The coronavirus pandemic has put to the test many content creators on just how they would keep their projects moving forward in ways they never dreamed of. However, out of that situation has come some of the most compelling, unique series, specials, and features currently streaming for viewers. One of which is Riley’s Unforgettable School Project, brought to you by the team from the six-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning series, After Forever.
Former Days of our Lives star, Kevin Spirtas (Ex-Craig Wesley) has starred in and created the first two seasons of what has become the most honored Emmy-awarded LGBTQ-themed drama series on any platform. Along with his ‘After Forever’ writing/producing partner, the late Michael Slade (DAYS, OLTL, Passions, Another World), the two also conceptualized and delivered this latest documentary-style offering now on Amazon Prime Video.
What makes Riley’s Unforgettable School Project so noteworthy is not just how they were able to execute the series based on fictional 11-year-old Riley’s virtual school project and utilize its cast, which includes: Spirtas, Cady Huffman, Jamison Stern, Lenny Wolpe, Erin Cherry, Anita Gillette, Christopher J. Hanke, and Finn Douglas, but that it was made while Slade was succumbing to his battle with cancer, and that this special marks the final script from this talented writer.
Michael Fairman TV spoke with Spirtas about making the special during Covid-19, how the death of Michael Slade has made a lasting impact on his life, what After Forever has personally meant to him, and how an official third season is still in the works, and … if he would consider a return to Salem and Days of our Lives, should they come a-calling. Here’s what Kevin had to say about it all.

Photo: AfterForever
I think the entire story of this digital special has become even more meaningful with Michael Slade’s passing. What was the genesis of the concept? You wanted to continue the telling of the story of After Forever … but we are all in the middle of a pandemic?
KEVIN: Yes and… when we filmed season 2, we had the scripts for season 3 already completed. It was our hope and desire to film them at the same time, back-to-back, so that we would have had all of our cast and crew together, and we could have gotten through it because we’ve always imagined this story being told in a trilogy so to speak – a beginning, middle, and end to Brian (Spirtas) and Jason, (Mitchell Anderson) and Brian’s healing or his steps towards healing through grief. Schedules turned out that they couldn’t really work out for us to hold all the people and hold all of the sets for that amount of time. So, we thought, “We’ve got the scripts for season 3 ready. We’ll come back to it in the following year,” and that was always the intention, and then the pandemic hit. So, it was shut down immediately that we weren’t going to do anything, but we wanted to stay current, and instead of going back in and telling the third installment of After Forever as a Covid-19 story as well, Michael and I sat down and looked at a way of staying relevant and current with a story within COVID, and there was born the idea to do this documentary style story/special about the characters of After Forever told through the lens of the character of Riley, the 11-year-old boy, who is now being homeschooled during the pandemic. He gets an assignment to do a project about the most unforgettable person he has ever met, and he, of course, chooses his best friend, the late Jason Adams, and he enlists all of Jason’s friends and family to join in. Michael actually said, “What if we tell a story about Riley being homeschooled?” And, not only is Riley a technical genius at 11-years-old in the story, but Finn Douglas, who plays Riley, is a technical genius.
And didn’t Finn perform and write the song “Forever There” contained within the special?
KEVIN. Yes. He is this incredible musician. Michael thought, “What would it be like if we asked to have the character of Finn sing a song for Jason?” I said, “Well, what kind of song would we have him sing?” Finn could play anything, I’m sure, because he’s self-taught, he plays by ear – guitar, piano, and drums. Michael said, “What if we ask him to see if he could write a song?” and when we heard this song, we all called each other and we all got on Zoom and went, “Can you believe this song? Can you believe this came out of this 11-year-old?” It’s pretty incredible. Michael did a gorgeous job of weaving the stories in and out and how they just sort of dove-tailed into each other, and then it was framed by Riley opening the project and ending the project. During the Zoom reading we wanted to hear the song out loud. We said to Finn, “Would you want to sing the song?” We all just watched everybody on that Zoom call just fall apart. It was just so beautiful. He’s an amazing talent.
Where is your character within this?
KEVIN: I still stand in the center of the story of Jason because my character, Brian, was married to Jason, and it sort of connects us all, and through Riley’s understanding of how we all connect to Jason, is how we are all sort of spread out throughout the story. Michael jokingly said, “You know, you’re not going to be the star of this special,” and I said, “I don’t think it’s about being the star. It’s really about the storytelling.” The beauty of Riley’s Unforgettable School Project is that we get to see moments of each person’s relationship with Jason, which Riley sets out to say, “Answer these three questions: What did you like most about Jason? What did you like least about Jason? And what’s your favorite memory?” Those three things, cut back and forth is where we all kind of fit in. Nobody has more of a story than the next person, and it’s all telling honest portrayals of how they’re dealing with their loss of their good friend, or their child, or partner.

It’s a very inventive idea during Covid-19 to continue it in a way where you weren’t having to go shoot a full season of episodes.
KEVIN: Well, we couldn’t. I have to say, Allison Vanore, who not only produced this special, but she also stepped up saying, “I’d love to direct this,” and I said, “Yes, please!” She knows the characters. She understands the story because she’s been a part of it for the last two seasons. Allison also has this extraordinary amount of knowledge and expertise with the camera and what was needed for a remote shoot, and to also be able to organize filming 13 people in 2 different countries and 5 different cities… that’s just the technical side of it, but having that in our back pocket, knowing that it was a remote shoot, we had to send the camera, the computer, the ring light, and the microphone to each person’s house. We had to location scout over Zoom. We had to do wardrobe over Zoom. It was all this big puzzle putting it together, and once you look at that board of storytelling and how we were going to do it, it kind of fell into place. I feel blessed that a) we still had Michael with us, at that point, and b) Allison had the know-how to do this. We all feel that at least this pandemic didn’t keep us from doing what we love.

