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''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio drama ...
that streams on the streaming service
Peacock Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera '' Pavo'' and '' Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are r ...
. The soap, which aired on the American
television network A television network or television broadcaster is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay television providers. Until the mid ...
NBC from 1965 to 2022, is one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, airing nearly every weekday since November 8, 1965. A co-production of
Corday Productions Corday Productions is an American production company. The company was founded by Ted and Betty Corday in 1965. The company produces the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' which they have produced since 1965. They are based in Burbank, Californ ...
and Sony Pictures Television, the series was created by husband-and-wife team
Ted Corday Theodore "Ted" Corday (May 8, 1908 – July 23, 1966) was a Canadian-American producer, director and co-creator of soap opera for NBC, most notably the hit series ''Days of Our Lives''. Biography Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Corday graduated ...
and Betty Corday. During ''Days of Our Lives'' early years, Irna Phillips (creator of former NBC stablemate '' Another World'' as well as its former CBS rivals, '' As the World Turns'' and '' Guiding Light'') served as a story editor for the program and many of the show's earliest storylines were written by William J. Bell, who would depart the series in 1975 to focus full-time on '' The Young and the Restless'', which he created for CBS in 1973. Following the 2007 cancellation of '' Passions'', ''Days of Our Lives'' remained the only soap opera airing on NBC. On August 3, 2022, NBCUniversal announced that it would relocate the series exclusively to its Peacock streaming service beginning September 12 after 57 years on the network and leaving NBC as the only Big Three network without a daytime serial. The series is set in
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rock ...
in the fictional city of Salem and primarily focuses on two families, the Brady and the Horton families. Other families, however, are also highly represented including the DiMera and Kiriakis families. The character of Alice Horton ( Frances Reid), the matriarch of the series' Horton family, remained with the show from its inception to the death of her actress in 2010, although her last formal appearance occurred in December 2007. Suzanne Rogers is the longest-serving member of the program's current cast and the longest-serving current cast member of an ongoing American soap opera, having appeared on the show since August 1973. (Rogers celebrated 40 years on ''Days of Our Lives'' in 2013.) Susan Seaforth Hayes – the second longest-serving actor currently on the program – is the only cast member to appear on ''Days of Our Lives'' in all seven decades it has been on the air, having made her first appearance in December 1968 as a recast of original character
Julie Olson Julie Olson Williams is a fictional character and member of the Horton family on the NBC daytime drama, ''Days of Our Lives'', a long running serial about working class life in the fictional town of Salem. The character of Julie was introduced ...
. Due to the series' success, daily episodes were expanded from 30 minutes to 60 minutes on April 21, 1975. ''Days of Our Lives'' has been syndicated to many countries around the world in the years since its debut. The soap was given the title of most daring drama in the seventies due to covering topics other soaps would not dare to cover. The show's executive producer is Ken Corday, who has held that role since his mother, Betty, relinquished showrunning duties upon her semi-retirement from the program in 1986,''Soap Opera Digest'' article, issue of February 10, 1998, page 42 with
Albert Alarr Albert Alarr (born March 30, 1956) is an American television soap opera director and producer. He undertaked actor William Christian for the role of "TR Coates" in ''Days of Our Lives''. Producing credits "The Break Up Guy" *Executive Producer ...
serving as co-executive producer. As of May 2021, ''Days of Our Lives'' has been renewed through September 2023. The soap celebrated its 14,000th episode on December 17, 2020. The show has been parodied by the sketch comedy series '' SCTV'' (as "The Days of the Week") and the
sitcom A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ...
'' Friends'', with some cast members making crossover appearances on the show, including Kristian Alfonso,
Roark Critchlow Roark Grant Critchlow (born May 11, 1963) is a Canadian actor. He is known for starring as Dr. Mike Horton on the American daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' from 1994 to 1999. Career From 1994 to 1999, Critchlow starred on the America ...
,
Matthew Ashford Matthew Nile Ashford (born January 29, 1960) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles on the soap operas ''Days of Our Lives'' and '' The Bay'', for the former of which he received a nomination for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstan ...
, Kyle Lowder and Alison Sweeney. The show has had high-profile fans such as actress Julia Roberts and Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall.


