Like Sand Through an Hourglass: Behind the Scenes of DOOL

[SanDiegoInExile]

1 hour ago, CanaryFan98 said:

I think Corday wants to break free of Sony its not really just $$$ however I think Days has resigned themselves to the fact that they aren't going to be renewed so we're seeing a lot of returns and characters being written off getting a HEA and probably never to return again or unless Days gets renewed(although it seems grim at this point)

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.

[CanaryFan98]

Well ABC didn't need another hour of Good Morning America and yet they have one and that was after they cancelled the replacements of AMC/OLTL.

If there's something cheaper and more cost effective they will use it they don't care if it grabs viewers at this point if networks really cared about the soaps they would've done more to keep the soap genre alive in the first place instead of letting them die their slow painful death the last 20 years.

[Irlandesa]

2 hours ago, SanDiegoInExile said:

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. 

Due to the changes you mentioned, it's getting to be a less common set up as more and more networks want to own the shows they air to maximize profit instead of mostly relying on advertising.  But soaps like DOOL, B&B and Y&R are older shows and come from an era when production companies tended to produce shows and the networks distributed them.  Only ABC owned its soaps, I believe. 

2 hours ago, SanDiegoInExile said:

I am surprised that NBC/Universal/Comcast hasn't wanted that role.

I think they would consider it but I'm not sure how a set up like that would work.  I think buying the show would be cost prohibitive considering its 54 year history. Clearly Sony still sees value in it as it issues takedown notices on YouTube videos of ancient clips unavailable elsewhere. I guess they could try doing what Prospect Park and ABC did with AMC/OLTL where NBC licenses everything about the show without outright owning it for a period of time but I don't know if NBC would see that as a better deal than what it has now.  

[SanDiegoInExile]

2 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

Well ABC didn't need another hour of Good Morning America and yet they have one and that was after they cancelled the replacements of AMC/OLTL.

If there's something cheaper and more cost effective they will use it ...

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>

Edited August 29, 2019 by SanDiegoInExile

[CanaryFan98]

Hey if its renewed great Days will have more sand in that hourglass but I find it easier to prepare for the end at this point especially since each passing year the budget gets smaller and smaller.

[QueenSerena]

I noticed this clarification on the sale of the Burbank Studios and how it affects Days last night:

It doesn't guarantee anything in terms of a renewal, but at least they don't have to find another studio for a few more years (if they're still around at that point). Freddie Smith was on set Friday, and it appeared construction began this past week. The cast apparently has to park quite a ways from the studio for now (to the point where he got a lift from his car to the studio in a golf cart), but once this phase is done they'll get to park ridiculously close. I can't imagine the studio space will be cheap once the construction is fully completed - the project is expected to cost over $1 billion for WB! 😬

[CanaryFan98]

https://www.soapoperanews.net/2019/09/days-of-our-lives-alum-rocci-chatfield.html

Days of Our Lives Alum Rocci Chatfield Passed Away!

Two-time Daytime Emmy nominee, Rocci Chatfield, has passed away at the age of 93 on August 24th. Chatfield started her television writing career in the early 1960s and wrote for shows like My Three Sons, Little House on the Prairie, Generations, Knots Landing, and Days of Our Lives. The latter for which she earned her Emmy nominations for in 1978 and 1979. 
In addition to her written works, Chatfield served as the governor on the Television Academy's Writers Peer Group for six terms and spent another two terms on the group’s executive committee. She also was a member of the WGA's negotiating committee during the 1988 writers strike and received the guild's service award for her contributions to the organization.
Soap Opera News sends our condolences to Ms. Chatfield’s loved ones during this time. 

[enchantingmonkey]

Here's a promo from when Rocci Chatfield was a writer on the show.  

Who is Julie's long lost brother, and is that Steven Schnetzer playing him???

[CanaryFan98]

1 hour ago, enchantingmonkey said:

Here's a promo from when Rocci Chatfield was a writer on the show.  

Who is Julie's long lost brother, and is that Steven Schnetzer playing him???

Steven Olson and yes its SS playing him. This was before he became Cass on AW.