Photo: AfterForever
In terms of the contribution of Michael Slade in this special, was it the construction of the story, and how was he able to work and write this during his illness?
KEVIN: Michael’s contribution to the special was no less than the contribution to season 1 and season 2, and the future of season 3, because the scripts are written. We did everything on Zoom, and we worked around his schedule of treatment. We scheduled 2 people per day, and we spread them out over two weeks. He was very present, and when there would be a day where he would say, “I’m going to be an hour late, let’s just push that call time,” I would ask, “Is this too much right now? We can shelve it; we can stop it.” He’d then say, “Absolutely not, otherwise cancer will win.” He was determined to stay focused and to stay active because it took his mind off of what was happening to him.

Photo: AfterForever
It would be lovely moment if you both were to win a Daytime Emmy for this project.
KEVIN: It’s our last collaboration together as a team, as I said, season 3 has been scripted, and it is on the calendar to get made. We are just waiting for the COVID restrictions to lift a little bit and everyone to get vaccinated. Michael was really hit hard with cancer – to stay healthy was so challenging for him. Sadly, he didn’t make it to see the final edit of the special, and he died four days before we launched, but he had seen the cuts before that and was very approving of it, and had made some decisions, and offered some suggestions, and if God gives him an Emmy for this, it’s not because he died. It’s because it’s great work. It just happens to be that the work that was involved in this particular special was very tricky. It brought up everything, like life itself to have to deal with. Here we are dealing with the loss of a colleague, the loss of a friend, someone’s brother, someone’s son, this is life imitating art, imitating art imitating life. I can’t tell you the darkness that I went through just experiencing the need to stay focused on getting everything edited, and everything ready, and everything aligned for a release of this project that we had put into motion. On top of it, our editor lost his mother just before Michael passed, and Allison’s mom was sick at the time, as well. It took a lot of heavy deep breaths with Michael’s death, and the pandemic, and the loss has, for me, on a personal level, sent me back to really questioning my spiritual muscle and to help remind me that we have to come out of this better than we went into this. I had many dark nights of the soul this last year, and December was probably the darkest. I feel like I’m just kind of coming out of it now with the spring revealing itself.

Photo: AfterForever
It must have been extraordinarily difficult for you to also go to New York during a pandemic and also knowing Michael did not have much time left.
KEVIN: I will say this: I am grateful that I was able to stay in touch with my heart and my instinct and go out to New York to let that be my remote location. Yes, maybe there was some risk involved. I wore my mask; I was Covid-19 negative, and I was determined to be fine. Once I got to New York, I would visit him very protectively with our masks and our gloves, and I’d sit across the room, and then I’d go back to the house I was at. It was a gift that I was able to see him at that time. We had some good talks then about how he was feeling, and I think he was still being optimistic, and then once we got the project in the can there was maybe this psychic letting go. That’s when everything really started to reveal itself as this could be the end. I did go back to see him when he was in hospice. I think I was there the last two days that he really was able to really stay coherent. He would close his eyes and be at peace and quiet for a minute, and he would finish a conversation and sort of close his eyes, not to sleep and not to go away, but I remember watching him going, “Look how peaceful he is,” and then he’d open his eyes and he’d remember that he is in this body that has been given a time limit of life, and he’s on his way out. I’d watch the fear go back in his eyes. At one point, he did say, “I’m so scared,” and I just held his hand, and I said, “I’m scared too. Let’s be scared through this together.” I don’t know how to navigate grief like that. We are all going to be in a position at some point where we are going to be on the other side of the hand holding. The wonderful thing is that we were able to have honest communication about our feelings. I thanked him for everything that he has done for me and how he believed in my talent and creativity and our partnership. I will always take that with me. I waved my finger at him, and I said, “Listen. Now, we wrote a series about a man talking to his deceased husband. You’d better talk to me!” So, we laughed about that.

Photo: AfterForever
You’ve done a lot of things in your career from Broadway to television, and of course, daytime fans know you best as Dr. Craig Wesley on DAYS. How does the entire After Forever project stack up to you within all that you have done?
KEVIN: Former DAYS casting director Fran Bascom, sought me out and offered me this 2-day role on Days of Our Lives, and those 2 days turned into 8 years, and unbeknownst to me at the time, the final 3 months of that contract of those 8 years, Michael Slade was brought in to write. We didn’t cross paths at that point, but years later, when we did cross paths in New York, and then After Forever was born, that was that universal crossing point. I am most proud of the fact that we were able create something fresh, and real, and personal to ourselves that we didn’t have to cater to any “powers that be” that had their vision and their tinkering, that they thought that it could be better in this way or that way. Then for After Forever to gain such recognition, within the film festivals, and the Emmys, and then, just after Michael died, we won the GLAAD award for Special Recognition this year. We don’t even fit into one of their categories! They found a way to acknowledge this project. If another Emmy happens again, that might be another one to put up on the shelf for After Forever that would be beautiful, and I couldn’t have done it without Michael.
For the Daytime Emmys this year, what category have you entered Riley’s Unforgettable School Project?
KEVIN: We are not a series this year, we are a daytime fiction special, and the “Daytime Fiction Special” category is a special class. It’s anything that’s digital in the construct of less than 40 minutes. NATAS (National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences) is being bombarded with so much content, they’re trying to find ways to put categories together.