History

The Cordays and Bell combined the "hospital soap" idea with the tradition of centering a series on a family, by making the show about a family of doctors, including one who worked in a mental hospital. Storylines in the show follow the lives of middle- and upper-class professionals in Salem, a middle-America town, with the usual threads of love, marriage, divorce, and family life, plus the medical story lines and character studies of individuals with psychological problems. Former executive producer Al Rabin took pride in the characters' passion, saying that the characters were not shy about "sharing what's in their gut." Critics originally praised the show for its non-reliance on nostalgia (in contrast to shows such as '' As the World Turns'') and its portrayal of "real American contemporary families."Gilbert, Annie, ''All My Afternoons'', p. 109 By the 1970s, critics deemed ''Days of Our Lives'' to be the most daring daytime drama, leading the way in using themes other shows of the period would not dare touch, such as artificial insemination and interracial romance. The January 12, 1976, cover of ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'' magazine featured ''Days of Our Lives'' Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes, the only daytime actors ever to appear on its cover. The Hayeses themselves were a couple whose on-screen and real-life romance (they met on the series in 1970 and married in 1974) was widely covered by both the soap opera magazines and the mainstream press. In the 1990s, the show branched out into supernatural story lines, which critics immediately panned, as it was seen as a departure from more realistic storylines for which the show had originally become known. However, these storylines did have the desired effect, making ''Days of Our Lives'' the most-watched daytime soap among young and middle-aged women, also becoming one of NBC's five most profitable shows in any time slot. In 2006, when asked about his character, Jack Deveraux, "coming back from the dead"—for the third time—actor
Matthew Ashford Matthew Nile Ashford (born January 29, 1960) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles on the soap operas ''Days of Our Lives'' and '' The Bay'', for the former of which he received a nomination for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstan ...
responded, "It is hard to play that because at a certain point it becomes too unreal...actors look at that and think, 'What is this — the ''
Cartoon Network Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, ...
?" (Ironically, Jack – with Ashford in the role – would be killed off for a fourth time in an explosion-related elevator failure in August 2012, only to be brought from the dead once more in December 2018.) In addition to receiving critical acclaim in print journalism, the series has won a number of awards, including a Daytime Emmy for Best Drama in 1978 and 2013 and a Writers Guild of America, East Award for Best Drama in 2000 and 2013. ''Days of Our lives'' actors have also won awards: Macdonald Carey (Dr.
Tom Horton Dr. Thomas Horton is a fictional character and patriarch of the Horton family on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. He was played by Macdonald Carey Edward Macdonald Carey (March 15, 1913 – March 21, 1994) was an American actor, best ...
) won Best Actor in 1974 and 1975.
Susan Flannery Susan Flannery (born July 31, 1939) is an American actress and director known for her roles in the daytime dramas ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' and ''Days of Our Lives''. Early life Flannery was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, on July 31, 19 ...
(
Laura Horton Laura Horton is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera, ''Days of Our Lives'', a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional, United States town of Salem. Created by writer Peggy Phillips, the role was originated by ...
) and Eileen Davidson ( Kristen DiMera) won Best Actress in 1975 and 2014, respectively. Suzanne Rogers ( Maggie Horton), Leann Hunley (
Anna DiMera Anna DiMera is a fictional character on the NBC daytime drama, ''Days of Our Lives''. She was introduced as the estranged wife of Roman Brady and the biological mother of his daughter, Carrie Brady. Created by head writers, Margaret DePriest and ...
), and Tamara Braun (
Ava Vitali Ava Vitali is a fictional character and former antagonist from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by and introduced by then-executive producers Ken Corday and Edward J. Scott, the role is portrayed by Tamar ...
) won Best Supporting Actress for, respectively, 1979, 1986, and 2009 and Billy Warlock ( Frankie Brady) won Best Younger Actor for 1988. In 2009,
Darin Brooks Darin Lee Brooks (born May 27, 1984) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Max Brady on the NBC daytime soap opera '' Days of Our Lives'', Alex Moran on the Spike TV series '' Blue Mountain State'', and Wyatt Spencer on the C ...
( Max Brady) took home the Emmy for Best Younger Actor", and Tamara Braun (Ava Vitali) won for Best Supporting Actress, the show's first acting victories in over 21 and 23 years, respectively As with all other network programming, ''Days of Our Lives'' ratings have declined somewhat since the 1990s. In January 2007 it was suggested by NBC that the show "is unlikely to continue n NBCpast 2009." In November 2008, in an eleventh-hour decision, it was announced the show had been renewed through September 2010. The 18-month renewal was down from its previous renewal, which was for five years. The show made somewhat of a comeback in 2009, with ratings increasing as the year progressed. In March 2010, the show was renewed once again through September 2011; then again on November 8, 2010, its 45th anniversary, the show was renewed for two more years through September 2013, with an option for an additional year which would keep the soap on through 2014, its 49th year on the air. The series received a two-year renewal in January 2014 that was set to last until September 2016. Beginning on November 8, 2010, which marked ''Days of Our Lives''' 45th anniversary, the show began airing in high definition. The show was officially "rebooted" on September 26, 2011, in an effort to gain back its lapsed audience, appeal to long-term loyal fans, begin new stories, and boost ratings. Former fan favorite characters were reintroduced as part of the reboot. These included Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford), Carrie Brady (Christie Clark), and Austin Reed (Patrick Muldoon). All three, including actress Sarah Brown, were fired from the show in an effort to lower production costs. The reboot was met with mixed reviews from critics. Head writers hired to handle the reboot, Marlene McPherson, and Darrell Ray Thomas Junior were subsequently fired due to declining ratings. Chris Whitesell, and former Days executive producer Gary Tomlin were rehired after being fired as part of the show's revamp. Daytime Emmy award winner
Lorraine Broderick Lorraine Broderick (born 1948) is an American television soap opera writer. She got her start on ''All My Children'' as a protégée of the show's creator, Agnes Nixon. She went on to serve four different stints as its Head Writer, ultimately ...
was hired as a member of the breakdown writing team in April 2012. ''Days of Our Lives'' is noted as the fourth longest running soap opera in the United States. On November 30, 2014, NBC introduced an updated logo for ''Days of Our Lives'' at the
2014 Hollywood Christmas Parade The Hollywood Christmas Parade (formerly the Hollywood Santa Parade and Santa Claus Lane Parade) is an annual American parade held on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It follows a 3.5-mile (5.6 km) route ...
, in celebration of the series' 50th anniversary. On February 11, 2016, NBC renewed ''Days of Our Lives'' for one-year, with the option of an additional year. In January 2017, while discussing the potential of a renewal for the soap, NBC chairman
Bob Greenblatt Robert Greenblatt (born 1959/1960) is an American television executive, former Chairman of NBC Entertainment and former Chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment. He has since launched his production company, The Green Room Early life and educati ...
stated: "We don’t make a decision for another couple months. ..But I don’t think it’s over yet." In February 2017, NBC officially renewed ''Days of Our Lives'' for an additional year. Jennifer Salke, President of NBC Entertainment, said in a statement: "We feel so privileged to be able to continue the remarkable legacy of ''Days of our Lives''. ..We thank xec producerKen Corday and his team for their incredible accomplishments and look forward to all the stories from Salem that will continue to unfold." In March 2018, NBC announced their decision to renew ''Days of Our Lives'' through fall 2019.Various citations concerning the 54th season renewal of ''Days of Our Lives'': * * * * * In January 2019, NBC renewed the serial through September 2020. In a statement, NBC Entertainment said: "With writing that manages to weave together Salem's iconic characters with current realities, Ken Corday and his team have ushered the show's legacy into a new era that resonates with both longtime and new viewers." On February 11, 2019, one month after NBC announced its renewal of ''Days'' for a 55th season,
Corday Productions Corday Productions is an American production company. The company was founded by Ted and Betty Corday in 1965. The company produces the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' which they have produced since 1965. They are based in Burbank, Californ ...
filed a
breach of contract Breach of contract is a legal cause of action and a type of civil wrong, in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other part ...
and
fraud In law, fraud is intentional deception to secure unfair or unlawful gain, or to deprive a victim of a legal right. Fraud can violate civil law (e.g., a fraud victim may sue the fraud perpetrator to avoid the fraud or recover monetary compen ...
lawsuit against Sony Pictures Television (which has co-produced and handled international distribution of the series since original production backer Screen Gems was folded into the former
Columbia Pictures Television Columbia Pictures Television, Inc. (abbreviated as CPT) was launched on May 6, 1974, by Columbia Pictures as an American television production and distribution studio. It is the second name of the Columbia Pictures television division Screen Gem ...
in 1974) in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleging that Sony placed the soap at a competitive disadvantage favoring its higher-rated CBS rival, ''The Young and the Restless''. The suit – which seeks restitution payments of more than $20 million – alleges that Sony Pictures had forced Corday (which maintains a revenue-sharing arrangement to split any profits and production costs in excess of the budget, the latter of which is financed by NBC) to absorb budgetary production deficits, had provided them with inaccurate accounting, had failed to offer the show for distribution in certain foreign markets (including the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
and
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
) and had failed to pay profits within the eight-figure range as well as to negotiate a license fee with NBC that incurs a "reasonable profit" for Corday, while negotiating a more favorable license fee from CBS for its carriage of ''The Young and The Restless'' (even as Corday's share of distribution revenues decreased by over 50% in recent years). Corday also alleged that Sony Pictures executives have expressed indifference to ''Days of Our Lives'', claiming that Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tony Vinciquerra said the soap is no longer a priority for the company and is "hanging by a thread." Representatives for Sony described the claims made in the suit as "meritless." On November 12, 2019, '' TVLine'' reported that the entire cast were released from their contracts, in preparation of a previously-planned production hiatus. Per reports, pending renewal, production will resume by March 2020. In a separate report, published by ''
People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'', the shut down was known to cast and crew, for "scheduling reasons". Ten days later, ''
Deadline Hollywood ''Deadline Hollywood'', commonly known as ''Deadline'' and also referred to as ''Deadline.com'', is an online news site founded as the news blog ''Deadline Hollywood Daily'' by Nikki Finke in 2006. The site is updated several times a day, wi ...
'' announced that the show had been renewed through September 2021. On January 29, 2020, NBC announced it had renewed the soap, and that production would resume in March; the following day, it was announced that cast and crew would return to set on February 3, 2020. In March 2020, it was announced that production on the soap was suspended pending "further notice," following the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. In July 2020, it was announced that production on the soap would resume on September 1 of the same year. The following month, on October 12, ''Deadline Hollywood'' reported the soap was suspending production for two-weeks, following a positive COVID-19 test. Production resumed eight-days later on October 20. On September 9, 2022, ''Days of Our Lives'' aired its 14,418th episode, ending its NBC run. In April 2021, production was paused, with NBC and Sony Pictures Television entering into renewal negotiations. The following month, it was announced NBC and Sony Pictures Television had reached a deal, renewing ''Days of Our Lives'' through September 2023.


Notable storylines

When ''Days of Our Lives'' premiered in 1965, the show revolved around the tragedies and triumphs of the suburban Horton family. Over time, additional families were brought into the show to interact with the Hortons and serve as springboards for more dramatic storylines. Originally led by patriarch Dr. Tom Horton and his wife, homemaker
Alice Alice may refer to: * Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname Literature * Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll * ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...
, the Hortons remain a prominent fixture in current continuity. One of the longest-running story lines involved the rape of
Mickey Horton Mickey Horton is a fictional character from the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', played from the show's debut episode in 1965 until January 2004 by John Clarke, spanning 3,500 episodes. The role was briefly played in 2004 by Richard Voigts, the ...
's wife Laura by Mickey's brother
Bill Bill(s) may refer to: Common meanings * Banknote, paper cash (especially in the United States) * Bill (law), a proposed law put before a legislature * Invoice, commercial document issued by a seller to a buyer * Bill, a bird or animal's beak Pla ...
. Laura confides in her father-in-law Dr. Tom, and the two agree that her husband Mickey should never know. The secret, involving the true parentage of Michael Horton (a product of the rape) and Mickey's subsequent health issues as a result of the revelation, spanned episodes from 1968 to 1975. This plot line was made even more complex with the presence of Linda Patterson (originally
Margaret Mason Margaret Mason (December 31, 1940 – March 26, 1999) was an American actress best remembered for her work on soap operas in the 1970s. Early life and career Born and raised in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, Mason was of Polish- Czechoslovakian ...
for many years, later
Elaine Princi Elaine Princi (born December 14, 1946 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania) is a contemporary American actress. She played roles on several soap operas, including Dr. Dorian Lord on the ABC daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live'' from February 1990 t ...
) who claimed that her daughter Melissa had been fathered by Mickey. When Mickey married the lovely
Maggie Simmons Maggie Horton is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network, played by actress Suzanne Rogers since 1973. The character was created by scriptwriter William J. Bell and producer Betty Corday as a r ...
( Suzanne Rogers), Linda became even more involved in the story line as the show's main villainess, marrying the wealthy Bob Anderson ( Mark Tapscott) and taking over the running of Anderson Manufacturing when he became ill. The story line involving Mickey, Laura and Bill was the first to bring the show to prominence, and put it near the top of the Nielsen daytime ratings. Another love triangle, between lounge singer Doug Williams, Tom and Alice's daughter Addie, and Addie's own daughter,
Julie Julie may refer to: * Julie (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the name Film and television * ''Julie'' (1956 film), an American film noir starring Doris Day * ''Julie'' (1975 film), a Hindi film by K. S. Sethumadhav ...
, proved to be very popular around the same time. The storyline culminated in the death of Addie in 1974 and the marriage of Doug and Julie in 1976. In the early 1980s, the Brady and DiMera families were introduced, and their rivalry quickly cemented their places as core families in Salem beside the Hortons. Around the same time, with the help of head writers Sheri Anderson,
Thom Racina Thom Racina is an American television writer and novelist. Personal He hails from Kenosha, Wisconsin, went to school in Albuquerque and Chicago, where he got a MFA in Theatre Arts and Directing. He is close friends with Sally Sussman Morina. Posi ...
, and Leah Laiman, action/adventure story lines and supercouples such as Bo and Hope, Shane and Kimberly, and
Patch and Kayla Steve "Patch" Earl Johnson and Dr. Kayla Caroline Brady are a supercouple on the American soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. Steve is portrayed by Stephen Nichols and Kayla is portrayed by Mary Beth Evans. On internet message boards, the couple is ...
reinvigorated the show, previously focused primarily on the domestic troubles of the Hortons. Since the 1990s, with the introduction of writer James E. Reilly, ''Days of Our Lives'' has moved from traditional plots to some supernatural and science-fiction-themed stories, in conjunction with the rivalry of good vs. evil, in a Hatfield/McCoy feud style the Bradys versus the DiMeras. Under the tenure of Reilly, ratings rose to number two, and stayed there until he left in 1999 to start his own creation of '' Passions''. Despite the introduction of new head writer Hogan Sheffer in 2006, ratings failed to revive, which led the show's producers to hire a few past fan favorites to stop the ratings hemorrhage.


