DAYS Writers Fired/Replaced (Read 1,964 times)

[Tom Horton]

All of the stuff that Higley "wrote" you can count as Tomlin writing. JER wrote the possession storyline. JER wrote supernatural overtones into what were otherwise well developed plot lines and character development. Tomlin can't write depth of character or plot and relies heavily on the shock and awe factor but not through the supernatural, instead he likes to write dreary and demented tales of violence, abuse and persecution, like the warm fuzzy Christmas episodes when baby Johnny was having his eye cut out and Hope was being beaten half to death by a corrupt prison guard with a stocking full of oranges.

[Kpatch]

^^For the benefit of those who don't know, JER is James Reilly.

[slyn11]

I hated the JER years. I actually enjoyed the Tomlin/Higley/Whitesell years most of all. I think it just depends on what you are looking for in a soap or a story for that matter. Certain writers mesh with certain tastes better.

The Higley years of OLTL were my favorite of that soap as well...and I remember thinking I couldn't stand her stuff....but looking back on it...those were must see times for me. When she was canned, I barely could get into it afterward.

I am cautiously optimistic for this change. I have been wishing for it...and many a day I have thought, "I want the old writers back". I don't know if they can make the show emmy worthy...but I bet they can make it more exciting than this.

[Trey]

Can't we get fresh writers? *coughjkjpatchcough*

[Kpatch]

Thanks Trey! If I had known they were looking, I'd have sent my resume. No TV experience, but I've written a ton for Days, plus I know show and character history.

[Tom Horton]

I wouldn't mind Higley back as much as Tomlin because at least Higley doesn't actively try to change a soap into a different one. Tomlin was trying to turn Days into Passions. The positives I can see are these:
1) Days fired Tomlin before they can easily fire him again; 2) They announced his firing to much fanfare and hoopla and have announced his return with as little notice as possible; 3) In all of the fanfare about the reset, Days released several remarks that were barely disguised disses at Tomlin; 4) In the past 6 months, they have managed to reverse everything it took him 3 years to put in place; 5) he is returning as co-HW not co-EP and the co-EP does love Days; 6) from Marlene's tweet we know that the creative direction is dictated to the writers from above, I can't imagine why whoever has that power now would suddenly give it up just because there is a new set of writers, esp. when that position is one they obviously have no problem switching out at short intervals.

[angelatil]

Apr 4, 2012 14:51:14 GMT -5 slyn11 said:

I am very pleased they got rid of Mar and Dar. I thought they were awful. I didn't even feel like I was watching a soap most of the time. There was no depth of emotion, poor continuity, minimal use of character and minimal character development, extremely bad recycled storylines...it was like watching a sixth grade writing class try to run a show.

Not to mention they kept bringing back older and older characters. No wonder their 18-49 demo ratings dropped...no one wants to watch a show about their grandparents...not even grandparents.

Not sure how I feel about their rumored replacements though....hmmm.

I did enjoy Days the most ever IN MY LIFE during 2008 thru early 2011, so maybe I will be happier with these two back on the scene.

I agree with Slyn. I am 100% glad they are getting rid of the current writers. The show just....the only good story line they have going is the Will one, which I love. Other than that....I don't know about you guys but I have been a Days fan for 20 years now and I do not want to see it get cancelled if at all possible. With the current writers, they are 100% looking to be cancelled. This is the smartest move Days has made since September 26, 2011.

[slyn11]

Apr 5, 2012 18:42:08 GMT -5 Tom Horton said:

I wouldn't mind Higley back as much as Tomlin because at least Higley doesn't actively try to change a soap into a different one. Tomlin was trying to turn Days into Passions.

I used to watch Passions. Days was nothing like Passions when Tomlin was around. I feel like Days is more like Passions now than ever...the worst parts of Passions. I felt like the past few years brought some much needed changes to the show. BUT I realize it did feel like a different soap in some ways...probably why I LIKED it. I never thought Days was a very good soap. Not my style, I guess. But starting in 2007, and really from 2008 until 2011...Days was really good to me...must see. I highly enjoyed it.

