Great Scott?: TV Guide Magazine Wonders if Ousted Producer Saved Salem
TV Guide Magazine's Michael Logan has a new feature up begging the question did Ed Scott, former co-executive producer of The Young and the Restless, and for a time, Days of Our Lives, save the soap opera, crediting Scott with turning DAYS around and helping it to secure 13 Emmy nods. Here's what Scott, who Logan reports has three feature films in the works, has to say:
“It’s proof a show can turn around in these difficult times, a soap can be saved,” Scott says. “There needs to be leadership, drive, positive energy and a respect for the audience—but that’s nothing new. It’s old-school stuff. Of course, you don’t have all the time in the world. You need to work hard and work fast.”
While I readily agree Scott brought a new energy and vision to DAYS during his brief tenure, by allegedly violating the Writers Guild of America Minimum Basic Agreement by re-writing scripts and reportedly encouraging certain actors to do the same —two of whom are no longer with the serial—thus giving head hack Dena Higley the ammo she needed to reportedly seek out the assistance of the WGA, therefore plunging the soap into a bitter, behind-the-scenes tug of war with Scott and said actors on one side, and Dena Higley on the other, while Ken Corday was allegedly no where to be found when time came to referee, Scott did much to offset the positive steps he was taking in an attempt to get the show back on track. Besides, Emmy nominations are great and all, but DAYS didn't really begin to slowly get its act together storywise and tonally until current executive producer Gary Tomlin took over the reigns. I don't think all of Tomlin and co-head writer Chris Whitesell's hard work cleaning up the behind-the-scenes messes made by Corday, Scott and Higley should be overlooked all because of one impressive Emmy reel.
And of course the interview wouldn't be complete without an actor taking a swipe at the late James E. Reilly's legacy. Check out what the Emmy-nominated Peter Reckell has to say:
“Ed inspired our entire company,” Reckell says. “He gave us back what made Days a part of American culture to begin with. Sure, the devil possession was a big conversation piece, but our show deeply mattered to people when it was about love and loss, family and relationships. Ed understood that.”
While I have adored Reckell since childhood and will continue to do so, as he plays my all-time favorite soap hero, I take issue with his passive aggressive dig at Reilly's greatest epic. Love it, or hate it, the devil possession storyline was much more than a "big conversation piece". The vampires on Port Charles were a big conversation piece, but they didn't spike ratings. Reilly's devil possession storyline managed to cause both watercooler buzz and show NBC the money. People can deny the story's impact all they want, but it won't lessen the bofo surges Reilly's storylines caused for DAYS' ratings during his first stint at the show (92-97). The devil possession storyline took the show to Number 2 in households and caused DAYS to brutalize its competition among women 18-49. Plus the storyline was about love and loss, as all great supernatural metaphors are. Who can ever forget the look on the Salemites faces when their beloved Marlena (Deidre Hall) "died" following her exorcism, only to be resurrected by John's (Drake Hogestyn) love? I wonder, does every DAYS actor who obviously hated this story think shows like True Blood or Buffy The Vampire Slayer or movies like Twilight don't convey stories of "love, loss, family and relationships"?
Let's face it, Santa Barbara and Another World were, for the most part, much more critically acclaimed dramas than DAYS, but neither survived the 90's. I firmly believe the only reason DAYS did was James E. Reilly.
In my opinion, you can't even begin to compare the amount of time and money Reilly's over-the-top storylines bought DAYS, to Scott's short stint in Salem. Almost 20 years later fans are still jizzing over Buried Alive, Marlena's Possession and Kristen, Susan, et al on You Tube and message boards. Something tells me the plane crash that killed Pa Brady— as groovy as it was— won't be alloted as much space in the soap opera history books.
