Browsing: Days of our Lives

If you’re looking to set some resolutions for 2014 and need some inspiration, look no further! Soap Opera Network asked “Days of our Lives” and “General Hospital” stars to open up on how they hope to improve themselves and their lives in the year to come, and they were none too shy to shed some light on the ways they’re setting out to achieve greatness. Bonus: They also threw in some opinions on how their characters should approach 2014, as well! Read on for the fun, and happy New Year from Soap Opera Network!

After nearly 14 years on the air, SOAPnet ended its broadcast run at the stroke of midnight with the final 2013 episode of ABC’s “General Hospital” (originally aired on Monday, December 30) taking it out in style.

It’s been quite some time since Soap Opera Network last brought its readers a weekly breakdown of what’s going to happen during the upcoming week of soaps. With our new sense of direction and focus as we get ready to enter a new year, and a new phase for the site, we thought it would be a great opportunity to get back into the previews game.

In his effort to protect the woman he loves and her role in the death of Nick Fallon (Blake Berris), EJ (James Scott) gives Sami (Alison Sweeney) an ultimatum. “Are you going to marry me or not?” questions the powerful DiMera.

The last few weeks have been anything but easy for “Days of our Lives” Eric, who lost his position as a priest after an explosive sex tape scandal stunned the town of Salem. And according to his portrayer, Greg Vaughan, the character is in for an uphill battle with no end in sight. But it is a soap opera, after all, so you can bet there’s going to be a love twist within the darkness that currently encapsulates the former priest’s life! Read on to get Vaughan’s take on the weeks ahead and whether or not he thinks a romantic relationship between Eric and Nicole (Arianne Zucker) is in the cards for next year!

Whether it’s parties or church events or cooking (oh my!), shopping or wrapping or snow shoveling (oh why?), the stars of “General Hospital” and “Days of our Lives” will be quite busy this holiday season! But don’t worry: Before the casts took off for their fun-filled Christmas break, Soap Opera Network managed to catch a few actors and get the scoop on how they plan to spend the next two weeks ahead!

According to Soap Opera Digest, Daniel Cosgrove has joined the cast of NBC’s “Days of our Lives” in the newly created role of Aiden. “This is the first time that I’ve ever played a daytime character that wasn’t played by someone else,” said the actor to the magazine of his previous roles as Scott Chandler (“All My Children”), Chris Hughes (“As The World Turns”) and Bill Lewis (“Guiding Light”), all played by several actors prior to his portrayal.

With just 10 days to go before it goes dark for good, one piece of several puzzles surrounding the end of SOAPnet was where some of the shows currently airing on the cable network would land once it said goodbye. In a press release, Pivot announced earlier this week that it has landed the rebroadcast airing rights to “Veronica Mars,” which joined the SOAPnet lineup in March 2012. In announcing its agreement with Warner Bros. Television, producers of the series, the network also announced that it has picked up rerun rights to “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” which starred former “All My Children” actress Sarah Michelle Gellar (ex-Kendall Hart), as well. “Mars” starred Kristen Bell in the title role.

The quick switcheroo from Chandler Massey to Guy Wilson in the role of “Days of our Lives’” Will Horton is about to commence: As previously reported, Wilson’s first day as Sami’s (Alison Sweeney) son will take place the first week in January, and an exact day has finally be revealed! Also revealed is when you’ll get your last glimpse at Massey in Salem.

Ratings Report for the Week of December 9-13, 2013

Sean Douglas (ex-Vargas, “Days of our Lives”) announced that he’s booked a role on TV Land’s “The Exes.”

In its newest issue, Soap Opera Digest shed some light on Mark Collier’s new role on NBC’s “Days of our Lives.” The actor, who debuts on the Wednesday, December 18 episode, is portraying Liam, who Adrienne Kiriakis (Judi Evans) sets up on a date with Jennifer Horton (Melissa Reeves). “I knew his first name was Liam, but not much more than that. He went to high school in Salem,” shares the actor who began filming in August. Ironically, with Collier now on board, the “DAYS” cast now includes the first two actors who portrayed “As The World Turns'” Mike Kasnoff (Collier played the character from 2002-2007; Shawn Christian [Daniel Jonas] originated the role in 1994).

December 2-6, 2013

Each week Soap Opera Network publishes ratings reports that break down the highs and lows of the four remaining daytime soap operas – “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Days of our Lives,” “General Hospital” and “The Young and the Restless” – in total viewers and the all important key women sales demos (Women 18-34, Women 18-49 and Women 25-54). Today, with both ABC and CBS noting the success of “GH” and “Y&R,” respectively, TheWrap has published a piece entitled, “If Soaps Are ‘Dead,’ Why Are Their Audiences Growing?” In its report, the publication notes that each of the soaps are up season-to-date in all key ratings categories. Meanwhile, some of the replacements for the canceled ABC versions of “All My Children” and “One Life to Live,” specifically talk shows, have all “come and gone like, um, sands through the hourglass.”

Like “As The World Turns,” “Days of our Lives,” “General Hospital” and “Guiding Light” before it, producers of CBS’ “The Bold and the Beautiful” have announced a new partnership with Pan Macmillan and its digital-first imprint, Momentum, in which the publishing company will release a series of novellas surrounding several characters from “B&B.”

While hints of a possible return to “General Hospital” began on his Twitter page last week, where he referred to numerous Ports in the world (Portlandia, Port Hueneme, Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach), an ABC representative confirms to Soap Opera Network that actor Ryan Carnes will be reprising his role as Lucas Jones, the adopted son of Bobbie (Jacklyn Zeman) and Tony Jones (Brad Maule), on the ABC Daytime drama series. “Like a ship lost in the night at sea, wondering where my next port will be…,” Carnes tweeted on Wednesday, December 4.

Ratings Report for the Week of November 25-29, 2013

Thaao Penghlis (ex-Tony DiMera, “Days of our Lives”) is set to reprise his role as Victor Cassadine on ABC’s “General Hospital” in the new year, confirms a show representative to Soap Opera Network. The actor last played the role more than 30 years ago, when the character met his supposed death, but with the actor returning does that mean that the brother of Anthony and Mikkos Cassadine is in fact alive? You’ll just have to tune in to find out during the all important February sweeps ratings period!

Back in June, “Days of our Lives'” Casey Deidrick (ex-Chad DiMera) and Chandler Massey (Will Horton), along with their And I Still Rise bandmates Stephen Haynes, Mike Gross and Josh Bonaparte, launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund a music video for their song, “Sixty Five Roses,” in support of those living with Cystic Fibrosis. Last week the group released the music video on YouTube with a digital copy of the song made available for purchase on the iTunes store. The band received nearly $31,000 in funding for their online campaign, which exceeded their goal of $20,000. The video was directed by Robby Starbuck.

Gabi (Camila Banus) sure can’t help herself when it comes to discussing her part, along with Sami (Alison Sweeney) and Kate (Lauren Koslow), in the murder of Nick (Blake Berris). This week, Sonny (Freddie Smith) overhears more than he expected when Gabi reveals all on NBC’s “Days of our Lives.” Will he turn Will’s (Chandler Massey) baby mama in? You”ll have to tune in to find out!