The new issue of Soap Opera Digest features an interesting interview with Days of our Lives executive producer Ken Corday, who explains why the show made behind the scenes changes, and teased what's coming up.When asked why Days switched head writers in February, Corday explains it was "because the show I was looking at was no longer recognizable as Days of our Lives to me."
"With all due respect to the writers who are no longer there, and who did win us an Emmy award, and GLAAD awards and many other kudos, there comes a time when they're just burned out, and they were not getting it done. It was time to make a switch. I felt like the car was headed for the edge of the cliff."
Head Writers Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell were replaced by Dena Higley and Josh Griffith.
Corday says the mood on set was not positive.
"More than anything, the atmosphere of negativity and complacency at the studio was overwhelming," he admits. "In light of the fact that we were coming up on our most important production year ever, I felt like I had to grab the reins and pull back and change horses."
Days of our Lives is renewed by NBC through September 2016. A leaked December 2013 email from Sony Pictures Television's Jeff Frost made the show's future seem in question.
"The big obstacle has been Ted Harbert who really wants to move to low cost info/talk shows instead of DOOL after next season," Frost wrote. "Despite this (and Harbert’s objection), NBC will agree to two more years of DOOL at $775K next season and $750K the following season, provided we go up from our current proposal of $4.25m to settle the Community issue to $4.50m. How do you feel about $4.50m? Given Harbert’s strong push for alternative programming after the next season, I think we’re better off locking in 2 years of DOOL now and paying the additional $250K."
Corday says Days will not make a habit of bringing characters back from the dead going forward.
[SPOILER ALERT]
"There comes a point where, as will be the case with Thaao Penghlis' return [as a presumed-dead Andre], you have to bend the rules," he reveals, when asked about the possible return of Matthew Ashford as Jack Deveraux. "That's not to say Matt won't come back some day, but you have to watch it with the audience that they don't say, 'Oh, our trust is ruined, Ken. You keep killing people and they keep returning. What are we supposed to believe?' So in this case, from September 1 on, when someone dies, they are dead."
Corday is looking forward to the show's 50th anniversary in November.
"I wanted to see Doug and Julie active. I wanted to see Victor, Maggie, Caroline and Stefano active again, running things, doing things, not just in the background," he says.
"Storywise, it started with, what can we do that is a special event for the 50th?" Corday teases. "And I came up with the idea that it would be Salem's bicentennial celebration."
Corday believes the best is yet to come for Days.
"The show is going to be the best it's ever been and I defy anyone to prove me wrong."
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