In January, NBC announced that the network would be canceling the eight-year-old soap Passions in the Fall. Millions of viewers were understandably upset. After weeks of uncertainty, it looks like fans of the residents of Harmony will be able to rest easy — at least those who have satellite television.
The soap will end its eighth season on NBC on September 7th with a series of cliffhangers. DirecTV will begin airing the ninth season of Passions starting on September 17th. Passions will remain in its usual 2pm timeslot and DirecTV will also air encore marathons on weekends. This will be the first scripted drama series for the satellite TV provider who has been offering other original programming to its subscribers.
Executive vice president of Entertainment for DirectTV Eric Shanks said, “Passions fans no longer need to mourn the demise of their beloved program as it has found new life on DirectTV. We care about this show and are extremely proud to give it an exclusive home here at DirectTV.”
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Marc Graboff (president of NBC Universal Television, West Coast) added, “This new arrangement with DirectTV is truly a landmark development that allows NBC Universal to extend the Passions brand in a fresh and entirely new way, to DirectTV’s 16 million homes. It will reward the dedicated fans of the daytime drama who can continue to enjoy it on DirectTV and also opens up a great new model for other television programs to find new life on other non-traditional platforms.”
It is unclear how much DirecTV will be paying NBC Universal for the soap. Passions will be cut back from five to four episodes a week and will probably endure additional budget cuts. How these cost reductions would affect the soap cast and crew is unclear. The ninth season will begin filming in August.
The satellite provider is encouraging Passions fans to subscribe to the DirecTV service and is offering several incentives. Episodes of Passions are currently made available for free online at NBC.com and via iTunes. It’s unknown if online distribution will continue in some form but it’s looking doubtful thus far. Stay tuned!
nbc has to be one of the dumbest networks in the f**king world. tell me HOW you cut off PASSIONS who actually has a fanbase yet you keep on LAST CALL WITH CARSON DAILY? am i on crack? did something happen that i missed? i dont remember in years ever giving a f**k about carson daily even during TRL. you only have conan and scrubs to be happy about and montel when sylvia brown is on, but when you play 3 hours of the today show? lets just say this- after we get the weather we turn the channel how… Read more »
this is soo not cool. why do they have to change it to direct TV. thanks alot. because of those people that changed it i wont be able to watch it anymore!!
I am extremely upset about Passions moving to Direct TV! I’ve been a fan since the show came to NBC. I’ll miss it like crazy because I am a huge soap opera fan and watching it everyday makes it seem as if I am a part of their lives! Okay, I’m addicted!! Since I only have antenna channels I will no longer be able to watch Passions..
I, like many of those here do not have directtv and cannot afford it…Passions is one of my favorite soaps and I hate the thought of it going off cable…you are doing an injustice to everyone…please make sure it is available online to view if you are thinking of taking it off cable.
This is a terrible soap opera that should be discontinued. NBC should find something better to fill the afternoon slot.
should stay on regular tv for fans sake most people who watch it cant afford direct tv big mistake
WE ARE ON FIXED INCOM WE CAN’T HAVE CABLE OR DIRECT TV. ME & HUSBAND & MY GRANDSON AGE 11 WATCH IT ,WE STARTED DAY ONE PLEASE DON’T LEAVE US . PLEASE , PLEASE DONT LEAVE US .
I am heart sick that NBC will no longer carry Passions. I have watched it from the very beginning. I cannot afford Direct TV. I think this is so unfair to the faithful viewer’s to allow this program to leave.
I have a lot of health issues and TV is all I have.
Please NBC keep the program on.
I think that is very sad to make people to take directtv, that is low down , I have watched passins since it started I have dish for along time and I won’t knuckle down to your level
this is bs to see passion leave nbc to direct tv i have watch passion from the very first show. if your going to put it on sattlelite at least put it on soap net where we all can watch it I hate direct tv it not as good as dish. also leave it on nbc for the poor people that cant afford it. no one want to watch paid programming on the regular tv for 2hours a day. and please nbc do not start another soap like sunset beach it really suck. passion is so much better
Don’t take it off the air! I won’t know what to do with myself! NBC is making a big mistake!
You guys suck! Don’t do this to me! What am I suppose to watch between 2-3.
Please don’t go on direct TV! Not everyone has that! NBC is making a big mistake! Who wants to watch another hour of the morning show? NOT ME!!
Passions is the worst soap opera ever to appear on day time television. I use to be a huge fan until I realized how BAD it is…there is no storyline, the actors cannot act, the magic stuff they try to stick in is so out of place and inappropriate!! I am glad its finding a ‘new home’; if only they had canceled it altogether.
For a real storyline and great acting watch General Hospital, One Life to Live, All My Children or Days of our Lives..
I WON’T BE WATCHING PASSIONS BECAUSE I AM TOO OLD TO SPEND ANYMORE MONEY CHANGING THE WAY I GET AND VIEW TV, NOT REAL HAPPY ANYWAY THAT THE THINGS ARE DRAGGED OUT FOREVER,NOT SURE IF THE WRITERS ARE HOLDING OUT FOR MORE TIME TO THINK OF SOME OTHER THING THEY CAN DRAG OUT FOR MONTHS, SO MAYBE I WILL FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO FILL THE TIME I WOULD WATCH THAT SHOW.