Although not yet confirmed by the network, several sources are reporting that tomorrow, NBC will announce the cancellation of it’s long-struggling soap PASSIONS. Rumors of this possibility began circulating last week, when NBC officials confirmed that soon they would be offering up a fourth hour of TODAY. The show debuted on July 5 of 1999, immediately registering on the pop-culture radar with it’s odd mix of classic soap elements and more unusual touches, such as a 300-year-old witch who turned her doll into a living boy. In the years since, PASSIONS has featured other bizzare storylines including a man-lovin’ mermaid, a teenage zombie and a power-mad faux monk. (Don’t ask… you had to be there.) Over the past few years, many fans felt frustrated by the show’s seeming refusal to give any of their couples a shot at happiness while critics consistently took the show to task for hiring thesbians who seemed better suited for half-naked modeling than acting… which seemed almost appropriate, given the amount of time — high even by soap standards — that most male cast members spent shirtless. Despite these flaws and a pace that veers wildly between glacial and breakneck, PASSIONS has often proven both bold and refreshing, willing to take chances that other daytime dramas wouldn’t dare. More importantly, it’s disheartening for fans of the genre to see yet another daytime drama bite the dust… especially given how unlikely it is that NBC will opt to launch a new soap any time soon. After all, why take the chance on original programming when you can air yet another hour of your already-stretched-thin morning-show franchise… right? As they say in soaps, stay tuned for news on whether or not the show will be given time to write a happy ending for Theresa, Ethan and the rest of the Harmony residents.
