So Days Is Totally Getting Canceled Next Year, Right?
Well, there's more backstage turmoil afoot at Days of Our Lives, where co-executive producer Ed Scott has been fired. (And there's more to the drama, including rumored replacements; check out Daytime Confidential's other entries for the details.) I'm no expert, but running through head writers and showrunners like knock-off Kleenex is a bad sign, right? For a show already rumored to be on the brink of cancellation? Executive producer Ken Corday sure does make some interesting decisions. I'm particularly skeptical since I read the rumor that he's a huge fan of Dena Higley, doesn't want to see her go, and would choose her over Ed Scott; and that's following up on the 90s, when he was apparently a big fan of James E. Reilly. Does he actually watch the show? Like, with the volume on?
I am intrigued, however, by this idea of inheriting your parents' job. Maybe it's just that I have no frame of reference for that kind of thing. I mean, my father built power plants and my mother was a flight attendant, whereas I find even light-switches puzzling and rarely hand out peanuts to strangers. I understand there is such a thing as the family business, but shouldn't that be reserved for things like plumbing or furniture sales? It seems like helming a television show requires a very specific skill set, one which can't necessarily be taught (even assuming someone wants to learn). I assume Ken Corday is a nice/good guy, and maybe the fact that this show is tanking like whoa under his watch is purely coincidental, but it's getting a little difficult to believe that.
But on to a much more important issue: I have two weeks of Days on Tivo. (The Olympics are very time-consuming!) Should I have several cocktails before sitting down to start plowing through these episodes? Or will I be pleasantly surprised? Will the two weeks cover more than one day in Salem? Will I be able to resist throwing a shoe through my screen at Marlena? And most importantly, how ridiculously good-looking is James Scott?
Frankly the last two weeks have been a tremendous improvement on the show IMO. Many think that is ES's influence which therefore of course Ken goes and fires him.
But I've been waiting for what seems like a very very very very long time for a SD recap of these last few weeks. Days is the only soap I watch so I always look forward to your Days postings.
Posted by: Tripp | August 17, 2008 at 11:08 PM
The behind the scenes stuff is more intersting than the show. Good news is Stefano is back. Bad news the whole week consists of running around the hospital filled w/ "vapors". As far as Marlena, she doesn't talk much, she just contorts her face a lot. And somehow Sami rips open EJ's shirt in this past episode. Yum!
Posted by: Stephanie | August 17, 2008 at 11:14 PM
Just because EVERYONE in the know heaps critical praise on Ed Scott and scorn on Dena Higley means nothing. NOTHING! Ken Corday knows exactly what he's doing, and the ratings have and likely will continue to prove that.
Days hasn't been able to beat the nauseatingly bad General Hospital for some time, right?
Yeah. Ken Corday. Genius.
Posted by: Danny | August 17, 2008 at 11:22 PM
So disappointed in Ken Corday's decisions...I just don't get him at all!
Posted by: Lane | August 18, 2008 at 12:09 AM
Mon-Wed I thought were pretty good but I haven't had the chance catch up with Thurs or Friday yet.
Posted by: JC | August 18, 2008 at 12:39 AM
Does anyone know which actress was allowed to rewrite her lines with Scott's permission?
Posted by: Nutter Butter | August 18, 2008 at 03:56 AM
I too found myself in the unenviable position of having a Days Tivo marathon looming ahead. I pulled the trigger and just deleted them all. Life is too short. Sad for a girls who has watched Days regularly since before Kristian Alfonso was of legal drinking age. Shoot, it may have been before she was of legal age period.
But I just couldn't bear to waste the time fast forwarding through Max and Stephanie and his nuSis and the horror that is Chelsea / Daniel. Even the normally entertaining Dimera clan couldn't hold my interest. Sad.
Posted by: Amy Busby | August 18, 2008 at 09:04 AM
Becca,
I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the last two weeks in Salem. In fact, given your love for '80's flashbacks there are a couple of days that might just make you squee.
