OT: Passions Saved?

[David]

Variety is reporting that NBC has struck a deal with Direct TV to continue airing new eps of Passions after the show's NBC run ends in the Fall.

Passions is expected to continue as a 30 minute show, four eps per week.
No word if these eps will be aired in Canada, Australia, or
Latin America, where the NBC eps have been airing.

It'll be interesting to see how much of the fan base switches to Direct TV for this.
Even with its low ratings, Passions' audience is about 2 million strong in the USA.

David

[David]

Direct TV has issued a press release~~it's a done deal!
Passions is saved!

Most of the cast is staying, it will be 4 eps a week, but they'll be hour long shows.

Cool!

David

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Very interesting!

If only satellite TV had been around when DS went off. But then, alas, there were still probably too many behind the scenes issues involved in DS' end for it to have continued...

[David]

I wonder if we could get Direct TV to air DS?

David

[David]

A poll at www.soapoperafan.com asks if Passions fans will switch to Direct TV this summer.

17% already have the service
6% said yes
53% said no!!!!!!

is this experiment doomed to failure?
or can this experiment prove that it's  the major networks, and not soaps, that are dying?

So, if Direct TV's original programming channel were to consider DS, would you switch to their service?

David

[adamsgirl]

As a DirecTV subscriber, I can highly recommend their service. I am more than satisfied with what I get as opposed to what I got from my cable company (Cablevision). I think, too, they offer more for the money.

[dom]

And as an exsubscriber I can definitely recommend keeping your cable active while trying DirecTV for at least through a good rain storm, wind storm, snow storm, etc. unless you live in an area of the country that has perfect weather 365 days a year. (No disrespect intended to adamsgirl/much disrespect intended towards DirecTV)

[David]

I've had Dish Network since 2000.
The service has been great, even when I lived in Hoboken NJ where winter storms can get nasty!

When I had Cablevision in NJ there were constant outages, not with Dish!

I understand Dish/Direct service had many problems
early on, but these were fixed when they went digital.

I'm a long time Passions viewer.
Should I switch to Direct?
I want to keep watching Passions, but Dish has Monsters HD & Showtime Beyond, 2 all horror channels not on Direct, and I want them too!
What to do?

David

[adamsgirl]

I'm sorry about the outages, but as was explained, that was pretty much resolved with digital on DirecTV.

David, I don't know what to say for you -- it's a trade-off. Some people do both, but that's only if your budget would allow that.

[dom]

Nay, I had DirecTV up until two months ago and had disruption problems up until then. Nothing short of an exclusive Supremes reunion or the televised second coming of Christ could get me to switch back.

Sorry to go on about an OT topic but...

[David]

I again checked that poll at www.soapoperafan.com

It looks like 25% of Passions' core audience is already committed to watching the show on Direct TV.
It you do the math, that's about a half million  viewers~~HUGE numbers for a Direct TV exclusive.
And it's only 48 hours since the Direct deal was made, the numbers could grow!

Passions' status could change from a bomb to a hit!
(though I always felt it's 2 million daily USA viewers, plus millions more in other countries, hardly makes it the bomb NBC feels it is!!)

I guess if I get Direct TV's bare bones Family Pack & drop my Starz/Encore channels from Dish, I could do both.

So, can we get a movement going to get DS on Direct TV's
Original Programming Channel?
Or on Showtime Beyond?

David

[David]

For it's final days on NBC, Passions seems to be returning to it's supernatural, witchcraft themed roots.
Juliet Mills has been getting a lot more airtime!

And the stalker/creeper story has gotten very dark indeed, including scenes set in secret rooms & crypts!
VERY DS like!

The ratings, while still low, have held steady.

I think Passions will do fine on Direct TV, which I've ordered so I can keep watching!

David