SanDiegoInExile

Thanks to Kate's $5M.

They haven't done that in decades. The four surviving daytime dramas usually identify a recast by having other cast members refer to them by character name. In this case, I am 1000% certain that Fallon and Sam will have snarky quips that mock the recast. I really wish they had just ditched Crystal #2. She really didnt have much of a logical storyline. A new character, with the same name, and a new backstory would have been OK.

On Tuesday, they spent the first few minutes of Host Chat announcing the 32nd Year of "Live" and "Gelman". Then acknowledged the 19th Anniversary for Mrs Consuelos. Then, a smattering of applause for Ryan's Year Three. Perhaps there was some hurricane coverage which led to some stations airing a rerun?

Seems rather clear to me. The actress is not very strong and the producers/writers do not feel she is capable of carrying an episode/storyline. While that may or may not be true, most actors would be thrilled to cash a weekly paycheck from a long-running network show. Given the huge raises that the two leads earned in the last renewal, it's actually surprising they didn't cut some costs.

I agree that the bottom line is $$$. GMA Third Hour is getting it's FOURTH revamp next month. retitling the show to include some Keke person who co-hosted this summer. TODAY already has four hours, including the tailspin known as Fourth Hour. When you open the NBC app, and select to list shows by MOST POPULAR, DOOL is front and center, Number 1. The world still gets its jollies by hyping the "Nielsen Ratings", as bogus as they have been for a decade-plus. Streaming data remains closely held, and I imagine that's one reason that Sony sticks around. NBC knows that data as well. Corday Productions is a microscopically small company when it comes to Hollywood production companies. If Kenny were to keel over tomorrow, I'm not sure what would happen to it. Sony is a behemoth. Comcast/NBC/Universal is even larger. Clearly DOOL has value, even in this crazy marketplace. We really only know a few things. We know that NBC will air DOOL until September 18, 2020. We also know that DOOL will conclude taping of that episode by the end of 2019 (they just finished taping the April 15, 2020 episode -- that means only 5 months left before the existing NBC deal expires). We also know that the studio space has been sold and either an extension is needed or a new taping location will be needed as of 1-1-20. We know that NBC is launching a Netflix-like streaming program in early 2020. And we know that the Sony lawsuit is in accelerated mediation, making an overall decision likely by the end of 2019. ETA: Now watch, next week, we will hear about a 5-year long-term NBC renewal..... <ha>

I don't think that's at all the plan. NBC is launching its own hybrid version of Netflix/CBSAllAccess in 2020 and will be desperate for content. Corday likely does want to get away from Sony, some cash would be nice. But freedom to market the show, and perhaps an investor with deep pockets, seems the goal. Meanwhile, Corday Productions will already have a proven show with a built in fanbase. And a year's worth of content, ready to air. Broadcast ratings have cratered in all dayparts for NBC, so it isn't about to walk away from DOOL for a Fifth Hour Of Today or local infomercials. Affiliates aren't clamoring for cancellation. I think we still only have one market where the show is exiled to "middle of the night" (Salt Lake City). A few affiliates have tinkered with the timeslot, only to return DOOL when their "big dreams" failed. The show has been having returnees and "end points" every since Marlena awoke from her coma and grabbed John on the pier in 1991. It's been the standard for nearly 20 years. Instead of cultivating new favorites, the show recycles mostly popular past stars -- most of whom are not recognizable outside of the daytime viewership. Ari Zucker is vastly more well-known as Trumpie's Escort than as Nicole Walker. Will DOOL get a 5-year renewal in 2020? Absolutely not. I can see how the show might end up in some legal limbo, or purgatory, burning off their year-long inventory while the SONY case is resolved. I think the bad contract Corday signed with SONY is stopping anyone from stepping forward as a new investor, or new syndicator, for the show. If that contract can be ended, then new contracts can be made. That said, the show is going to change. We are almost there already. I can see a world in which a core of 20 regulars are getting 1-episode-a-week contracts, another smaller core of as few as 5 or 6 getting 2+ guarantees. And then roughly a half-dozen others floating in for 13-26 week cycles, getting heavy airplay. Those actors can film most of those episodes in a 2-3 month window, sorta like how they do feature films. Honestly, they are almost at this point already.

Sony doesn't renew the show. NBC renews the show. It seems to be a weird setup, for sure. It appears that Sony behaves in the role of an Agent/Syndicator, matching CordayDOOL with broadcast outlets, whether domestic, international, or internet. Corday seems very unhappy with the arrangement that he made years ago. The judge seemed to point out that Sony adhered to its contractual obligations. Given all the changes we have seen in "broadcast television" in just the last decade, I'm not surprised that Corday Productions feels frustrated. I wonder if there is another entity out there who would bankroll some of their plans and more effectively market the show. I am surprised that NBC/Universal/Comcast hasn't wanted that role.