And yes, yes, a thousand times yes, Reilly went bat shit crazy the second time around at DAYS, so did several other much more acclaimed writers/producers during their respective second engagements, the late Gloria Monty or Michael Malone anyone? I don't hear anyone lamenting the brilliance of Marty's original rape storyline on One Life to Live because Malone later came back to pen the Santis. When General Hospital savior Monty is brought up, people tend to talk about the magic of Luke and Laura, not the abomination of the Eckerts, or Monty's plan to get rid of the Quartermaines (It looks like Guza learned from the master, er mistress!).
I really wish discussions about the canon of DAYS history can stop being about pre-Reilly vs. post-Reilly. I have watched this show since circa 1982 and am a fan of both the classic, supercouple heavy 80's and the wacked out 90's, and am able to respect the contributions that both eras made to the show's history. I wish others could do the same. Oh well, bring on Crystal Chappell!
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Comments
8 May 2008
2 weeks 5 days
Jamey, Ed Scott brought back the focus of family and intelligent writing for Days that was missing in a long time and fans love it. The James Reilly era was iconic and saved Days from cancellation in the 90s, but James went a little too far off lane and I think that fans and critics hated it and wanted the old Days where s/ls made sense. I don't think that Ed Scott mess with Higley's work, she can't write to save her life and was just jealous because everyone liked Scott over her. Now, I didn't watch SB or AW when they were on, but now I wish the soaps was still on because I feel that the soap industry would still thrive with great writers til this day.
15 October 2008
1 week 6 days
I am w/Peter on this one. Yes Riely brought the ratings and the buzz and what not, but from me viewing the Devil Possession on the Youtube I say as a fan of the genre I wouldn't tune in for that mess today or when it aired. But you are on the money about one thing, it'll be remember and we are talking about it.
22 January 2008
4 hours 25 min
DAYS almost knocked Y&R off Number One in households during that the Devil Possession storyline. It was just like 90210 or Melrose Place or any other of those shows people claim were awful and they didn't watch, yet they couldn't help but sneak and look anyway and then got hooked. Entertainment Weekly covered that story like they did the biggest primetime and movie developments. It was the talk of the industry and it was a well done storyline, rooted in the love of DAYS most popular couple. It also involved much of the cast an utlized the vets. it's easy to dismiss it now, but it was one of the bravest stories any writer ever told in daytime.
30 March 2009
1 hour 9 min
Count me as one of the ones who secretly tuned into DAYS during the devil possession because I saw Eileen Davidson on the show. Then next thing you know I was just as obsessed with DAYS as I was with Y&R and B&B.
8 May 2008
2 weeks 5 days
Jamey, do you think that if Jame Reilly was alive today and was writing for DAYS, would you give him free rein or have co writer with him to get the s/ls and his ideas on paper and not the writing to get off track like he did on Passions?
22 March 2009
37 weeks 5 days
Ed Scott is a typical actor´s producer. He is friendly with them, spends a lot of time on sets and promisses everything. Nobody cares how much he is really competent or if his executive decisions are ill motivated (and getting rid of the breakthrough writers and letting Higley to write outlines as well as longterm storylines was one of the worst in the history of the show) and he is more interested in strenghtening his power at TPTB then the show´s good. He is the magic guy in the red shoes, as once wrote SN on his blog, and he can do no wrong.
Gary Tomlin is the exact opposite. Stern guy who keeps his distance and the actors respect him, but certainly don´t like. You will never see anyone to praise him no matter how hard he works upstairs and actually is the one guy everybody should be thankfull the show is still on and some painfull decision regards the longterm vision and prosperity of the show has been finally done. IMO, it´s not fair because from the moment Tomlin came on you can see very systematic and thoughtfull attempt to stabilise the show both financially and creatively.
24 February 2009
2 days 10 hours
I completely agree Jamey. I LOVED the "Buried Alive" storyline. That's what got me hooked. I remember Kayla going deaf and Harper Devereux almost killing her and Kimberly (I was 5 years old then), but the real fun started with James Reilly. I gotta agree about the second time he was head-writer. He was off his rocker! The whole Melaswen storyline could have been fun, but he just went, as you said, batshit crazy and the storyline veered off into ridiculousness. But yeah, both eras were great and I for one hope that they fire Dena Higley (or she "resigns to pursue other things) and promote Chris Whitesell to headwriter. This show has actually started to get better.
