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 don’t take passions off the air…I have two little girls and at 2 is there nap time also my escape from all the cleaning and chores around the house! I know there are people who feel me on this….
Please dont cancel passions. It is such a good show. I have it being recorded everyday because i am in school. My T.V stopped working and i was still watching the show on the internet. Passions is such a good soap opera. Please dont air it off.
Please do not cancell Passions. We do not need any more news…enough already. My husband, daughters and I watch Passions everyday. Passions is exciting to watch with new things happening daily, not like Y&R, B&B, AND GL. PLEASE KEEP OUR PASSIONS ALIVE!!
nbc is stupid for cancelling Passions.it is the one show that is completely different than anything else on network tv. who needs more today show? its a bore and the hosts of the last hour stink.
I can’t believe their bringing PASSIONS to an end it’s not fair. Passions is the lastest soap to hit tv and already they want to take it off. I see a furture for PASSIONS. Why does passions have to be cancelled why dount they cancel As the world turns or one life to live who’s story no longer makes any sense. Tehy need to do something about saving passions. I think by swicthing it to DIRECT TV is unfair because other people have companies they are already comfortable with and they shouldnt have to suffer while others are not effected…… Read more »
I DON’T THINK THEY SHOULD CANCEL PASSIONS. I THINK THE PLOTS THEY SET FOR YOU TO WATCH IS MIND BLOWING AND IT KEEPS YOU GUESSING EVERY DAY . IV’ED ENJOYED THE SHOW THE PAST EIGHT YEARS AND WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH.
I love watching Passions everyday, since I can’t work because of an injury.
don’t cancel passions, its the best daytime show there is, the today show is already long enough, any longer no one will watch it, so SAVE PASSIONS!!!!!
PLEASE SAVE PASSIONS!!
Passions is a very interesting show it has a few things that make it different from the regular soaps. So, Please reconsider and not cancel the show.
I have been watching Passions for over 6 years. I record Passions on a regular basis since when we have work and school so that we wouldn’t miss any thing. It is a really interesting show and really enjoyable. There is nothing that you could put in its place that I would watch.
Please dont let this show go I have seen every epi and I want to see more in the furture. My life would be so life less with out it so let it stay we want it to be here when we need some pick me up shows and i have grown with this show so let it be there when i need it and im not talking about a rerun of it althou i have never seen one
please dont cancel this show i started watching it while i was seventeen years old and now am twenty five years . i am from Botswana and it was broadcasted in our local tv but they stopped it last year so i’ ve been watching it on the internet but now you ‘ve realy killed us.i realy love this show and will alwayz. pliz,pliz do something better rather than canceling passions
I dont miss an episode ! Please dont let passion’s go. I have several friend’s that watch the show on a regular basis.
Passions is one of the best soaps out their, even better than Days. Eveyone who watches Days of our Lives then watches Passions after. Don’t take it off. It’s getting too interesting. If it does come off put it on lifetime so all of us women can watch it. Lifetime plays still standing and Reba all day. Change it up a bit.