Browsing: Days of our Lives

Because we were working overtime trying to get the re-designed website up while also transferring servers, we didn’t get a chance to report on this. For those who may have missed out on it all, E! is debuting a new reality series that actually covers the behind the scenes lives of some of your favorite soap stars for a change and not those “Real Housewives” we’ve gotten bored with from network sibling Bravo.

NBC’s “Days of our Lives” has released what fans have been clamoring for since the May announcement of new head writers and June’s reveal of behind the scenes changes, your first look at the “New DAYS” that begins on Monday, September 26 with the debut of Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas’ material and Greg Meng and Noel Maxam Co-Executing Producing.

Greg Meng along with Noel Maxam were named Co-Executive Producers of NBC’s “Days of our Lives” on Tuesday, June 14, when the series released the first set of changes hitting the soap after the hiring of new head writers Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas. While the writing duo shared with Soap Opera Network what fans could expect from the soap when their material hits the airwaves starting Monday, September 26, Meng took the time to tell viewers why they should continue tuning in before that day comes.

Matthew Ashford returns to NBC’s “Days of our Lives” this September when his character, Jack Deveraux, finds himself back in Salem facing many changes and new challenges. Soap Opera Network spoke with Ashford at the “DAYS” studio about his return to the soap, his work on the web based series “The Bay” and the most pirated movie of 2008!

For the past two and a half weeks, I found myself in unfamiliar territory when it came to running the website as I was based out of Los Angeles. Normally, I run things here in New York. What I found unfamiliar, however, was finding out the true stories behind what many soap fans can’t seem to get enough of – the Disney/ABC and Prospect Park connection as it relates to “All My Children” and “One Life to Live” and even “General Hospital.” So what did I learn that I can share with you? Plenty!

It was Thursday, May 19 when word broke that Dena Higley was out as head writer of “Days of our Lives” and former “Passions” Associate Head Writers, Darrell Ray Thomas and Marlene McPherson were in. Since the announcement, a lot has been speculated, talked about and dissected by anxious fans waiting to get some ounce of news on what they can expect to see when “Days of our Lives” relaunches itself this September. On Thursday, July 28, Soap Opera Network visited the Burbank set that houses “DAYS” in studios 2 and 4 and talked with the shows new head writers outside of the now defunct Salem Place set about what fans can expect when their material debuts on Monday, September 26. The duo also give us a scoop on what the Friday, September 23 show that precedes their official debut is all about.

What started out as a typical week that began on July 25 ended up being one of the worst in Soap Opera Network history, but you wouldn’t have known it from a behind the scenes perspective.

Ratings Report for the Week of July 25-29, 2011

Ratings Report for the Week of July 11-15, 2011

On May 18, 2011, Robert Guza Jr. was fired as head writer of “General Hospital” and Garin Wolf was named the new head writer. With Guza leaving, it’s not surprising that his wife, breakdown writer Meg Bennett, was also let go from the show. Breakdown writer David Goldschmid was also fired. Replacing them on the breakdown team will be Shelly Altman, who’s been writing breakdowns for “One Life to Live” for the past 11 years, and current “GH” script writer Tracey Thomson (though she may only be helping out with breakdowns temporarily).

On Thursday, June 23, “Days of our Lives” fans finally got their first glimpse of actor Freddie Smith and his character Sonny Kiriakis, despite the NBC drama series keeping mum on the actors casting for more than two months. On Sunday, June 19, on the red carpet at the “38th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards,” Smith opened up about what it was like keeping such a big secret, portraying the shows first gay character and whether or not his character will be hooking up with Will Horton (Chandler Massey) as rumored.

Casey Deidrick portrays Chad DiMera on the popular NBC daytime drama series “Days of our Lives” and he’s grateful to be in the company of some fine actors. Soap Opera Network spoke with Deidrick on the red carpet at the “38th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards” on Sunday, June 19 and the actor shared some interesting information about the parties being held during Emmy weekend, the upcoming gay storyline hitting “DAYS” and the rumors surrounding co-star Chandler Massey, whose character, Will Horton, is said to play a major role in it.

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Six years of “Passions” prepared “Days of our Lives” star Eric Martsolf (Brady Black) well when it came to expecting the unexpected, so when the NBC daytime drama series decided to make some drastic changes recently with new head writers and new producers, it was only natural that the “Passion” side kept all things positive. In his Soap Opera Network: On the Red Carpet interview, the actor shares what it has been like to work with former “Passions” writers Marlene McPherson and Darrell Thomasnow at the helm at “DAYS” and what fans can expect from the long-running drama series.

After weeks of reported firings, hirings and rumors, NBC’s “Days of our Lives” is breaking its silence. In a press release issued to Soap Opera Network, the program has outlined a series of changes that will be reflected on screen beginning in September that includes highlighting romance and the faces of beloved characters once more. Behind the scenes changes include the hiring of “Passions” scribes Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas and naming Noel Maxam and Greg Meng as Co-Executive Producers. The duo replace Gary Tomlin, who was fired last week. The behind the scenes changes are effective immediately.

It has been three weeks since Ken Corday, Executive Producer and owner of NBC’s “Days of our Lives,” made his first move to save the soap from near oblivion with the firing of Head Writer Dena Higley and replacing her with former “Passions” scribes Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas. In the weeks that followed, soap stars Crystal Chappell (Carly Manning), Louise Sorel (Vivian Alamain), Bren Foster (Quinn Hudson), Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe Lane), Tamara Braun (Taylor Walker), and Francisco San Martin (Dario Hernandez) were all out of jobs. If those changes weren’t enough to signal a revolution heading toward Salem, it was definitely made clear with the firing of Co-Executive Producer Gary Tomlin along with the expected returns of Deidre Hall (Marlena Evans), Drake Hogestyn (John Black), and Matthew Ashford (Jack Deveraux) and the rumored returns of several former cast members including Mark Hapka (Nathan Horton) and Bryan Dattilo (Lucas Horton).

Francisco San Martin is the next actor out at NBC’s “Days of our Lives” as another week comes to a close where blood is spilled at the fledgling daytime drama series. The actor tweeted the news to fans before the show could make it official.

With the news that “Days of our Lives” has let Gary Tomlin go as co-executive producer and Soap Opera Network unable to confirm who is replacing him at this time, rumors began swirling that actor Mark Hapka would be returning to the daytime drama series just days after reportedly stating that someone in particular (possibly Tomlin) was in the way of his employment with the show.

After a week of unconfirmed (by the show) firings of numerous actors, NBC’s “Days of our Lives” has now fired its co-executive producer, Gary Tomlin. The news was first reported by TV Guide Canada’s Nelson Branco on Twitter. News of Tomlin’s firing comes on the heals of last months firing of head writer Dena Higley and the recent firings of actors Crystal Chappell (Carly Manning), Louise Sorel (Vivian Alamain), Bren Foster (Quinn Hudson), Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe Lane), and Tamara Braun (Taylor Walker).

Will fans of same sex pairings finally get a true gay storyline on “Days of our Lives?” That’s where it looks to be headed as Entertainment Weekly’s always spot on Lynette Rice revealed in a piece posted on Inside TV that she’s hearing the soap “may involve a current cast member [in a gay storyline] hooking up with someone new.”

Time and time again we’ve been asked how daytime shows (those airing only on ABC, CBS and NBC) such as “The View,” “The Price is Right,” “Let’s Make a Deal” and even “The Talk” do in the ratings compared to the daytime soaps that we report on weekly here at Soap Opera Network. So we thought we would compile ratings for daytime programming, separate from just the soaps, and also see how CBS’ “The Talk” is doing when compared to “As The World Turns,” the show it replaced this season.