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 do not cancell Passions. I was very upset when you cancelled Another World to replace it with Passions, and swore I would never watch it. But, I was home with my newborn daughter and it started around her feeding time, so I started to watch it. I became hooked after the 1st show, with the characters and storylines. Since then, I have gone back to work full-time, but I still tape it or listento it on my tv/radio. I am a loyal fan. It seems like anytime I invest in a great show, you go and cancel it. I… Read more »
PLEASE DON’T CANCEL PASSIONS!!!
ethan and teresa finally have the chance to be together and nbc wants to cut it short? look at how long chad was running after whitney and now all of a sudden he’s ******** SOMEONE ELSE (damn the fact its a man) the fact he’s cheating is too long of a plot to cancel…all im saying is as a fan i have been waiting for certain things to happen and now when we’re halfway through a never ending battle it has to be cut short. well get ready for a strike nbc, and i’ll be on the fronline! SAVE PASSIONS!!!
I am very upset with NBC. Passions is the best soap out there and i’ve been hooked since day one. I was so upset when I heard the news of it being canceled. This is literally the only show I enjoy watching on t.v. Me and my sister have been watching it together for years. We even have my little nephew hooked and he was upset when I told him the news as well. I feel I speak for everyone when I say: Please dont Cancel Passions. I’m very dissapointed with NBC. The show is doing so well and fans… Read more »
If you cancel Passions then I’ll won’t watch anything else from NBC. However should NBC drop them then please make sure it gets picked up on another channel. Passions is my break from my hum drum life of being a stay at home mom. Passions = Life.
Expand Today? How about shortening that show. Cash cow? Today is more like a dead horse.
I do not know anyone who watches Today (the monkey and Dave are dead right?) but almost all watch or know about Passions. This show should become a night time drama with an even bigger budget.
PLEASE DONT DO THIS
I have been so bummed that NBC is even CONSIDERING doing something like cancealing PASSIONS to add another hour of the Today show. Come on now, who at NBC thought this was a good idea????? I have been a Passions fan since day 1 (when NBC canned Sunset Beach mid week with no warning for Passions…..does anyone else remember that….) I hated it at first but still watched it, and grew addicted to it. I tape it every day & have a stock pile of episodes (missed maybe 1 or 2 days throughout the whole run of the show…..so that… Read more »
Please Keep Passions. I know its get a little crazy at times, but it REALLY is an excellent soap. Me and my sister have been having watching since day one. We are loyal fans. There are still A LOT of secrets that still needs to come out. We’re going to be upset if they end Passions without showing everyone’s secrets. If Passions has loyal, dedicated fans fior 8 years, why cancel it? For a 4th hour of the Today Show! It’s already 3 hours, why make it 4. Come on now, who actually watching the first 3 hours now. Its… Read more »
Please keep Passions on the air. My wife Tivo’s it everyday along with Days of Our Lives.
No one will sit for four straight hours and loyally watch the Today Show, but we are loyal viewers of Passions who sit and watch it for the hour that it is on. Don’t take this show away from us for no reason but to add an hour on to a show that people use for background noise in the morning.
SAVE PASSIONS. I LIKE WATCHING IT BECAUSE I LIKE TABITHA AND ANDORA, THEY MAKE THIS SHOW. IT HAS A DIFFERENT TWIST AND IS UNIQUE. PLEASE KEEP IT ON. I DO NOT HAVE CABLE TV SO PLEASE KEEP IT ON A REGULAR STATION. THANKS, DENISE
I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN HEARING ABOUT THE CANCELLATION OF MY FAVORITE SOAP OPERA. I AM A SOAP OPERA CHANNEL SURFER. PASSIONS IS THE ONLY ONE I WATCH WITHOUT CHANGING THE CHANNEL. I HAVE WATCHED PASSIONS SINCE THE FIRST DAY AND HAVE TURNED MANY FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS ON TO IT. I AM 33 YEARS OLD AND OUT OF ALL THE SOAPS I HAVE GROWN UP WITH PASSIONS IS THE ONLY ONE WITH ITS OWN PERSONALITY AND STYLE. PASSIONS IS UNIQUE AND CANNOT BE COMPARED TO OUR EVERYDAY LIVES LIKE THAT OF OTHERS SOAPS. I WANT TO HELP KEEP PASSIONS… Read more »
I Have been watching passions since 1999 when it first aired. The biggest problem is that storylines are dragged out far too long. I mean they make a day such as Thanksgiving last 2 or 3 weeks. Then the next day is Christmas. I know time continum is sometimes changed because of dramatic purposes, but maybe viewers got tired of waiting for a resolution to a storyline ( or resolution for a day to end for that matter). Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy passions but maybe if storylines were developed better and moved along at a quicker pace,… Read more »
I know I have posted previously (Feb. 5) but I’d like to add one more thing for NBC to consider…. Passions has been nominated for 5 Daytime Emmy Awards… yeah, real great idea to cancel it.