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 it first came on the air. I am not going to change from Dish Network to Direct TV to watch my favorite show. It would be a lot of trouble to change my satellite companies. I feel that Passions should be able to be viewed by any network. I wish it was not getting cancelled from NBC.
Direct TV is not available to Canadians, So it’s really not fair to take Passions away from all of Canada. What have we ever done to deserve this rude treatment??
bring it back we love it we tape it so we can watch it after work bring it back
I think you should put Passions back on NBC . I watched it from day one . My whole family watched it . I have a very very large family and we all watched it from the first show. We are all Upset with you for taking it off NBC. There are a lot of Programs you could have taken off . But not Days of our Lives or Passions . You get us hooked on them both then you took Passions away. IT’s like taking part of our family away.We have enjoyed the company of Days and Passions, All… Read more »
bring back passions, i am not switching to digital cable, i can’t afford it
Please keep passions on i’ve been watching it snce it went on the air. I love that show i watch it everyday. My husband even watches it with me. Thank you
OMG. Passions cannot go off the air! Meand my friends and family love this show! It helps me escape from real life. Passions is addicting, once you start watching it you cant stop. i need to know wahts going on with Fancy and Luis!
I’ve been watching passions since it started back in 1999.I hope nbc bring’s this soap back to regular tv or the soap-net channel. I would like to rewrite some of the scripts.Luis and Sheridan belong together, there is no way he would have fallen for Fancy this is so fake.It would be nice if the soap bought back Chad and Whitney, allow Ethan and Theresa to be happy together.
WE OWN PASSONS PLEASE BRING IT BACK TO US. WE MISS IT ALOT.IM SURE DIRECT TV IS GREAT BUT I CAN’T AFORED IT SO THAT STINKS AND IM REALY HEART BROKIN LEFT BEHIND LIKE THE REST OF US JUDY
I am very dissapointed that passions is off my regular channels. Direct tv does not offer what I like for the money it costs for me to waste money just for one show. Hopefully I will be able to catch up on the internet???
passion it one of my favorite shows. and it cant be cancel i actually comes home for my lunch break just to watch passion. i have been a fashion fan for about 4 years
I had someone tape it for me while I was in a war only to find it is being cancelled. I love Tabitha, because she played in a old series back when I grew up in the 50’s. In “Father Knows Best” What a fine actress and great style and adaptability. I hope she gets some dgood parts in a stage someday. She ios not old ya know!
Barb
Bring Passions back on cable tv, not satellite, not every one has satellite are going to switch providers, seeing that SoapNet plays multiple times of repeat show twice a day, it should have at least time for Passions.
You can’t cancel Passions just to add another hour to the Today show thats just not right. And as if 3 hours are not enough. Have you ever thought of adding another hour to Passions or even Days of our Lives another show I love to watch. Why should we have to switch from cable were we can watch it for free to a Dish and have to pay to watch it…that I just don’t understand…You need to bring Passions back so every one that loves watching it can see what happens with all of the characters.. For years NBC… Read more »
passions is not being canceled it is being moved to direc tv