What has the fourth-highest episode count among all television programs in the world — 13,484 in total to be exact. Days of Our Lives has been renewed for its 55th season by NBC recently, only adding to their ongoing episodic streak. New episodes of Days of Our Lives will air each weekday on NBC.
Originally airing nearly every weekday since November 8, 1965, the soap opera series was created by husband and wife duo, television producers Ted Corday and Betty Corday. The series initially focused on the core family values of the Horton and the Brady families as they handled the tragedies and triumphs of their lives throughout the years.
As the series evolved over the many years of its run, other families were added to the neighborhood and story lines were dropped and changed accordingly. Action/adventure arcs were included in more progressive modern-day themes and experiences were included.
Past characters returned to the show during June 2010 to honor the passing of the show’s infamous matriarch, Alice Horton, whose character died on June 23, 2010. While in celebration of the soap’s fiftieth anniversary in 2015, several former cast members also returned to the small-screen, including Peter Reckell, Stephen Nichols and Penghlis.
“With writing that manages to weave together Salem’s iconic characters with current realities, [executive producer] Ken Corday and his team have ushered the show’s legacy into a new era that resonates with both longtime and new viewers,” Bruce Evans, Executive Vice President of Current Programming for NBC Entertainment, said in a statement. “The actors and crew have such a tremendous respect for Days and what it means to fans. We believe that level of commitment shows through and touches our audience year after year.”
Adds Corday, “It’s a great day in Salem! The sands in the hourglass will continue to flow for yet another year. We’re grateful to NBC and Sony for their continued support of the show and, of course, to our dedicated and passionate fans, we owe it all to you. Thank you for taking us through our 55th season. We can’t wait for you to see what we have in store.”