aren’t working as in some cases it may just be a matter of time before an actor improves/gets comfortable/gains audience acceptance.
Guy Wilson never improved the entire time he was on.
But True O’Brien got heaps better at the end of Paige’s run once she was giving scripts that had her doing more than pining, pouting and sulking.
Blame the writing, not the actor.
I pray this show stays for another 50 years. I agree with them filming in weeks rather than months. I’ve been watching practically my whole life. I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose salem. Please nbc and dool, please do whatever you have to do to keep this show on the air
I have been watching DOOL for 48 years and whatever they do to keep it on the air, I’m for it. I DO think the 3-6 weeks ahead is a great idea.
Maybe they should stop trying to shove Ava and the ratchet Hernandez clan down our throats.
Maybe they should stop killing off legacy characters with ties to everyone in Salem. Maybe the writers could learn to actually write.
Just three suggestions…
This show has SUCKED for at least 7 months now.
Days sure up it’s bottom line. Now they need to go back to the 3 to 6 week shooting schedule.
Maybe if Days shoots closer to air date, the show won’t have to be rebooted every other year.
for…
NBC
Sony
Days Production team; writers and actors – HELLO Ken Corday –
thee Audience
to wait 6 months… before any changes can be made ?!?!
we’ve all heard it so many times… its tantamount to a death knell
this gives everyone involved… including advertising monies… if the story is good.. the show is being watched by more head count.
word of mouth is easily generated by fans alike !
if going 6 weeks ahead of schedule… this keeps every one on their toes… AND “Accountible” for all facets of this glorious production
righting the wrong… to keep this show afloat
everyone is held responsible for all the good this show IS !
come on people ; it’s a shoe in for this show to win best show at this years emmy, 2016
sign on the dotted line… streamline this thing… from behind the scenes, to writiers, to producers, to actors… to advertising… to audience help… ie: twitter and facebook…
all contributing to only having a 6 week lag behind or catch up…. YES !
all very doable
I agree and someone have the common sense to roll way back and make it 30 minutes per day and sneak an extra half hour show in every Friday
I respect NBC’s point and it has been frustrating in the past when a storyline or casting choice couldn’t be “fixed” for several months. I also think the surprises that other soaps can do- like bringing back actors or a sudden death, etc.re more challenging to keep under wraps because the soap tapes so far ahead. With that said, I do not want Days to start looking like Guiding Light did in its finals years. Hopefully, a happy medium can be reached. The ratings are higher and the buzz is positive. The show finally has emerged since the loss of Ali Sweeney and James Scott.
Guiding Light looked better in its new production model just as it was getting the axe. At least GL got to have exterior shoots and never have the actors be stuck in dim-lit studio sets 100% of the time.
I agree GL did start looking better toward the end of show’s run. I liked how OLTL would miz exterior shots and studio..Bold does that as well. Production wise I see why Corday and Sony tape so far ahead..perhaps more $$ can be given for production if NBC wants them to return to the old taping schedule. I am sure contract salaries are a way to save costs, but it would most likely end in fave actors and characters leaving the soap.
Days has to do this so they can fix story lines according to ratings and fan feed back. They made many mistakes that need fixing. They loose fans because it takes them so long to fix problems.
I remember being at a fan event in 2010 where OLTL, ATWT and AMC actors talked about how frustrating it was to tape 3-6 weeks out, find out that a story or actor wasn’t working well, and then have the writers or producers make the necessary changes. It took too long, in these actors’ opinions, for their respective powers-that-be to “right the ship”. Still, I’d take that over months and months of an elephant statue story that is tanking, or actors that are given a chance and can’t make it work, which only result in me as a viewer feeling frustrated and disinterested. Look how long it took for all the great returns from 2015 to show up after the news broke that they were returning! I can’t say I watched DOOL during that time as I waited impatiently and read tweet after tweet from the cast saying, “I can’t wait till it’s 6 months from now and you see the amazing scenes we just taped!!” So IMO, please, DOOL, go back to taping closer to airtime because taping 5-6 months out is very frustrating and wasn’t working out very well.
I didn’t know they were on a different schedule. That explains a lot about the problems they have.
