Wednesday night brought the alarming news that NBC is relocating Days of Our Lives from its familiar broadcast berth to the network’s streaming service Peacock on Sept 12.
At first, it felt like our beloved Days, a soap mainstay since it premiered in 1965, was being cancelled. Horror of horrors! Well, no such thing, thank heaven. But this historic move from old school airwaves to the new and sometimes confusing world of streaming channels is unsettling nonetheless – and suggests coming changes for the entire soap landscape.
Why has NBC made such a radical move? The television world is changing very rapidly with the onset of streaming everything. In some ways it might be a good thing: gone, presumably, will be the days of constant pre-emptions for breaking news.
And certainly the Days spinoff Beyond Salem has been a streaming success, thanks mostly to the expertise of headwriter Ron Carlivati and executive producer Mr. Corday.
As viewers we all have to make a decision. Do you want to pay to watch your soaps? Some reports say no, in an ad-supported tier. Others say yes, $4.99 per month, in an ad-free premium tier.
So stay tuned. It may not be long before Young and the Restless, Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital follow.
I have watched and loved Days from my early teenage years. The story of the Horton family, who live in Salem, was great soap from the start, brought lovingly to the screen by its co-founders, the late Ted and Betty Corday. (Their son Ken oversees the show today).
At its premiere Days made headlines because its family patriarch, a doctor named Tom, was to be played by Macdonald Carey, a movie star with an awesome Hollywood and network television resume, thus legitimizing the perpetually stigmatized medium of daytime.
Tom’s wife Alice, the family matriarch, was played by Francis Reid. I was pleased to interview them both, and found them to be very different. Ms. Reid was a real spitfire, while Mr. Carey (we spoke shortly before he died) was an exceedingly nice man and a poet. Tom and Alice had five children: Addie, Mickey (a lawyer), Bill (a doctor), Tommy and Marie (a future nun). Each character had a story.
None was better or lasted as long as a love story written by headwriter William J. Bell, who went on to be headwriter and co-creator of Y&R and B&B. In one of soap’s greatest love triangles ever, Mickey was married to a compassionate psychiatrist named Laura Spencer (Susan Flannery) who was really in love with his brother Bill. Laura ricocheted from brother to brother for years.
In another story, one day amnesiac Mickey met a handicapped farm girl named Maggie (Suzanne Rogers) and married her. This elongated story was so popular it rocketed Days in the highest ratings.
Another romance proved to be just plain electric. It told of the romance of Horton granddaughter Julie Olson (Susan Seaforth Hayes) and a new nightclub singer in town named Doug Williams (Bill Hayes, hwho would later marry his “fair lady” in real life). It’s complication was — and this is big — that at the time Doug was married to Julie’s mother Addie (Patricia Barry). What a pleasure it was to watch the charcters fall in love as the actors did in real life.
Oh my! As Doug always sang to Julie the couple’s song, “The Look of Love,” the Hayes were making daytime history. Time Magazine surmised as much, and featured them on the cover of a 1974 issue. This helped legitimize soap opera to the “real world.” The story declared that daytime soaps were now an American institution.
Days has so much memorable history. That’s why the news that it’s moving to Peacock is so concerning.
It’s a whole new world in television history. At this point, all I know for sure is, I’ll never give up on the historic show named Days of Our Lives. Cheers to its new streaming life!
Marlena very much wants to hear what my beloved fans have to say in light of this historic moment of daytime drama history. Will you continue to watch Days on Peacock? Drop me a line at Marlenadelacroix.com.
BONJOUR, TRISTESSE, MA CHERE MARLENA. MERCI BEAUCOUP FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE TO ‘DAYS.’ AGAIN, YOU BROUGHT BACK SO MANY POWERFUL MEMORIES WITH YOUR DESCRIPTIONS OF THE GREAT STORY LINES FROM THE SHOW’S PAST.
I CONFESS IT WAS A SHOCK LEARNING OF THE SHOW’S TRANSFERAL TO THE PEACOCK CHANNEL. I WILL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT, WHETHER I WANT TO SUBSCRIBE TO YET ANOTHER CHANNEL, ETC.
