Soap opera writer James E. Reilly dead at 60

[Edboy 13]

James E. Reilly, probably best known for serving as head writer on the soap opera Days of our Lives from 1992-1997, and again from 2003-2006 and for being the creator of another soap, Passions, passed away this month at the age of 60 after recovering from cardiac surgery.

Okay, now this is starting to get really weird. What's with all these random deaths?

[The Penguin]

Okay, now this is starting to get really weird. What's with all these random deaths?

It's not random, people die every day. Reilly died after cardiac surgery, last time I saw a picture of the man he was rather overweight. I don't mean to be cold, but it's not random.


As a writer, I liked Reilly and yet I didn't. He made things a little crazy his first time on Days with the whole possession thing. The second time out, I actually really got into the Salem Stalker story line although at the same time I was mad all those characters were being killed off. It really pumped up the excitement tough.

Passions I couldn't get into, it was just so ridiculous I couldn't take it after a while.

[I.D.Will19??]

It's not random, people die every day. Reilly died after cardiac surgery, last time I saw a picture of the man he was rather overweight. I don't mean to be cold, but it's not random.


As a writer, I liked Reilly and yet I didn't. He made things a little crazy his first time on Days with the whole possession thing. The second time out, I actually really got into the Salem Stalker story line although at the same time I was mad all those characters were being killed off. It really pumped up the excitement tough.

Passions I couldn't get into, it was just so ridiculous I couldn't take it after a while.

First off, may James E. Reilly rest in peace.

Secondly, I didn't really like his writing. Don't get me wrong, he had some good concepts. The Salem Stalker storyline being one of them. His main problem was that he would drag them out for sooooo long and usually ended them horribly. I also wished he'd toned down the craziness in some of his stories.

I actually started watching Passions because of the supernatural angle of the show. It seemed to fit with it taking place in Salem. Started out with a few good storylines. Loved the Theresa/Ethan/Gwen triangle, Julian affair with Eve, etc. Like always, he dragged storylines,and had very little consequences for certain storylines. Last time I read via Soap Opera Digest, the Theresa/Ethan/Gwen triangle was still going on ! There's a hermaphrodite (Vincent's character) pregnant with his/her father's(Julian) baby . The list goes on and on.

His writing became even worse when he started juggling two soaps (DAYS OF OUR LIVES and PASSIONS) at the same time. He would've really benefitted from having one or a few writing partners, imo.

[DisneyBoy]

The guy who created Passions also wrote the Days storyline where Marlena killed off everyone in the show?

NOW it makes sense!

Sorry, I don't have much respect for this guy's work. Another World was kicked off the air after 45 years so that Passions could come on in and be...absurdly silly (I'm totally choosing my words here), so...yeah. That's all I'm going to say.

[The Penguin]

I actually started watching Passions because of the supernatural angle of the show. It seemed to fit with it taking place in Salem. Started out with a few good storylines. Loved the Theresa/Ethan/Gwen triangle, Julian affair with Eve, etc. Like always, he dragged storylines,and had very little consequences for certain storylines. Last time I read via Soap Opera Digest, the Theresa/Ethan/Gwen triangle was still going on ! There's a hermaphrodite (Vincent's character) pregnant with his/her father's(Julian) baby . The list goes on and on.

That was the other problem I had with Passions, stories went on forever, they never seemed to be any resolution. I know there can't be too much resolution in a soap, but it never felt like it went anywhere.

[DisneyBoy]

I disliked it because it was to soap operas what dog food is to haute cuisine.

It was the soap equivalent equivalent of recasting Batman as George Clooney.

It makes a power-outtage seem like a blessing.

The only reason I EVER tuned in was to see if a giant nuclear bomb would land in Salem and blow every single character, set and spirit into dust.

EDIT: But I will say this...there was a silver lining.

Timmy wants a spanking Tabitha...!