Best-remembered stories

In addition to the love triangles of Bill/Laura/Mickey and Addie/Doug/Julie, other memorable storylines include the 1968 story of amnesiac Tom Horton, Jr., who returns from
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...
believing he is someone else and then proceeds to romance his younger sister Marie; the 20-year tragic love triangle when John Black has an affair with Marlena Brady, who is married to
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...
; the 1982 "Salem Strangler" (Jake Kositchek, who was nicknamed "Jake the Ripper") who stalks and murders women; the 1984 '' Gone with the Wind'' story line in which Hope Williams Brady and
Bo Brady Beauregard Aurelius "Bo" Brady is a fictional character from the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. The role has been most notably portrayed by Peter Reckell, who originated the role on May 3, 1983. Creation and Casting Created und ...
hide out on a Southern plantation and dress up as
Scarlett O'Hara Katie Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler is a fictional character and the protagonist in Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel ''Gone with the Wind'' and in the 1939 film of the same name, where she is portrayed by Vivien Leigh. She also is the ...
and Rhett Butler (devised to keep viewers tuned in while rival network ABC's soaps were preempted due to the
1984 Summer Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the sec ...
); and "
The Cruise of Deception The Cruise of Deception was a major cliffhanger and resolution storyline on the daytime drama ''Days of Our Lives''. Billed as a "miniseries" by NBC advertisements, it aired from June 7 until July 16, 1990. The story included several of the show ...
" in 1990, when madman Ernesto Toscano invites all his enemies aboard a ship, the ''S.S. Loretta,'' and holds them captive. In 1992, the show was retooled with additions such as refurbished sets, the debut of the Brady Pub, the addition of new characters such as
Vivian Alamain Vivian Alamain is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by head writers Richard J. Allen and Beth Milstein, and introduced by executive producers Ken Corday and Al Rabin, the role is ...
, Lisanne Gardner, Billie Reed, and Kate Roberts. Later that same year, ''Days of Our Lives'' introduced its highly popular teen scene with new characters such as Carrie Brady, played by Tracy Middendorf, and then back to
Christie Clark Christie Mary Clark (born December 13, 1973) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Carrie Brady in ''Days of Our Lives''. Early life Clark was born in Los Angeles, California, on December 13, 1973, to Craig and Cathy Cla ...
again; a SORASed Sami Brady, played by Alison Sweeney;
Lucas Roberts Lucas Horton is a fictional character on the American daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', portrayed by Bryan Dattilo. Introduced in 1993 as Lucas Roberts, the military cadet son of businesswoman Kate Roberts, he later discovers he is ...
played by
Bryan Dattilo Bryan Dattilo (born July 29, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Lucas Horton on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. Personal life Dattilo was born in Kankakee, Illinois, subsequently moving to West Palm B ...
; Austin Reed portrayed by Patrick Muldoon and later, Austin Peck; Abe Carver's younger brother Jonah Carver, played by Thyme Lewis; Jamie Caldwell, played by Miriam Parish; and Wendy Reardon played by Tammy Townsend. These additions were to appeal to younger viewers. By 1997, the romantic dilemmas of Carrie, Austin, Mike, and Sami, and the
Will Horton Will Horton is a fictional character from the American daytime TV soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', known for a highly praised coming out story, award-winning performances by actor Chandler Massey, and as one half of US daytime drama's first ma ...
paternity issue and custody battle storylines had become a focal point of the series. The shocking and ratings-grabbing 1993 plot when
Vivian Alamain Vivian Alamain is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by head writers Richard J. Allen and Beth Milstein, and introduced by executive producers Ken Corday and Al Rabin, the role is ...
buried Dr.
Carly Manning Carly Manning is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. Crystal Chappell portrayed the character from June 12, 1990, to October 18, 1993. After a sixteen-year absence, she reprised the role on October 2, 2009, to Septe ...
alive (the first controversial storyline from head writer Reilly); and the 1994–1995 story line in which the town's Christmas tree burns down and Marlena becomes possessed in '' Exorcist'' fashion. From 1993 to 1998, actress Eileen Davidson portrayed several characters from the same family on the series. Her main character, the villainous Kristen DiMera, suffers a miscarriage in secret, and in a panic to keep her love John Black away from Marlena, Kristen pretends to still be pregnant with John's child. Stefano hires a doppelganger,
Susan Banks Susan Banks is a fictional character on NBC's daytime drama ''Days of Our Lives''. She was played by Eileen Davidson from November 4, 1996, to April 8, 1998, and again in 2014 and 2017. Susan is the eccentric mother of Elvis "EJ" DiMera, and onc ...
, to conceive and bear a child for her (which resulted in the birth of
EJ DiMera EJ DiMera is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by head writer James E. Reilly and introduced under executive producers, Ken Corday and Tom Langan, EJ is the son of crime boss St ...
). Eileen Davidson portrayed the entire Banks family clan, four in total (including one male), as well as her main character. Davidson received her first Daytime Emmy nomination in 1997 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. The year 2000 saw the departures of cast members Louise Sorel as
Vivian Alamain Vivian Alamain is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by head writers Richard J. Allen and Beth Milstein, and introduced by executive producers Ken Corday and Al Rabin, the role is ...
and Jensen Ackles as Eric Brady. Ken Corday and NBC announced plans to re-introduce a SORAS Brady Black, immediately following the conclusion of Eric's storyline. That spring, Kyle Lowder was cast as the new Brady Black, who would now be aged to his early 20s, first appearing on August 21, 2000, a month following Eric's exit. Brady was romantically linked to the character of Chloe Lane. The pair married and left town in 2005, when Lowder's contract was not renewed. 2003–2004's "Salem Stalker" & "Melaswen" storylines, saw several characters purportedly die at the hands of a masked psychopath; they are later revealed to have been kidnapped to the secret island of Melaswen (''New Salem'' spelled backwards). 2007's "Bradys and DiMeras: The Reveal", told the story regarding how the Brady/DiMera feud started. Past characters returned in June 2010 to honor the passing of matriarch Alice Horton, whose character died on June 23, 2010. On June 23, 2011, ''Days of Our Lives'' introduced Sonny Kiriakis, the show's first contract gay character onto the canvas to be featured in the show's first gay story line.
Freddie Smith Freddie Matthew Smith (born March 19, 1988) is an American television actor. He is best known for his character Sonny Kiriakis, the first openly gay contract role on the daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. He also briefly portrayed Marco S ...
(Sonny) said in an interview, "He’s very confident and mature, he’s traveled the world and is very open-minded. I’m very excited to portray him." Subsequent to Sonny's arrival, Will Horton investigates his own sexuality, and reveals himself to be gay. He later starts a romantic relationship with Sonny. They eventually marry. On January 26, 2012, episode 11765 was a tribute to soldiers who have served in Afghanistan and previous wars with a PTSD therapy group for Jack Deveraux to talk over his time held captive there. This was also when the inline ''Next On'' promos were discontinued in favor of an external weekly promo.