[WendyCR72]

15 minutes ago, CanaryFan98 said:

Steven Olson and yes its SS playing him. This was before he became Cass on AW.

Yeah, Steve Olson is one of Addie's three children, thus making Steve grandson to Tom and Alice, brother to Julie, and half-brother to Hope. Not sure if Steve ever interacted with Hope either as a baby/child or Tammy Taylor's teen version. I know for sure he has not been around in the 30+ years Kristian Alfonso has played Hope.

[CanaryFan98]

1 minute ago, WendyCR72 said:

Yeah, Steve Olson is one of Addie's three children, thus making Steve grandson to Tom and Alice, brother to Julie, and half-brother to Hope. Not sure if Steve ever interacted with Hope either as a baby/child or Tammy Taylor's teen version. I know for sure he has not been around in the 30+ years Kristian Alfonso has played Hope.

He interacted with the TT version of Hope but not KA's version. The show acts like Hope was the only child of Doug's too even though I believe he had a son named after him as well.

[WendyCR72]

1 minute ago, CanaryFan98 said:

He interacted with the TT version of Hope but not KA's version. The show acts like Hope was the only child of Doug's too even though I believe he had a son named after him as well.

Oh, right. Dougie. Seen him mentioned in magazine write ups but have never seen anything of him nor do I know who his mother is, etc., or if he is even still alive. So Hope has TWO half-brothers and a half-sister.

[bannana]

1 hour ago, WendyCR72 said:

So Hope has TWO half-brothers and a half-sister.

Wait, what?  I knew that Julie is Hope's half sister even though they act like she is her mother (well, I guess she is her step mother).

But she has two brothers we have never seen?!?😲

[WendyCR72]

5 minutes ago, bannana said:

Wait, what?  I knew that Julie is Hope's half sister even though they act like she is her mother (well, I guess she is her step mother).

But she has two brothers we have never seen?!?😲

Look above at the YT video: Her half-brother Steve Olson [Addie's son, too] was on the show from the show's debut through the late '70s. Stephen Schnetzer played him before Another World, in the late 1970s. (Steve and Julie are full siblings.)

And yes, Doug has a son named Dougie. But that's all I know from reading.

[bannana]

Just now, WendyCR72 said:

Look above at the YT video: Her half-brother Steve Olson [Addie's son, too] was on the show from the show's debut through the late '70s. Stephen Schnetzer played him before Another World, in the late 1970s.

And yes, Doug has a son named Dougie. But that's all I know from reading.

That is so crazy.  Why wouldn't they have these characters around, if not on screen, at least mentioned?  

[WendyCR72]

3 minutes ago, bannana said:

That is so crazy.  Why wouldn't they have these characters around, if not on screen, at least mentioned?  

Well, the writers would have to research and know history. And, well...yeah. ETA: I know Stephen Schnetzer is basically New York based and doing voiceover work, but if he ever wants to dip back into soaps, Steve Olson popping up for a visit would be nice!

But it would be sort of funky if

Steve Johnson is still there. How to differentiate the two Steves?

[bannana]

6 minutes ago, WendyCR72 said:

Well, the writers would have to research and know history. And, well...yeah. ETA: I know Stephen Schnetzer is basically New York based and doing voiceover work, but if he ever wants to dip back into soaps, Steve Olson popping up for a visit would be nice!

But it would be sort of funky if

  Hide contents

Steve Johnson is still there. How to differentiate the two Steves?

Haha!  But what about Dougie?  Where is he, what has he been doing?  Has he ever been mentioned in the last 30 years?  He could show and be a holy terror.  

[WendyCR72]

3 minutes ago, bannana said:

Haha!  But what about Dougie?  Where is he, what has he been doing?  Has he ever been mentioned in the last 30 years?  He could show and be a holy terror.

Well, based on Doug's history on this page, Dougie came from a surrogacy and Doug allowed his mom to keep him, so it sounds like he had no role in the kid's life? But again, I don't know how accurate this history is...