Photo: JPI
So, now, when we last saw Days of Lives’ Dr. Craig Wesley, where was he? (Laughs)
KEVIN: (Laughs) He was in a flash from the past or something in the DOOL app’s Last Blast Reunion series. I had a fun time working with Patrika Darbo (Nancy) and Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe), once again.
So, if they were to want Craig to come back to DAYS, would you be all for it?
KEVIN: Hell yes!

Photo: JPI
Now, what story would you want to be told involving Craig?
KEVIN: When Craig was first on the canvas in Salem, there was a lot of mustache twirling and a lot of hand wringing. He was always plotting; most of the time with Nancy. It was kind of this high drama, evil villain storyline being told, but when the writers created an opportunity for us to be on after those first three months by bringing on Chloe without a father, there was something real about it. It may have been told under the construct of soap opera storytelling, but there was a reality-based story about, “You have a daughter, and we are just now finding out about it?” Then, finding a cure to her health was another realistic story, and finding out that Craig was her real father. Anything that’s reality based is what I’m getting to. I would welcome any job that brings me back and gives me an opportunity to dive into something real.

Photo: JPI
Would you welcome the opportunity to play a gay character on daytime; in a medium where there are very few represented in storylines?
KEVIN: I’d have no problem with that. Do you know anybody who is starting that? Let’s do it! (Laughs) First of all, there’s nothing to hide anymore. There’s nothing to pretend you’re not anymore. I would think that bringing in a storyline that deals with anything outside the norm that we are used to seeing would be interesting. How many times can you retell a story? How many times can you set the same story up with another couple? So, why not be diverse and have a stylized story being told through the lens of a gay person.

Photo: AfterForever
In closing, so many go through life without acknowledging people who had an impact them. We don’t give pats on the back, often enough, and especially in Hollywood, where people can be very self-involved. You have already paid tribute to Michael Slade in our discussion, but what gift from him is your personal takeaway?
KEVIN: The gift that Michael really gave to me is to remember to be kind to myself and to others, and to acknowledge and salute the person who is in front of us, because we don’t know when we will have, or if we will have, another moment to do that.
Now below, check out the trailer for Riley’s Unforgettable School Project. Then let us know, what do you think of its concept? Kevin’s thoughts on the passing of his collaborator on the project, Michael Slade? And, do you hope DAYS brings back Dr. Craig Wesley? Share your thoughts via the comment section.
OH MY GOD
bombshell
fireworks
last link to get DAYS firing
OH MY GOD
HOPE HOPE HOPE
I agree! I was wishing for this for the past year and a half. Some good news for 2017 finally!
Yes Days Future looks brighter now. Thank God Days did not hire Jill Phelps, she is known as the soap killer. Ron should have been hired 2 years ago, let’s hope for the best for Days. Ron can save Days,. I have faith in him.
NO! He “killed” GH; now he will kill Days!
Nancy, I’m sorry, but you’re completely wrong. He did NOT kill GH, the show is still on the air. Also, he completely revitalized it when he took over and saved it from a SUREFIRE cancellation. That is not an opinion, it is a fact. I have faith that he can do the same for DAYS. I believe in him. Let me put it this way: If anyone can save this show, it is Ron Carlivati.
Rumor is Ron, wants to bring back Will Horton, Jack and Bo Brady. I hope this is true. My prediction The Dimeras kidnapped Will, Bo and Jack.
I am so torn! Most of Ron’s work on OLTL was good! He utilized all the vets…respected history, wrote a balanced show between drama and camp, and genuinely seemed to care about the show. At first his work on GH seemed promising but he proceeded to do the exact opposite of what he did on OLTL. He fired and backburnered vets, showed no regard whatsoever for the past or history, wrote ludicrous over the top stories constantly, and mocked actors and fans who spoke against him. Whatever caused such a drastic shift (a lot of reports of drunkenness and/or drugs)… Read more »
IIRC DAYS is the soap that had it’s star actress be possessed by the devil, and have another actress portray multiple characters of different genders (and some were not split personalities). With that history, I think Ron Carlivati’s tendency to go a little cray-cray with outrageous plotlines will be par for the course.
The role of Stefano Dimera, will now be played by Ron Raines ex Alan Spaulding. Let’s make this happen.
Wow- never thought I would be receptive to a Stefano recast, but that does sound fascinating!!
Wish all the best for the writing team- considering I was among those fearing the worst with the Megyn Kelly hire I’ve done a turnaround and am pretty optimistic now that Mr. Carlivati has been hired.
Yes, yes, yes! Best news ever. Days is a much better fit for RC than GH ever was. This is going to be great.
WHOOT WHOOT WHOOT ! HURRARY !
Now DOOL will without a doubt over take GH, wait for it !!
Ron is an imaginative YOUNG BRAVE writer..
DOOL is going to go up up up ..
RC is proven to save near death soap…
UUUUGE Happy CONGRATS Party on Ron Carlivati twitter!!!
I agree with you,. days ratings will be up. Gh better watch out because there days on ABC will be done. Days will not be cancelled now, thank you soap gods. Amen
Peter I agree with you,. General Hospital is in serious trouble. Ratings are dropping. ABC will drop GH, next year. Mark my words. Days future looks better now with Ron.
Mark my words,
DOOL will be cancelled anyday now while GH will live to see another decade.
That is a fact, that is reality!
DOOL fans always talk big every time they get a new writing team and always start attacking GH every time wishing it death.
DOOL is getting cancelled cause there is NO STABILITY IN THE WRITING ROOM cause no show can survive a new regime every six months. KC isn’t talking about the 100th reboot to save DOOL cause KC knows that NBC is gonna cancel anyday now.