Posted by: esp13 | August 18, 2008 at 09:50 AM
The orange shoes alone made the firing necessary, I'm sure. The script writing/rewriting controversy is way more interesting than the show, but I am enjoying the lock down story.
Posted by: Jes | August 18, 2008 at 10:14 AM
I watched three weeks of Days over the weekend, thus I'm all Days-ed out, but it was rather enjoyable. Having JS and JKJ on-screen always helps, though.
I never heard one bad thing about Ed Scott, which puzzles me even further on why he was fired. Dena Higley, on the other hand...
Posted by: Christina | August 18, 2008 at 01:11 PM
Well, this is the man who put James E. Reilly in complete creative control of the show not once but twice.
Posted by: Chad | August 18, 2008 at 02:04 PM
When is James Scott not ridiculously good looking?
Posted by: Hollyann | August 18, 2008 at 04:29 PM
First off I'm really disappointed that they fired Ed Scott. Everyone raved about the improvements the show went under upon his arrival. From casting to lighting plus the actors seemed to love him. I hope Corday knows what he's doing.
As for whether to watch the show?? I haven't watched the show in over two months due to the crappy storylines that someone (Dena or Ed?!?) thought would be great for summer. Of course they were wrong and the ratings reflected how awful it was. But last week was fabulouos! Thank God for Stephano and the Olympics. Dena hinted on her blog that she was holding out the good stuff so people would look for Days during the Olympics.
Well it was worth it, if just for this past Friday's episode. The Sami/EJ stuff was great. The fact that Sami had to rip his shirt totally open to inspect for injuries was sooooo gratuitous and soooooo brilliant.
And seeing the look on Nicole's face when she saw the video feed was just the cherry on top.
Now if the show was this consistently good the show would be safe. But soon enough we will be forced to watch more Stax,Chan and Nicole stuff and that's where the show starts to falter for me.
Posted by: Angmc | August 18, 2008 at 04:53 PM
I knew you hadn't been watching Days, I've been rather sad not to have recaps to comment on. You guys skipped right over rejoicing with us on granny!sex, elevator!sex and several other things.
That being said, watch the last couple of weeks. They've been really good. Stefano is back and awesome, Tanna! are front and center, Chan is not on, Stax was actually semi-fun in Paris, Melanie seems like she's going stir up a lot of shit, EJ is hot as ever as is Philip.
I'm the first to admit a lot of Higley's stuff has sucked and I hate the backstage turmoil, but whomever was writing the last few weeks has my full support. The noir stuff today was gorgeous to watch. (James Scott in boxers, please show us this again!)
Looking forward and hoping that you do give us a recap soon.
Posted by: Nolebucgrl | August 18, 2008 at 07:32 PM
Yes, James Scott is ridiculously good looking and any show that has Sami gratuitously ripping his shirt open to check for "injuries" is must-see-tv in my book, so give it a glance. As for the rest, argh .. I don't know who any of these nickname couples are (don't you guys have a rule about no cute nicknames -- or is that only in the forum) so I can't speak to 'em, but yeah, the show has been pretty good in the past few weeks -- the highlights being Staphano's return and subsequent scenery chewing ... and Marlena not being able to talk. (Always a plus!)
Posted by: Kazou | August 18, 2008 at 11:32 PM
[quote]As for the rest, argh .. I don't know who any of these nickname couples are (don't you guys have a rule about no cute nicknames -- or is that only in the forum)[/quote]
Well I thought they were pretty clear, and it was easier than typing it all out, but for clarification purposes, Stax = Stephanie and Max, Chan = the insipid Chelsea and Dan, Tanna! = Tony and Anna. Sorry to confuse you so and sorry if the nicknames were verboten.
Posted by: Nolebucgrl | August 21, 2008 at 12:30 PM
IF the past two weeks was written by Ed Scott and actress then they need a raise, not condemnation.
The past two weeks have been great, especially when you compare if to the last several months of severe sleep inducing ones.
With Ed Scott gone and Higley's ego not allowing her work to be criticized I'm afraid DAYS days are numbered.
Posted by: SaggyBaskets | August 22, 2008 at 07:25 AM