[bannana]

6 minutes ago, WendyCR72 said:

Well, based on Doug's history on this page, Dougie came from a surrogacy and Doug allowed his mom to keep him, so it sounds like he had no role in the kid's life? But again, I don't know how accurate this history is...

That is awesome history.  But wait, is Doug the Sherri Shepherd of this story?  He just paid off the surrogate and abandoned the kid he originally ordered/wanted.  Doug, you seem like a sweet guy, but maybe not so much.  Dougie would be like in his 50s now.  Hope should want to meet her half-brother that her father discarded. 😒

[WendyCR72]

5 minutes ago, bannana said:

That is awesome history.  But wait, is Doug the Sherri Shepherd of this story?  He just paid off the surrogate and abandoned the kid he originally ordered/wanted.  Doug, you seem like a sweet guy, but maybe not so much.  Dougie would be like in his 50s now.  Hope should want to meet her half-brother that her father discarded. 😒

Well, when this happened, based on that history time line, I think Hope was still a kid, so I'm not even sure if she knows about him. (Maybe Doug shielded her about her would-be sibling [until being sure everything would go through or whatever]? I have no idea, but it makes me wonder if Hope is aware of him.)

[MsTree]

1 hour ago, WendyCR72 said:

Steve Olson popping up for a visit would be nice!

Especially now, with his sister in the hospital...almost on her deathbed.

[Silver Raven]

And Robert Clary from Hogan's Heroes was Dougie's stepfather, who gave him his last name of LeClaire.

[JBC344]

Typical Days. They spend the last 25yrs having Hope play "little sister" to a majority of the men on the show, all while ignoring that she has two brothers who could be brought back. 

Aren't we always talking about there being a deficit of Horton men. Steven could gladly fill that patriarch role. 

[CanaryFan98]

7 hours ago, JBC344 said:

Typical Days. They spend the last 25yrs having Hope play "little sister" to a majority of the men on the show, all while ignoring that she has two brothers who could be brought back. 

Aren't we always talking about there being a deficit of Horton men. Steven could gladly fill that patriarch role. 

That would require Days using actual history instead of creating new characters and retconning their pasts to fit with established ones.

I mean there was no need for a Daniel Jonas. Shawn Christian could've been Mike Horton sure he and Jennifer wouldn't happen but I'm not seeing a downside to this. Or he could've played Hope's brother too.. I mean this could've opened up a lot of storylines on this show for some of these characters who are directionless, stagnant etc.

[MsTree]

6 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

I mean there was no need for a Daniel Jonas.

Don't tell Ari Zucker this....

Edited September 13, 2019 by MsTree
grammar

[CanaryFan98]

16 hours ago, MsTree said:

Don't tell Ari Zucker this....

If it were that much of an issue she wouldn't have returned (that wouldn't have bothered me tbh and I used to like Nicole). Besides SC could've played Mike Horton so no really sure what the issue is if her man is employed.

[MsTree]

7 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

If it were that much of an issue she wouldn't have returned (that wouldn't have bothered me tbh and I used to like Nicole). Besides SC could've played Mike Horton so no really sure what the issue is if her man is employed.

It's where she met her man. I don't think Nicole would have had an affair with Mike Horton, so I'll go out on a limb and say that Ari is quite happy that there was a Daniel Jonas for her Nicole Walker.

Edited September 14, 2019 by MsTree

[CanaryFan98]

11 hours ago, MsTree said:

It's where she met her man. I don't think Nicole would have had an affair with Mike Horton, so I'll go out on a limb and say that Ari is quite happy that there was a Daniel Jonas for her Nicole Walker.

Nicole never had high standards when it came to men she married Victor after all granted it was for his money. She fell for Eric not sure how Mike would be that much different. I mean she was married to Lucas as well.

[SanDiegoInExile]

9 hours ago, CanaryFan98 said:

...... she was married to Lucas as well.

Thanks to Kate's $5M.

[Irlandesa]

Matt's oldest daughter got married this weekend to a woman named Michelle.  

https://soaphub.com/days-of-our-lives/days-lives-star-matthew-ashford-celebrates-daughters-wedding/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

(Gonna guess that Missy didn't go.)

