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 too am a passions fan, it’s sad to know that because of the time slot left after the new and improved “Today’s Show ” Passions was moved to Direct TV. Passions is lighthearted and entertaining;it was my time to clear my head just for a few moments before the kids got in from school. Bring back Passions to NBC , just shorten the long plots! Truly Passionate,Barbara McC.
PLEASE BRING PASSIONS BACK
TO NBC PLEASE.
cancel it plz!
Keep Passions On The Air.
look i’m 60yrs old got 7 kids grandma to 11 great grandma of 1 even i watch passions from the beginning the only soap i watch !! bad bad move to cancel this show tells me nbc hadnt done its homework shame on you a very stupid move !!!you dont have very many shows that great anymore ! think you need to pay attention to those of us still out here buying products that keep a roof over your heads & food on your families table !wise up get passions back !you know the drill consumers can make or break… Read more »
USE SOAP NET INSTEAD OF NBC!! -there’s my 2 cents! i usually tape my soaps and watch them later so that i can skip through the commercials. it recently occured to me that I DON’T HAVE TO WATCH NBC ANYMORE!! i can tape days on the SOAP NET. so, if nbc lost their days of our lives viewers, that would be what they deserve for cancelling passions. i’ve been watching passions since the beginning in 99′ because it came on right after days. and i have to say, as much as i love it, i can see why others may… Read more »
please bring back passions. you can’t just let it go without asking for fans’ voting. i am 12 years old and how i love to watch it. i never missed a single minute of it since i started watching it. my mom my dad my two sisters and i watched it everyday and you just gonna cancel. please just think of the viewers the fans. i beg you………………………………………… please…………….. could you would bring it back i would do anything to get it back. how can you replace PASSIONS! with martha stewart. i would rather NOT WATCH NBC EVER EVER EVER… Read more »
I enjoy watching passions,have been since 2002. I feel that if the network is going to cancel it;knowingly the number of fans thats going to be unable especialy finacially switch to direct t.v. At least make it available on the internet,or even the soap network.
I have been following passions from the beginning. I am 48 years old and really like the fairy tale like story. I refuse to switch my cable provider,but rest assured that I will not watch whatever program you have replaced it with. I hope that you re-consider and bring it back.
Please dont cancel passions.
I’M VERY UPSET THAT PASSIONS DOESN’T COME ON ANYMORE.IT’S NOT FAIR! SOME PEOPLE CAN’T AFFORD CABLE. DIRECT TV SUCKS!!!!! IT’S JUST NOT FAIR! IF PASSIONS DOES NOT GO BACK ON THE AIR I WILL NEVER EVER WATCH ANOTHER NBC PROGRAM AGAIN..AND TO REPLACE PASSIONS WITH MARTHA STEWERT!!!COME ON, GET REAL THE ONLY PEOPLE THET WATCH HER ARE OVER 50. SO WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO WATCH. THIS SUCKS. WE WERE LEFT HANGING AS TO WHAT HAPPENS. IT’S NOT FAIR. TAKE MARTHA OFF THE AIR, I MEAN ISN’T THEIR ENOUGH FOOD SHOWS!!!WE DON’T NEED ANYMORE, AMERICANS ARE OVER WIEGHT AS IT… Read more »
That was so stupid to take Passions off and put the Today show in its place. No one is going to watch that.No one is going to switch to Direct Tv either just to watch it. You really need to put it back on NBC. I have been watching Passions since the day it was first shown. I even got my mom watching it and my boyfriend. Please put it back on NBC so we dont have to watch the Today show.
I am very up set that it has been moved the big net works dont think that there are some people who can not afford direct tv some of us are only just getting buy and this was a break fro us to watch and enhoy now it is gone i will never watch a nbc program again and i have 12 friends that have agreed with me iam useing a friends email as i cant afford a computor
I started getting into Passions over 4 years ago and I was hooked ever since. I understand NBC doesn’t want to air this wonderful show anymore, but couldn’t you guys just put it on another NBC affiliate like BRAVO, Sci-Fi, or even USA, or maybe another network all together like maybe MY Network TV or SOAPNet? I’m gonna make this clear and to the point I have many relatives and friends who are into Passions including my best pal Mike. Everyday that we were home Mike would call me and we would talk about the show as it happened and… Read more »
Please put passions back on nbc. I have watched passions since the very beginning. I even tape it everyday while I’m at work so i don’t miss an episode. So please take this in consideration and put passions back on nbc!!!!!