“Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.” That quote is the opening of NBC’s only remaining soap opera, “Days of our Lives,” and will be heard on TV screens for at least another year. The show has been renewed through September 2017, with the option for an additional year to be added to the renewal.
The renewal seemed likely after the show had a ratings surge this past November, coinciding with the show’s 50th anniversary. The high ratings continued into the New Year, after the death of character Daniel Jonas and his on-screen family having to choose who will get his heart, according to Soap Opera Network.
The renewal was announced Feb. 11 after reports in January said the contract negotiations with NBC executives would start in February, according to TVLine. The renewal was confirmed on the show’s official Twitter account the next day.
“NBC is incredibly proud of the legacy of ‘Days of our Lives’ and we couldn’t be more excited to bring its fans new stories for the 51st season,” Jennifer Salke, president of NBC Entertainment, said in Variety.
The show celebrated its 50th anniversary of being on the air on Nov. 8, 2015. It is currently the second-longest running soap opera on air currently (“General Hospital” is currently the longest that is currently on air). The longest running soap opera of all time, “Guiding Light,” aired its last episode in 2009.
In its 50 years on air, the show has produced many memorable storylines and has its fair share of famous alumni. Alison Sweeney, who played fan favorite character Sami Brady, joined the show in 1993 and left near the end of 2014. Jensen Ackles, who currently stars on “Supernatural” was also part of the show from 1998 until 2002.
Cast member Susan Seaforth Hayes is the only cast member to have been on the show for all five decades it has been on the air. The final remaining original cast member, Frances Reid, died in 2010.
Some of the more memorable plotlines the show has done over the years include a character being buried alive, a demonic possession and multiple baby switches, all done in true soap opera fashion.
The show has also produced many well-known soap opera supercouples, including Bo and Hope, John and Marlena and Steve and Kayla, who are all still part of the show today in some capacity.
One big draw to the show every year is the Horton Family Christmas, where members of the Horton family (the original family on the show) gather in the Horton family house and hang their ornaments on the Christmas tree. This past Christmas featured the last time the original ornaments would be used as the originals were donated to the Smithsonian Museum.