It looks like she's doing some cool things. 

[WendyCR72]

5 hours ago, Irlandesa said:

Matt's oldest daughter got married this weekend to a woman named Michelle.  

https://soaphub.com/days-of-our-lives/days-lives-star-matthew-ashford-celebrates-daughters-wedding/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

(Gonna guess that Missy didn't go.)

It looks like she's doing some cool things. 

God, I'm old. I remember when the soap press covered her birth! But congrats to her!

[CanaryFan98]

Not sure why she would either way I mean Missy's daughter got married last year and the only person from the show that went was Kate Mansi. 

[CanaryFan98]

Wasn't sure where to post it but John/Marlena were featured in a Tide Commercial tonight

[WendyCR72]

1 hour ago, CanaryFan98 said:

Wasn't sure where to post it but John/Marlena were featured in a Tide Commercial tonight

WHY?!

[DisneyBoy]

Aww. Let them have their fun.

[tribeca]

That was cute.  Thanks for sharing 

[CanaryFan98]

18 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

WHY?!

Its rather random for a variety of reasons considering P&G killed GL and ATWT which led to other soaps being offed so to be a part of this is kind of strange.. 

The funny thing is it took a commercial to see J&M's bedroom.

[CanaryFan98]

I didn't realize there were soap actors who directed episodes of a soap on Days its now three Alison Sweeney and Edward Mallory were previous ones

[CanaryFan98]

https://soaphub.com/young-restless/hogan-sheffer-veteran-soap-head-writer-passes-away-at-61/

Hogan Sheffer, Veteran Soap Head Writer, Passes Away At 61

 

Prolific soap opera scribe Hogan Sheffer, known for his tenures at As the World Turns, Days of Our Lives, and  has passed away at the age of 61, according to sources close to the writer.

When Procter & Gamble announced that the York, Pennsylvania native had been hired to spearhead the As the World Turns writing team in 2000 the decision was met with immediate derision. Although Sheffer had an excellent track record at his previous post — as Director of Screenplay Development for DreamWorks — the writer candidly admitted to having never watched a soap opera.

However, under the guidance of its new overseer, As the World Turns saw a rise in ratings and found itself rewarded with 10 Daytime Emmy statuettes including two for Outstanding Drama Series (2000 & 2002) and four for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series (2000, 2001, 2003 & 2004).


After completing a five-year stint with the CBS sudser, Sheffer departed for what was intended to be a “17-week sabbatical,” but, during his absence, P&G chose not to extend his contract.


Sheffer did return to the series in a lower staffer position but in 2006 he transitioned over to the NBC serial Days of Our Lives where he worked as head writer until 2008. Subsequently, he accepted the position of co-head writer at CBS’ The Young and the Restless and plotted that series with incumbent Maria Arena Bell until 2012.

During a 2009 interview with Michael Fairman on the eve of As the World Turns series finale, actress Martha Byrne said of Scheffer, “(he) did give our show new life.”


In the same interview, Byrne positioned that Sheffer and former As the World Turns writer Douglas Marland would have been best friends because both men were, “equally passionate about the genre”

Soap Hub sends our sincerest condolences to Sheffer’s family and friends during this difficult time.

[CanaryFan98]

https://www.nine.com.au/entertainment/latest/days-of-our-lives-executive-producer-today-extra/18fb2c35-c28d-4c81-b8cf-e19b11024bf0

Days of Our Lives producer discusses the show's dramatic storylines

There is very little chance that you have never heard of the iconic soap opera Days of Our Lives, known best for its dramatic storylines and larger-than-life characters. (And you can watch daily episodes on 9Now.)

Ken Corday, the show's longest-running executive producer, appeared on Today Extra to discuss the show, which has recently been renewed for a 55th season, and shared a few of his favourite moments over the past six decades.

And you could even say that soap operas were in his blood.

"It was unfortunate that my father never saw the first anniversary of those first episodes," he revealed, as it was his father who was the show's first EP.

"My mum took it on from 1966 to 1980 when I came in, and it's been a wonderful experience: it's a family business," he said. "You learn from your mentors, and my parents were my mentors. They understood soap operas."

