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
DONT DONT DONT!!!!!!!
I LOVE PASSIONS AND IT DESERVES TO STAY ON AIR!!!!!!
IT IS THE ONLY SOAP I WATCH ALL THE OTHERS SUCK…..PASSIONS ROCKS!!!!!!!!!
please keep passions on the air!!
Passions is by far the best entertaining soap I have ever watched. I look forward everyday to watching this soap and if missed, I watch the episode which comes on the website the same evening. I love Passions and if it goes off air, NBC is doomed for daytime.
I really wish you’d reconsider taking passions of the air, when your handicap and can’t get out you get involved in your soaps then someone decides to pull it off the air its awful. theres alot of people who don’t have alot and enjoy watching there stories.whats the harm keeping it on air,I see theres alot of people out there that enjoys passions like myself.These characters are like family you feel joy when there happy sad when there down. Love tabitha she reminds me of my sister inlaw. Please keep them on the air DON”T LET A GOOD THING DIE…
i can’t believe it. the possibility that this show is going to be taken off the air makes me sick. i’ve been a constant watcher of this show since 99 and still can’t get enough. i’ve even turned others to it. People who said soap operas suck are now watching them because of this show. taking it off will only make make viewers like me think twice on whether you are acctually thinking about our best interest or just thinking of yourself. As you can see there are several of us who would hate to see it go and I… Read more »
don’t cancel passions
it is the best soap ever!!!!
i watch it every day
ive seen every episode since the begining 🙁
Please do not take passions off the air. I think it’s alot better than the other soaps. I will not watch any of the others.
If you cancel this show, you are making a dreadful mistake. There has never been such an innovative show on NBC ever. Passions is the only reason my friends and I watch NBC at all. Absolutely no one needs extra hours of the Today Show. It is annoying enough already.
please don’t take passions off nbc ive watched it from the start i love this show dont take it off the air
First let me say that I have watched Passions since day one and while sometimes the story lines tend to be alittle drawn out, I think it is a great show and would be upset to see it go. more importantly the TODAY sho0w is already long enough, 4 hours would kill me…snore
I have been watching passions since it first aired when I was in high school. I immediately loved the show, and have been addicted to it ever since. I watch it religiously every day, and when I am not there to see it live, I record it and watch it later. Canceling this show would be devastating to me!! Please SAVE PASSIONS!!!! Find some way to continue my favorite show!! Thank you!
Passions had an amazing 8 year run and there’s so much more storylines to explore. It’s the only show in daytime that dares to be unique and different. It strays from the typical melodramatic drama that we have come to expect from a soap opera. Passions is a hit among the 18-34 crowd, which are the upcoming new crowd who will be around for a long time. While those that are watching the older running soap tend to be the older generation. Needless to say Passions is hip and cool and more geared towards the current generation of tv viewers!!!
To the NBC staff, I truely understand that the world revolves around money. But some of our lives revolve around this show. in a world that is so depressing Passions is my outlet for all my stress and headaches. it is my special time of the day for relief and to hear that is is going to be cut, i have been crying ever since. it has been apart of my life for 8yrs. if it can at all be worked out can we try having a soap opera late in the day. it just might increase the viewing population… Read more »
I AM A GUY WHO LOVES PASSIONS LIKE ITS APART OF MY LIFE AND IF THE SHOW GETS CANCELLED I WILL PROBABLY CRY OR DIE! NOT REALL BUT I WILL BE REALLY UPSET SO WHO GIVES A S*** ABOUT THE FREAKIN TODAY SHOW I SAY CUT ANOTHER SHOW THATS NOT IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE!!!!!!! NOT PASSIONS…SAVE PASSIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!=[
PLEASE DON’T END THE SHOW!! WHAT ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO WATCH FOR THAT HOUR OF THE DAY? I THINK THAT THE TODAY SHOW OR WHATEVER ITS CALLED IS ON ENOUGH TIMES DURING THE WEEK? I COULD TELL THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE THE STORY LINES STARTED TO GO A LOOOOT FASTER. THIS SOAP IS LIKE THE ONLY SOAP I CAN ACTUALLY TOLERATE. THANK GOD GWEN IS GONE BUT, SHE SHOULD HAVE TOOK SHERIDAN WITH HER. BUT STILL, I THINK THAT THE SHOW SHOULD STAY ON. THIS IS LIKE A FAMILY SOAP, THE GIRLS IN MY FAMILY WILL… Read more »