Cast

When ''Days of Our Lives'' debuted, the cast consisted of seven main characters:
Tom Horton Dr. Thomas Horton is a fictional character and patriarch of the Horton family on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. He was played by Macdonald Carey Edward Macdonald Carey (March 15, 1913 – March 21, 1994) was an American actor, best ...
, Alice Horton,
Mickey Horton Mickey Horton is a fictional character from the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', played from the show's debut episode in 1965 until January 2004 by John Clarke, spanning 3,500 episodes. The role was briefly played in 2004 by Richard Voigts, the ...
, Marie Horton,
Julie Olson Julie Olson Williams is a fictional character and member of the Horton family on the NBC daytime drama, ''Days of Our Lives'', a long running serial about working class life in the fictional town of Salem. The character of Julie was introduced ...
, Tony Merritt and Craig Merritt. When the show expanded to one hour in April 1975, the cast increased to 27 actors. By the 25th anniversary in 1990, 40 actors appeared on the show in contract or recurring roles, which is the approximate number of actors the show has used since then. Original cast member Frances Reid, who played Alice Horton, remained on contract with ''Days of Our Lives'' until her death on February 3, 2010, though she made her last appearance on the show in December 2007. Original cast member John Clarke, who played Mickey Horton, left the series in 2004. Suzanne Rogers, who plays Maggie Horton has been on the show since 1973, and Susan Seaforth Hayes has played Julie Olson Williams since 1968 with a few breaks in-between, and also her husband Bill Hayes, who has played Doug Williams since 1970, though neither Seaforth Hayes nor Hayes is employed with the serial on contract. In recent years, ''Days of Our Lives'' has hired back many former cast members. Twenty of the current contract cast members have been with the show, off-and-on, since at least 1999. Since 2005, cast members from the 1980s and 1990s, such as
Christie Clark Christie Mary Clark (born December 13, 1973) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Carrie Brady in ''Days of Our Lives''. Early life Clark was born in Los Angeles, California, on December 13, 1973, to Craig and Cathy Cla ...
( Carrie Brady),
Stephen Nichols Stephen Earl Nichols (born February 19, 1951) is an American actor, recognized for his roles on American daytime soap operas. He has portrayed the beloved role of Steve Johnson on NBC's ''Days of Our Lives'' on and off since 1985. In 1996, he jo ...
( Steve "Patch" Johnson), Austin Peck ( Austin Reed),
Mary Beth Evans Mary Beth Evans (born March 7, 1961) is an American television actress, known for her role as Kayla Brady on the NBC daytime soap ''Days of Our Lives'', and her role as Sierra Estaban on the CBS daytime soap ''As the World Turns''. Career Evans ...
( Kayla Brady), Joseph Mascolo (
Stefano DiMera Stefano DiMera is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', played by Joseph Mascolo. Created by Pat Falken Smith, Stefano was introduced on January 18, 1982 as the father of Tony DiMera ( Thaao Penghlis) looking to e ...
), and Thaao Penghlis ( Tony DiMera and Andre DiMera) have been brought back to ''Days of Our Lives''. More additions to the show in recent years have included the returns of
Crystal Chappell Crystal Elizabeth Chappell (born August 4, 1965) is an American actress who played Carly Manning on ''Days of Our Lives'' from 1990 to 1993, Maggie Carpenter on ''One Life to Live'' from 1995–97 and Olivia Spencer on ''Guiding Light'' fr ...
( Dr. Carly Manning), and Louise Sorel (
Vivian Alamain Vivian Alamain is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by head writers Richard J. Allen and Beth Milstein, and introduced by executive producers Ken Corday and Al Rabin, the role is ...
). In June 2010, characters such as
Jennifer Horton Jennifer Horton is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network, currently played by actress Cady McClain. Jennifer was created by scriptwriter Pat Falken Smith, and executive producer Betty Corda ...
( Melissa Reeves, who returned to the show full-time shortly afterward), Bill Horton (
John H. Martin John Henderson Martin (born July 21, 1951) is an American film and television actor. Life and career Martin was born in Turlock, California. He attended the University of Florida where he earned a degree in political science. Martin began h ...
, taking over the role from Christopher Stone),
Shane Donovan A list of notable characters from the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' that significantly impacted storylines and debuted between January 1, 1980, and the end of 1989, in order of first appearance. DJ Craig Donald Craig Jr., known as "DJ" a ...
( Charles Shaughnessy) and Kimberly Brady ( Patsy Pease) returned for a short time and were featured heavily in a tribute to Alice Horton. Guest cast members have included Elizabeth Alley. In late 2012, the show reintroduced Eileen Davidson in the role of Kristen Blake DiMera – one of six characters Davidson played during her original 1993–98 run on the show – after a fourteen-year absence. In mid-2013, the show debuted new characters such as JJ Deveraux (
Casey Moss Casey Allen Moss (born November 16, 1993) is an American actor and singer. He is known for playing the role of JJ Deveraux on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. His portrayal of JJ Deveraux earned him a nomination for the Daytime Emmy Awar ...
) and Theresa Donovan (
Jen Lilley Jennifer Lilley (born August 4, 1984) is an American actress and singer. Lilley played a supporting role in the 2011 film '' The Artist'', temporarily portrayed Maxie Jones on the ABC soap opera ''General Hospital'' from September 2011 to Augu ...
) to appeal to younger viewers. In celebration of the soap's fiftieth anniversary in 2015, several cast members returned to the soap, including
Peter Reckell Peter Paul Reckell (born May 7, 1955) is an American actor. He is best known for playing Bo Brady, a role he originated in 1983 on the NBC drama ''Days of Our Lives''. Reckell has played Bo Brady on ''Days of Our Lives'' from 1983 to 1987, 19 ...
(
Bo Brady Beauregard Aurelius "Bo" Brady is a fictional character from the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. The role has been most notably portrayed by Peter Reckell, who originated the role on May 3, 1983. Creation and Casting Created und ...
, who was killed off in a decision by Corday and the show's writing staff in a move to provide closure in the relationship of Bo and Hope), Stephen Nichols and Penghlis (as Andre DiMera, as his brother, Tony, had been killed off in 2009).