Days has been a daily snooze fest. Their constant building up to the 50th culminated in a very disappointing event. Killing people was their idea of a celebration of a much loved show. Surely characters can be written off in a better way for a 50th. The killing continued after the celebration. Characters like Sami appeared and there was a suggestion of a storyline with her but nope she disappears. Are we to believe that Hope all of a sudden shoots Stefano and with he help of another honest cop, covers it up????? We have boring beyond belief teens who all talk in monotone with the exception of Claire who can actually act. Deimos is hopeful but if these writers continue he will be boring too. Do not forget Andre who is entertaining and borderline psychotic but enough already. I cannot see this show making a recovery.
Speaking of monotone speech inflection. I can’t stand the new Sierra and her speech patterns.
I agree that Claire is the only interesting teen they brought on the scene.
The way I see it is if NBC wants DAYS to to go to a more traditional way of production, then NBC needs to cough up more money!
DAYS and Sony went the less traditional routine/model in order to save money because NBC has been too cheap.
You can’t have it both ways, NBC…don’t ***k up!!!!!
Well said, 4ever DAYS!!!
you’re right
I just didn’t want to bring up …. more cash the merrier
just sign on the dotted line
DAYS has seen it’s glory. The ridiculous decisions of the current regime are basically readying it for cancellation. I think that taping 3-6 weeks ahead might help but overall the show has gone off the rails and needs to shore up or get shipped out.
For a while there, Days of Our Lives was REALLY being innovative and interesting, by having Will involved with Sonny, and Will being unfaithful with Paul and then Derrick being thrown into the mix. Before everyone attacks me for missing the gay characters, it isn’t JUST that – I also miss Paige and I thought the relationship with JJ was really sweet and it was disturbing that he got involved with Eve.
NOW however, I am so sorry to say the show is a bore. The character of Belle and her husband or her relationship with Phillip, well, none of that works for me, she is so icy and single faced – and Victor, though I like him very much, his interactions with Carolyn, well, meh – who cares really LoL. Brady is going around with Daniel’s donated heart, we know this because when he takes his shirt off he has a bandage on (no bruising following his heart transplant)….and he is having Daniel’s memories which is sad because Daniel was about as interesting as sliced bread.
So, I don’t mean to put down the show, I really don’t but brother they need to spark it up and get some good storylines. Oh and just for the record I can’t take the corny overacting of the actor portraying Andre.
That is the main problem. They keep bringing back these useless characters. Andre is so campy I keep waiting for Alexis from Dynasty to show up as his long lost sister and for them to have a fight in the swimming pool. The actor who plays Phillip is like watching a porn actor from the 70’s try to prove he can act and the sad fact is HE CAN’T!!! Belle is not much better. The young actress who plays Ciara makes me screech watching her in action. She is AWFUL. Chase not much better. And I am agreeing with you on the Brady storyline. When they had Theresa playing the ukelele for Brady was like so ridiculous I howled in laughter and winced in pain at the same time. I was like seriously? People like this? There are no stories and the ones that are there are tired. Patch and Kayla? Ava chasing him like a teenager? That story got old in the 80’s and they rehashing it like 30 years haven’t passed. John and Marlena are enough to make insomniacs find rest at last. There are some good actors on the show that are spinning their wheels. I mean when Nicole has scenes when all she does is cry shows how the writers don’t know what they are doing. The evil brother with Victor and Deimos..number one Deimos is awfully young for Victor to be trembling in his boots. Vincent Irizarry’s glory days are long past. I feel bad for DAYS because they just keep chugging along with no goals. The 50th anniversary shows were a fluke. The only reason they had it made is because the Abigail/Ben story was coming to a close. The gay characters were an asset that DAYS received praise for and then they basically tossed them into the garbage. If you’re gonna go campy please bring back the Devil or the Salem Stalker back to wreak havoc…start with casting Patch, Ava and Phillip into a fiery pit and let them go into the great beyond.
Yes
i think this is a great idea going back to the traditional production schedule. taping so far ahead hurts the creative state of the show and impacts ratings. if they tape only a month out they can make changes faster to things that aren’t working. last year we had to sit through nonsense for months because of the production schedule
It’s a mess but I would not want fans or myself to lose another soap
Right on!
I like the idea of taping 3-6 weeks ahead instead of 6 months. It makes more sense. This way the bad story lines can end quicker. Like that stupid elephant sl. Please don’t take it off the air. Please!
I will say Days runs with unpopular stories far too long and fails to pull things that absolutely do not work.
