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All good things must come to an end. Well, almost an end. Days of Our Lives, one of the longest-running scripted television shows in the world (and it’s still running), is moving away from NBC permanently. The network made the announcement on Aug. 4, 2022, ending a run of 57 years on network television dating back to 1965. The move comes after two short seasons of a spinoff, Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem, aired exclusively on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service.

Where can ‘Days’ fans watch their favorite soap?

days of our lives
Cast members (L-R) James Scott, Crystal Chappell, Kristian Alfonso, and Galen Gering promote “Days of Our Lives 45 Years: A Celebration in Photos” at the NBC Experience Store on February 25, 2011, in New York City. | Rob Kim/FilmMagic

Starting Sept. 12, Days of Our Lives will be available exclusively on Peacock, according to Vulture. First-run episodes and encore presentations will air on the streaming service, which marks another major title (albeit with a waning audience) shifting to streaming-only.

NBC will get to see if this property is truly worth keeping when it examines the streaming metrics.

The soap is part of a dying genre due to so many choices in niche entertainment now with younger audiences flocking to other options. Ratings have fallen, and Days of Our Lives has survived several attempts to cancel it over the past 15 years with the network and Sony making last-minute deals. 

Deadline states DOOL is the least-watched soap opera out of the four left in production, with 1.8 million viewers in the 18-to-49 demographic. Ratings kept shifting downward.

The only three soaps left on broadcast TV are Young and the Restless (CBS), The Bold and Beautiful (also CBS), and General Hospital (ABC).

What will subscribers get if they follow ‘Days of Our Lives’ to Peacock?

The entire library of Days episodes is already on Peacock, so a subscription will let fans relive the glory days of Roman with amnesia, Chloe and Nicole’s baby, Carly being buried alive, and Marlena’s possession by the devil. Let’s not forget Stefano, whose sons continue to wreak havoc on the show to this day.

Fans have three tiers of service when signing up with Peacock: a free version gives someone limited episodes to keep up with what’s happening in Salem. A $5 version that comes with ads followed by $10 a month to get everything without ads, according to CNET. 

The free version requires just an email — but again, that means commercials and only early episodes.

What does the future of ‘Days of Our Lives’ look like?

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Given its epic run, it’s hard to imagine a future without Day of Our Lives. While dedicated fans will likely follow the show wherever it goes, others won’t bother. This could mean the end of the series for good.

Fortunately, NBC execs still have some time to negotiate with Sony Pictures for the future of Days. The soap has less than a year to go on its current contract, and Days has been the only soap on NBC for 15 years. 

Mark Lazarus of NBCUniversal noted that “a large percentage of the Days of Our Lives audience [is] already watching digitally.” Should the program receive a boost or at least maintain its audience on Peacock this season, there’s still hope for more Days in the future.

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