Executive producing and head writing team

Co-creator and original executive producer
Ted Corday Theodore "Ted" Corday (May 8, 1908 – July 23, 1966) was a Canadian-American producer, director and co-creator of soap opera for NBC, most notably the hit series ''Days of Our Lives''. Biography Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Corday graduated ...
was only at the helm of ''Days of Our Lives'' for eight months before dying of cancer in 1966. His widow and fellow co-creator, Betty, was named executive producer upon his death. She continued in that role, with the help of
H. Wesley Kenney Harold Wesley Kenney, Jr. (January 3, 1926 – January 13, 2015) was an American television producer and director whose career extended from the medium's formative years in the early 1950s, into the 2000s, and included thousands of episodes, both ...
and Al Rabin as supervising producers, before she semi-retired from showrunning duties in 1985, two years prior to her death in 1987. Upon Mrs. Corday's semi-retirement, her son, Ken, became executive producer and took over the full-time, day-to-day running of the show. Ken Corday continues helming the show to this day, and as of July 2020, splits show-running duties with
Albert Alarr Albert Alarr (born March 30, 1956) is an American television soap opera director and producer. He undertaked actor William Christian for the role of "TR Coates" in ''Days of Our Lives''. Producing credits "The Break Up Guy" *Executive Producer ...
(who previously served as a member of the show's directing staff) as co-executive producer. The first long-term head writer, William J. Bell, started writing for ''Days of Our Lives'' in 1966 and continued with the show until 1975, two years after he had created his own successful soap, '' The Young and the Restless'', for rival network CBS. He continued with the show as a storyline consultant until 1978. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, many changes to the head writer position occurred. In the early 1980s,
Margaret DePriest Margaret DePriest (born April 19, 1931) is a retired American actress and daytime serial writer. She was nominated for 5 Daytime Emmy Award awards for her writing and in 1965 won an Obie Award for Best Actress for her performance in ''The Pl ...
helped stabilize the show with her serial killer storyline. Later head writers, such as Sheri Anderson,
Thom Racina Thom Racina is an American television writer and novelist. Personal He hails from Kenosha, Wisconsin, went to school in Albuquerque and Chicago, where he got a MFA in Theatre Arts and Directing. He is close friends with Sally Sussman Morina. Posi ...
, and Leah Laiman, built on that stability and crafted storylines of their own, temporarily helping to bringing up the program's ratings. Many head writer changes occurred after Laiman left the series in 1989 and the role would not become stable again until James E. Reilly joined the show in that role in 1993. His tenure, which lasted for four-and-a-half years and featured several supernatural-themed plotlines (which would later become the centerpiece of fellow NBC soap '' Passions'', when the Reilly-created series debuted in July 1999), was credited with bringing ratings up to the second place spot in the Nielsens. Other writers who succeeded him, such as
Sally Sussman Morina Sally Sussman Morina is an American documentary filmmaker, television writer, and producer. Personal life She is married to Anthony Morina, a CBS Daytime director and producer. She has gone by her married name Sally Sussman Morina on various proj ...
and
Tom Langan Tom Langan is an American producer and writer. He additionally has performed in acting roles. Contributions Positions held ''Days of Our Lives'' * Co-Executive Producer: April 21, 1992 – March 28, 2002 * Producer: 1991 - 1992 *Head Writer: N ...
, failed to keep the ratings success, and additional head writer turnovers continued until Reilly – who would continue in his role as head writer and consulting producer of ''Passions'' after rejoining ''Days'' – returned to the series in 2003. Five-time Daytime Emmy winner Hogan Sheffer was named head writer with great fanfare in October 2006, but lasted less than 16 months with the show, with his last episode airing in January 2008. Former head writer Dena Higley was re-promoted to succeed Sheffer in the role, with her first episode as head of the writing staff airing on April 23, 2008; her co-head writer was Christopher Whitesell, who had joined the series following a stint as an associate head writer for ''As the World Turns'' and remained with ''Days'' until February 2011. On May 18, 2011, Dena Higley was fired, and replaced as head writer with Marlene McPherson and Darrell Ray Thomas Jr. (who had previously worked alongside James E. Reilly as script writers on ''Passions''). On April 4, 2012, it was confirmed that McPherson and Thomas were fired as co-head writers, and would be replaced by Whitesell and former ''Days'' script writer Gary Tomlin. Two days later, it was confirmed that former '' All My Children'' head writer
Lorraine Broderick Lorraine Broderick (born 1948) is an American television soap opera writer. She got her start on ''All My Children'' as a protégée of the show's creator, Agnes Nixon. She went on to serve four different stints as its Head Writer, ultimately ...
would join Tomlin and Whitesell as a breakdown writer on the series. On February 9, 2015, ''Soap Opera Digest'' confirmed that both Tomlin and Whitesell had been ousted in their roles as head writers; the magazine further confirmed that former head writer Higley would return, alongside former ''The Young and the Restless'' head writer
Josh Griffith Joe Shelby "Josh" Griffith (born August 15, 19??) is an American soap opera writer and producer. Personal life Born on August 15, in the U.S. state of New York, Josh is the son of Joe (Rip) Griffith and Sue Estes Griffith, both teachers and artist ...
; the change took effect on February 16, 2015. In August 2015, reports stated that Higley would be taking a leave of absence from the show. In her place, Sony would be sending a writer from ''The Young and the Restless'' – later revealed to be former head writer Beth Milstein – to help Griffith with the transition. In February 2016, several days after the show was renewed for a 52nd season, ''Soap Opera Digest'' exclusively reported that Griffith had departed the show as head writer with Higley remaining; the magazine further revealed that script writer Ryan Quan had been promoted to replace Griffith. On January 23, 2017, ''Soap Opera Digest'' confirmed that both Higley and Quan had been let go from their positions as co-head writers, with Higley being let go from the program altogether and Quan being installed in the newly created title of creative consultant. Former '' One Life to Live'' and ''
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the longest-running American soap opera in production, and the second in American history after '' ...
'' head writer Ron Carlivati was named as Higley's replacement, "effective immediately"; Carlivati's first episode as head writer aired on July 19, 2017. In addition to Carlivati's appointment, it was also announced that Sheri Anderson would return to the soap, sharing the role of creative consultant with Quan. In February 2019, Carlivati announced he had signed a new deal to continue as head writer; that same month, Anderson announced her departure from the writing team. In July 2020, it was reported that Greg Meng had been let go after more than 30 years with the soap and Corday Productions.


Broadcast


Domestic broadcast

Episodes of ''Days of Our Lives'' were first made available on digital platforms in July 2003, when
SoapCity SoapCity is a defunct soap opera website, owned by Sony Pictures Digital. The site was the former home to the official websites for two soap operas produced by Columbia TriStar Television, (now Sony Pictures Television) NBC's ''Days of Our Lives' ...
, a now-defunct website owned by Sony Pictures Digital Networks, began offering same-day and archived episodes (dating back to the series' 1965 premiere) for
streaming Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. ''Streaming'' refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content i ...
or direct download via its SoapCity Download subscription offering (available on either a monthly subscription or on a discounted pay-per-episode basis). In June 2007, episodes of the series began to be offered via
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mu ...
. Under an agreement reached with Sony Pictures Television in March 2004, cable network Soapnet began airing same-day rebroadcasts of ''Days of Our Lives'' each weeknight at 7:00 and 11:00 p.m. (later 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. towa) Eastern and Pacific Time (with classic episodes sometimes filling the slot during NBC-predetermined preemptions), along with a (usually) five-hour-long weekend block of the past week's episodes; ''Days'' aired on the network until its closure in December 2013. On August 24, 2015,
Pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...
began airing same-day rebroadcasts of the show as part of an early-prime-time soap opera repeat block that included CBS soaps ''The Young and the Restless'' and ''The Bold and the Beautiful''. (CBS's namesake parent,
CBS Corporation The second incarnation of CBS Corporation (the first being a short-lived rename of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation) was an American multinational media conglomerate with interests primarily in commercial broadcasting, publishing, an ...
, owns the cable channel and operated it as a
joint venture A joint venture (JV) is a business entity created by two or more parties, generally characterized by shared ownership, shared returns and risks, and shared governance. Companies typically pursue joint ventures for one of four reasons: to acces ...
with Lionsgate at the time.) Pop dropped ''Days of Our Lives'' from its lineup after the April 15, 2016, broadcast. NBC began making same-day episodes of ''Days'' available for streaming on the show's NBC.com subpage on August 10, 2009. The ten most recent episodes are available for viewing, with each episode being streamable for 16 days after their original airdate. Recent episodes of the series were also available on
Hulu Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television series ...
from 2008 until August 2015, when the streaming service abruptly removed ''Days'' from its NBC program offerings, leaving ''General Hospital'' as the only remaining American daytime soap among Hulu's offerings.