But none of what I am saying is new. I said all this when they announced Mar and Dar being hired. I knew with perfect clarity what they would do. And they did it. I knew I would hate it...and I do.

Something has to change. As I have also said in other posts...offliners are telling me Days doesn't feel like a soap anymore. That is something you never want to hear.

[Tom Horton]

We could all pull out anecdotal support of what people say. I could tell you that I haven't heard one person ever say how much they enjoyed Tomlin's Passionized version of Days. I didn't see any crying about Tomlin being fired and the only ones happy about his return are a handful of Rafe supporters but what matters is the ratings. Internet hype and claims to know the pulse of the offline audience are subjective. The ratings can't be spammed. Tomlin managed to run off a third of the audience over a 6 month span and then failed to recover them under the next 18 months of his tenure. The new regime has made the first dent in turning that around. I don't care about MarDar going away but Tomlin was a giant mistake the first time around and unless they keep him on a very short leash (which may well be the plan), I see him being just as destructive to Days again. In addition to the slew of Passions rejects Tomlin tried to install at Days and his attempt to get rid of all established characters in favor of brand new ones, he wrote shallow characters into ridiculous and often repulsive plotlines that had nothing to do with their personality or backgrounds and that never overlapped or had any longterm effect or meaning. It was all purely episodic writing and usually with no climax or conclusion, just a bunch of strung together plot points that were suppose to shock and awe the audience into thinking something of substance happened.

[sportsgirl]

Here's my question.. Passions didn't survive all that long before it was canceled.. so why would they want Days to become Passions? Are they trying to get Days canceled??

[Kpatch]

I don’t think they wanted Days to become Passions and I am certain that no one connected to Days is trying to get it cancelled. They derive their livelihood from the show.

I think they are doing what they think is best, trying to please the majority, fix what’s broken, try new things, try old things, etc., and they’re not always successful. Still, here we are, 47 years on air, and one of the surviving shows of a dying breed.

I applaud the producers for acting quickly to make a change when they didn’t think the new writers were working out. Personally, I hated the reset. I hated the lack of originality and drama. These writers went for the low-hanging fruit and recycled too many storylines. They overused some returnees and neglected others. The only two things they did well were Will’s storyline, which began before the reset, and bringing Lucas back. I’m optimistic about the change.

[Tom Horton]

The issue isn't firing MarDar; it is the stupidity of rehiring Tomlin. Obviously Corday /NBC wants Days to be Days and that is why they fired Tomlin as producer and then spent the last 6 months undoing his work. Tomlin never bothered to care about Days history or any of the characters and set about replacing them all with new ones that were similar to what he knew from Passions. Talk about going for the low hanging fruit - Tomlin didn't even want to make the effort to reach that high. But like I said the one hope I'm hanging too is that Meng and company are calling the shots this time and he is a Days fan. Whitesell I don't mind and perhaps Meng will quickly see the savings in letting Whitesell fly solo and fire Tomlin.

[karebr13]

from daytime royalty

daytimeroyaltyonline.com/topic/8670899/56/


UPDATE FROM SOD:

www.soapoperadigest.com/content/its-official-days-names-new-writing-team

It's Official: DAYS Names New Writing Team

By SOD • Posted: Apr 6, 2012


Yes, DAYS has new head writers for the second time in a year, the show confirms exclusively to Soap Opera Digest. New Co-Head Writers Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell will be joined by another Emmy-winning writer, Lorraine Broderick — who most recently wrapped up things in AMC's Pine Valley — as a breakdown writer. "We are excited and look forward to the stories of romance, suspense and intrigue this new dream team plans to tell," enthuses Co-Executive Producer Greg Meng.

[Tom Horton]

Thanks Karebr! I was just coming in to post the same thing. Now this is good news, and I would like to revise my comment above and advocate that Tomlin be fired and Broderick promoted to the co-HW position with Whitesell.

[sportsgirl]

Finally fresh blood for the writers... I am suddenly optimistic!!