22 January 2008
4 hours 25 min
Jamey, do you think that if Jame Reilly was alive today and was writing for DAYS, would you give him free rein or have co writer with him to get the s/ls and his ideas on paper and not the writing to get off track like he did on Passions?
***
I think were Reilly here today, he should be paired with someone like Thom Racina. The man who penned much of DAYS 80's glory days storylines. This is of course major wishful thinking, since Reilly reportedly demanded, and received complete autonomy, that is until Corday chickened out and forced him to bring back all of the Salem Stalker victims from the dead. I think that's what sent DAYS into trouble, not the storyline, it was a ratings hit, it was the reveal that they all were still alive. DAYS should have forged ahead with everyone being dead and finding out someone else set Marlena up for the murders, in my opinion. Also there were a few characters I personally wouldn't have killed, i.e Jack Deveraux and Grandma Horton, but then Reilly didn't like Matt Ashford or Frances Reid—which pissed me off with him. Jack is one of my fave characters in all of soaps, as played by Matt, so Reilly having issue with him and Frances was a sticking point in my love affair with the writer.
15 October 2008
1 week 6 days
Dang it was like that w/Frances!
15 January 2009
3 min 48 sec
The problem with Reilly is that he might be able to bring in the ratings. But keeping those ratings is another story. Just look at the Salem Stalker storyline.
The first 6 months of this was good including the reveal that Marlena was the Serial Killer. But then after that it was down hill. The fans and actors had to contend with the same scripts everyday being played out onscreen and then he wrote himself into a corner. Reilly has done that a lot.
What's the point of someone bringing in ratings if they are just going to drop 6 to 8 months from now.
I know many actors left under Reilly's reign as head writer of Days the second time because they got tired of the same scripts. Watching Passions and Days--I learned from a once chance meeting in San Francisco with Charles Divins (ex-Chad, Passions) that you only needed to watch Monday's and Friday's as Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday's are nothing but repeating the same script over and over again just slightly different. And when I examined it deeply he was right.
I'd rather have more engaging storylines that bring the ratings up over a long period of time verses the flash and pan "tabloid like" storyline that does give a soap a ratings boots, but does not sustain the ratings for the long term. Thus we end up in the same position again of a soap on the ropes.
Also when Reilly headed both NBC soaps it was the same storylines pretty much being played out on both soaps slightly differently. That was not exciting either.
Reilly needed a co-headwriter over him to reel in his tendency to write far out there over the top storylines all the time and move the storylines along without the same boring repeated scripts everyday.
I remember hearing some Passions actors joke about fibbing lines because it sounded like the ones they had the day before.
22 March 2009
37 weeks 5 days
I think that's what sent DAYS into trouble, not the storyline, it was a ratings hit, it was the reveal that they all were still alive. DAYS should have forged ahead with everyone being dead and finding out someone else set Marlena up for the murders, in my opinion.
***
I´m pretty sure JER always wanted to bring the victims back. Otherwise the story doesn´t make any sense. For ex. nobody would care if Jennfer and Patrick got together and eventually some another newbie appeared to form a triangle. But letting Jen believe Jack is dead and move on with Patrick and next bring Jack back was exactly his MO. Not just that, but when Corday forced him to speed up the everybody is alive reveal, he created the DiMera Castle, which was just a different plot device for the same purpose. He didn´t have enough time to pair Marlena with Roman and John with Kate during Melaswen, Marlena and Roman had to "die" again and he finally put them together during DiMera Castle. And of course, the worse case of all, Jen and Patrick didn´t hook up even during Jack´s second absence, so he decided to bring in big guns, replaced Patrick with Frankie and forced Jack to die yet again so the triangle is finally born. JER just wanted to recreate the situation from early 90´s when most of the popular couples were split when he came on, or he split them himself.
