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
Of all shows that air on NBC, Passions was the last one i thought would be cancelled….It is an excellent show and liked by many.
I ain’t hear to beg to have the show put back on Air…..But i do belive and know many agree that cancelling Passions was a HUGE mistake and would love to see it put back on air.
Please keep in to consideration that Passions has Millions of Fans 🙂 Thanks.
Now Passions has been axed by Direct TV…Please save this show and bring it back to NBC. I am boycotting all daytime tv on NBC except Days of Our Lifes…I may begin boycotting night-time line up too if you continue to ignore your viewers.
to NBC . . . Do by all means put PASSIONS back on tv . . . there are alot of people who dont have a computor and can not write on here . . i speak 4 them too !!! Put it back on ; i miss it so much and i want it back on air . YOU have too many TALK SHOWS . . . please im begging you put it back on !!!! LISA LISA LISA LISA LISA !!!!!!!!
I think that Passions should be brought back to a cable channel. Some people including me who like the show couldn’t afford the price to have satellite. We would love for it to be brought back to any cable channel. My grandmother and I have been watching Passions since the first show aired.
I have been watching passions for many years now. Not once have I seen any advertisement for the past seasons on Dvd. I really think that nbc should put all 9 seasons on dvd or vhs. It is in best interest for NBC to bring back passions on cable instead of Direct TV. Passions is going to loose all fan base because fans are not going to want to purchase Direct TV. I really think that NBC should think about the fans before making drastic decsions.
Please put PASSIONS back on nbc or at least oxygen or the soap channel. I really miss watching it! If it had good rating I see no reason for it to have been taken off! I have boycotted nbc and have urged others to go the same. There is news on other channels! And other shows that can be watched on other stations! And to put wordsearch on in that time slot was dumb! It is a boring show and I hope the company realizes it.
So PLEASE just put PASSIONS back on!!! ASAP!!!!
Passions is my favorite show. I have been watching this show sence it came out i want to watch it to the end. and it not their yet it stop right in the best part. Please put passions on t.v. agin.
Please put PASSIONS back on the air I haven’t like a show this much since Swans crossing .Why cant NBC keep a funny,hip stylish shown like this on the air.It cant be the ratings.Then to replace it with a show like Wordsearch thats a slap in the FACE. NBC has a very few programs on that I like guess its time to switch back to Young and the restless and BB.
Signed
One less NBC fan
KEEP PASSIONS ALIVE, PERIOD! Please get your act together!
DirecTV really put the screws to all of us–the viewers AND the cast!
And now they’re going down to 3 days a week?
This is terrible business at the very least! There are TOO many fans who want it kept on, so please consider moving it to Lifetimes–or somewhere!
My impression of DirecTV has gone literally down the toilet. It was once the best satellite. My prediction is that those who switched will just ditch DirecTV, regardless of what “punishment” they impose to their “so’called” wonderful customers!
Please don’t take passions off the air. I have watched it from day one and it is the best soap on t.v. I love the suspention that it gives off. Please don’t take it away from us.
I LOVE PASSIONS! I was so happy when I accidentially stumbled on it on DirecTV. Please don’t cancel it! I hate to think we’ll never see this great show again. It’s really too good to let go. Please keep it going!
There aren’t many soaps on that interest me, but Passions is so rediculous, with the witch, that you just can’t help but watch it. If it’s about cutting the budget why wouldn’t you slowly knock off people like Beth, her mom,and some of the monkeys.I know that it being far fetched is one thing but I think that some of the actors and actresses really need a reality check and need to lower their expectations of what their acting skills are worth. Face it some of the actors and actresses are really not very good at all.
No passions! No peace! Please get Passions back on the air hurry!
im hooked on passions, so i beg you please dont cancel passions!!!!!!!
Well this is not right, however I think its terrible we beg and beg to have it back , but with no avail, it is just a money thing. I guess I will just get in tuned with another soap opera and have them a part of my life. I hate to leave Passions yet they did not have a problem leaving us so I will just devote myself in another soap opera and feel them as a family to day and let Passions go.. So be it another soap opera will be part of my life and others will… Read more »