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 have been watching passions since the beginning and it is a very enjoyable show, i would hate for it to go off the air and i hope nbc returns this soap for another season.
Please do not cancel Passions. I have been a loyal watcher for 8 years and cannot afford Direct TV. I enjoy it and Days of our lives and record them when I cannot be home. And Passions is extremely interesting now and I need to find out what is going to happen.
I love passions and will no longer be able to watch it I wonder what kind of crap will be put on in its place
If passions goes off nbc I will never watch nbc agan.
I have watched Passions from day number one.I dont want to go from my cable to directTV to be able to see it everyday. I love my Passions and dont think its fair to change it.I am 65 yrs old and get a lot of enjoyment for this soap.Please dont cancel this great program.Who needs or wants 4 hrs of the Today show everyday
Why would you cancel it? Everyone loves passions because it’s stuff you don’t see elsewhere. Plus I listen at work in my tv tuner everyday. The Today show sucks in comparision
I cant’t believe the only show I wake up for is about to be gone. I work third shift and have two small kids so the daytime is my time o sleep while my sister watches my kids but to catch an episode of passions I sometimes miss my sleep. I Love all the cast members and good luck to you. NBC you Suck!
I only watch 2 soaps, Passions and Day of our Lives. Passions is quirky, rediculous, and just plain fun to watch. Your network will lose many, many viewers and Direct TV will gain them. But do what you need to do to line your wallets. the heck with what your viewers like.
I have been watchhing it from the beginning and I really don’t want to go to direct tv! plus I can’t get direct tv! I never miss and episode, I schedule all my appointmments around passions!
Passions should stay on nbc because nbc will only have one soap opera and DAYS OF OUR LIVES IS GOING TO BE CANCELLED TOO IN 2009, nbc is in a runt besides who wants to see al rocker and matt lauer talking the weather and news again and again and again, it can be very annoying!!!!Since nbc won’t have any soap operas left more of their viewers are going to watch CBS and ABC soaps and bring up there ratings which by the way is already happening . Everytime you look in the soap digest passions is always at the… Read more »
please please please don’t remove passions. ive watched from the beginning.
your going to lose a lot of viewers by going to direct tv, not every one can affored it
I was devastated to learn that NBC is removing “Passions” from their daily line up! I have watched the show for 6/7 years I tape it every day and watch it while home on lunch. I just recently added a DVR to my cable so that I could record it everyday without having to worry about video tapes. Please reconsider taking “Passions” from the viewers that love it. I’m sure it is not feesible for everyone that watches the show to subscribe to Direct TV. Please don’t ruin all our our days by taking it away!!!
Please do not cancel Passions. I have been watching it since the beginning. I tape it everyday and watch it after dinner. Look forward to seeing Passions continue on NBC.
Remember Payton Place – I was hooked on that soap in High School.
PASSIONS SHOULD CONTINUE TO AIR ON NBC AND NOT DIRECTV. I DO NOT LIKE THERE SERVICE AND THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO PASSIONS. THE SHOW SHOULD CONTINUE ON NBC BECAUSE I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND FAITHFUL VIEWER AND I WOULD HATE TO NOT TO BE ABLE TO WATCH THIS SHOW AFTER MY CLASSES.