Action/Adventure Doesn’t Rate With the New ‘Days of Our Lives’

“Days of Our Lives” took a big gamble in 1988. In an effort to boost the show’s mediocre ratings, the powers-that-be came up with a plan to incorporate action/adventure into the show’s usual romantic story lines.

“We were trying to do a better show,” says Al Rabin, who recently returned to the helm as the supervising executive producer. “We tried to keep the romantic aspects of the show and add an element of adventure. But the reality is you can only do so much.”

Apparently so. Instead of gaining more viewers, scores fell by the wayside. The show dropped to eighth place in the Nielsen ratings.

“I think the audience became an observer as opposed to a participant,” notes Rabin. “It’s essential that the audience be able to share a feeling with the characters that they like. As soon as you start doing action/adventure stories, the viewers start to just watch it as opposed to feeling it.”

As of January, it will be out with the new and in with the old. “Days of Our Lives” will direct all of its attention toward telling love stories. Anne Schoettle will take over as head writer with Richard J. Allen.

Exactly what is going to be happening in the near future?

“Patch (played by Stephen Nichols) and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) will be having their baby sometime in February, which certainly should be a major event,” says Rabin. “Then, there is Shane (Charles Shaughnessy) and Kimberly (Patsy Pease). The rekindling of that romance will be important. What will happen with Justin (Wally Kurth) and Adrienne (Judi Evans) is a major beat, as is the April (Lisa Howard), Nick (George Jenesky) and Mike (Michael Weiss) triangle. There will be emphasis on Scott (Rick Hearst) and Faith (Mindy Clarke).”

One pivotal character will be returning in February--the popular Julie Williams. And Susan Seaforth Hayes will be recreating her former role as the exciting and recently divorced granddaughter of the Hortons.

“Julie will come back as a woman of wealth and power,” explains Rabin. “She’ll probably be an adversary to Victor Kiriakis (John Aniston).”