Marlena says: Tristesse indeed, mon cher Davide. “Days” has such a long history–it certainly has given we veteran soap reporters a lot to write about over the years. I hope it does well on Peacock and is around a long time to come. Merci beaucoups as always for your longtime loyalty to Ms. Marlena.
I will be watching, Marlena. Along with the new episodes, we’ll have access to 14,000 from the archive! That’s going to be quite a long walk down Memory Lane! Here’s hoping it’s a huge success!
Marlena says: 14,000 old episodes–wow!! What a gift for we longtime fans! Thanks as always dear Esther for the scoop…I wish the transplanted “Days” all the best too…
If I were more cynical, I would say that this is simply a way for NBC to fulfill its most recent ‘Days’ renewal (which reports say is through September 2023) and burn off the episodes that already exist (‘Days’ is said to be 5-6 months ahead in filming currently).
But it feels as though there is a major opportunity here for the wildly imaginative ‘Days’ team to REALLY experiment with the form now that they are freed from the restrictions of the network system. Imagine a soap opera with an expanded language palette — not just curse words, mind you, though I’m certain I heard at least one ‘bullshit’ uttered by a character in the recent ‘Beyond Salem’ miniseries event; but just more realistic and less ‘soapy’ dialogue, with fewer instances of characters talking in circles and recapping things that happened earlier in the same episode — and/or more honest depictions of sexuality (particularly in the show’s gay relationships, which I’m happy to say have been an integral part of this canvas for at least a decade now), to name just two items on my personal wishlist!
Soap history nuts like us know the famous Gloria Monty story, where she was given thirteen weeks to turn ‘General Hospital’ around in the late 1970s, and managed to pull miracle after miracle out of her hat. I have issues with Ron Carlivati — as do vous, chere Marlena; yours are well documented on this very website! — but it seems like he’s being handed quite a similar opportunity here, and I for one can’t wait to see what this wickedly creative writer chooses to do with it.
(Welcome back, Marlena, and much love to you, mademoiselle!!)
Thank you so much my beloved, learned, longtime soap friend!
I have been watching Days of our Lives since 1972. I will never watch another episode starting now. I don’t think they realize how many thousands of views they will lose (i.e. older people who can’t afford to pay anymore, people who don’t have cable.) Such a bad move by NBC. Will watch The Young and the Restless now. THANKS NBC for your loyalty to us the viewers.
Marlena says: Thanks for your message. It’s very tough to lose access to our favorite shows.
It will last a year or two tops. I would have had more respect for NBC had they canceled it outright, allowing all the current viewers to watch a proper finale rather than the smaller streaming-only audience who will get to see the finale down the line.
Marlena says: Interesting opinion. Personally–I hope “Days” lasts forever.
yes would love to contiue to watch but a majority of the fans are seniors and we cannot afford the extra expense.I have watched theshow since I was 12 years old I an 67 now.Keep in on tv because All of Canada stay tune to NBC everydayfor the show.
Marlena says: I agree. This decision to go to a streaming service is hard on seniors.
If Guiding Light had a stream service and ATWT. But it was not really invented yet. I miss GL terribly but the reruns I watch, especially young Bert, Bill, and Papa are fine. Cannot believe its been 14 yrs since we last discussed. I feel for elders. These elders were in the great depression or some. Nanny loves B&B and Y&R but she told me she wouldn’t pay to see it. If it comes and they go off the air, then I will be teaching downloading. When you watch Y&R since the 70s dont give up. I think the B&B will be broadcast as the last soap on the air
Marlena says: I loved “Guiding Light.” A great book on it is titled “Guiding Light” and Marlena’s great friend the late author Christopher Schmering wrote it. Check it out.
I don’t like that it’s moving to streaming day s of our lives will be cancelled after season 58
Marlena says: We’re all rooting for “Days” to do well on Peacock.