Broadcast history

For its first three years on the air, ''Days of Our Lives'' was near the bottom of the Nielsen ratings, and at high risk of cancellation. However, its ascent to the top was rapid; as the 1968–69 television season ended, it became an effective tool of NBC, which attempted to dethrone daytime leader CBS. By 1973, the show – pitted against CBS's popular '' Guiding Light'' and ABC's '' The Newlywed Game'' at 2:00 p.m. (ET)/1:00 p.m. ( CT) – had matched the first-place soap ratings of ''As the World Turns'' and fellow NBC soap ''Another World''. Due to the success of the program, NBC expanded ''Days'' from a 30-minute timeslot to 60 minutes on April 21, 1975. This expansion had followed the lead of ''Another World,'' which became the first hour-long television soap opera 3½ months earlier on January 6. Furthermore, ''Days of Our Lives'' new starting time of 1:30 p.m. (ET)/12:30 (CT) finally solved a scheduling problem that began in 1968 when NBC lost the rights to the game show ''
Let's Make a Deal ''Let's Make a Deal'' (also known as ''LMAD'') is an American television musical comedy variety-game show that originated in the United States in 1963 and has since been produced in many countries throughout the world. The program was created an ...
'' to ABC, and in its wake, eight different shows were placed into the slot ('' Hidden Faces'', '' You're Putting Me On'', '' Life with Linkletter'', ''Words & Music'', ''
Memory Game ''Memory Game'' (sometimes referred to as ''Joe Garagiola's Memory Game'') was an American television game show that aired on NBC. The series – hosted by Joe Garagiola – ran from February 15 to July 30, 1971. The show's creator and pac ...
'', '' Three on a Match'', ''
Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead given genera ...
'', and '' How to Survive a Marriage'') to little to no success. However, this first golden period for NBC's daytime lineup proved to be short-lived, as viewership for ''Days of Our Lives'' began to decline in 1977. Much of this dropoff was associated with ABC's expansion of its increasingly popular soap '' All My Children'' to a full hour, the last half of which overlapped with the first half-hour of ''Days of Our Lives'' and CBS' ''As The World Turns,'' which had also aired at 1:30 p.m. since it premiered in April 1956. By January 1979, the network, in a mode of desperation more than anything else, decided to jump headlong against ''All My Children'' and moved the show ahead to the same 1:00 p.m./12 Noon timeslot. In exchange to its affiliates for taking away the old half-hour access slot at 1:00/Noon, NBC gave them the 4:00 p.m./3:00 slot, the offerings of which many (if not most) of the network's stations had been preempting for years anyway. By 1986, ABC and CBS followed suit, under the intense pressure of lucrative (and cheap) syndicated programming offered to affiliates. By 1980, ''Days of Our Lives'' had displaced ''Another World'' as NBC's highest-rated soap. Overall, though, the entire NBC soap lineup had been experiencing trouble maintaining ratings traction against its competitors on CBS and ABC. In fact, by 1982, all of its shows were rated above only one ABC soap ('' The Edge of Night'') and below all four CBS soaps. The "supercouple" era of the 1980s, however, helped bring about a ratings revival, and the 1983–84 season saw ''Days of Our Lives'' experience a surge in ratings. It held onto its strong numbers for most of the 1980s, only to decline again by 1990, eventually falling back into eighth place. As ''Another World'' underwent its final ratings slump during the second half of the 1990s, many affiliates swapped the time slots of ''Another World'' and ''Days of Our Lives'', which usually aired an hour earlier. While individual NBC affiliates had the right to air any show whenever they wished, most of the affiliates (almost all of them, in the earlier days of television) aired the show when the feed was transmitted from the network. In the mid-1990s, however, the show experienced a resurgence in popularity, and the show reached number two in the ratings, where it remained for several years before experiencing another ratings decline beginning in 1999, the year that ''Days of Our Lives'' became NBC's longest-running daytime program (upon the cancellation of ''Another World''). Throughout the 2000s (decade), ''Days of Our Lives'' and all the other remaining network daytime serials (four are left as of 2021) have witnessed a steady erosion of viewers, mainly due to vastly altered viewing habits induced by cable networks and alternative genres such as
reality Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, re ...
and
talk shows A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Sh ...
on minor network affiliates. On January 17, 2007, NBC Universal Television president Jeff Zucker remarked that ''Days of Our Lives'' would most likely not "continue past 2009." This contributed to an immediate ratings decline for ''Days of Our Lives''. The show, which was averaging a 2.4 rating prior to the announcement, dropped to a 2.2 average household rating in the months after. In an April 2007 interview with '' Soap Opera Digest'', executive producer Ken Corday commented on the ratings decline of the previous months, "If I don't pay attention to the ratings and what the viewers are saying, I'm an ostrich. I have not seen a decline in the ratings on the show this precipitous — ever. I've never seen this much of a percentage decline."''Soap Opera Digest''. "Crisis at ''DAYS''! The Secret Plan to Save It". April 17, 2007. ''Days of Our Lives'' had finished the 2008–2009 television season with a substantial increase in viewers (3.0 million vs. 2.8 million) and had risen to the #3 spot behind '' The Young and the Restless'' and '' The Bold and the Beautiful'', respectively. It was the #2 daytime program behind ''The Young and the Restless'' in the much-coveted 18–49 demographic. During the first few months of the 2009–2010 season, ''Days of Our Lives'' increased its average household rating to 2.4, and averaged consistently over 3,000,000 viewers. It was only one point behind the #2 daytime drama ''The Bold and the Beautiful,'' and beat that soap on several days during the season. In 2010, ''Days of Our Lives'' continued to increase viewership, reaching as high as 3.6 million viewers on several days. A substantial increase in viewership such as ''Days of Our Lives'' had during that time also bucked the viewership trend in daytime dramas, which had declined since the 1990s for all other daytime drama series. ''Days of Our Lives'' was the only daytime drama series to increase in viewers between 2008 and 2010 and had reduced its operating budget, making it a profitable asset to NBC's broadcast lineup. However starting in 2011, while ABC canceled both ''All My Children'' and ''One Life to Live'', ''Days of Our Lives'' started to lose ground significantly to the point that it sometimes occupied the last position among all soaps for both total viewership and the 18–49 women demographic. The cancellation of '' All My Children'' on ABC combined with the return of several cast members allowed a brief resurgence of ''Days of Our Lives'' in October 2011, but ratings soon declined again. In December 2011, before the cancellation of '' One Life to Live'', ''Days of Our Lives'' recorded three consecutive weeks of new lows in the 18–49 female key demographic category, and again another consecutive three weeks of low ratings in the same demographic group during March and April 2012. As of 2012, ''Days of Our Lives'' generally ranks #3 among the four remaining daytime soap operas on the air when it comes to the total number of viewers (surpassing only ''
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the longest-running American soap opera in production, and the second in American history after '' ...
''). However, ''Days of Our Lives'' is lowest-rated among all soap operas for the numbers of viewers in the targeted demographic of women aged between 18 and 49 years old.


Local scheduling variations

As of 2019, most NBC stations air ''Days of Our Lives'' at 1:00 p.m. local time, while several stations air the program at other times in their respective markets. Since January 1993, after the cancellation of '' Santa Barbara'',
WPXI-TV WPXI (channel 11) is a television station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Cox Media Group. The station's offices and studios are located on Evergreen Road in the Summer Hill neighborhood of Pittsbur ...
in
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
has aired ''Days of Our Lives'' weekdays at 3:00 p.m., while some stations such as WJAC-TV in Johnstown, Pennsylvania air the program at 2:00 p.m. Some
Central Time Zone The North American Central Time Zone (CT) is a time zone in parts of Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, some Caribbean Islands, and part of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Central Standard Time (CST) is six hours behind Coordin ...
affiliates carry the program at 12:00 p.m. in tandem with NBC's Eastern Time Zone feed; one example is Green Bay, Wisconsin's WGBA-TV, which uses it as an alternative to programming what would likely be a low-rated local newscast against long-established local competition. NBC's flagship station WNBC-TV aired the program with a 12:00 p.m. ET scheduling. One NBC station, KSNV-DT in
Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Veg ...
, stopped carrying the show on August 19, 2013 due to a long-term move to an all-news schedule outside of network news and primetime programming; the program moved to the market's CW affiliate KVCW, where it aired at its traditional 1:00 p.m. time slot until an ownership change saw the show return to KSNV in late December 2014 as part of a change in the all-news plans.
Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, th ...
's
KSL-TV KSL-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is the flagship television property of locally based Bonneville International, the for-profit broadcasting arm of the Church of Jesus Chr ...
moved the show to late nights at 1:05 a.m. on September 9, 2013 for unknown reasons, though it was rumored to be due to a romantic plot between gay characters
Will Horton Will Horton is a fictional character from the American daytime TV soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', known for a highly praised coming out story, award-winning performances by actor Chandler Massey, and as one half of US daytime drama's first ma ...
and Sonny Kiriakis; the station is owned by Bonneville International, a commercial broadcasting arm of the LDS Church.


Move to streaming

On August 3, 2022, it was announced that NBCUniversal would move ''Days of Our Lives'' exclusively to Peacock beginning September 12, 2022 after a 57-year run on NBC. The show was replaced in its timeslot by ''
NBC News Daily ''NBC News Daily'' is an American daytime news program that premiered on NBC on September 12, 2022. Produced by NBC News, the program is hosted by Kate Snow, Aaron Gilchrist, Vicky Nguyen and Morgan Radford. History ''NBC News Daily'' was a ...
'', which competes primarily with ABC's '' GMA3: What You Need To Know''. NBCUniversal Television and Streaming chairman Mark Lazarus stated that the move would " nableus to build the show’s loyal fanbase on streaming while simultaneously bolstering the network daytime offering with an urgent, live programming opportunity for partners and consumers." With the move, NBC became the first "Big Three" network to not air any daytime soap operas, leaving only three daytime soap operas (ABC's ''General Hospital'', and CBS's ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' and ''The Young and the Restless'') remaining on broadcast television overall.


Nielsen ratings history

End of season number of metered viewers (listed as a Nielsen share in millions) and ranking (against other soap operas) from the first broadcast to the reporting week of August 24 to 28, 2015.


International broadcast


Americas

In
Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estima ...
the show was very popular, though it ran several years behind the U.S. (the series began in Barbados in 1980 from the very first episode), and was aired on the island's lone television broadcaster, CBC TV 8. In 2014, the channel dropped the series. The series previously aired on Global in Canada; concurrent with the move to Peacock in the U.S., it moved to sister cable channel W Network starting September 12.