22 January 2008
4 hours 25 min
Reilly's problems during his second stint could be traced to burn out. He was writiing two larger-than-life soap operas, both of which he demanded autonomy on, and both soaps definitely suffered because of it, that doesn't negate what hid did during his first successful run, where his ratings were sustained post buried alive, week after week, after week.
15 January 2009
3 min 48 sec
Reilly's problems during his second stint could be traced to burn out. He was writiing two larger-than-life soap operas, both of which he demanded autonomy on, and both soaps definitely suffered because of it, that doesn't negate what hid did during his first successful run, where his ratings were sustained post buried alive, week after week, after week.
---------
Reilly's plots though are always the same at least from the Passions days and forward.
On Passions every storyline had a protagonist and villainous antagonist. Beth, Liz, Kay, Rebecca, and Ivy were all variations of one another that existed at the same time.
On ATWT at one time Barbara was the resident Villainous woman who would do all the crazy things. You had vixens and a bitch or two. But none would come close what she was doing.
On Passions almost every woman was in such extreme desperation to get a man or seek revenge that they would all do over the top crimes at the same time.
22 January 2008
4 hours 25 min
Reilly's plots though are always the same
***
Not always. Later in the game, definitely, he had discovered a formula and began working it. But if you look back at characters like Billie Holiday Reed (Lisa Rinna) on Days, and what he did with Vivian Alamain once he took over as head writer, you will see that they didn't fit into the whole Sami/Austin/Carrie-Theresa/Ethan/Gwen template, but you are right, by the time Passions came along, he was utitlizing a template, and you never see me defend Passions.
15 January 2009
3 min 48 sec
Sami/Austin/Carrie-Theresa/Ethan/Gwen template, but you are right, by the time Passions came along, he was utitlizing a template, and you never see me defend Passions.
-----------
I think if Bill Bell had been called in to shape Passions up he could do to it what he did to Days back in the day.
Passions had the makings of a good soap opera. It just needed to get rid of the witch and living doll and go more Y&R'ish. Passions I always thought was like Y&R's mentally challenged sister.
22 January 2008
4 hours 25 min
Passions I always thought was like Y&R's mentally challenged sister.
***
ROTFLMAO!!
15 January 2009
3 min 48 sec
Jamey I have a good question for you. Cause this just still befuddles me to this day.
Renee Jones and James Reynolds proved that they could carry the show during The Best Babyswitch storyline I think ever. Renee Jones proved that she was a better actress acting wise than Kristen Alfonse and Deidre Hall. No one can deny that she wasn't lighting up that screen as Bad Lexie and Abe was playing the most meaty role in a storyline he had since his Generations days. Peter Brash and Paula Cwikly former co-head writers. Had had a lot of storyline planned for the Carvers and for Celeste with the whole thing about Caprice. Then the co-head writer's were abruptly demoted over some disagreement with the direction of the show and Abe and Lexie and Celeste were back to their usual place as the fillers of the show.
I would say that Renee Jones and Reynolds are up there in the realm of Victoria Rowell, Debbie Morgan, Darnell Williams, Tamara Tunie, and Kristoff Saint John acting wise.
Reynolds has had several Emmy nominations and Jones has deserved some.
How do you wrap your head around why they haven't utilized these actors to their full capacity?
Here is a reminder if you need it.
http://bit.ly/WJvNc
14 May 2008
4 hours 12 min
Passions on the same level as Y&R? I couldn't type that jive without laughing hard.
22 January 2008
4 hours 25 min
How you wrap your head around why they haven't utilized these actors to their full capacity.