NBC on this is correct and yes it does impact viewership
Taping six months out wouldn’t be so much of a problem – if Corday had a clue how to get this show back on track. Every change he has made in writing teams has generated initial success only to fall off the rails again within six months or so. I’ve lost track of who was writing what, but we had the team that on the one hand, brought a lot of fan favs back, only to some of them relegated to scenery, and on the other hand, pushed new characters to the forefront too fast. We had the team that reset them – getting rid of the extraneous characters old and new, but couldn’t seem to write a compelling story that didn’t involve Sami,EJ, and or Will – everyone else was snooze worth. And now this team – murder,murder,kill,kill, rinse, repeat.
Side note – has anyone noticed the quality of writing has really dipped the last two or three weeks. Is this – heaven forbid – a sign of Dena’s absence? I read somewhere that this would be about the time she left (or took a leave of absence or whatever) – which coincides with this awful Brady/mystery woman/Daniel’s heart story; the seeming switch in directions in Ava’s story from secret long game grand plan to it all being about sleeping with Patch and finding her son (which, considering it took all of 24 hours – did she really need Patch????); Hope turning into a cold blooded killer; Jennifer becoming a pill popper over night right after Eric became an alcoholic off-screen. I thought her absence would raise the quality of stories – but it seems they’ve gotten a lot more non-sensical and shallow.
I would be very curious to find out how they could ever get back to the old schedule. If they just shut up shop for 5 months, do we expect the actors and CREW and editors, etc., just not to get paid for all that time? Or do we expect Sony to pay them to do nothing for 5 months… which would sink the show’s budget in a heartbeat? I guess they could put everyone on 4-day workweeks and slowly work their way back — but that’s the equivalent of giving everyone a weekly pay cut, which I’m sure wouldn’t be popular with the cast and crew. Not saying it isn’t a great idea to get back to 3-5 weeks out, just how realistically could it be implemented?
point taken…..
just don’t let this be a no win win situation (for the production and FANS )
is this NBC tactic… stalling for an easy letdown… that money is the root of all evil?
JUST LOOSEN THE PURSE STRINGS !
really big question… go blackout ( behind the scenes for ??? 4 months ? and expect all to be their ready and waiting ?
argh!
collaborative effort for the good of all this show means and encompasses
I see another mass firing coming. They’ll need to cut salaries to stay under budget, and it is understandable. That said, please don’t pull a 2009 & fire Evans & Nichols! Love those two & so glad to see Kayla finally getting story again.
So NBC drastically cuts the licensing fee, causing Days to reduce costs, cut salaries, reduce cast, change the production schedule by cutting rehearsals, filming 1.5 shows per day, sometimes making the actors films scenes from 3 shows the same day………..and NOW NBC wants Days to go back to production schedule that they had previously? LOL
I would love it…..as would tons of viewers, probably the cast as well. I remember them getting 2-3 months ahead, then it was 4, 5 and now 6. Fans have complained loudly for years already, and NOW the network says being so far ahead makes the show unable to “fix” things not working, whether story or casting. LOL.
So how do they slow down, without having to pay contract players while not filming? Or go on a slower schedule without getting an increase in licensing fees? Ah, what a dilemma.
Oh, absolutely reduce production schedule. It would not even bother the show if it was 2-3 months ahead…..but it is plain that Days lost viewership BECAUSE the show was unable to “fix” anything in a timely way. An unhappy viewer is not waiting 5-6 months to get a recast, a situation changed…….as it is not going to happen. the show is written filmed, lthe whatever would be resolved, over with by the time 6 mos has gone by. And the show, the network is dealing with angry viewers, unhappy viewers and cannot do a thing.
First of all, I think it is a good sign that NBC and DOOL seem to be at least negotiating and not just getting an abrupt cancellation notice. For some unknown reason that NBC does not pick up the option, I hope ABC picks up the show to pair it with “GH” instead of another talk show clunker.
The suggestion of not filming so far in advance seems advantageous to the show, the writers, the casting department and the audience. If I read that a character is leaving 5-6 months in advance, it is hard for me to feel invested in their scenes. I have felt that way since Kate Mansi announced she was leaving, interrupting the momentum of Chad and Abigail being happy (best of luck, Kate. We will miss you). I also felt this way with Aidan and Daniel. After reading Daniel Cosgrove was leaving the show, it killed the momentum of Hope and Aidan. Same for Shawn Christian leaving Daniel.
