The current trend in daytime TV seems to be that soap operas are on their way out. Passions and Guiding Light have both ended in the last couple years and As the World Turns will likely wrap this fall. There are also rumors that ABC may soon end one of its soaps as well.
However, there’s some good news coming out of NBC. The network plans to keep veteran sudser Days of Our Lives on the air for another year.
Days of Our Lives has been entertaining viewers daily since 1965. The serial was created by Irna Phillips, who had her hand in creating many other soaps as well and mentored fellow soap creators Agnes Nixon and William J. Bell. The cast of the series, which famously opens with sands pouring from an hourglass, includes Alison Sweeney, Peter Reckell, Kristian Alfonso, Eric Martsolf, John Aniston, Lauren Koslow, and real life married couple Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth-Hayes.
The serial has had its share of ratings slumps, followed by ratings surges. Throughout the past decade it’s been on a fairly steady decline (as most soap operas have) but has picked up recently, besting last year’s numbers by nearly 10%. It’s currently the second most-popular serial among women 18-49.
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NBC Universal Television president Jeff Zucker stated three years ago that Days of Our Lives was unlikely to continue past 2009. In November 2008, it was renewed for a maximum of 18 months, keeping it on the air until September 2010.
Despite Zucker’s earlier prediction of its demise, NBC has now come to a new agreement with Sony Pictures TV, albeit a short-term one. NBC is agreeing to keep Days of Our Lives on for another season, until September 2011.
Of the renewal, Marc Graboff, chairman of NBC Entertainment, said, “Days of Our Lives continues to be a favorite of the daytime audience and we are thrilled to keep it going through its 45th season.” He continued, “Days has shown year-to-year increases in key female demographics and remains both relevant and fresh creatively.”
While the renewal is good news for the soap’s faithful viewers, the short term agreement certainly shows that the network still isn’t committed to keeping the drama on their daytime schedule.
What do you think? Are you surprised that NBC as renewed the soap opera? Realistically, do you think Days of Our Lives will survive past 2011?
Been watching DOOL since late the late 70’s in ST.Lucia until I moved to USA in the 90’s. The problem with this show is the stories, first they kill people off then they all come back. It’s too FAKE almost like PASSIONS…. That’s why I stick to the best shows on air… I.E. (The Young And Restless) and (Bold and Beautiful) . ABC is not doing too good with the numbers, soon it will have to cut some of their soaps….(General Hospital) is always repeating the same story, Sony is always getting shot and lives to see another day, is… Read more »
I have been watching Days Of Our Lives for the last 20 yrs without missing a single episode! I used to record it & now I dvr it everyday & watch it at night after work. Please Please Please NBC do not take it off the air. You will be disapointing a lot of fans! We love the characters & we live through them! Please keep us fans in mind when its time to renew the show!!
Please don’t take off Days of Our Lives, it is the one and only show on TV I care about watching. Days is a big part of my life, I have watched it since I was one year old. It hold alot of wonderful memories for me watching it with my Mom and grandmother.
I have watched Day’s since I was Born! I used to watch it with my Grandma. I have lots of memories of talking over the story lines with her, and sometimes arguing about them with her. I know she’s still watching with me everyday even though we lost her over 10 years ago. I still think of calling her when it comes on. Please don’t take my show and my memories!!!
Reality shows will fade but Days is forever. Seriously, NBC… you must keep Days of Our Lives on the air. Great acting & directing, interesting storylines and most importantly characters I CARE about… which is the true mark of a truly good show.
Guiding Light and As the World Turns are gone now, and they were my shows. If you’re gonna kill the soaps kill them all, its only fair. And YES, I am jealous DOOL is still on air, along with all the other shows, especially trash like Bold and the Beautiful, when the classiest show around, ATWT, gets its plug pulled after 54 years! First GL with its 70+ years! Those two shows were a part of our fabric as a nation, ATWT has had some of the most groundbreaking storytelling ever. Friday, saying goodbye to ATWT, I was an emotional… Read more »
leave it on! love days!
I am so pleased that NBC has renewed Days!!! Way to go NBC, a wise decision.
I have watched Days of Our Lives since its first show…missed a few years will I worked now I am retired and at 69 I have come to love watching the show, it is a part of my day. Now with Soap Net I never miss a day! Hope it keepings ‘Going and Going….
I have been watching Days of our Lives since I was in Kindergarden with my mom Iam now 47 years old and watch it with my granddaughter now who is 10 we were both every sad to hear it might end. I cant wait to tell her we have at least 1 more year my mom of 76 yrs old will be very happy too. I hope it goes on beyond 1 more year.
Please keep it on!!!! It is one of the only thing in my dvr that is for me!!! I watched this show with my grandmother, my mother, and now my daughter. It is as tradition with us!!!
I have been watching Days since I was a little girl with my mom, I was born in 1967 and love the show. I DVR the show every day and can’t wait to get home each day to watch the show. I work with other women who do the same thing as me and we enjoy talking about the show the next day at work and comparing what each one of us think is going to happen in the up coming shows. So myself and the women I work with are begging you to keep the show on. We do… Read more »
I absolutely love Days of Our Lives. I am 59 years old and I have been watching it since it began. I loved Dr. and Mrs. Horton very much. I was deeply saddened when they passed away. I miss Marlena Evans and John Black. The storyline is great now and want to see this soap opera continue. We have too many Reality Shows. Please keep this show on the air. I love E.J. and Sammy. I adore Bo and Hope. They have been on the show forever.
Thanks for Victor and Stefano too. They are great actors.
I have watched “Days of Our Lives” since it began and have enjoyed every episode. I am now 63 years old and still enjoy every episode. It will be a sad time for me if they take this soap off the air because I feel I know each one of the characters personally. I hate some, love some and wish some were murdered in their sleep…..Ha, ha. But there is only one thing that would probably be an improvement, that they give the title a subtitle such as. “Days of Our Lives- (Where all the characters get more than one… Read more »
I’ve watched Days of Our Lives since I was 6 yrs. old. My grandmother got me hooked on it. I’m now 44 yrs. & it’s still my favorite show. It’s part of my life! Please, please don’t cancel it. I love Bo & Hope.