***
David,
I haven't the foggiest idea. Black characters on all eight soaps seem to be an afterthought. I don't want to believe it's racism, I really think it's more indifference or people wanting to "write what they know". I think without black writers in daytime, or writers of any color who realize that drama is universal, to push for storylines, this will be all we get. Even a show like Y&R—which I am loving 80 percent of—which owes much of its success over the last two decades to their black stars and storylines—seem to not want to be bothered to tell stories featuring black actors. I have praised MAB and Co. for the masterfully restorative work they've done fixing the Abbotts, Chancellors, Newmans, etc. but util the Winters are given the same accomodation, I will keep speaking out.
With DAYS I guess I don't fight as hard for Renee and James, because I never really expected DAYS to tell strong stories featuring them. I can only count a handful. Lexie learning Stefano was her father and Celeste her mother, the Jonah temptation, the affairs with Brandon and Tek and of course the babyswitch, sticking out. The first time I really saw Lexie as more than the prototypical good doctor/friend to all the white women was during the baby switch story. She was fierce, and if I had my druthers, she would be on Y&R as a Drucilla recast or a new love interest for Neil.
23 January 2008
10 weeks 6 days
He should speak to Ellen Wheeler. Especially the part about the respect of the audience.
Her idea of great storytelling is killing the characters.
15 January 2009
3 min 48 sec
With DAYS I guess I don't fight as hard for Renee and James, because I never really expected DAYS to tell strong stories featuring them.
-----
Right. But once they gave me sample of what it was like to see them on the frontburner they can't go back. Shit I had 7 roommates all coming home to watch soaps and they hate soaps. But everyday they keep asking me if "That Screaming black lady was on today?" I guess because she was always in turmoil.
But damn-it they should send them both to Y&R. I mean both soaps have Sony in common and old Ken Cor'nay not Corday but Cor'nay owns 1% of Y&R so it shouldn't be hard.
15 January 2009
3 min 48 sec
Also there were a few characters I personally wouldn't have killed, i.e Jack Deveraux and Grandma Horton, but then Reilly didn't like Matt Ashford or Frances Reid—which pissed me off with him. Jack is one of my fave characters in all of soaps, as played by Matt, so Reilly having issue with him and Frances was a sticking point in my love affair with the writer.
------
Reilly just could have turned Alice into Edna Wallace...lol Then maybe he might have liked Francis Reed more. She and Vivian could have had a Lesbian Relationship. That was more Reilly's style...lol
And Jack? A reformed rapist? That kind of character is right up Reilly's alley seeing as there was a rape of the month on Passions its last few years on NBC. You think he would have turned Jack into a menacing
man sneaking through windows and impregnating the woman of Salem. He wouldn't get caught until Lexie's baby had his eyes...lol And then Jack could hold the key to saving the world over in...Italy.
24 February 2009
2 days 10 hours
I agree about the Winters. They need a LOT more airtime. Frankly I'd trade the "Scooby Gang" for them any day. I'm tired of Daniel, Amber, and Company. The Mac and Billy storyline annoys me too. They're trying to force the whole romance thing between them on the viewers and it's not working with me. They keep talking about things that I don't even know if they happened or not. I don't what happened to Ashley Bashioum, but I wish she could come back to the show or just scrap the character altogether. Too bad Clementine Ford is Cybill Shepherd's daughter or I think that she would be out in 3 months.
23 July 2008
12 weeks 5 days
Since were speaking of Reilly possibly needing a co-headwriter over him during his second reign, this just rings a bell to me. Gl, and pairing a head writing team with David Kreizman. I think that that was the best decision GL made in a LONGGG time. Their stories have picked up to such a greater capacity since then. So maybe this would be a key idea to look at for ATWT, AMC, and GH to look at. As shitty as their stories are, this would be great, especially for Jean Passanante, because the Lord knows that woman is too way to deep over her head. I mean, sometimes the Head Writing position is a tough job, and having assistance could really bring your writing skills back up to par (If you had any in the first place).