Oceania

In Australia, ''Days of Our Lives'' was initially broadcast on the Nine Network from March 25, 1968, until April 26, 2013, when the network axed the show based on a commercial decision. During its run on the Nine Network in the early 2000s, episodes ended up being nearly five years behind the United States, due to the network's coverage of
cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by st ...
each summer. In an attempt to get viewers up to date with the US, Nine aired a one-hour special on September 13, 2004, titled, ''Days of Our Lives: A New Day'', which summarized four years of storylines and caused mixed feelings among regular viewers. This special was followed by episodes airing at the same pace as the US. However, the show ended up being behind the US again, and by April 2013, episodes were airing at a delay of 16 months. On June 17, 2013, ''Days of Our Lives'' resumed to Australian viewers free and on-demand through Sony's Crackle service, as well as across Crackle's web apps on mobile devices, connected TVs and game consoles. Crackle picked up where the Nine Network left off with 10 new episodes in its first week and seven new episodes every Monday thereafter. From January 20, 2014, Crackle began releasing five episodes each week. ''Days of Our Lives'' returned to Australian television on Foxtel's channel
Arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectator ...
in April 2014. It airs weekdays before '' The Young and the Restless'' at 12:00 pm AEST. In order to bring TV viewers up to date, Arena screened ten catch up episodes, each presented by ''Days of Our Lives'' cast members, from April 1 to 14, 2014, featuring key story lines missed during the 11-month Australian television hiatus. Then on April 15, 2014, Arena began airing episodes at the same pace as the US. Arena also re-airs the last five aired episodes shown as an omnibus catch up edition each Sunday around 7:00 am AEST.
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
has aired ''Days of Our Lives'' since July 7, 1975, debuting on Television New Zealand (TVNZ). Originally airing weekdays on TV One was shifted to TV2 in 1989, where it was put in a 1pm timeslot. It moved back to TV One in 2003, where it was shown at 2pm. The soap was approximately five seasons behind the NBC season due to being preempted by holiday and sporting programming. During October 2009, TVNZ announced that they were ending their exclusive contract with Sony Pictures. Despite a national petition from fans ''Days of Our Lives'' ended on May 19, 2010. On February 27, 2013, nearly three years the series' final broadcast on TVNZ,
ChoiceTV Eden (stylized as eden and formerly known as Choice TV) is a privately owned, national free-to-air television channel in New Zealand and has been on air since 2012. The channel features programs on topics such as: lifestyle, news, travel, reali ...
announced their decision to pick up the series; the series began broadcasting on March 11, 2013, weekdays at 1:30pm. Broadcasting began with the series' 46th season (2011–12), meaning the show would be only 18 months behind the current NBC season in the US. Choice TV also re-airs the last five aired episodes shown as an omnibus catch up edition each Sunday, beginning at 9 AM NZST, when due to government broadcasting restrictions are shown without advertisements. By December 20, 2013, Choice TV had removed the show from their schedule for summer hiatus. However, the series resumed airing on February 10, 2014 from episode 11,880.


United Kingdom

From January to December 2020, ''Days of Our Lives'' aired in the United Kingdom on the
Sony Channel Sony Channel is a brand of general entertainment television channels, owned by Sony Pictures Television. It was previously known as Sony Entertainment Television (SET), but many of the channels, except the Indian television channel, were rebrand ...
with episodes from 2018. The show was pulled from schedules in December 2020 with no explanation given.


Opening title sequences and theme song

Almost unchanged since the show's debut in November 1965, ''Days of Our Lives''s title sequence shows an hourglass, with sand trickling to the bottom against the backdrop of a partly cloudy sky, accompanied by the spoken words, "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the ''Days of Our Lives."'' The title sequence has been modified only three times since the series first premiered: * In 1972, the sequence was updated to display the hourglass against a brighter, cloud-laden background; the camera subsequently zooms toward the bottom half of the hourglass as the original variant of the program's current mixed-case serif logo (which replaced the older-style, all-capital title logo used since the show's debut) fades in; * Beginning with the June 21, 1993, episode, the opening titles were changed to a CGI-animated visual of the hourglass (designed by Wayne Fitzgerald and Judy Loren), with its base and columns seen rotating throughout and the object zooming outward from the bottom glass partition to show it in full; the horizon backdrop was also changed to an evolving daylight motif incorporating changing cloudscapes and a brightening sun (as it rises over the horizon) emanating the title logo on-screen via a ripple effect animation; * Beginning with the November 8, 2010 episode, with the show's conversion to HD, an updated widescreen version of the sequence was introduced; although it differs very little from the 1993 version of the sequence, this variant featured slight changes in the coloring of the sky backdrop. The hourglass sequence was also used during the show's closing credits until November 2001 (when the network replaced it with a split-screen generic credit reel to incorporate video promos for other NBC daytime and prime time programs); it was replaced thereafter with a black background in international and, later, online airings. A sunset variant of the CGI sequence (which had been used for the closing credits from 1993 to 2001) remains in use as Corday Productions' closing credit
vanity card A production logo, vanity card, vanity plate, or vanity logo is a logo used by movie studios and television production companies to brand what they produce and to determine the production company and the distributor of a television show or fi ...
. From the show's debut in 1965 until March 1966, announcer Ed Prentiss spoke the aforementioned opening phrase, following it with the notation ''"Days of Our Lives,'' a new dramatic serial starring Macdonald Carey." Carey, who had played Dr. Thomas Horton since the show's premiere, took over reading the opening epitaph in April 1966; for the following 28 years, his introductory voiceover added with "This is Macdonald Carey, and these are the ''Days of Our Lives''.". After Carey's death from
lung cancer Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma (since about 98–99% of all lung cancers are carcinomas), is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. Lung carcinomas derive from transformed, mali ...
in April 1994, the secondary part of the introduction was removed from the sequence out of respect for Carey and his family. At intermission (between 1975 and 2011), Carey also voiced the show's mid-program bumper – which usually preceded a network promo that led into the local ad breaks during the fourth commercial break of each episode – reading, "We will return for the second half of ''Days of Our Lives'' in just a moment." The light orchestral theme music that accompanies the opening titles was composed by Charles Albertine, Tommy Boyce, and Bobby Hart, and was the first soap opera theme to be performed by an orchestral ensemble. Boyce and Hart were tasked by Ted and Betty Corday to create a theme for the show that sounded similar to "
Sunrise, Sunset "Sunrise, Sunset" is a song from the musical ''Fiddler on the Roof'' written in 1964 by composer Jerry Bock and lyricist Sheldon Harnick. Production Lyricist Sheldon Harnick said: The album ''Sheldon Harnick: Hidden Treasures (1949-2013)' ...
," which the Cordays had recently heard while seeing the Broadway version of '' Fiddler on the Roof''. After the Cordays approved their third submission, reminiscent of organ music Hart remembered hearing when his mother listened to radio soaps, Albertine was brought in to write the orchestration for the piece, adding a flute-and-bells broken arpeggio borrowed from his 1952 piece "Music for Barefoot Ballerinas", and a bridge section for the extended theme music. The theme has only been updated twice: in 1993, when a more conventional orchestral arrangement of the instrumental theme (arranged by musical director Steven Reinhardt) debuted with the introduction of the CGI sequence, and in May 2004, when a grander orchestration was introduced, coincident with the revelation that the characters thought to have been killed by the Salem Stalker had actually been carried off to the island of Melaswen. This version was only used in eight episodes, before reverting to the 1993 arrangement that has remained in use ever since. In June 2009, the instrumental theme was abbreviated to allow extra airtime for the episodic plot, shortening it from 32 to 17 seconds and commencing from the orchestral flourish.


Spin-offs


''Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem''

In July 2021, Peacock ordered a five-episode limited series titled ''Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem''. The original cast's Lisa Rinna and Deidre Hall, among others, are scheduled to appear. Clark, Jackée Harry, Peck, Penghlis, Leann Hunley, and Davidson were also cast. The series premiered on September 6, 2021, and ran until September 10. A second chapter of five episodes was announced in April 2022, scheduled to premiere from July 11 to 15, 2022. The casting of Kristian Alfonso and Reckell were announced the same day. On June 2, 2022, it was announced that Davidson,
Christopher Sean Christopher Sean Friel (born October 25, 1985) is an American actor known for his role as Paul Narita on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. He previously played Bing Lee in the critically acclaimed web series '' The Lizzie Bennet Diaries'' ...
,
Vince Van Patten Vincent Van Patten (born October 17, 1957) is an American actor, former professional tennis player, and the commentator for the World Poker Tour. Personal life Van Patten was born in Bellerose, New York, as the youngest son of actor Dick Van Pa ...
, and Loretta Devine had also been cast.


''Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas''

In November 2021, Corday Productions announced a spin-off holiday film titled ''Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas'' with
Chandler Massey Chandler Abit Massey (born September 10, 1990)"Will & Grace". ''Soap Opera Digest''. October 30, 2017. pg. 44. is an American actor and singer, best known for his portrayal of Will Horton on the daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. Massey ...
and Davidson starring. The film premiered on December 16, 2021 on Peacock. Alison Sweeney was also cast.