If I were more cynical, I would say that this is simply a way for NBC to fulfill its most recent ‘Days’ renewal (which reports say is through September 2023) and burn off the episodes that already exist (‘Days’ is said to be 5-6 months ahead in filming currently).
But it feels as though there is a major opportunity here for the wildly imaginative ‘Days’ team to REALLY experiment with the form now that they are freed from the restrictions of the network system. Imagine a soap opera with an expanded language palette — not just curse words, mind you, though I’m certain I heard at least one ‘bullshit’ uttered by a character in the recent ‘Beyond Salem’ miniseries event; but just more realistic and less ‘soapy’ dialogue, with fewer instances of characters talking in circles and recapping things that happened earlier in the same episode — and/or more honest depictions of sexuality (particularly in the show’s gay relationships, which I’m happy to say have been an integral part of this canvas for at least a decade now), to name just two items on my personal wishlist!
Soap history nuts like us of course recall the famous Gloria Monty story, where she was given thirteen weeks to turn ‘General Hospital’ around in the late 1970s, and managed to pull miracle after miracle out of her hat. I have issues with Ron Carlivati — as do vous, chere Marlena; yours are well documented on this very website! — but it seems like he’s being handed quite a similar opportunity here, and I for one can’t wait to see what this wickedly creative writer chooses to do with it.
(Welcome back, Marlena, and much love to you, mademoiselle!!)
Marlena says: Dearest Brandon, It was my pleasure to be a regular guest on your wonderful podcast “Brandon’s Buzz”. for so many years–oh the great times we had! And we’ve been at this for so long–merci beaucoups for remembering Marlena’s French origins.
Thanks also for pegging “Beyond Salem” as an experiment. I think it is/ was too. I’m all for creativity on soaps–but I must confess I’ve never before heard a curse word on daytime. I’ve had my issues in the past with Mr. Corday and Mr. Carlivati–but they are being extra creative now and I hardily applaud them for their efforts.
Non soap watcher friends sometimes rag me for loving soaps for so long. Au contraire, mon cher ami–I’ve never had better friends than fellow daytime journalists like you and of course the many Marlena fan friends I’ve made over the years. I’m so glad to be back.
My dear friend–as always–thanks for your intelligent reaction–and you really know your soap history!
I started watching Days again — after tuning out for nearly 25 years — when I was lured onto Peacock to watch the first “Beyond Salem” and now find myself tuning in every week or two. I am hopeful that this move will help capture new viewers. I cut the cord a few years back and now only watch via streaming. I thought I would miss having cable, but I simply don’t.
Marlena says: Thank you so much for comment. I find all incarnations of “Beyond Salem” very interesting so far.
no cable is expensive! Sorry Days I will miss you!
I’m sorry too Josie!
The idea in and of itself is not necessarily bad. It is the network involved which brings the concern
Ray–Your Contessa always loves to hear what you have to say. Sending you lots of love!
I remember talking to you years ago about the cancellation of Guiding Light. Oh, if there was a stream service for that soap and ATWT. I still feel that the last one standing on network TV will be B&B. 30 min attention span as well as the international fame it receives. Also, less advertising costs to save money for a soap compared to one hour. However, like you said it is a matter of time I am sure that they all will possibly move to CBS access and the other network’s streaming services. As long as they have it on streaming services it is ok. However, my Nanny got me into soaps. So, I am going to have to teach her streaming in her mid 80’s. She is still using a VHS to tape soaps lol. She can do Facebook and text but not download soaps.
Thank you so much Levi and I love that you remember our conversation even now!
I’ve been watching DAYS for nearly 40 years off and on, and think this move could be what saves the show. If any surviving soap opera is creative enough to take this leap of faith, I believe this is the one.
Irna Phillips, who co-created DAYS with Ted Corday, is baked into the DNA of every serialized story on television today. She started PAINTED DREAMS and GUIDING LIGHT on the radio. GL made transition to the new form and lasted nearly 60 years. Every soap fan, even if their show is gone, needs to drop that $1.99 a month and show NBC and Peacock that these programs are still worthwhile.
Marlena says: Thank you Michael! What a terrific and insightful response!