The show focuses on the Horton and Brady families, but also includes rivalries between additional core family members. Throughout the years, Days has tackled a variety of storylines from the realistic to the outlandish.
According to a recent survey by Utilita, more than a quarter of people have called in sick to watch their favorite team play. They’ve also missed birthdays and weddings to do so!
The Drama
Many people are quick to write off Days of Our Lives as a bad soap. The show has had its ups and downs, but it’s still one of the most popular daytime shows on TV. While some might argue that a soap isn’t supposed to be as good as a drama like Forrest Gump or 2 Fast 2 Furious, they forget that Days has a history of producing great drama.
In fact, it was the first soap to win an Emmy for Best Drama Series. Over the years, it has received more than 20 nominations. That’s an impressive number considering how long the show has been around.
The drama of the storylines is what keeps people tuning in. The cliffhangers at the end of every episode make fans want to tune in tomorrow to see what will happen next. That’s what makes soap operas so addicting. If you love keeping up with Salem’s latest twists and turns, don’t miss out on the latest days of our lives spoilers for upcoming drama and surprises.
Whether you’re watching a big battle between the DiMeras and Bradys or a romance between Bo and Hope, it’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. That’s why the show is still watched by people of all ages and backgrounds. It’s what’s made Days of Our Lives so iconic. It’s what makes it the longest running soap opera in the world. And it’s what keeps new viewers coming in. Hopefully the Peacock version of the show can continue to deliver the drama that fans love.
The Romance
If you are a romance fan, Days of Our Lives is the soap for you. The show is known for creating magical pairings and their devoted love stories. Here are a few of the show’s most iconic couples:
First up is Alice and Tom Horton. Alice was the devoted wife and mother that Tom, Salem’s top doctor and sage advice-giver, needed in his life. Their marriage lasted for over 50 years and was considered one of the show’s first supercouples.
Another pair of devoted Day of Our Lives lovers is Bo and Hope Brady. These two were the embodiment of true romance. Their fiery and passionate relationship included kidnapping each other, making love at Oak Alley plantation and getting married in England. Sadly, the couple’s story ended when Bo died in 2015.
In the teen scene, fans have always loved Days of Our Lives’ characters. From Arianna and JJ to Lucas and Gabi, the show has had many popular teen romances over the years.
The show’s newer romances are also a hit with viewers. From Tripp and Allie to Chanel and Johnny, these couples have fantastic chemistry and make for interesting drama. But not every romantic arc is created equal. The show has dragged out Nicole and Rafe’s romance to the point of being annoying, which is frustrating for fans.
The Cast
For many fans, what keeps them watching a daytime soap is the cast of actors that bring the characters to life. When it was first introduced, Days of Our Lives was known for its medical storylines and character studies of people with psychological problems. Co-creator and original executive producer Ted Corday passed away in 1966, and his wife and successor, Betty Corday, remained at the helm until her semi-retirement in 1985 (she stayed on as an adviser until her death in 1987).
After that, the show underwent a major shift in direction and format with the introduction of a retooled Brady Pub and the launch of its highly popular teen scene. The show also began to focus more on the core families of Salem, including the DiMeras and Bradys. The addition of the enigmatic vampire, Arianne Zucker, brought renewed interest to the storyline.
The 1990s marked another change to the show, with actress Eileen Davidson joining the cast and creating one of the most memorable villainous stories on the soap, when her character Kristen DiMera suffers a miscarriage in secret, and in a panic to keep Stefano from Marlena, she hires a doppelganger, Susan Banks, to conceive and bear a child for her (which results in the birth of a new character, EJ DiMera).
In more recent years, supercouples like Bo and Hope, Kimberly and Shane, and Patch and Kayla have reinvigorated the drama, while action/adventure plots have also become a staple of the soap. The show was recently picked up for a 61st season by Peacock, and is currently led by head writers Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford.
The Locations
The fictional setting of Salem has been a backdrop for many relationships, secrets and drama. It has become an integral part of the fabric of the show and something that fans love.
The show has a large number of sets that are used to shoot the action. Many of these are permanent and are used on a regular basis, while others are used infrequently or only occasionally. The sets are located in Studios 2 and 4 of NBC’s Burbank, California studio. There is also one permanent outdoor set, Salem Place, which is used regularly as well.
In addition to Salem, the show uses a variety of other locations both in the US and abroad. In 2021, the show branched out with the limited series, Beyond Salem, which took fans outside of Salem to exotic locales as the cast searched for stolen gems that were linked to the DiMera family fortune. The story was a whirlwind of high-stakes action, dangerous encounters and unexpected alliances.
During the 1990s, Days of Our Lives began to move away from traditional plots and focused more on the rivalry between the Brady and DiMera families in a Hatfield-McCoy feud style. This new direction was a huge success and helped the show continue to thrive. With the addition of romances, action-adventure story lines and super-couples like Bo and Hope, the show remained popular and is still going strong today.
The Music
In the beginning days of DAYS, the show was at the bottom of the ratings, and it was at risk of cancellation. But co-creator Ted Corday teamed up with his wife, Betty, who became executive producer upon his death in 1966, to turn the soap around. They focused on introducing more romance, sex, and drama to the show, which helped it rise quickly in the ratings to become daytime drama number one.
The theme song for DAYS is a classic, and the harmonies are perfect for a soap opera. It’s a light orchestral song that reminds you of the wholesomeness of soap opera life, while at the same time bringing in darker elements such as corruption and murder.
In a way, it’s like a musical cliffhanger that makes you tune in to see what happens next. The music ties everything together, and it’s something that fans love to get stuck in their heads and sing along to.
Throughout the years, there have been many songs on the show that have connected with fans in a special way. For example, there is “If Only” by Sandra Uribe (Hope) that is a beautiful and moving ballad about the loss of someone who means a lot to you. There is also “Every Breath You Take” by Ciara/Tripp, which is a great romantic song that is played at John and Marlena’s wedding.
The Food
In the era of social media and the ever-changing TV landscape, soap operas have struggled to keep viewers. But Days of Our Lives has been able to survive a long list of challenges that includes the demise of other long-running soaps like Guiding Light and As the World Turns. Days recently announced that it has been renewed for two more years — a major win for the show at a time when ratings for all network daytime serials have declined.
As for the fans who remain, they love how a good soap has the ability to make them laugh and cry with its many story lines, cliffhangers and characters. Plus, it keeps them coming back every weekday to see what happens next.
For example, a favorite character is Maggie, played by actress Susan Seaforth Rogers since 1982. She’s a stoic, opinionated, family-oriented woman who frequently interfers in her friends and relatives’ lives. She’s also had several health issues, including Myasthenia Gravis, which mirrored Rogers’ real-life struggles with the disease.
And then there’s Stefano DiMera, portrayed by actor Joseph Mascolo for nearly 40 years on the series. He’s appeared to die so many times it’s hard to keep track, but each time, he comes back, ready to take on the next challenge. He’s survived a heart attack, stroke and brain tumor and even being shot, blown up and burned in a fire.