Parodies


''Friends''

''Days of Our Lives'' was partially parodied in the 1994–2004 NBC sitcom ''Friends'', in which main character Joey Tribbiani ( Matt LeBlanc) played the fictional ''Days'' character Dr. Drake Ramoray in a storyline that began with him being cast in the role in the Season 2 episode "The One With Russ". Incidentally, ''Friends'' co-lead actress
Jennifer Aniston Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress and film producer. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Since her career ...
(who played Rachel Green in the series) is the daughter of
John Aniston John Anthony Aniston (born Yannis Anastassakis, , July 24, 1933 – November 11, 2022) was a Greek-born American actor who played Victor Kiriakis on the NBC daytime drama series ''Days of Our Lives'', which he originated in July 1985 and played ...
, who has portrayed Victor Kiriakis on ''Days of Our Lives'' since 1985. The storyline itself, however, was paradoxical as ''Friends'' was set in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
(which was the taping location for fellow NBC soap ''Another World''one of four soap operas that aired on the network during the sitcom's runfrom its premiere in May 1964 until that serial ended in June 1999), whereas ''Days of Our Lives'' is shot in Burbank, California, at what was then known as
NBC Studios NBC Studios may refer to: * NBC Studios (New York City), 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, home of NBC TV, NBCUniversal, MSNBC, WNBC * 10 Universal City Plaza in Los Angeles, home of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment * NBC Tower, office building i ...
(located from the Warner Bros. Studios, where ''Friends'' was filmed). Subsequent episodes featured pseudo-''Days of Our Lives'' storylines invented for the sitcom, and included some guest appearances by real-life cast members from the soap opera. (The elder Aniston was not among the ''Days'' cast members to appear.) Joey's initial ''Days'' stint came to an end eight episodes later in "The One Where Dr. Ramoray Dies," in which his character was killed off by falling down an elevator shaft in retaliation for claiming during a ''Soap Opera Digest'' interview that he wrote most of his lines, angering the soap's writers. Later, in the Season 7 episode "The One With Joey's New Brain," the Drake Ramoray character was brought back to life thanks to a
brain transplant A brain transplant or whole-body transplant is a procedure in which the brain of one organism is transplanted into the body of another organism. It is a procedure distinct from head transplantation, which involves transferring the entire head to ...
from the in-universe, fictional ''Days'' character Jessica Lockhart ( Susan Sarandon, who played Jessica's in-universe portrayer, Cecilia Monroe, in the episode). (Coincidentally, at the time of the episode, "Lockhart" had been used as the surnames of actual ''Days'' characters, Bonnie and Mimi, then played by Judi Evans and Farah Fath respectively.) Alison Sweeney ( Sami Brady) appeared on ''Friends'' as fictional ''Days'' cast member Jessica Ashley (instead of her real-life series character, Sami Brady), Kristian Alfonso as
Hope Brady Hope Williams Brady is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by writer William J. Bell, she was portrayed by Kristian Alfonso on and off from April 1983 to October 2020. Hope is a mem ...
, and
Roark Critchlow Roark Grant Critchlow (born May 11, 1963) is a Canadian actor. He is known for starring as Dr. Mike Horton on the American daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' from 1994 to 1999. Career From 1994 to 1999, Critchlow starred on the America ...
as Mike Horton. In the Season 9 episode "The One With The Soap Opera Party," in which Joey hosts a "soap opera party" on the roof of his apartment building, Matthew Ashford and Kyle Lowder (who played Jack Deveraux and Brady Black on the soap at the time of the episode) make appearances as his co-stars. In the episode "Joey and the Wrong Name" from the
spin-off Spin-off may refer to: *Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work *Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity * Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gov ...
''
Joey Joey may refer to: People *Joey (name) Animals * Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial * Joey, a Blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets Film and television * ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horace ...
'', Joey receives a soap opera award nomination for "Best Death Scene," after his character is fatally stabbed while performing surgery.


Other notable parodies

* The 1980s sketch comedy series '' SCTV'' features a recurring soap opera sketch titled "''Days of the Week''," which includes Martin Short (as Billy McKay), Catherine O'Hara (in the dual roles of Violet McKay and Sue Ellen), Andrea Martin (Mojo). John Candy (as Dr. William Wainright), Eugene Levy (as Dr. Elliott Sabien), Joe Flaherty (as Rocco), Dave Thomas (as Zach Harrington) and Rick Moranis (as Clay Collins). * ''Days'' was parodied as "Light of Our Love", or "LOOL", in the ''
Nancy Drew Nancy Drew is a fictional character appearing in several mystery book series, movies, and a TV show as a teenage amateur sleuth. The books are ghostwritten by a number of authors and published under the collective pseudonym Carolyn Keene. Cre ...
'' video game ''
Stay Tuned for Danger ''Stay Tuned for Danger'' is the second installment in the Nancy Drew point-and-click adventure game series by Her Interactive. It was officially discontinued in 2011 before re-releasing in 2016 after the company had transferred to their new gam ...
''. * ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...
'' features a fictional soap opera, "It Never Ends", in the 2000 episode "
Pygmoelian "Pygmoelian" is the sixteenth episode of the eleventh season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 27, 2000. In the episode, after getting his face cen ...
," appearing to be based on ''Days of Our Lives''.
Moe Syszlak Moe Szyslak is a recurring character from the animated television series ''The Simpsons''. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". Moe is the proprietor and bartender of M ...
(voiced by Hank Azaria) is cast in the show after receiving plastic surgery to make himself handsome, only to suffer an accident that reverts him to his old face after being fired from the show. * "I Love Kiki," a 1995 episode of the PBS children's series '' The Puzzle Place'', features a parody of the soap titled "The Times of our Lives". * ''Days of our Mornings'' is a long-running radio parody, broadcast weekday mornings on
5FM 5FM is a South African FM radio station that follows a Top 40 music format and is owned by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), South Africa's public broadcaster. SABC announced the appointment of Mr. JD Mostert as Business Manag ...
in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...
. * "Add a Dad," a 2009 episode of the
Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (often shortened to Nick) is an American pay television channel which launched on April 1, 1979, as the first cable channel for children. It is run by Paramount Global through its networks division's Kids and Family Group. It ...
animated series '' The Fairly OddParents'', features a parody titled "''Dads of our Lives''". * The 2003 '' Totally Spies!'' episode "Starstruck" features a television set of a parody show "Days of Our Spies". * The 2012 '' House'' episode "
Gut Check "Gut Check" is the sixteenth episode of the eighth season of ''House'' and the 171st overall. It aired on April 9, 2012 on FOX. Plot House and the team take on the case of a 22-year-old minor league hockey player, Bobby "The Hatchet" Hatcher who ...
" features Dr. House ( Hugh Laurie) hiring a kid (Will Shadley) who plays a fictional character of the fictionalized version of the show to pretend to be the long lost son of his colleague at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, James Wilson ( Robert Sean Leonard). * The 2004–2006 sketch comedy series ''
Blue Collar TV ''Blue Collar TV'' is an American sketch comedy television series that aired on The WB from July 29, 2004 to July 26, 2006 starring Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, and Larry the Cable Guy. The show's humor dealt principally with contemporary Ame ...
'' features a parody sketch of the show titled "White Trash Days of Our Lives," with the opening epitaph slightly changed to "like beer through a redneck, so flows the white trash days of our lives." * "The Bracebridge Dinner," a 2001 episode of the comedy-drama ''
Gilmore Girls ''Gilmore Girls'' is an American comedy-drama television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and starring Lauren Graham (Lorelai Gilmore) and Alexis Bledel ( Rory Gilmore). The show debuted on October 5, 2000, on The WB and became a flag ...
'', features a paraphrased reference to the soap's opening epitaph by Lorelai Gilmore (
Lauren Graham Lauren Graham (born March 16, 1967) is an American actress and author. She is best known for her roles as Lorelai Gilmore on The WB/ CW television series ''Gilmore Girls'' (2000–2007), for which she received nominations for Screen Actors Guil ...
). In said scene, just after Emily goes to walk after her and Richard's fight, Lorelai says, "Like sand through the hourglass, so are the Gilmores of our lives."


Notable fans

''Days of Our Lives'' has had many high-profile fans. In 1976, ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and event (philosophy), events that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various me ...
'' magazine reported that then- Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall would call a recess to court proceedings around the 1:00 p.m. hour to watch the show. Actress Julia Roberts admitted at the 2002
People's Choice Awards The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
that she was a fan of ''Days of Our Lives'', had asked to be seated near the cast, and upon winning her award stated, "I'm freaking out because the cast of ''Days of Our Lives'' is sitting behind me." In 2004, during the show's Melaswen storyline, Roberts' interest was considered notable enough that ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular ...
'' quoted her saying that "the show has gotten a little wacko." A 1998 ''Time'' article mentioned that Monica Lewinsky was a passionate fan of ''Days of Our Lives'', so much so that she wrote a
poem Poetry (derived from the Greek '' poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meaning ...
about the series in her high school yearbook. The article compared her whirlwind experiences in the White House to a story on the show. Best-selling novelist Brian Keene has stated in interviews that he has watched the show since 1983, and pauses from writing each day during the hour it is on.


Awards and nominations

''Days of Our Lives'' won the
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
for Outstanding Drama Writing Team in June 2012, April 2018, and June 2022. It also won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series in June 2013, April 2015, and April 2018.


See also

*
List of soap operas The following is a list of soap operas that have been broadcast in various countries, including previous and current soap operas. Serials that are currently being broadcast are listed in bold. Albania * '' Njerëz dhe Fate'' (2002–2003) * '' ...
* List of ''Days of Our Lives'' characters


References


External links

* *
''Days of Our Lives'' – SoapCentral.com
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