What’s Right With DOOL

Just a note, it saves them money by being able to take entire weeks off from production, often two to three weeks at a time, or more; meaning that's hourly and day player wages they don't have to pay for during the time they're dark, and still have the same quantity of material to air. Mind you, what doesn't make sense is that they shoot more content than the amount of time they take off, which is why they get further and further ahead, rather than it being a wash….

Anyway, I actually deleted Days from my DVR timer yesterday, at least for the time being. Thursday's episode wasn't anything remarkable in regards to why I deleted it, but it was the straw that broke the camel's back. I fast forwarded through virtually everything, which I’m not very prone to do, but every single scene was irritating in its banality.
I can't stand Claire and Ciara right now. I mean, I've never been able to stand Claire, but the backbiting with these two lately has been the worst. They might as well have kept them small children, at least then the childish behavior would make more sense. In fact, the only way I think the show might assuage my thoughts on them would probably be to SORAS them the other way and de-gage them.

The way they introduced "Stefan" and his demeanor immediately turned me off; just another smug character I'd rather punch in the face than listen to for five seconds. The classically Days/soap logic for being both the CEO of Dimera Enterprises and having any kind of claim to the mansion is beyond asinine, but then all of this BS the show tries to pass off as corporate intrigue is so absurd, it's hard to really care who is doing what professionally, or how they're doing it. Gabi's going to sign over the successful business we've never seen her working at building to Dimera Enterprises? Don’t care. No, wait, now she's going to flip it over to Basic Black/Titan? Still don’t care.
They did it right with JJ, making his an episode with nothing else going on to undermine the flow or momentum of the story; they hit so many of the right emotional points, and I was absolutely gushing praise about it. Then the next day it was back to the same old same old, and this great story about JJ turns into an excuse for Lani and Eli to screw around and create more manufactured drama for later. And why not? It was also an excuse for Rafe and Hope to break-up long enough for Sami and Rafe to have sex, and now they’re milking that for all it’s worth too…

I’ve been saying it for years, these characters are doctors, lawyers, cops, spies and even the odd time traveler; there have been entire successful series and franchises crafted around each of those things individually, but when Rafe and Hope sit down in the Salem PD offices, do they talk about the latest criminal they’re going after? No, it’s about how upset Ciara seemed at any point in the last 12 days, and how she’s tried like 20 times to tell them something, but keeps conveniently getting interrupted. Kayla and Valerie talked about how difficult Theo’s surgery was, and Valerie blamed herself for causing the thing that caused Theo’s stroke, but did we see their hard work, or the circumstance that may have contributed to Valerie’s mistake? Nope. Sounded impressive though….

They don’t need a huge budget or all the time in the world to tell a series of predominantly grounded, interconnected stories about human beings living their lives. With five 45-50 minute installments each week, on average, this should be every writers dream; it’s the ultimate metaphorical sandbox to play in, and explore the human condition in its near infinite permutations, and probably still have time to occasionally throw a little bit of farce or science fiction in there for good measure.

It doesn’t seem to matter who the head writer is, because the overall voice of the series always seems to filter out to about the same level, and I just don't understand it.

In my opinion what they need to do is:
First and foremost, 1 episode = 1 day, now and forever
No more than 1-2 concurrent stories per episode; unless they somehow tie-in together.

Also, only record the same number of episodes in given filming/dark rotation. If they're shooting for five days and take two weeks off, they should only shoot 15 episodes worth of material.
Use more extras, and create secondary and even third string characters who's fates can be more fair game for more serious outcomes.

Restructure the format of the show to tell stories that fit certain overarching story blocks or themes. Think of it like comic books, which I’ve always thought are the closest comparison for soaps; and how each book has a title (Detective Comics, Amazing Spider-Man, etc.). You have the Salem PD, The Spectator, University Hospital, Titan, ISA – just as some starting examples, there could invariably be others; and just like comic books, some titles get retired, new ones spring up, but there are some that you know are always going to be around.
These blocks would establish the main focus of the stories, and each would have their set stable of characters, though they can cross over into other stories as needed
Each block/title gets a dedicate writer or small team of two or three writers who determines the episodic or serial stories being told under that umbrella block/title; sort of acting as “head writers” for their blocks, and the primary head writer serving as editor and chief; coordinating the different stories going on, and making sure they fit together cohesively, especially where characters are shared. They may also be the major guiding creative force, having final say how or where certain stories ultimately play out, deciding on major plot points, or determining which writer is assigned to which title.

I would also have them take a page out of Scrub’s playbook, at least exploring the feasibility of converting an abandoned hospital into the primary soundstage for the production. Scrubs got a lot of mileage out of their hospital, and it was affordable enough for a half hour comedy that regularly seemed to be on the cusp of cancellation the first couple of seasons. They converted areas of the building to serve as dressing rooms for cast, offices and other needed behind the scenes productions areas; as well as sets, such as apartments and the hospital itself, while also shooting outside; a depth Days sorely needs. Put some shrubbery on the roof, and suddenly you an outdoor space that looks like an outdoor park. Dress part of the façade of the building to look like a downtown city shopping districts, boom, Horton Square is really outside, and it’s ten yards from the rest of production.