So, you think you know Salem? Most people who haven't tuned in since the nineties probably think it’s just about possession and twins. Well, they aren't exactly wrong—Marlena Evans did have that whole second devil encounter recently—but there is so much more to it. Days of Our Lives is a weird, beautiful beast of a show that has survived when almost every other soap opera kicked the bucket. It moved to Peacock in 2022, a move that many thought would be the final nail in the coffin, but instead, it sort of liberated the writers.
The show has been on the air since 1965. Think about that for a second. It's older than the moon landing. It was created by Ted Corday and Betty Corday, and honestly, the fact that it’s still a family-run production under Ken Corday is one of the reasons it feels so different from the corporate-polished vibes of General Hospital or The Young and the Restless. It’s scrappier. It’s bolder.
The Peacock Pivot and Why It Actually Worked
Everyone was terrified when NBC moved the show to streaming. My grandmother literally didn't know how to use an app, and for a few months, it felt like a whole generation of viewers might just vanish. But the transition to Peacock changed the DNA of the show in subtle ways. No more breaking for news reports. No more strict 38-minute runtimes to fit around pharmaceutical commercials.
The pacing shifted.
Because they aren't beholden to the same FCC broadcast standards, the dialogue has gotten a bit punchier. You'll hear a "damn" or a "hell" more often, and the romance scenes? They’ve definitely turned up the heat. It’s not HBO’s Euphoria, obviously, but it’s not your 1985 tea-and-crumpets soap anymore either. The show also started leaning heavily into "Beyond Salem" limited series, which brought back legends like Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso as Bo and Hope. That nostalgic pull is the lifeblood of the series.
The Horton Family Legacy
At the heart of everything is the Horton family. If you walk into the Horton living room in the show, you see that Christmas tree with the ornaments. Each ornament has a family member's name on it. If you’re a fan, seeing a new character get an ornament is basically like watching someone get knighted. It’s the ultimate "you’ve arrived" moment in Salem history.
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But let's be real—the Hortons have some stiff competition. The Bradys, the DiMeras, and the Kiriakises make up the rest of the power structure. The conflict between the blue-collar Bradys and the Machiavellian DiMeras is the engine that has kept the show running for decades. Stefano DiMera, played by the late, legendary Joseph Mascolo, was the greatest villain in television history. Period. No one else comes close. He died and came back so many times it became a running joke, yet every time he appeared, you felt the stakes rise.
Why Days of Our Lives Still Matters in 2026
You might wonder why anyone still watches a show where characters regularly come back from the dead or get brainwashed by mad scientists. It’s because the show understands "camp" better than almost anything else on TV. It doesn't take itself too seriously, yet it plays the emotional beats with 100% sincerity. When a character dies, the grief is real. When a couple finally gets together after five years of interference, the payoff is huge.
The show is a masterclass in long-form storytelling.
- Longevity: Some actors have been playing the same roles for over 40 years. Deidre Hall is Marlena. Bill Hayes was Doug Williams for over half a century until his passing in 2024. That kind of continuity doesn't exist anywhere else.
- Adaptability: They've tackled everything from the AIDS crisis to LGBTQ+ rights with surprising nuance for a "silly" soap.
- The Sci-Fi Element: While other soaps stay grounded in realism, Days leans into the weird. Dr. Wilhelm Rolf is a fan-favorite mad scientist who basically functions as a plot device to bring back any actor whose contract was recently renewed.
Is it high art? Maybe not in the traditional sense. But it’s a cultural touchstone. It represents a specific type of American storytelling that is rapidly disappearing.
The Misconception of the "Dying Genre"
People have been saying soap operas are dead for twenty years. They said it when All My Children was canceled. They said it when One Life to Live went away. Yet, Days of Our Lives has carved out a niche that is surprisingly sustainable. By moving to a subscription model, they stopped chasing the fickle "live" ratings of 18-49-year-olds and started focusing on a loyal, paying fanbase that will follow them anywhere.
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It's a business model that works.
Production costs are high, sure. They film at a breakneck pace—sometimes six or seven episodes a week. This leads to the occasional continuity error or a shaky set, but fans don't care. They’re there for the characters. They’re there for the latest scheme by Leo Stark or the tragic romance of Chad and Abigail (in whatever form that takes this week).
The Essential Characters You Need to Know
If you’re just jumping back in, the landscape is a bit crowded. You have the veterans, the "vets," who anchor the show. Marlena, John, Maggie, and Victor (whose presence is still felt even after John Aniston's passing). Then you have the middle tier: Sami Brady’s kids, the various DiMera heirs, and the Salem PD.
The show has always been great at rotating its cast. When one big star leaves, they elevate someone else. It's a revolving door, but the room stays the same. The current storylines involve a lot of corporate maneuvering at DiMera Enterprises and Titan Industries, mixed with the usual kidnapping and secret identity tropes.
Honestly, the "Secret Room" under the DiMera mansion has seen more drama than most actual countries.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Writing
Critics love to mock the dialogue. They call it "melodramatic." But writing 250 episodes a year is an Olympic-level feat. The writers have to maintain decades of history while making sure a new viewer can understand what's happening within five minutes of turning it on. That is incredibly hard to do.
The show uses "the reveal" better than any other medium. The slow burn of someone standing behind a door, overhearing a secret? It’s a classic for a reason. It creates a specific type of tension that binge-watching a 10-episode Netflix series just can't replicate. You have to wait. You have to stew in it.
How to Watch and Stay Caught Up
If you want to get into it now, you don't need to watch 14,000 previous episodes. That’s a myth. Soap operas are designed to be joined at any time. The characters will literally repeat the plot to each other in every scene for the first week you watch.
- Get a Peacock Subscription: This is the only way to see new episodes in the US.
- Follow the Socials: The Days community on X (Twitter) and Facebook is intense. They will explain everything to you, often with very strong opinions.
- Check the Recaps: Sites like Soap Central or Soap Opera Digest are essential if you miss a few days.
- Embrace the Absurdity: If you try to apply logic to Salem, you’re going to have a bad time. Just go with the flow.
The show is currently renewed through its 60th season, which is a massive milestone. It’s not going anywhere. Whether it's the latest possession, a baby switch, or just another wedding that ends in a shootout, Days of Our Lives continues to prove that daytime (or streaming) drama is a permanent fixture of the American psyche. It's about family, legacy, and the ridiculous things we do for love. Or for a share of a multi-billion dollar conglomerate.
For those looking to dive deeper into the history, the 1990s "Cruise of Deception" or the "Melaswen" island storyline are great places to start your YouTube rabbit hole journey. These eras defined the "out there" style that sets Salem apart from the more grounded soaps. If you want to understand the current stakes, pay attention to the rising stars like Victoria Konefal and Robert Scott Wilson, who are carrying the torch for the next generation of fans.
The best way to experience the show is to let go of your expectations of "prestige TV" and enjoy the ride for what it is: a daily dose of escapism that has outlived almost everything else on the screen.
Actionable Steps for New and Returning Fans
- Start with the "Day of Days" event clips: Usually held annually, these fan events feature the actors discussing their arcs, which is a great primer for who is currently important.
- Focus on one family tree at a time: Don't try to learn everyone at once. Pick the Bradys or the DiMeras and branch out from there.
- Watch the "Beyond Salem" spin-offs: They are shorter, higher-budget, and give a great taste of the show’s flavor without the 200-episode-a-year commitment.
- Set a daily "Soap Half-Hour": Because the episodes are now on Peacock, you can watch them whenever. It’s the perfect lunch-break ritual.