DOOL fans need to stop wishing bad things for GH. DOOL just hired a guy GH fired for the worst ratings ever. Worry about DOOL.
LOL
“…Now DOOL will without a doubt over take GH, wait for it !! ”
I will take this… because DOOL deserves
gosh darned it… I am so peeved that TPTB deigned to rehire this sad lost trio
Frank / Jean / Shelley
loopy bar none
Days is getting better now, but with Ron it will be the bomb. Ron is a smart man and Days ratings will be way up. GH is painful to watch right now. If I WERE Genie Francis, I would leave GH AND GO BACK TO Days as Diana Coville.
Not sure what RC going to Days has to do with GH’s current ratings. Do you think GH watchers are going to go to Days because of RC? No. Will former viewers return to Days? Maybe. Odd that you all seem to wish for Days’ success at the cost of GH’s failure. How about wishing success for both? I mean, Days technically is thisclose to cancellation because of Megan Kelly. Obviously, this is a great sign that it won’t be canceled, but why don’t you all concentrate on your soap (Days) and stop wishing bad things on another soap. Very… Read more »
I will watch Days now just to see Ron’s stories. I would never abandon GH but im curious toi see Ron’s material again. To me he is the saviour of GH. I will never thank him enough for giving me back Lucy Coe.
AJ, I totally agree with you. Wish RC the best!
Hi Su…When I read this announcement my first thoughts went to you. I’m sure you would prefer Ron was coming back to GH. I haven’t been a Day’s viewer. May try now. Want to support all of our soaps. Mainly because from what I’ve read on MF the past few years, the show has been in a funk, and always the question would NBC renew it’s contract. While I wasn’t a great fan of everything Ron did on GH, sounds like Day’s might get some needed “energy” from his style.
He ruined GH, he will ruin DAYS!
Ron will save Days,. GH will be a goner next year. Days is here to stay.
Don’t worry Timmm, Ron will be terrific. Ron saved General Hospital ass, from being cancelled. Frank Valentini saved GH too.
RC will put the final nail in the coffin of DOOL. This is the soap equivalent to asking the priest to perform last rights. Sixth different writing team in five years is a freaking joke.
No George. GH will be staying and DOOL will be leaving.
This comment was made to push su0000 over the edge! I’m kidding, Ron will be great and I wish all the DAYS fans luck!
Yankee fan do you NOT realize that Ron Carlivati saved GH from a surefire cancellation when he took over? The only reason GH is even still on the air right now is because of what RC did for it.
Bite your tongue, suoooo!
Ill give him a shot…
Yes, but how long will you have to wait? August? They shoot so far in advance that his scripts won’t hit the airwaves for a very long time. Sadly.
I’m just hoping that this is an indication… that TPTB… NBC / Sony / @DAYS
are not giving up… and that DAYS of OUR Lives will in fact be renewed
HOPE HOPE HOPE
CHEERS fellow Salem’ite
I know…i wish that would change but i wont hold my breath!
You are so right!! That is the main reason this show has struggled for years..They hire a big star or new regime and by the time they air, its months and months later and by then they lose all the buzz and some fans just forget.
Great move nonetheless for DOOL!!!
Balls of fire—I forgot about that. I hate they go into production so far in advance because if storylines are bombing, it takes a long time to fix it and by then, people have tuned out. In this case, we’re going to have to wait until summer to see the magic of Ron.
That’s kind of you, jimh, but all I can say is that the good people of Salem best padlock all their mausoleums, or else they may soon discover a spate of “crypt trysts” occurring in their dearly departeds’ sacred places of eternal rest.
I am happy because for the past year and a half or so, the writing on DAYS OF OUR LIVES has been dreadful – so astonishingly boring that it has become an exercise in tedium to watch – they NEED a new head writer!
How many reboots can one show survive before its time to call it quits?
Wow, yes yes wonderful news,. Ron will save Days from cancellation. Megan Kelly needs to go away. Ron time to fire the teens, they cannot act
Keep Theo I like him, he can act. Sign Leann Hunley to a contract, I love Anna Dimera. Recast Sierra with Kristen Alderson or Brittany Underwood ex Langston OLTL, both ladies can act. So happy Dena got her walking papers. Days needs to change there taping schedule to 6 weeks, better work on that.
I forgot to mention, also bring back Jack and Louise Sorel. My madam Vivian.
yeah, right… perhaps Ron Carlivati respects Louise Sorel… and will give her worthy scripts.
she’s so dynamic and in the annuls of serial history.
I love Vivian Alamain… !!!!
NOW… I can only hope.. for the( other ) grand dame herself… with equal measure.. Celeste
bring out the bubbly
I love Vivian. Jack is fab too. Jen and Jack were one of my favorite couples.
Oh VIvian and her side kick Ivan. They were so funny to watch. Yes bring back, with Ivan.
I am truly torn. I’ve never been a huge fan of Ron Carlivati’s writing, and his tenure at General Hospital was messy. Truly messy. He had [some] highlight moments but, for the most part, it was messy. Plus, I was really enjoying the joint team of Dena Higley and Ryan Quan at Days of Our Lives. But, I have a feeling, that we’ll be getting a LGBT frontburner storyline, and that we may get some insane storylines coming up. Unsure how I am feeling; willing to give it a try but, damn, yeah!
Why do you automatically assume you are getting an lgbt storyline? Hello? They have had one and still do. Sonny. Will. Paul. Ringing a bell?
First, it would be “a LGBT”, grammatically.