There are numerous other advantages to not filming so far in advance. The storylines that are not working and are DISASTERS (elephant statue) could be dropped and not drag on for months. If the show is getting feedback the audience likes the actor and hates the storyline (Eve sleeping with JJ, Eve being obsessed with making Jennifer miserable for no apparent reason), it wouldn’t be too late to change direction. Now, if DOOL invites Kassie D to come back as Eve, the audience has to wait six months for the shows to air.
Another example is the character of Paige. The character was not clicking with the audience until she got a backbone and caught her mother with her boyfriend. By that time, the audience started warming to her. Then, she dies at the hands of the Neck-Tie Killer after monopolizing the show in 2015.
Lastly, the powers-that-be need to listen to ALL of the complaints about the new young actors that were brought in three months ago. Within this period of sky-high ratings because of the veterans, we now have to sit through bad performances that are not getting better. With the future of the show still not decided, are we facing months of sub-par performances before NBC or Ken Corday realizes they have the making of another disastrous storyline mistake (again, think elephant statue).
It would be best for Days to film weeks ahead and not months. And I think it would be great if they filmed outdoors in California to help save on money.
I think it would be GREAT to film outdoors instead of always having absolutely everyone in that monotonous Fake Leaf Park.
But, how do you figure that by doing that they would “save” on money?? I have a feeling that soaps are getting away from doing actual outdoor scenes which I always thought added a semblance of realism to soaps. But it was always my impression that outdoor shooting was more costly.
Going back to the traditional model makes sense. I’ve never liked the fact that they film so far in advance and I’ve never been a fan of the shorter scenes that seem to a a by product of their budget conscious schedule.
Okay so anybody who takes the time in there day to read this Article must love, adore like or be very fond of days of our lives now I believe this soap is amazing 50 years of it done or if it was two doesn’t matter tons are fond of it have you seen the amount of groups on Facebook it’s a well done show that should not be canceled the actors are great the stories everything I love it if things have to be done that will benefit the show beautiful slight changes that will only make it better fine but cancelling or anything that will make the fans upset is not necessary. days of our lives is all I watch and I’m a kid it’s what I look forward to to in my days i guess it would kill if it was gone and half of the thousands who love it would be devastated
I am okay with Days being canceled. . I need one less hour of tv to be watching. . It is the only way that I will stop watching it. I agree.. lets cancel it!! It has been a good year.. time to say “Good Night Johnny!!”
yes, exactly 3-6 weeks taping ahead would probably fix a lot…get rid of Phillip, Belle, the teens that can’t act…..bring in new writers….bring in new set designers…..overhaul the whole thing again….I don’t understand that NBC can waste money on prime time shows that get cancelled after 3 or 4 episodes, but wont fix DAYS or add another 30 minute soap to the lineup……no more talk shows…no Lisa Rinna….no Oprah…no Katie….and please no housewives of whatever city/state…they have lame channels for that….leave the 3 networks alone……maybe add the game Password and a 30 minute soap…..
I do agree that Belle (or, maybe it is the way the actress portrays her) is very uninteresting and one dimensional. Pairing her with Phillip is also a snooze.
As far as the Teens on the show, good grief they are atrocious in the acting department that’s for sure.
They just need to work on getting some solid storylines on Days of our Lives and bring back Sonny onto the canvas –
I have watched Days for 50 years.. I watch TV for 2 hours a day and DAys is one of them…. I hope they are kept on…..They should do whatever to keep it…..
I like the 3-6 week model idea… I think also bringing back Kassie DePaiva would help!
No matter what we think will work for this iconic show. Sony and Nbc will make the calls and the agreements. Hey you pestimtic people that days needs to be cancel , Nbc wants to show to go on and were happy with show, but it comes down to contract negotiations. I prefer days to go to 8 week filming schedule, but is not my call.
There’s an old saying that a show should go out on a high note and not a low one. In keeping with that, I think Days should go quietly into soap opera heaven.
This needs to happen. Shooting 6 months ahead has been such a detriment not being able to change course when need be, it’s hurt Days and caused audience erosion… I hope everything will be done to ensure a renewal, I grew up watching Days and can’t imagine it not being around.
I do think they need to change from shooting 6 months ahead of time so they can make cast, story changes more easily. It is torture for viewers to have to sit through crap actors–nuCiara I’m talking about you–. Remember when Belle was recast with Charity Rahmer and because of Days taping so far ahead we had 6 months of hell before Martha Madison aired.