A very welcomed happy medium.

Or it is the lowest rated week of the summer and every single non-news program is deep in reruns. KLG and Hoda were rare with reruns, but they had several during their run, during the winter holidays and the dog days of summer. We may see reruns or re-packaged shows all week long. Er, rather, those who actually still tune in. It gives the whole production staff the chance to chill. I'm also expecting KLG will guest co-host at least one day of Hoda's Return.

And we can't forget ! ...and...

https://fetv.tv/ I had to stop watching once the dreadful Season Six began. I realize that the cast departures were unavoidable, but the show really lost its way with Julia Duffy/Jan Hooks/Judith Ivey. Independently, they were all fine actresses, but horribly mis-cast and mis-used. Seasons 3/4/5 were some of the best TV of that era. A great mix of silly and not-so-silly. And despite all the behind-the-scenes upheaval, the cast sparkled. It's too bad they rushed into trying to re-create the foursome. They should have added Sheryl Lee Ralph much much sooner, perhaps as a partner rather than trying to extend Meshach Taylor's 15 minutes of fame. Alice Ghostley brought the best mix of charm and dizzy. From what I recall, they rushed to get her back on the air when the Duffy/Hooks additions were spiraling toward disaster. They should have never used Jan Hooks as Charlene's sister. She would have played much better as a bookish know-it-all than some divorced country hayseed.

NBC isnt going to cancel DOOL any time soon. Today is in ratings freefall. Primetime is being propped up by Sunday Night Football and a rapidly fading Voice. Tonight/LateNight have fallen behind CBS. Folks have been predicting DOOL's doom for 25 years -- usually those who slobber all over soaps on competing networks or posters who covertly work/run/manage click-bait-y soap sites on the web. It seems very unlikely that the Sony suit will be resolved in the next 12 months. The TV landscape is changing wildly, so it is hard to predict what the 2020s will bring. Shows are getting renewed with paltry viewership. DOOL is the most accessed program on the NBC app. NBC has plans to launch its own version of CBS All Access at some point in 2020. It needs content that will bring eyeballs. Sure, some affiliates probably want that hour so they can run their local news from 11A til 7PM or pocket some cash with infomercials. NBC needs proven content. Will there be a multi-year renewal again? Probably not until the Sony matter is resolved.

Last time I checked, no one on TV lives the life than 99.98% of us live. One could always: Skip going to college Convince your parents to let you move to NYC on your own just after you turn 18 Spend a few weeks gyrating in the background on a locally-produced dance show Land a 10+ year gig as part of a third tier supercouple on a network daytime drama. Be readily available when the #1 syndicated morning show needs an emergency fill-in guest (and be charming and cheerful while answering softball questions) Meet, romance, and marry one of NYC's most eligible, most attractive "bachelors" Remain on-screen during three pregnancies, quickly returning post-caesarian. Sit beside a 1950s relic for a decade, gentling mocking his obsessive love for a midwestern college, an obnoxious baseball team, and aging pop relics, all the while impressing the "suits" with her calm demeanor and girl-next-door persona. Star in 80 episodes of a mostly dreadful network sitcom, while keeping her day job. Ingratiate herself with the most powerful force in Manhattan: The Gay Mafia. Launch a mostly feeble production company with her mostly under-employed husband. Raise three seemingly well-adjusted kids (until the tell-alls come out in 2040) Successfully re-launch a 20-year-old syndicated program with an untested co-host, keeping ratings steady in an era of dwindling audience counts. Demonstrate a remarkable balance of outrage, anger, disappointment, and frustration when network executives hired away her co-host with no game-plan, something that likely would have been handled differently if the gender roles were reversed. Using that perceived slap in the face to negotiate an even better long-term deal. Successfully re-re-launch the now 3-decade old syndicated hour with a co-host who is more skilled, more famous, more well-regarded, and vastly more compensated. Never miss a day of scheduled work in nearly two decades. Remain an employee in good standing for 30+ years at the same corporation. Maintain a steady home presence while her now suddenly successful husband of 20_ years lives "in another country". I suppose we all really aren't all that different after all.

Ongoing chemo/treatments for a cancer recurrence? .......just wild unfair speculation.......

Yes, we all know that TV personalities just hate hate hate to be on-screen. There isn't a single employee at 30Rock who wouldn't kill for more time on-screen.