Secondly, I assume so because of Ron’s history as a headwriter. He did it on One Life to Live and attempted to do it on General Hospital. If we did get a major front burner, it would be his foreseen stereotype of a same-gender “relationship”.
It would be “an LGBT.” It goes by pronunciation. “Give me an ell,” etc. Well, unless it’s pronounced “ligbit,” or something like that. I guess it could be. I’ve always said it ell-gee-bee-tee-(cue) but I might be saying it wrong. Days is (or was) already solidly established with a front-burner gay storyline; it would be nice if RC resuscitated it, if only because NBC and Sony did such a disservice in the way they ended it. And I think he would do it justice. I liked most of his time at GH, and I really liked his time at OLTL… Read more »
Well, about two years ago or so, the Sonny and Will storyline was great and it was made more interesting when Paul was thrown into the mix depicting gay people as having jealousy, tenderness, complications – just as straight couples do. I thought it was very innovative and progressive – and having the hotel bell hop around added to the intrigue – then, new writers came along, squashed the gay storyline, Sonny left town, Will was strangled to death in front of our eyes – and they reverted to the same old “so and so is pregnant but no one… Read more »
I’m not saying there hasn’t been a main focus on LGBT before on the soap. I’m merely saying I see it becoming more of the frontburner it was back when Will and Sonny were introduced, etc.
Messy indeed at GH. I hear the death knell for Days!
Well I am done watching Days it seems. He almost destroyed GH (the destruction continues even now) and he will destroy Days too.
Ron and Frank Valentini saved GH, from getting cancelled. Daphne Ron will be terrific on Days.
You are so wrong. He saved OLTL and TH. He is the reason GH is still on.
Huh!!!???? So you say, but definitely not I!
No he didn’t. One of the best writers out there. I loved hi stories on GH.
Wasn’t a fan!
Nanvy, are you providing with an alternate fact? ABC was going to cancel GH unless the ratings went up. Carlivari did that. You may have not liked the show under his reign but many did as the ratings proved.
So Nancy, are you offering me an #alternatefact?
ABC said it was going to cancel GH and brought in Ron and Frank as a last ditch effort. Within a year, ratings proved to be so good it could change time slots. It only started to drop off the last six months of Ron’s reign.
Well he gave it his best shot, however, his best shot with GH was pretty terrible though not as bad as Guza overall. Us poor GH fans. Don’t know how we put up with that when I return to old clips. Guard your SuperCouples and vets, Days fans!
Pretty terrible–his “shot” at GH–I so agree! Your warning is well taken.
Well I didn’t see this one coming but save our soaps. Give it a brand new twist.
What did you think of the new Jade
I love the new Jade, the original actress decided to leave the show. The new actress looks more relaxed and a better fit in the role of Jade.
I think she stinks
Judy set you up, Gary, LOL!
The new Jade is cute as a button.
I think they should have had a voiceover when the new Jade started. I think they should have let Jade exit when old Jade did. I see no point to the character.
New Jade hasn’t been on enough for me to know if I like her.
I have to agree with Mo, I actually do not see any real need for the character to be honest about it. She was pregnant, lost the baby and Joey blamed himself – now, okay, what was the point of recasting someone the audience barely related to? Personally, Joey bores me to tears anyway and (although I am certainly not a teen) the teeny bopper storylines are a little thin and uninteresting – maybe I don’t relate as well to them but even at that, some of the very young actors don’t cut it and if you add to that… Read more »
Not Jade!
it is good news especially with the added bonus of sheri anderson who knows the show well and worked on it during the bo hope , shane kim , patch kayla years in the 1980’s . if i was Days i would add leah laiman and tom racina to the writing team as well .
Look out, Kayla and Steve! Hope you aren’t decimated.
Thom Racina is over 80 years old!! These rotated recycled writers have no freeh ideas and thst is why soaps are in the toilet!
Best news for Days! Carlivatti is a GREAT writer!! Excited
thank god Higley is gone. this is obviously a hail mary to save the show. Higley played a large part in DAYS downfall. it was mind-boggling why they kept bringing her back. Higley and Griffith were part of the terrible 50th anniversary stuff
Oh yes, that was truly awful. This show needs to move forward and jump on some modern ideas – Have some blonde haired big mouth guy run for office on the show, someone in his late 60’s and have the town expose him for what he is. Have a character decide he is transgender and feel out of place in Salem. Have Joey shave his head and become a cloistered Monk. Have the teen actors all decide to go to an out of State College (Yay!) – I am kidding but there ARE things they could write about other than… Read more »
OMG THIS IS AWESOME! He saved GH and was a wonderful part of the resurgence of OLTL. He will be a PERFECT fit for DAYS. His stories are a little our there, which DAYS is known for, he was too out there for GH, but this will fit him like a glove! Now reveal Will is alive, Recast EJ with Simon from ATWT, bring back Sami, Austin and Carrie. Bring back Shawn and Belle with a GOOD story. Beef up Lani, and improve the teen writing like in the heyday of Shawn/Belle/MiMi/Chloe/Philip of yesteryear. Recast Cassie Brady and bring her… Read more »
I would at the bear minimum see if Jason Brooks was interested in returning
posts lament and want for a villain … and not the deadbeat mobster… to carry story
this is the way to go
for that matter… since ED’ Kristen expressed her fortitude… she’s open …
i’d love to see Jon Hensley back on daytime.
I wonder would he return with Missy Reeves still there. Obvi they would have to go the route of Peter/Jennifer who were ON FIRE, IMO. Missy’s real life Hubby might not be too keen on Jason Brooks returning bc of that big scandal in the 90s. Michael Muheney would be an AWESOME Peter Blake!!! Altho, Jason Brooks is hot as hell!!!
