The peacock network is announcing today that the eight-year-old soap Passions has been cancelled. This comes as a shock to some but the writing has been on the wall for awhile. Still, things may not be as grim as they may seem.
Passions debuted on July 5, 1999 and was created by Jim Reilly, a writer from Days of Our Lives. Reilly is the head writer on the soap and is an executive producer with Lisa de Cazotte. The supernatural sudser takes place in fictional New England town Harmony and replaced the long-running Another World. Now it looks like Passions will be replaced itself.
The soap has been in danger for quite some time. When NBC renewed the series in May 2006, the network renewed it only for one year and required significant budget cuts. As a result, $4-5 million was slashed from the yearly budget and caused several crewmembers and performers to be let go. Now, nearly a year later, NBC has cancelled the soap. Why?
NBC recently announced that they would be expanding the popular Today Show from three to four hours weekdays. The Today Show is a great cash-earner for NBC and has been around for 55 years. The cast, including Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Ann Curry and Al Roker, is scheduled to hold a news conference today at the Television Critics Association (TCA) winter preview tour to announce the news show expansion.
That “super-sized” version of Today will leave NBC affiliates with one less hour in their mid-morning slot. To compensate, NBC is releasing the Passions timeslot to affiliates. As a result, Passions will be pulled — though not for awhile.
The present Passions contract runs out in June but the new expanded Today won’t debut until Fall 2007. To fill the summer months, NBC is expected to negotiate with the Passions cast and show creatives to extend the soap until August. That could be the end.
But, like Tabitha and any good soap fan knows, there are always possible ways to cheat death. How could Passions survive?
NBC is proud of the soap. As recent as last week, the network issued a press release touting the fact that Passions was fourth in the ratings for all soaps in the very desirable female 18-34 demographic. Passions even tied for first place (with Days of Our Lives) for that demographic for the first week in January. As well, NBC owns Passions completely, allowing the network to keep all profits.
Because of its strong popularity with young women, there are rumblings that NBC may try to keep the series alive elsewhere. Possibilities include producing the soap (perhaps in a shortened version) for Disney’s SoapNet cable station, the struggling MyNetwork TV or even on the Internet.
The soap won’t go off the air for several months so we probably won’t know what the future holds for Passions and the Harmony residents for quite some time.
What do you think? We know there are lots of Passions fans out there. Would you like to see the soap continue? If so, consider signing our petition (leave a comment) so NBC and Passions executive producers Jim Reilly and Lisa de Cazotte will know how you feel. We’ll keep you posted on any new developments. Stay tuned — and in the meantime, let’s save Passions! 
Please note, due to the overwhelming response, 4,500 petition comments have been archived (for bandwidth issues).
To NBC Daytime Programs
cc: Jim Reilly and Lisa de Cazotte
We, the undersigned have enjoyed much of your programming, particularly the ongoing Passions series. We have enjoyed the stories and the work of the cast each week and are dismayed about the announced cancellation.
We believe that the ratings have not accurately shown the show’s popularity and potential for future revenue.
We respectfully request that you reconsider your decision to cancel Passions and to find a way to keep it on NBC daytime. If that is not possible, we implore you to find another venue to continue telling the engaging stories of the people of Harmony.
Thank you in advance for your attention and consideration.
The Undersigned fans of Passions
I love passion alot I watched the show from the very first day,I will never watch NBC again and by the way the “Today Show sucks”
please do not take passions off the air .this show maybe a little weird but its good.
no passions cant’ go of the air because passions is the best soap ever
I have been watching Passions since March of 2000. Since my son was born he is now 7yrs. I just want you to know that I am one of there biggest fans. If you let Passions go off the air you would be making the biggest career mistake of a lifetime. I know that you would loose Billions of Viewers your ratings will go down dermaticly I will not watch nbc and i will have my friends and family and theres and so forth not watch that channel if you take Passions off the air. I have grown a bond… Read more »
I am truly upset by this Passions being taken off the air the Today show already has 3 hours isn’t that enough? PLEASE DON’T CANCEL THE SHOW! It will be truly MISSED!!! What can we do to save it?
passions is a very good show. I have been watching it since the start. It would not be right to take it off the air.
Please don’t cancel passions and i love this show on nbc. Why it should be canceled? this show is very good and drama, come on i want this show to keep alive please!! Also passions is the best soap than other soaps.
Please save Passions I will be devistated if you take the show off the air. I have been watching the show since March of 2000. Since my son was born. I have such a strong bond to all the actors/actresses on the show that I tried to catch the beging of the show on Sci-fi to catch up on the things I didn’t see in the begining. You would be making the biggest mistake of the networks career by taking Passions off the air by people most likely not watching NBC anymore I know I would be one of the… Read more »
I have loved Passions from the very 1st episode. It sounds silly but the show really does add something to my day. It is one of the few shows that incorporates humor, spirituality, and real life scenarios in a way that people can relate to and make light of at the same time. The actors and actresses are so great. It’s impossible to not fall in love with this cast. Don’t throw it away. People love Passions. It’ a big hit, why ruin that? Besides, it’s brought great ratings to NBC. Keep it.
PLEASE SAVE PASSIONS it is my favourite soap opera and i will be so sad to see it go away! well if it does atleast they will wrap up the never ending love triangles.
I don’t like soaps, but I don’t want a 4-hour Today show.
Hello, I know time and time again people have been telling you not to take passions off the air. I am another, PLEASE dont do it. I heard that the today show was going to replace it. Take THE PRICE IS RIGHT place there going off the air in May. It may be sooner, take that hour. Leave our passions alone!!
PLEASE DO NOT CANCELL PASSIONS. IT IS THE BEST SOAP OPERA THERE IS AND I HAVE BEEN WATHCING IT SINCE IT STARTED. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IT EVERYDAY.!!!!
PLEASE DONT CANCELL PASSIONS! ITS THE BEST SOAP SHOW EVER. I LOVE IT. ITS JUST WOULDNT BE THE SAME TO HAVE IT NOT ON ANYMORE. ITS THE ONE THING I LOOK FORWARD TO AFTER SCHOOL. PLEASE DONT CANCELL IT!!
NBC, Passions is possibly the best conceived and executed program on your network. I certainly do not trust or watch the Today Show. I’ll choose the View any day for journalistic integrity. However, I dvr Passions every single day and never miss an episode. And so do a lot of my friends. We are all completely floored that you would even consider cancelling a highly rated show and replace it with a boring hour of fluff news. Bad call. Please reconsider.