So, what now, the show goes dark for 4 months to catch up?
And if they hadn’t taped so far in advance, the elephant statue story could have been aborted. Time to change Days. As a viewer, I think it’s for the best.
I’ve never understood the logic of DOOL shooting 6 month out or how that model would be actually be cheaper than the traditional model which is traditional because, duh, it’s the way everyone else manages to do it. If there were significant saving in DOOL’s model you’d think other soaps would be doing it too.
I can’t see how it couldn’t help but be a win/win situation for everyone to be able more quickly gauge viewer response to characters and storylines and to make adjustments when needed. As a former OLTL fan I was scratching my head over how KdP and MA appeared to have been let go before they even started airing. How does that save money?
Seriously, If anyone can offer an explanation as to how this would not be a good thing for all concerned I’d sincerely like to hear it.
Just save it. Do anything that needs to be done. I hate celebrity gossip and blogger crap like that thing that replaced ATWT. Just do whatever needs to be done on both sides to save it. Please.
I would hope DAYS could still use the cost cutting move of taping eight weeks of shows in five weeks, then going on hiatus for three weeks, allowing the studio to be available to other tenants. They could work only two months ahead of air. BUT, the problem might be the actor contracts. If the brilliant Billy Flynn is only under contract for, say, 18 more months, do we really want six months to go by with him not filming any shows to let air shows catch up with production? That too would be a shame.
Billy Flynn – ASTOUNDS – me
i’m so taken with his acting
he’s not an easy person to read…. i’ll repeat one more time for the joy of it… when he first debuted… his eyes…. you become engulfed in his eyes
he’s a hot tamale
As far as I am concerned, they should shoot a shorter time in advance. I understand they shoot so far in advance to save money, but if a storyline or character is not working, you have to wait too long, and this viewer stops watching Days for weeks or months at a time until a storyline has passed. If they shoot a shorter time in advance, they can fix or change a story in a shorter time thus they will not lose this viewer.
Days is the only soap I watch!! Keep up the great work!!!
NBC profit margin ; better than expected ; 4th quarter earnings, etc…..
article from LA TIMES : 02 / 03 / 16
excerpt : At the NBC broadcast unit, which includes the NBC network, Telemundo and TV stations, revenue was up 7% to $2.5 billion. For the first time in a long time, the broadcast division brought in more revenue than NBCUniversal cable channels.
NBC advertising sales were up 7%. But because of higher costs, broadcast profit declined 5.6% to $217 million.
I get excitable… but… nevertheless… ???
I’m hoping this is accurate… for me to post
it would seem… NBC has nothing to lose and much more to gain… to retain what foothold they HAVE in the daytime genre… Days of OUR Lives is a solid enterprise
Guys if you don’t like show, that’s cool and respect your opinions but I watch all 4 soaps becuse they all bring something different to the genre but I wish people would stop saying cancel the show, you guys don’t have to tune in but for those of us that do, please stop saying it should be cancelled.
Days of OUR Lives : (Wed. 2/3 ep)
Jennifer / Eric / Lucas : interesting triad of dependency
Lucas : !!!! My Man. looking good and missed. love that he’s helping Jennifer w/ Eric… as even he’s unaware of what Jennifer going thru…
Eric: Greg Vaughan is so damned easy to look at… he REELS so much Pain. oy! it’s a shared tortuous journey. I don’t know the fallout… I can’t discard any one who drinks and drives…. I love the character.. and wish he wasn’t leaving…
hummmm ? I wonder… what’s going on with ; if any ; renegotiations
Jenny Bear ?!?! LA LA LANDING… (more to follow) tranquilizers or Opiate
Thaao Penghliss’Andre: whodathunk ? a DiMera cashless. as he vows; “They will Pay dearly”
Chad needs to pay the back taxes on Tara…. (cute yeah? ) The DiMera Manse.
Chase and Theo : bullying…. is unforgivable ?!?! just wrong on so many levels.
Theo to Chase : “No one’s ever been that mean to me before… ”
I really like the newbie Chase… he speaks better than all the newbie SORAS. PLUS! since his ex DAD, ex-Aiden… is coming BACK…. for the long haul… duration of all that is SALEM. coulda woulda shoulda.. is Chase a possible DiMera !!!! is ex-Aiden, REALLY, Peter Blake ?!?! and he adopted Chase… who is really STeve and Ava’ son.