Days Of Our Lives is the soap I watch and Y&R. Ron hopefully saves Days from being cancelled. I wish him luck. Changes need to be made, rehire Matt as Jack. Bring back Bo Brady and recast Peter Blake with Michael muhney ex Adam Y&R.
Ricardo you are a sexy man, saw your pics on Facebook. I totally agree with your comments. Matt Ashford needs to come back as Jack.
Peter Reckell does not want to come back, I don’t know how many times he has to say that for fans to get it. HE was the one that wanted them to kill him off.
That being said they could recast.
Paging Robert Kelker-Kelly!!
How would they bring Bo back to life.nn
To Richard- wasn’t Robert Kelker-Kelly accused of inappropriate behavior on the DOOL set years ago? And I also heard that he didnot get along with Kristen Alfonso.
Ron Carlivati…. with all your power.. might.. and persevere
you would be moving heaven and earth
for ALL of daytime
“Michael Muhney”
Buh Bye DAYS!
Jenny I was recently feeling the same way until this news. So NBC IS in effect doing all they can to up the viewership. ..and Ron Carlivati’s brand of crazy story telling is well suited to what people came to love and be shocked by during the James E Reilly tenure. The fact that Sheri Anderson is there to walk him through the shows history also cements this fact. They don’t want to lose the show and this time around its do or die. .so no doubt there will be one more year extension in the hope he pulls the… Read more »
I’ll guarantee this smooth talker will entice Sami Vivienne and Celeste back onto the canvas with a resurrected will. .if nothing else is going to be one heck of a weird over the top dramatic and campy as all get out ride! !!
I disagree!
Disagree with what? ?
OK—
Now that DOOL has RC then who would be around to replace the godawful J&S ??
I had hopes Ron, at some point in time, would return to GH and once again save.
This is very bad for GH ..
No hope
it’s truly so bad for @GH
yet i’m thinking this is last call for Salem’ites
is he in to bring about a last splash
I think DAYs is so big…. a wonderment… and lights up my telee
dool can have Ron, he is not missed at GH, so please stop with the condolences, GH will be just fine, and hopefully so will Dool.
So agree with Aria and Yankee Fan…I like GH and I did not like Ron C’s writing for GH and I agree with what Yankee fan said about Ron’s writing being Cartoony…
Oh Aria, GH is awful right now. GH should be cancelled. It’s very painful to watch. Ron will beat GH in the ratings,. Days is here to stay, thank you Jesus.
Jean and Shelly are better writers than Cartoony.
Jean and Shelly never let GH ratings fall to the lows Cartoony did.
Agreed Yankee. Jelly know how to write emotional detail and stories better. It’s the exec involvement that is problematic and influences who’s on the air most, pacing, etc.
I always love all these doomsday scenarios about GH. People that don’t like the current writers so they invent these stories to make it sound like the show is doing worse than it is. They were only 6,000 viewers behind Y&R in the 18-34 demo and 60,000 behind in the 18-49 demo in the last ratings numbers I saw. GH is going nowhere. DOOL is the show with one foot in the grave, that’s what you should be worried about getting cancelled.
Thank you dan, I so agree with you, thanks for putting it in the words I feel.
I heard Dena Higley is available- LOL
Send Dena and Jill Phelps on a deserted island, hopefully we will not hear from them again. LOL
I think this is so, so exciting! Ron’s writing got me into GH and I particularly loved his anniversary episodes which made every April something to look forward to. I really thought the writing from the Dena/Ryan pairing was getting interesting (but at times too slow) so I hope the pacing picks up a bit. The only concern I have: What does the next five months worth of storylines mean? Is it going to be slow/boring for the next five months? I would assume that might be the case if they are restructuring the writing team like this? I just… Read more »
Soap Gawds!!!! Thank you for this much belated X-Mas present.
Amen
Finally! Please let Ron Carlivati ‘s first order of business be to end the current horrible story line between Chloe and Nicole. I find it repugnant that Chloe would steal Nicole’s embryo in the first place and carry the fetus to full term without telling Nicole. Then to have Chloe deny Nicole access to her biological child. With this story line the current writers have turned Chloe from a loving, caring and kind woman to a heartless b@@ch.
Chloe didn’t steal the embryo, Susan. She had written permission to try as often as necessary for conception. I don’t see Chloe as a heartless bitch. She clearly struggled through her decision making. Also, a heartless bitch would be one who hands over a baby whom could suffer in the crossfire of a criminal. I understand how anxious the situation is, especially since Nicole has ached for a child of her own, but Chloe’s motivation isn’t malicious, it’s almost maternal. If Nicole chooses Deimos, could and would there be blood on Chloe’s hands for handing Holly over? Regardless, the storyline… Read more »
Hopefully Holly will have been handed over to Nicole after her lawyer has destroyed Chole on the witness stand. Chloe having permission does not negate her moral and LEGALLY responsibility to have informed Nicole at the very beginning.
I like Chloe and am glad she’s back. I understand that Chloe carried the baby and feels maternal towards her and doesn’t want her to be raised by Deimos. Hey, court cases between surrogates and parents have happened IRL. I am enjoying the story and Arianne Zucker was great yesterday.
DOOL is getting cancelled next month and RC was hired to write the ending.
Believe me, if the show was getting cancelled next month, they wouldn’t be forking out this kind of money now to get RC as head writer, they would have just kept Dena and let the show sail off into the sunset. Stop with the rumors and lies people.
