Days Of Our Lives Is Moving Exclusively To Peacock
Soap operas have become a staple of cable television over the years, beckoning viewers in with over-the-top dramatics and expansive casts of characters. Arguably the most successful title to take on the genre is "Days of Our Lives," which began all the way back in 1965 and has yet to disappear from the airwaves. It has hundreds of episodes to its name — a staggering number of which include "The Boys" star Jensen Ackles — as well as a revolving door of actors that have built the show from the ground up. Not to mention, it has a devoted, multi-generational fanbase that has ensured it sticks around.
Set in the town of Salem, the now-Hope Brady-free (Kristian Alfonso) "Days of Our Lives" follows the Horton, Brady, Kiriakis, Hernandez, and DiMera families as they find themselves involved in a range of situations. Romantic betrayals, crime investigations, family tension, and more take center stage throughout the show, providing a little something for everyone. Additionally, it has called NBC home since it began, making it accessible to tenured viewers and series newcomers alike. Although, as revealed by Vulture on August 3, 2022, that is about to change in a big way.
"Days of Our Lives" is about to leave NBC in favor of becoming an exclusive for the Peacock streaming service. Here's why this monumental decision was made and what you need to know about it.
Days of Our Lives' move to Peacock signals the end of an NBC era
As revealed in Vulture's report, "Days of Our Lives" will officially become a Peacock exclusive beginning on September 12, 2022. With that, it will end its 57-year run on NBC, but that's not the only notable detail about this decision. It also means the end of NBC's extended foray into the soap opera game, which dates back to the late-1940s. Vulture notes that "Days of Our Lives" viewership numbers have declined for several years, and Peacock's subscriber growth has somewhat stalled in recent months, hence why this change likely came to fruition.
"This programming shift benefits both Peacock and NBC and is reflective of our broader strategy to utilize our portfolio to maximize reach and strengthen engagement with viewers," Mark Lazarus — chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming — said of the "Days of Our Lives" move, adding that the hope is for the show's fanbase to give Peacock a try if they haven't already and perhaps entice new viewers who already use the streamer to watch the show. "NBC News Daily," with hosts Kate Snow, Aaron Gilchrist, Vicky Nguyen, and Morgan Radford, will take over the old "DOOL" timeslot.
As it has for decades, "Days of Our Lives" will continue to move along into the future — only from here on out it'll call Peacock home. Time will tell if this landmark change was the right call or if it should've never left NBC in the first place.