SO many possibilities and TURNS galore… and all worth watching.
THURSDAY (2/4 ep)
Joey finds mom Kayla : I immediately cried… my lady and son hug it out !
STeve and Ava horizontal bop… ( OK for steve to go here this fast… is bonkers) that being said… I will always like Stephen Nichols presence…
ROLLING : LOL. … one for the guys…. way to showcase humor… Stephen Nichols style? enough for me…
as he’s putting on his tank top: “you happy… that’s ALL you’re going to “get” from ME”
LOL… me don’t think so… with AVA ?!?!
Tamara Braun’ Ava: “Lusty & CHILLING.” She’s a combustible Character… WATCH HER.
she has all the character traits and attributes that Eileen Davidson’ Kristen brought. this is a kudos prop to Tamara Braun ! I am really liking watching her performances.
Ava : is Salem ‘ answer to Vixen
JJ and Gabs : YES YES and more please ! A Real Romance ! and thee cutest to boot.. nothing wrong with cute when it’s by Casey Moss and Camila Banus !
JPL’ Philip : i’m sorry… my answer to this nuPhillip still stands… he’s creeping me out! Thank god… his character is not on for the log haul…. ??? I’ve read spoilers that Victor finds out about Phillip double dealings…. and if Victor is going to be so hateful… to say… Theresa and Xander…. even Brady… then he’d better go full throttle and as any lion would… eat “their” young and mind the Kiriakis.
FRIDAY ( 2/5 ep )
Jenn Lilly’ THERESA gets some spotlight… and she TURNS … delightfully…
Theresa / Abs / Jennifer : wedding dress. (gushing overkill) dilated pupils Jenny Bear?
Abs asks Jenn if she’s OK ? AS: Theresa bears witness to “pot calling the kettle black! ” YES YES and LOL Theresa gets some comeuppance back atcha Jennifer.
Theresa to Abs : “They put her on meds? ”
Abs: “you can tell? ”
HOOT HOOT ! Theresa to Abs: readily admits her prior “past” with Pharmaceutical
just saying… it was sweet to see Ms. Theresa kin to goings on with her nemesis.
it would be a dream to see Theresa lay in to Jennifer down the road… as Jenny Bear spirals….
Theresa to Abs : “it’s the kind of thing ones brain sets up shop.. telling you .. you need them when you don’t ” bravo to Theresa taking the “high” road… one for the big sis as well…. Eve
Andre and Chad : I knew Andre would show Chad father’ ring. “when have you ever seen Father; without his ring?” that’s all the proof we need.
Chad gives Andre ultimatums… he has to vacate the DiMera Manse and take his revenge fantasies elsewhere.
Woah! Thaao Penghliss is ACTING superbly…. flying colors… betwixt reality and breakdown… hearbreaking for the character still… all this in DiMera mystique.
DAYS of OUR Lives !?!? this has gone on far too long ! Nicole is in fact getting creepy with all the drawn out Daniel melodrama… argh! DJ fashions ? really… not verbatim… but give us all a rest…. CLEAN UP Horton Square… that memorial is DONE
what’s going on with Kate ? Deimos and Eduardo… both admitting questionable pasts.. being forthright honest to a fault… ensnaring her ? ROAR with Lauren Koslow
Chad goes to see Hope…. what a dynamo… he’s not fooled by any one… me thinks deep down… innately he’s on to Hope and Rafe… but won’t align himself with Andre… let him take the fall… and once he’s back at the DiMera Manse… on TOP…
Abs clearly does look happy to be in her wedding dress
Billy Flynn takes no prisoners… pulse races with this man triggers fire
————————-
Sony / NBC / Ken Corday Productions / Days of OUR Lives
THIS best of SHOW is SO worth it… in an enviable position to supplant and reign
Love Days, but just for the record not thrilled about the current storylines with Ava, and the Andre/Hope storyline. Love the cast, but not crazy about the storylines. Just say in’ – for day time TV – the soap genre – I like lighter romantic escapism not dark, ugly, mean storylines. We can watch the news for that! Perhaps, other people feel differently, but just wanted to put that out there. With this said, glad that Days was renewed! Like having the show on. Has a lot of nostalgia for me!