Stop spreading lies,. Days is not getting cancelled next month. Ron will save Days.
I hope he gives us a surprise every day like he did at OLTL and GH. When he did that, you had to tune in every day because if you missed an episode, you missed alot. I loved his writing style on both shows and I know I am going to like what he brings to the table at DAYS.
WOW! Did not see that coming. I didn’t watch GH when he was head writer, but it seemed like he did some good things there. I am not liking the majority of the current storylines on Days and did think Dena needed to go so I am excited to see what Ron brings. Although with Days taping so far in advance, we’ll have to wait a while.
Bit torn. OLTL was my favorite show and much of that had to do with RC’s writing. But, he does tend to rehash certain plots ( DID, anyone? ). The one good thing is that he can be inventive. But, will Ken Corday allow that much leeway? I can see him trimming some of the cast, especially the young adult sector. He has never really written extensively for that age group. Really wish DOOL did not film so far in advance because it takes too long for changes to hit the screen and I think some of the atrocious story… Read more »
Man, I sure hope this is the shot in the arm that DAYS needs. I love Ron. However, all these consistent changes at DOOL have me worried still. If you look at soap history, those shows that go through back stage changes in writers or EP’s on a constant basis, tend to see their ratings continue to slide. If DOOL goes under during Ron’s writing, he will be the one blamed and not the people who’ve been in charge for years and made these constant changes. The audiences like consistency in their writing and characters. I hope the best for… Read more »
Days of our lives is the perfect canvas for Ron. Its actually the only show other than gh i can imagine him writing for. Days and Gh are like distant cousins. At gh Ron often mined the rich80s heyday history for story. Days is adventure, action, romance, villians, over the top
And daring at its best. Im excited
It may be a match for Days, hope it is for your sake, but there were hardly any 80s characters featured in these 80s historical storylines and they were incredibly short arced, lame stories.
I have never gotten hooked on any other daytime soap other than days but his work on GH did get me hooked about two years. GH felt like days did in it’s hey day when Ron was writing for it. I felt like he has the same style as James E. Reiley, whom I loved.
The man is a talent but his tales tend to cross a line with me. If we can avoid the incredible resurrections, outlandish historical revisions, and sill sci-fi elements, I will remain in Salem.
As for future of DAYS, would CBS pick it up? Isn’t it a Sony property?
I see you working here, but it seems like CBS is perfectly happy with the lineup they have
Good not good, I don’t know? But I am loving Day’s right now because we have the characters on the show that we adore. Love having Patch, Kayla, Marlena, John, Hope, Adreine, Justin, Lucas, Nicole, Jennifer, Eric , Maggie, Victor, Brady, Kate on the show and in active storylines . This group of people is Days of our Lives and new writers always think the viewers want to see new faces. Believe me–NOT TRUE. Also right now the current staff will bring our other favorite characters back into storylines from time to time and we get to catch up with… Read more »
Amazing news! He’s perfect for DAYS, I can start watching it again! Too bad we have to wait like 5-6 months for his stories to air.
And you mean Dena Higley didn’t work out? You’d think Ken Corday learned that the first time!!!
Excellent news! I loved Ron’s work on OLTL and GH and can’t wait to see what he brings to DOOL. I just wish that, given the show’s strange production schedule, we didn’t have to wait six months to start seeing his stories on air. Nice to have something to look forward to, though (GH’s loss is DOOL’s gain!).
Sorry on my previous post forgot to mention the characters of Chad and Tony Dimera and Sonny.
Rest in peace to our dear Stefano.
Congratulations to Ron! I loved his work on OLTL especially the final year. ABC made a colossal blunder in cancelling OLTL. They underestimated how many hard core fans existed. I enjoyed the way he wrote the characters with sentimentality and heart. I still miss Viki, Clint, Todd, Tea, and the rest. Good Luck!
Two points:
1. Days fans better hope they get “angry Michael Quartermaine” Ron and not “Wacky Denise DeMuccio” Ron.
2. Any chance they can 3 months off from filming to get thoroughly thought out scripts and close this ridiculous gap? Prime time doesn’t even film this far in advance.
This is a dream come true!! He keeps things hopping. Soooo excited!
Me too Joel,. Ron will save Days from death. Ron is very talented. Ron needs to bring back Eileen Davidson as Kristen and Susan Banks. Also bring back Jack and my madam Vivian Alamain with Ivan.
I’d rather they didn’t bring back Jack, there’s a reason he’s been killed off various times. And his death has given so much material for his kids Abby and JJ over the years and still. He fell down an elevator shaft while saving his daughter, how could they realistically bring him back? Personally I think they need to bring back Bill Horton, Jennifer and Lucas’s Dad. Why has he stayed away from Salem for decades when his kids and grandkids and great grandkids are there?
This is shocking news. I gave up on DOOL a month ago because it’s too slow and the stories are boring. I’ll have to go back when Ron’s stories start to air. He is a terrific writer who knows how to tell multiple stories at the same time without things getting lost. One Life to Live was on fire during his tenure. Too Days continues to tape so far in advance. From what I saw last, they need Ron’s intervention immediately.
Agree – we’re looking at what, sometime in July 2017 before his work airs? We are on a never ending “give it time, there is a DAYS reboot coming!” train. I really hope this is put-up-or-shut-up, and if Ron cannot at least make Days below average (which would be a massive improvement), NBC needs to put the Horse down for good. Remember how Josh G. was coming to save the show? Then Will got murdered, Josh mentally checked out 10 minutes after he got there, and well…………….what we have now.