Annd I've got to agree more with Reckell. The family, the relationships, the characters. THAT is what makes a show. All that crazy bat shit Devil taking, and anything off of Passions just isn't what makes a ahow. Sure it's entertaining, and it gets ratings. But, the family and love, and the [true to life] fantasy of soaps are what makes you love them. And this is true, because God knows I couldn't have hung with Guiding Light if it hadn't been for the great chast and characters that took the worst of the worst and made it slightly bearable. But to me, that happiness and good feeling you get from the soaps is what keeps viewers.
And Scott, right now you just need to worry about convincing your hard-nosed wifey to sign her contract again. Lord have mercy.
15 January 2009
3 min 48 sec
I offer my services to AMC, ATWT, and GH. It is time for new blood. I have several ways to get these shows back on track. I can even correct Y&R better than Hell, Heffer, and Slammer.
GH: Make Sonny had been in a coma all these years and the mob gone.
ATWT: Bring back Marshall and company. A deadly feud between Lisa and Lucinda turns Oakdale upside down and sets and changes the lives of everyone.
AMC: Yvonne Caldwell (Vanessa Bell Colloway) returns to Pine Valley on the run from a murderous ex-singing Manager. Jesse promises to protect her, which, brings up the old jealousy Angie had and the memories of the day Jesse shot her father. Natalia and Bianca strike up a friendly bond which will drive Reese to plot and scheme out of jealousy. Brook returns and Erica becomes Jealous when she takes up with Jack her ex. And a much of a wishful return. Sarah Michelle Geller takes her role back as Kendall and plots against her mother during the cougar storyline.
Y&R: Write off Tyra, Mac, Heather, Eden, Jeffery. Hire; Renee Jones, Amelia Marshall, Victoria Rowell, Keith Hamilton Cobb and Tobais T. as little Nate...
Wait even better cancel B&B and spin the Winter's off into their own soap called Rosewood Park.
With
the above included actors and Bryton, Tatiana A., Tonya Lee Williams, Tamera Tunie, Lamman Rucker, James Reynolds, Matt Cendeo, Shari Headley, Kent Masters king, with Diane Caroll as the Diva. Also Sandra Santiago, Kamar De Los Reyes, Linsay Hartley ect...
About the epic Struggle between the Domingo's, Winter's and the Johnson's. Set in a fictional southside of Chicago Suburban city of Rosewood Park.
The Winter's move there when Neil starts his own company with the help of Katherine.
17 June 2009
3 weeks 3 days
I LOVE ED SCOTT's work when he done great work for Y&R,
he did alot for Days, by Dena Higley, was the rotten to the core that created the mess with him....I think Brad Bell better get Ed Scott to come to B&B!!! He belongs to CBS!! He would make ATWT and or GL better than it is now...Hey..I think Ed Scott could have save GL!!! Give Ellen Wheeler to AMC, since all teh ABC soaps are garbage and not exciting like it used to be...AMC is boring, 0ltl is dead and GH was exciting until Martha Byrne, LOVE her is on..hope they keep her and put Sonny and the Mob in a coma...GH should be the Grey Anatomy of Daytime not the Sopranos.....
Y&R is the best on daytime love the storyline of Adam with Ashley and I love the idea of him with Rafe!!!
B&B is getting better and can't wait to see Morgan Fairchild on B&B with a all star studded cast!
ATWT was great in the beginning...wanna see Noah & Luke make love on screen!!! Bring back the grande dame Lucinda and her storyline!!! Not liking Craig Montgomery unless Scott Bryce is back..he brought big rating to the show...GL need to be save!!! GL belong on the air and only on Lifetime..is GL gonna survive...I pray each day!!!!
With Days with all the Emmy nominations, that is because Ed Scott did all the work, not Dena or Corday!!!
20 April 2009
2 years 2 weeks
And I take issue with you. Reckell was right on. Scott brought back LOVE stories; families that were about love, as opposed to the current hatefilled nonsense.
Scott's airplane crash and Bo's illness were classic soap opera...and umbrella story involving lots of people.
