Those are the words spoken by the late Macdonald Carey to start the soap opera “Days of our Lives.” He died in 1994, but his voice on that show lives on.
The same cannot be said of the soap opera business. The story came yesterday from The Hollywood Reporter that “Days of Our Lives” would be moving from NBC to Peacock.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, an era is ending at NBC. “Days” is the longest-running entertainment series NBC has ever aired. 57 years. The only entertainment show that has run longer… another soap, “General Hospital.”
NBC will reportedly fill the hour with a news show. “NBC News Daily.”
Total honesty here. Because of my weird work schedule, I still watch soap operas. “Days of Our Lives,” “The Young and the Restless,” and “The Bold and The Beautiful.” Less “General Hospital” these days. That’s prime nap time.
I remember the days when the soaps reigned on daytime TV. My mother was a CBS soap fan. “As the World Turns” and “Guiding Light.” My other mom, Emma, was an NBC fan. “Days,” “Another World,” “The Doctors.” Back then, people referred to soaps as “my stories.”
I gravitated toward the ABC soaps. “G-H,” “All My Children,” “One Life to Live,” “Ryan’s Hope.” ABC always seemed to be a bit more hipper in my younger years.
In college, I planned my classes around Erica and “All My Children.” I skipped class to watch “Ryan’s Hope.” I can still see Elizabeth Taylor crash Luke and Laura’s wedding on G-H. If you are of a certain age, you remember that episode. It was huge. Even made the cover of Newsweek.
Erica married men for sport. Vicky had a split personality…Nikki. Karen had a side job to make ends meet. She was a prostitute. Delia was kidnapped by a gorilla. Ahh… the golden days of television.
VCR’s came along. You could record a soap and watch it after class. Or work.
Reality TV came along. That was the end of the soaps. Only four still run on the networks. Now, “Days of Our Lives” is going streaming. That doesn’t sound good to me.
I must say I associate the soaps with a simpler time. That said they took on issues before nighttime TV did. Abortion. Homosexuality. Divorce. They blazed some trails.
Here’s the dilemma I’m facing. Do I buy another streaming service? Do I get Peacock? What’s one more? I don’t even know how many I have.
I’ll probably do it. I need to see “Days of Our Lives.” I need to see it when Marlena gets possessed again. I need to see it when her husband, John Black, casts out the demon again.
I just convinced myself. I’m in. Buying Peacock. “Like sands through the hourglass…”