Bu that wasn't the first time that Ken found himself on the set of the show. He had been composing most of the show's music, from the iconic title scenes, to the all-important flourishes of sound in dramatic moments of action.

"I was composing the music and had no desire to produce, but I later realised there was more to this show than just the music," he revealed.

"I've won five Emmys for composing. It's called a soap opera, and if you watch the show without the music — not to pat myself on the shoulder — it just wouldn't be the same. The music is a frame for the drama."

But when a show runs for almost 60 years and 55 seasons, you would think that you would start to run out of dramatic plotlines. There have been fake deaths, evil twins, sudden illness and surprise siblings: even a demonic possession.

So how do you keep a long-running show fresh?

"We tend to repeat ourselves every 10 years or so. Shakespeare tells us there are only 10 or 12 great plots in drama, so we do return to the well every now and then," Ken said.

And the show has definitely been credited with starting important conversations and breaking boundaries for what can and has been seen on television.

"You take the time out to say, 'OK, we're going to do a public service now', like when we addressed abortion, which is still a slippery slope in America right now, and we had the first gay marriage on television, which was ground-breaking. But our bread and butter is adventure, romance and suspense. We usually stay away from news."

And with so many characters, twists and turns to choose from, what would Ken say is his favourite moment from Days of Our Lives?

"My favourite storyline was the devil possession," he said.

"I first said, 'No, you're mad this will never work!' But we did it for a few weeks, and the story was meant to play out and then end at Christmas, but it ended up going on until Easter."

Well it seems as though, like sands through the hourglass, such are the demonic possessions of our lives.

[BoldDays]

Thanks for sharing @CanaryFan98. This is publicity posted by an Australian site as Days and Y&R have just come back to free to air TV in Australia a few weeks ago, after being dropped  a few years ago. (It has still been available on cable.) I actually saw the free to air return as a good sign for its longevity although obviously Aus is a small market🤞

Edited October 11, 2019 by BoldDays

[DisneyBoy]

So wait....the show has been renewed again?

[CanaryFan98]

3 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

So wait....the show has been renewed again?

No just that its returned in Australia not that its actually renewed by NBC (it would be way bigger news if it were)

[DisneyBoy]

Okay thanks, I thought I missed something...

[CanaryFan98]

[Silver Raven]

Jason47 is reporting that Show is going on a four month shooting hiatus.  They're currently filming June and writing July.

[BoldDays]

The good news was the site mentioned it might reduce the gap between filming and airing. Hallelujah! 

[peachmangosteen]

That's good news. That schedule was ridiculous.

[CanaryFan98]

If it sticks and Days gets renewed yes that's good news but if it gets cancelled or renewed and an even bigger budget cut etc then not so much.

[QueenSerena]

That's the second time I've seen about the big production break being mentioned at a fan event. It was either last weekend or the weekend before that Freddie Smith and Eric Martsolf had a fan event where one of them told fans that the break would begin November 27th, and last for 3 months. That would put them back in early March, but it also sounds like a very fluid situation (hence the March/April language Jason's using).

Any renewal or cancellation news would occur no later than February, so they would need about a month to plan out and write whatever they're coming back to - a show that will continue vs. the end. I just hope they have all their ducks in a row with respect to actor & writer contracts, the crew, etc. The actors and crew had better be able look for work in the interim, though the writers may not be afforded that luxury if they intend to stay. I'm pretty sure the actors on contract through the break will still be paid, I just don't think it would be fair to ask them to sit there and do nothing when they very likely could find short-term gigs within a 3-month window.

Petty QueenSerena checking in again: Just give me a new head writer (not named Dena) either way after the break. 🙃

Edit - Oh! And I forgot to say that I hope they actually slow down each day of production, as well. Their schedule is obviously crazy enough, but they took out rehearsals, blocking, etc. and essentially left it all to the actors. Then everything gets slapped together once everyone arrives on set, and quite frankly it shows. If they took more time to develop the scenes, and allowed for more than one take, the show could improve so much.

Edited October 14, 2019 by QueenSerena