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?
I have grown up with Days of Our Lives! I am 54 years old. I record the soap and watch it when I get home from work every day. Both of my grown daughter’s watch it too, as does my 90 year old mother. Please do not take it off the air!!!! There is not much left on TV that is worth watching these days. The story line is great I can not wait to see what will happen with Vivian and her son!!!
Thanks,
Debbie
Houston, TX
I have been watching Days of our lives since I was 7 yrs old.
Please don’t cancel this show!!!!! I look foward to watching this every weekend after
I tape it all week long. then I sit down and watch it on saturday. I hate all the reality shows that are now on the tv. To me thats not entertaining!!! If Days of our lives goes off the air I will be canceling my cable tv. Days is the only thing worth watching!!!!
Days of our lives is like my family,please please don’t cancel this show!!!!!!
robin m.
anchorage ak
Please don’t cancel I watch thing everyday! my kids all know the cast and it is part of the family, so please re consider this.
Thank you,
Robin
please continue on with “Days”. i am retired, and enjoy this time of my day.
I have watched this show since it has been on the air (that is a long time!) as I am sure alot
of other people have also. Please do not cancel this show. The other soaps do not even compare to Days. I love the actors. Another thing, too, the sets on days are light and look
so real whereas on the other soaps, everything seems to be so dark, even the scences in
rooms. PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL DAYS.
I have been watching Days for at least 45 yrs. I would be so upset if it goes off the air.It is part of my daily routine and I love all the characters and the part they play.I’m enjoying the younger one’s coming into the show , I had my heart set to follow them and for many years to come. I sure hope this soap stays on.
Please , please, please NBC please donot cancelmy soap . I have been watching days all my life. in my family we are starting our 4th generation on watching days. It comes on at 2:00pm where i live. Istill have a VCR and record it daily . and on my days off I am watching days . I would be totally lost without Days. In five years days will be celebrating 50 years . I want to be able to see the 50 annversity of the greatest show ever. if you cancel my soap.i will never watch NBC again and… Read more »
**** dis show its all abouy one life to live babyyyyyyyyyy
Oh, By the way I was borned in 1954!!!!
I have watch Days of our Life since I was 5 and can remember, but I bet my Mother had it on while I can’t remember! I love this Soap Opera. If I miss it it is scheduled to tape. So very glad to hear that they are not CANCELLING IT!!!! THANKS 🙂
I excited about days of our lives. I look forward to seeing it after I get home from a long day of school work. I auto tune my tv everyday to see it at 6:00p.m. or at 11:00p.m.
I just started watching this 3 years ago and love it. It’s the only show I watch… Record it daily. I will be so bummed out if it goes off of the air anytime soon… 🙁
My mom watched Days with her mom and I’ve watched it wih my mom my whole life. I say keep it on the air as long as the ratings are steady or increasing. DON’T TAKE IT OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with Rachel and Ida. Cherrys attitude stinks!!!! Maybe THEIR (he he) are Vivians in real life. I love days of ou lives! I have been been watching since 1975! It would be like family dying if they take it off the air. I hope it continues.
I have watched this soap since the 80’s when I was in high school. I still tape it every week to give myself something to look forward to on the weekends. They have done away with a lot of the soaps, but this is one I truly hope they do not end.