Soapbox

[KathyLu]

Many of us know about the severe budget cuts the show has encountered for several years, yet we still complain about the sparse and redecorated sets, the lack of lavish weddings/parties and location shoots, sparse gatherings at family events that don't include certain actors, continuity problems/mistakes, etc., etc., etc.

We can't have it both ways.

I'd like to see viewers accept the show as is, or stop watching, let the numbers/ratings take a nosedive and have the show disappear altogether.

Unfortunately, the glory days of soaps are gone. It was wonderful while it lasted, but time has marched on as it is wont to do.

When Andy and Barney (The Andy Griffith Show) wracked their brains and did everything possible to stop Aunt Bea from making her horrible pickles (nicknamed Kerosene Cucumbers by Barney), and expect them to eat them, Andy said, "There's only one thing to do......learn to love 'em."

Personally, I think Andy had the right idea.

 

[Poirot]

LOL, I do remember that episode....

And you have a very valid point. The networks do not have much faith in keeping soaps on the air, look at all the long running ones that have been cancelled. And yes, we poke fun at the reused, redressed sets, used for various offices, rooms, etc. When a soap gets cancelled, it is not just the actors out of jobs, but writers, makeup people, hair stylists, back stage crew, etc. And when shows have budget cuts, same thing happens. Days lost a huge number of back stage people, as the cuts and belt tightening affected many departments.

My only complaint is filming so far ahead. I can live with all the rest. (well, some of the editing leaves one puzzled at times, especially when they have released pics of scenes, and we never see them. LOL)

I really give them all a great deal of credit........they have no rehearsals, unless they run lines between themselves, one take rules, too bad if a mistake is made. And being they no longer can take a day or two to film ONE show, but have to do a a couple in one day, kudos to all for the enormous amount of dialogue that has to be learned.

 

[oldsoapie]

I have often wondered (and even questioned once) why those folks that do nothing but complain keep watching and/or reading summaries. I watch daily and don't love everything about the show but I sure would hate to see it go off the air. No shows are perfect but I like to be entertained and DOOL does that, most of the time.

 

[ronnie78]

I dont understand why the budget doesn't get increased because of all the complaints. People watch. Whether they watch online or on dvr, they watch. It's just that the network doesn't have a metric to count that correctly.

Couple of questions for the table.
1. How do you watch?
2. When do you watch?

Me:
1. on demand, online
2. Weekly

Something else I thought about. If the budget really is a problem why not change it up? Do a 1 hour show weekly instead of daily. The current budget would actually work better for something like that. They would be able to put out a higher quality product.

I've always thought that they give you the same amount of info in 5 episodes vs the weekly show in one episode anyway.

It opens up the networks to do more daytime drama that way. Which is a good thing right?

And the added bonus is that the show actually adapts to peoples new habits of binge watching/on demand watching

52 episodes vs 200 episodes.

For context I'm 38 and a lady

Anyway if anybody wants to chime in i would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[KathyLu]

I watch in spurts, but I like knowing it's there. I LOVE reading the summaries, and conversing with/commiserating with the people on this board.

Poirot, I agree with you about the filming so far ahead and the choppy editing, but I think that goes back to budget cuts. For all we know, their film editor(s) are interns.

ronnie78, while I have always admitted to watching sporadically for several years (health problems, disinterest, etc.) I would sorely miss not having it be on five days a week, so I wouldn't want that to happen.

oldsoapie:

 

[Poirot]

But an hour long show once a week is not a daytime soap. And if they only had the show on once a week, there is no increase in budget, in fact would probably cost more. One still has to have all cast & crew, writers, sets, etc. But......the network LOSES 4 days of ad revenue. That is very important.
And just because someone is a huge fan of Days doesn't mean they would be a fan of, or watch other things in the same time slot on other days. I would not, for sure. When GL was cancelled, CBS was no longer tuned in at 2 p.m.

Audience that watches live is counted, as those who tape the show and watch within 3 days. Those who wait until the weekend and binge watch are not counted. Results are wanted NOW, not in two weeks.

As to the NBC site, they may count same day watchers, but only recently have they improved their video so that folks can actually watch. (I wrote them twice, maybe 6 mos. apart, as it was impossible for everyone who wanted to, to be able to view on their site.)

The budget for the show has been slashed twice, because NBC & Sony were ready to cancel, and would only agree if the show agreed to the lesser amount. Once upon a time soaps were renewed with 5 year or more contracts. Now, they barely can get their 1 year. Sponsors balk at ad costs so they get a reduction, and it all goes down the line. Many of Days actors took pay cuts, and it is why many are on recurring, and why others can only come on for short periods of time.

 

[KathyLu]

Good posts, everyone! I just don't understand why we still complain, knowing all this though. I'm at the front of the line when it comes to commenting on/making fun of some of the hair styles and the way some of the people dress on the show, but I fully understand why we can't be treated to things mentioned in the original post, such as location shoots, better/more realistic sets, more air time for certain actors, etc. Either it's done that way, or we lose the show entirely.

A bird in the hand....

 

[ktspirit]

This is just me, but I like to poke fun at everything I watch and read. If I didn't watch and love Days, I wouldn't be here making my sometimes snarky comments.

 

[ronnie78]

Thanks everyone.

I like seeing the summaries and and all the fun comments every day too. I never thought about the ad revenue going down. That's a great point Poirot.

 

[KathyLu]

kt: whatever makes your day, darlin'! A good laugh never hurts.

 

[TamiBelle]

I would have to go to rehab if I couldn't come home from work and pop on the DVR and watch DOOL everyday. I don't mind how things are as long as my favorites get ample airtime.