That’s a very good point – the writing is dreadful on DOOL and brother they need a quick revamp SOON – I hope by the time Ron’s writing team takes over it isn’t already too late –
I’m surprised more people haven’t said what I was thinking: Ron has experience writing the end of a show (OLTL). It’s a 50-50 chance that he was brought in to save “Days” … or wrap it up in a blaze of glory.
Oh NO! Bring on the beef cake. 🙁
A group of Monkeys in a locked room with a typewriter would be an improvement over Dena. I will give her props though, she was always consistent. Consistent in her destruction of Days. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out Dena.
Dena good riddance. thank god she is gone. Ron will save Days and the ratings are going up and up with him. Now Days need to bring back Vivian Alamain with her friend Ivan.
Agree, agree, agree! I remember when she was HW of OLTL. I cried every day her name showed up on the credits while the show became worse and worse.
That solidifies it for me, I will continue not to tune in-I despised his writing and decimating of characters on General Hospital-as well as, the onslaught of pointless and useless characters.
He is so smart and talented !
People credit him with saving OLTL; in reality the show hit all time ratings lows during his tenure which led to ABC’s decision to cancel the show. Right before ABC’s announcement he did get his act together and ratings started to rise but it was too late. He has the ability to write some really good stories. Viki’s Paris, Texas storyline was great and the bullying storyline started out great but then became a campy, plot-driven mess with Stacy having plastic surgery to look just like her sister Gigi..ughh, what nonsense. Who can forget his campy Moldavia mess, or how… Read more »
ABC planned to dump OLTL all along. They moved AMC to LA to save money and keep the show, then AMC’s ratings tanked and went lower than that of OLTL which had started to rise. They could not justify canceling the higher rated show so they killed them both.
That’s utter nonsense. One life’s ratings were ALWAYS better than AMC….especially over the last few years they were both on. The ONLY reason why GH was saved over OLTL is because ABC has an IRON CLAD contract with the creator of General Hospital’s children who they have to pay royalties to. Too much of a legal mess so why not just ax the second one they own.
One thing that has been very bad for DROOL is- the 6 month policy..
It is not possible to rewrite whatever is not working.. To be able to make changes for the better when needed.
I do believe in miracles! Thank you for saving the DOOL train wreck currently on air! Now can we fast-forward 5-months and start fresh!
Great news for DAYS! and to set the record straight, yes OLTL was cancelled under his writing, but when they gave him the power to write his own stories, OLTL rise to the number 2 spot for several weeks. He and Frank saved GH and I am certain his stores at DAYS will be a huge hit
This is a good sign that Days will continue. So who is going to have DID?
Marlena will have DID, and let’s hope she is poccesed again by the devil. I loved that storyline in 1995, Days went to number 2. I still remember the words. Poor Marlena girlfriend, you are a mess, you need some rest. I wouldn’t count on getting it. Lol. I need to get a life lol.
Marlena will not be possessed as long as Ron Cartoony is writing. I’m not working for that guy!
Well, I guess this confirms the rumours that NBC is trying to kill off Days Of Our Lives by any means necessary. This is the fool who got One Life to Live cancelled and damaged General Hospital so much with his cartoonish writing that it may never recover. Look for NotEve and NotPhillip to return as soon as this MoRon’s writing takes over. Along with all the other OLTL pets he can posiibly bloat the cast with. And look “forward” to storylines dominated by newbies where you might get somebody named Horton, Brady, Kiriakis, or DiMera on screen once a… Read more »
Uh, Satan, it was not Ron who bloated the GH cast with “pets” that belongs to Frank Valentini…….
Those two worked as a team, with their ill-fated attempt to turn GH into OLTL 2.0, and then bloating the cast with newbies. Ron likes newbies because head writers get royalty payments for the characters they create, as long as those characters appear on the show. Even after the writers themselves are gone. Ron is still cashing in on his GH bloat, and all the mindless characters who descended on Port Charles during his reign. Will he do any better under a different producer on Days? I doubt it. He won’t have the access to the characters from a dead… Read more »
Actually, it was both, Frank and Ron, who bloated the cast. The writer wanted new characters and the producer approved the hiring. And as Satan said, the show was overrun with new characters and actors, who became the focus of stories. New characters aren’t inherently a bad thing, but they shouldn’t come in and force out the old characters, which is exactly what Ron did on GH. I predict he will use the long time characters as a backdrop to a flood of newbies, and get really angry with the Days fans who don’t like it.
Hey, Satan, if Ron appropriates some of the soap refugees who have landed without welcome in Port Charles over these past few years, he may just save GH, even if it means designating Salem as the new sanctuary city for displaced daytime actors.
I look forward to this. I want none of them to go off. Ron is progressive and tells outrageous stories. He needs the same breakdown writers from GH like Chris Van Etten, Jean , Shelly Altman, Katherine Shock etc. Much more progressive show. They need Scott Sickles and maybe have Alison Sweeney come back to do some more directing.
well…doesn’t this throw in a wrench for a OLTL reboot !!!???
Not necessarily, since Ron wasn’t involved in the reboot on Prospect Park.
But is anybody seriously saying there’s going to be an OLTL reboot? I know people have been hoping for it, but have we heard something that gives such hopes a basis in reality? Because my guess is no how, no way.
I apologize that my phone didn’t capitalize LGBT. But if we are splitting hairs. If we really want to get technical, it’s LGBTQ.
As for your comment – you made it sound like because Ron is a gay man that he is automatically going to insert a gay romance, when in fact, Days already has one. He certainly could write a better story for all of the characters, regardless of their color or orientation.
With the 5 month advance in filming it could already be too.They should have hired him months ago.