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'Days of our Lives' Alison Sweeney on how soaps are fighting to stay alive
With the news that ABC canceled "All My Children" and "One Life to Live," soap opera fans are wondering if other soaps are in danger of the same fate. Alison Sweeney, who has played Sami on "Days of our Lives" since 1993, says she understands how great the loss of those shows is for fans.
"It hits close to home. It's really sad," Sweeney tells Zap2it while promoting the Hill's Science Diet "Million Pound Pledge" for pets. "I know, like many soap opera actors do, when you meet fans, that soaps have been a part of their family for generations. They've watched it with their mom or their grandma and it's close to their heart... It's hard to say goodbye."
On the other hand, Sweeney says she understands the business side of daytime soaps and the challenge the industry faces in order to keep the shows viable.
"They have to find a way to make money," she says. "And at 'Days of our Lives,' we're working really hard to fight to be a financially good decision for those people who make those decisions and hopefully we tell good enough stories that the fans want to keep watching."
The actress, who also hosts "The Biggest Loser," knows that reality and nonfiction programs are much cheaper to produce than scripted series, so the industry has had to make strategic changes to make sure it still turns a profit for the networks.
"At 'Days,' it's clearly a different place to work than it was 18 years ago when I first started," she says. "We don't have a lot of rehearsal time and we have to keep going. And the writers have to work harder and be able to write very simple scenes that are easier to shoot, inexpensive, without any fancy special effects, but still tell really compelling stories. Ultimately, most of the responsibility falls on the writers to tell really good stories and the actors to have to turn it around and bring it to life with a lot of constraints."
What are your thoughts on the challenges soap operas are facing?
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well sweetie the writers of DAYS suck @$$ and need to fired ASAP.
I've been an avid follower of Days since 1980 but I have to admit there are only so many times you can tell the same plotlines before it becomes all repetitive. Right now, Days has an imposter, an amnesiac, a person addicted to perscription drugs, a triangle between a two sisters and one of their husbands. How many times have those stories been told. It gets boring. I wish there was a way to see something unique. Only story interesting to me is the possible coming out storyline with one of the young characters. But even that may be ruined due to the audience not accepting it. Hope Days isn't the next one to drop but it could very well be late next year.
If writers could not include alcohol drinking or sex outside of marriage, would they be able to write any stories at all? I get tired of those plot devices used over and over and over again.
While there are a limited number of types of stories to be told, a talented team of writers could come up with endless interesting ways to tell them. You just need to hire creative people. Days has a beautiful talented cast and they are forcing them to sell the most uninteresting drivel. The fate of soaps is sealed if they continue to keep the current crop of writers in place. They've shaken up the business model but keep the same old hacks churning out crap stories. The same writers go from show to show not adding anything creatively to the mix. Makes no sense when everyone seems to agree that the writing is critical to the success or failure of the show. Bring in some different writers who can actually add something to the genre before it's too late.
i am a true fan. i have been watching days for 25 yrs. and since 2003 after james e.reilly (R.I.P) left the second time. days has really went down. i can't understand why did they fired christopher whitesell. he was just the co-headwriter. and then later on they said that gary tomlin and chris was the blame for the 2009-2010 downfall. how is that possible.if dena higley is and still is the headwriter. she is the one who need to go. and what about the other writers. they are much to blame as dena and chris. so i don't know what to think. i just got a feeling when 2014 get here ALL OF THE SANDS WILL STOP POURING..
I have watched Days for several years, but I have to admit the story lines are silly and unbelievable. Really! A doppleganger! And I hate the idea of Will being gay. You really need some good writing.
I have been watching "Days" for over 30 years, more than half my life. If it was canceled I would be so upset about it. I know, sometimes things aren't what you want, it moves too slowly or you don't like a character. But Long Live Days!
Last year (2010) was the end of an era in daytime soaps with the passings of James Mitchell, Francis Reid, and Helen Wagner. It time for daytime soaps to do the same.
I've watches days since I saw my mother watching it. She watches it every day at 4:00 , I'd always sit on the couch pretending not too watch seeing i was little. Tho at my age now I some what still don't understand some things that are leading and what's happened in the pass, tho I think belle and Shawn should come back in a couple shows. I would hate too see days cancel I have it set on my tv everyday and 4:00 to watch it. Don't know what I'd do if it was gone..
I have been a Days of Our Lives fan for over 30 years and used to watch it with my mom. I would be upset if the show was canceled, like ABC did to One Life to Live and All My Children. The stories on Days are still great and they are keeping lots of viewers entertained.