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
PLEASE SAVE PASSIONS!
i have grew up with this soap and it has become part of my life. Don’t let passions be cancelled.
Please don’t cancel Passions! I have watched it since the 1st day it aired. Days of our lives used to be my favorite soap until passions aired. I believe that if Passions is kept on the air it could soon surpass Days on the chart ratings. This show means the world to me. And if you cancel this show you are losing a NBC FAN for LIFE!!
PLEASE don’t take Passions off the air!!!I have watched the show since the begining. I love the fact that it does not deal with the usual how is sleeping with how. They add some fun and supernatural to the show which gives it a different appeal. I love Tabby and Endora. Most of the others just do the same thing over and over. I love the witch craft it keeps it exciting. Please keep it going.
Please do not cancel Passions. I will retire in July of this year and was looking forward to being able to watch every day without recording it to watch at night.
Ok, this is how I feel about Passions being moved to DirecTV…. it’s like I’m prisoner in a cell and Passions is in the cell right in front of me where I can see it. Unfortunately, (due to the dumb today show) that cell is needed so Passions is being taken away and moved into another cell way up the hall. I know that it is still there and continues to go on, but I can no longer see it and that makes me so angry as I have been watching for the last 8 years, starting when i was… Read more »
You can’t cancel Passions! I got hooked on it recently and look forward to seeing it every day. Move it to a different hour if you just HAVE to extend the Today show (yuk) , but don’t cancel Passions…..please!!
OH PLEASE DON’T DISAPPOINT ALL YOUR SOAP VIEWERS. I HAVE WATCHED THIS EVERYDAY SINCE IT CAME ON. IT ALWAYS HAS SOMETHING GOING ON AND I JUST LOVE THE ACTORS. I ENJOY IT SO MUCH THAT I AM DISSAPOINTED WHEN THE HOUR IS UP AND IT TIME TO GO OFF. WATCHING PASSIONS IS A BRIGHT SPOT IN MY DAY, THE ACTORS SEEM TO MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I’M THEIR, AND WOULD LIKE TO BE. IT WAS VERY SAD TO SEE TIMMY GO BUT PLEASE NOT THE WHOLE SHOW. SAMMY & LUCAS, THERESA & IAN, AND OTHERS ARE PRETTY CLOSE TO FINALLY… Read more »
OMG! you cannot cancel passions!!!! me and 5 of my friends (2 guys and 3 girls) tivo passions everyday and then watch it on saturday nights!!!! AH i cant live without my passions!
PLEASE don’t cancel Passions I have been watching it from the beinning in 1999 I was only in 6th grade. It is the only show that is based on fiction,passion, and love. All of the cast are awsome it is the only soap I watch. When ever I’m having a bad day it cheers me up 100%. I think if Passion goes off the air NBC is going to make a REALLY BIG MISTAKE. So many young people love the show and the cast. There is no other show that keeps me guessing. PLEASE dont take PASSION off the air!!!!!
they can’t cancel the show..ive been waiting for theresa and ethan to be together forever..the same goes for sheridan and louise..im waiting for him to open his eyes and dump fancy’s ass..sheridan and louise belong together..the same goes for ethan and theresa
Don’t be foolish by ending this entertaining show. It is a breath of fresh air in daytime TV.
Please don’t cancel Passions it is my favorite show I watch it everyday and I have never missed a show.
I LOVE PASSIONS!! I HAVE BEEN WATCHING IT SINCE IT FIRST CAME OUT IN 1999!! I WOULD APPRECIATE IF NBC WOULD KEEP IT ON!!!!!! SCREW THE TODAY SHOW MATT MEREDITH DOES NOT NEED TO BE ON FOR 3 TO 4 HOURS ON WEEKDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this show is the only thing i watch during my days. i record them during the week so i can later watch them altogeter. one needs her soaps. and this is mine. don’t take the only thing i have left on daytime tv.
Please don’t cancel Passions!! I’ve been watching since day one and it’s been with me through soo many tough times!! I was 11 when I started watching and I’m now I’m 20, it’s pratcically raised me! I won’t know what to do without my daily dose of Passions.