This year has been a twisting and turning roller coaster ride for fans of Passions. Has it finally come to an unfortunate end?
Just 11 months ago, NBC announced that the network was canceling eight-year-old Passions. The soap would leave the airwaves in Fall 2007 at least in part to make room for a fourth hour of the Today Show. The peacock network owns the soap opera and assured fans that it was seeking a new home for the residents of Harmony.
Miraculously, Passions was saved a few months later. In April, NBC announced that it would continue to produce the soap and new episodes would air four days-a-week exclusively on DirecTV.
Soonafter, the satellite TV provider launched a major campaign that urged fans to subscribe to their service and to get their friends to do the same. Fans were told that this would be the only way that they would be able to see exclusive Passions programming and see the new episodes. Many pleaded that they couldn’t subscribe to DirecTV, so online viewing was made available in October — for a hefty $19.95 monthly fee.
Now, after being on DirecTV for just a few months, it seems that the soap has been cancelled once again.
The news first leaked out in a message from actress Tracey Ross to her fans on Friday. The rumors were confirmed in the last few hours by Liza Huber and Eric Martsolf. According to the actors, DirecTV has opted not to renew the soap opera. After an eight-week extension, production will be shutting down for good on March 28, 2008.
According to Ross and Huber, Passions’ weekly schedule will also soon be trimmed from four to three episodes, ensuring that the series will air throughout the summer. This is likely being done to stretch the soap’s time on DirecTV to a year. Because DirecTV subscriptions typically come with a year commitment, the provider likely wants to have ammunition against claims that fans have been the victim of a “bait and switch.”
Ross also said that NBC is trying to find a new home for Passions but the chances are slim at best. While there’s been no official confirmation from either DirecTV or NBC, it seems like the rocky ride for the residents of Harmony may be coming to an end. We’ll keep you posted on new developments so stay tuned! 
HI I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE ALL OF THE DAYTIME SOAPS ON DIRECT TV OR WHAT EVER OTHER NETWORK IT WILL BE ON. ALL OF THE CANCELLED SOAPS BRINGS BACK A LOT OF VERY SPECIAL MEMORIES TO ALL OF US. LETS HOPE THAT ALL OF OUR CANCELLED DAYTIME SOAPS COMES BACK AND THAT A NETWORK LIKE DIRECT TV OR SOME THING CAN TAKE IT’S PLACE FOR ALL OF THE DAYTIME SOAPS.
I miss Passions. This was the best daytime drama on TV.
I miss Sunset Beach
i cant believe that passions was cancled. i watch that show all the time with my mom and have never missed an episode. besides are they really going to leave it so that way they dont show theresa and ethan getting married !?!? >=/ i had direct tv before passions was on it and i feel so bad that some people only got direct tv for passions. it was a waste of money and people should get there money back because direct tv is crappy without passions. it always goes out when its raining badly and the reception is terrible.… Read more »
Please bring Passions BACK, I LOVE THAT SHOW.i WOULDN’T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD. I subscribed to direct tv just to see it, please find a way to bring it back,
wish you all much luck
this is one of my favorite shows i have been watching it since day one. untill it got moved to direct tv then i had to read about it on the internet. PLEASE!! do something to save the show from being cancelled a second time.
Bring passion back on the station it was on take that stupid game show off.People rather watch passions on that station Cancel the game show . People wake up and vote that game show the air.
This is fantastic news for all of us long time Another World fans who had to sit and watch NBC destroy our show in order to put on this horrific piece of junk called PASSIONS! on the air! Ok I just had to get that in, but I do feel all of your pain. Another World was an awesome soap that lasted 35 years. NBC systimatically destroyed the show, by killing off beloved characters, hired dismal writters and producers and finnally killed it. Before you all attack me, I think we can all agree that NBC simply sucks in daytime… Read more »
yea this is ridiculus… i hav been watching passions for years… u cant jus up and switch it… it was a waste of money and time becuz direct tv has lost it if they really think people were going to switch to them forn one show… come on think
This was a ploy to get fans to purchase DirecTv… well DirecTV can go bite it…it not only used the fans, but the actors too… the actors should have signed a 5 year contract to ensure job safety
We need a new petition to save the only exciting soap out there, because this sucks. C’mon fans!!