Clearly she negotiated the time off. It may be a combination of countless things: FMLA, short-term disability, vacation, unpaid time-off. I work for a Fortune 500 company. One can take as much time as one wants for the birth/adoption of a child - mother or father. You get fully paid for part of the time off and can add in whatever banked vacation time, then add in additional weeks at reduced pay. At some point, you don't receive pay and have to cover your own health insurance. But you can remain an employee in good standing. The only time limitation is 364 days. And likely that's even negotiable with your immediate manager. Hoda isn't working behind the 7-11 counter or sitting behind a desk staring at spreadsheets. She is a 20-year employee of one of the world's largest media companies. And she likely negotiated a real sweetheart deal when NBC was in Panic Mode post-Lauer. At our company, employees get 18 days of annual vacation from Day 1 (plus 8 paid company holidays). After 10 years, it goes to 28 days. At 20 years, it maxes at 35 days/year. I imagine that Comcast/NBC/Universal has similar guidelines for its staff. On-air talent could even have more negotiated into their personal contract. Hoda may have had weeks and weeks of time off due to her. Maybe someday we will hear the full story of her time off. Hoda has always milked her personal life for story ideas. When JBH announced her pregnancy, NBC pretty much threw in the towel for a Fourth Hour Re-Launch. NBC may have circled November Sweeps or even January 2020 as the launch date for the New Fourth Hour and told both mommies to be back on their stools for that.

Gee, let's pull out a 2.5 year old comment.... The Donald was a frequent guest on "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee". Plus, I am pretty sure KLG was somewhat besties with the first mistress, Marla Maples. KLG and The Donald were both big time 1980-90s NYC personalities. It's ancient history. In more recent times, KLG co-hosted the 2017 National Tree Lighting with Dean Cain. Ostensibly, it's non-partisan, and The Donald kept his distance. I vaguely recall that KLG pulled out the "Do it for my country, respect the office" mantra that tens of millions of GOP-ers keep handy. Plus, a gig is a gig. And we have always known that is KLG's thing. There's little doubt she is a Republican, though she has always had that "live-and-let-live" streak in her. She may have been preachy at times, but she didnt pull out the fire-and-brimstone hatred that permeates The Trump Party in 2019.

And more power to her. Johnny Carson worked three days a week and had over 20 weeks of vacation in his final few years. She negotiated her deal and the ABC suits agreed to it. I didn't read about a hostage situation in NYC when the agreement was forced onto ABC syndication. I'm running over to the Ellen forum to see all the misogynistic comments there. After all, she takes THE ENTIRE SUMMER off. What are these 21st century women thinking !!! (/sarcasm)

They could have hired Ariana Chase. She filled in nicely when Patsy had her first -- or was it second, maybe it was her third -- mental breakdown abrupt sudden departure..

You aren't the only fan. Anderson Cooper was supposed to co-host the first half of this week, so they were lucky that Mark was in town and ready to go. Not sure I would sign up for a full time Ripa-Consuelos hosting gig. Regis often co-hosted with his second wife. I think he even co-hosted with each of his daughters a couple times. That's the next thing to happen. Looking forward to Live! with Kelly and Lola !

Thanks for pointing this out.

No pearls to clutch here. It's great that a family can be open about sexuality. Daughter Lola likely learned the importance of knocking...at least until Markie is back on the Left Coast.. Anderson was supposed to co-host today and Tuesday. I don't think news of Mrs Vanderbilt's passing hit until after the 9AM ET live show was concluded, though no doubt the Ripas were aware. That knowledge might make the Sex Talk a tad more tacky -- though I vaguely recall that Gloria babbled about very much the same thing happening to Anderson.

I wondered what was going on. I guess DirecTVnow doesn't have the updated listings yet. I checked last night and had a week's worth of cra* programming instead of HH. They still have the show listed for 10P/1A ET, and the DVR is recording dreadful programs. I am not liking AT ALL the way the new owners of HGTV are handling this show. All the re-purposed nonsense, kicking the narrator aside. I know that Discovery is known for being bargain basement cheap, from production to promotion, but really, how much are they saving by ditching the narrator and re-tooling a couple episodes a week?

The notion that storylines are changed based on fan reaction is long outdated and anecdotal at best. The execs in charge see what works and what doesnt as they are producing the show. They work within the constraints given to them by dwindling budgets, actor availability, network guidance/interference, and contractual limitations. They scrap ideas and plot developments all the time, which is why we sometimes get a jumble. Filming so far ahead does have a major negative impact -- mostly because of the rabid fanbases, being so deep in bed with the soap media, and actors spilling info on social media. Unless Ken Corday's plan is to have a solid year of product in the bank, ready to sell to the highest bidder, they are going to need a major filming hiatus at some point. ETA: I do think having an inventory is part of Corday's Plan for a post-Sony DOOL. He will have valuable product in the form of a couple hundred hours of un-aired network quality content. He can shop that around to interested parties as we move further and further away from scheduled daily appointment TV.

I am waiting to root for Blake and Crystle #3.