The crash changed lives and had an aftermath. It affected the victims and their families differently and there was follow up. THIS DAYS is all about da plot. No aftermath; no continuity; little or no family love.
None of Ej's crimes or his father's crimes matter now. Suddenly Ej is victimized by those rotten Bradys? Give me a break. Dena has come off as a embittered witch and you want to talk about labor issues. She was a scab and ignored her fellow writers.
Dena got rid of class acts like Steve and Kayla. Why when there were plans for her daughter to be the next Dimera victim. I know why. Because there would be so much justification for Steve to kick the crap out of Ej. And John's son...Brady. What the heck? He ought to be plotting to make Ej pay for what he did to John. But Dena and Tomlin was PASSIONS II. No thanks.
Reckell hit the nail on the head. Scott's time there got fans excited again. After the plain crash there were so many follow up stories. Instead we are now stuck with the endless Sami and Ej show......a show centered on hate and sadism. If Peter and Kristian were not on the show, I would tune out and never look back.
20 April 2009
2 years 2 weeks
I am so sick and tired of hearing about how that B movie, piece of crap Reilly's possession saved DAYS. It was cheesy and silly and appealed to the lowest common denominator. But it worked up against the OJ mentality of the day. However, Reilly's adolescent writing did not have sustainability. It has been proven over and over and over. The shock approach is not long lasting and was never the answer for a genre where loooooong means decades not, three seasons. The reason is that the shock has to continue to outshock the last. While prime time learned that when they played that silly game, they jumped the shark, the long time fans of daytime who are much more loyal to actors and characters, kept daytime alive. But even loyal fans have their limits. Reilly appealed to adolescent who outgrew his style.
This is why so many are disgusted with the genre. Rapists are romantic heroes. Violence and sadism towards innocents are acceptable behavior for the leading men. What's next? Pedophiles or homophobes as the leading men?
The Reilly mentality has hurt the genre because people believe that he is why the soaps were saved. It's nonsense.
22 January 2008
4 hours 25 min
Rapists are romantic heroes.
***
I must have missed the news report about James E. Reilly penning General Hospital's Luke and Laura origin storyline, or DAYS Bill and Laura story in the 60's? Rapists have been made heroes in soaps long before Reilly. And you can call it nonsense all you want, but the ratings told the story, and they held longer than three seasons. DAYS started a steady climb frum Buried Alive and lasted until Reilly left to do passions. All the stuff he did on Passions, I will leave to a Passions fan to defend, which I was not. I am talking strictly his first stint on DAYS, which included the aforementioned demon possession storyline, which most assuredly did save Days of Our Lives. You can't re-write history. Only soap scribes can onscreen. That story kept DAYS on the air, so all the wonderful, precious writers who are so much better than Reilly could have their shots. He bought the show time, people can't take that away from his legacy. They can try, but I will still be here to remnd them of the facts, not opinions about his style or rhetoric, but the fact that DAYS went from 7 to 2 during Marlena's possession.
31 March 2009
7 weeks 6 days
I HAVE TO USE CAPS, I KNOW I SHOULD NOT, BUT I MUST.
THIS IS THE VERY REASON WHY NBC SHOULD BE SAVING GUIDING LIGHT RIGHT NOW AT THIS MINUTE. BECAUSE IT CAN BE DONE, BECAUSE THEY ARE DOING IT. GUIDING LIGHT NEEDS TO BE SAVED AND NBC DOESN'T SEEM SO AGAINST SOAPS IN THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED MORE NEW STUFF THAN ANYONE ELSE AND NEW GOOD STUFF, SANTA BARBARA, PASSIONS, SUNSET BEACH....
IF I WAS A NETWORK, A MAJOR NETWORK I WOULD SAVE GUIDING LIGHT JUST FOR THE ACTORS.
IT SHOULD BE DONE, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE. GL NEEDS TO BE SAVED.