Soap Opera seems to be a dirty word these days. I don’t know too many people who watch them and if they do most don’t talk about it. I will not let this stop me from admitting I love Days of Our Lives.
My mother, brother and I spent most days watching a lineup of soap operas in between chores, naps and fun. Dark Shadows, Ryan’s Hope, The Edge of Night, and Another World lasted years but eventually they were taken off the air, or replaced by something new. But Day of Our Lives remained on the daily schedule as long as my mother lived and still marches on today.
I grew up eating lunch about the same time Tom and Alice Horton were helping solve the problems of family and friends. Many tears were shed, cookies ate and secrets revealed
at the Horton’s kitchen table and I witnessed most all of them.
My favorite romances took place right before my eyes daily, Marlena Evans and Roman Brady, Bo and Hope, Maggie and Mickey, Jennifer and Jack, Patch and Kayla then Marlena and John Black. There were as many break-ups and affairs as there were drinks sold at the Brady Pub.
The despised Stefano DiMera has been around for years. He has risen from the dead more times than I’ve changed hair color, so a lot, and today still reigns terror along with his son EJ over the people of Salem. The DiMera’s are notorious for burying people alive, shipwrecking them on unknown islands, putting people away in hidden prisons and replacing them with clones,
selling drugs and more often than not it’s all done to terrorize the Brady and Horton families.
My memories are full of days spent with my mom and this TV show. I also shared this bond with my mother-in-law Marie. She videotaped Days for years and years. We always caught up on the news every time I saw her. They are both gone now and I feel I carry on tradition by turning on my television and tuning in to our favorite soap every day.
As crazy as it sounds the people of Salem are like a part my family. But after having shared their lives with them for over 40 years whatdo you want from me?
Emotional people like me can thrive on the drama a soap can bring about. So many different feelings are released, laughing, crying, anger, envy and even happiness on the one day of the year something goes right for one of my friends on the show. This really works well because when it’s over, it’s over and I get on with my life. No dwelling on what happened when I get out of my chair. I leave everything right there until I come back for a refill.
My husband cannot understand why I continue to watch after all these years. I may be addicted! Is there a soap opera rehab? I’m so attached and I’m just not willing to give it up. I will watch until the day it goes off the air. This year All My Children will leave us in September and fans are heartbroken.
May it never be that Days of Our Lives leaves me with only my memories. That’s a lonely place
to be.
This was written for a prompt from The Red Dress Club. Recall a television show from your past and write about the feelings it evokes and memories it triggers.
Related articles
- Money Lessons I’ve Learned From Days of Our Lives (savings.com)
- These are (still) the days of our lives (run4joy59.wordpress.com)
- Daytime Emmy Nominations 2011! (rightcelebrity.com)
Julie Moore On Life 
I was addicted to The Young & Restless, As The World Turns & Guiding Light, but after I left and went away to college, I was unable to watch any of them anymore since I didn’t have a tv. Well, I was gone for 5 years, so I completely forgot all of the plots and characters etc…So, I’m no longer interested. But, I too remember those days when I couldn’t WAIT for the next day. And, even with being in school etc, things really had not changed much during the holidays and I was able to pick right back up almost where I had left off……It is interesting though that many are being taken off the air now after so long isn’t it????? I have to wonder “what’s next???” 🙂
I think the soap era is coming to a close. people just aren’t watching, except for me.
I’ve never really watched soaps. But I think a lot of the night time stuff I watch could be considered soaps. Gossip Girl is totally a soap opera.
You are right. I watch Grey’s Anatomy and its def a night time soap. I used to watch Dallas and Knot’s landing years ago. Oops I guess I’m telling my age.
oh man – this “I leave everything right there until I come back for a refill.” is exactly how I feel with my guilty pleasure shows!!!! Exactly!
(writing for TRDC at http://haverecklessabandon.blogspot.com/)
We have to do that don’t we. Can’t carry the weight of their problems and the guilt we feel for watching with us everywhere we go can we?
my god!! i was about to write on daily soaps!!! and yes, people around me look at me with a quizzical look when i tell them i really like following up the episodes…. they think i am wasting my intelligence…but now reading you i feel WOW!!!! there is somebody who like me is open about it!!! cool cool post…loved it!!
I know! It’s like we are low down or something for watching but everything these days on TV are as bad or worse. We are few but we are strong as you can tell from reading the other comments.
I have some extra special memories of Days Of Our Lives As well. That was the show me, my grandmother, and my mother shared. I quit watching when they got rid of Deidre and Drake though. I have tried to get back to watching a few times but these days I am lost on the story line as well as the characters!
i loved Marlena and hated when she and John left too but i carry on watching it. New characters and new scenarios every week keep me interested however I love the old ones the best.
My mom and I watched Days for years and years…she’s no longer with me, but I know she’d still be watching it every day if she were…and I remember Dark Shadows too, Mom didn’t like for me to watch it tho…lol
So sorry your mom is gone but we have our memories don’t we and Days is a part of them. Dark Shadows was a bit scary for me then but I watch it now and it seems so fake.
I grew up watching Days and Another World too. I still miss Another World. I started watching the re-runs on SoapNet a few years ago and got so into it and was devastated when they decided to stop showing it. It was just getting good!
My Mom still watches Days and I watch it with her when I’m visiting. Hard to know what’s going on though.
Remember when Marlena was possessed? Good grief!
yes I remember. It was probably my least favorite time on the show because I was so scared. It’s crazy how caught up in a show one can get huh?
*sigh* This brought back some GREAT memories. I don’t watch Days anymore, but I grew up watching it, and my mom still watches. She’s recently roped my dad into watching, and when we visit, we ask him questions about what’s happening on the show and tease him relentless when he knows the answers perfectly.
I’ve wondered why soaps are looked down upon so…after all, reality tv is NO better…in fact, it’s worse because it has no story or script or characters. Soaps are an awesome means of escape, and I’ll always look back fondly on my memories of the Hortons and the Bradys of Salem.
Agreed they are no worse and maybe better than reality TV in some ways. However in certain circles if I were to mention I watch a soap it IS frowned upon. But I’ve set out to be real and Days is a part of my history and always will be for more than one reason. Love it that your dad watches it!
It’s funny how everyone had their several soaps they watched! I grew up watching General Hospital, and if I had the soap network I would still watch it today! And I loved Y&R and of course Days and One life to live, and All my Children. I remember the days of taping them and watching them when I got home from school! Now if I am home for just a day I just can’t watch them…I’ll get hooked and then just want to cry when I can’t keep up on them!
For a short time (when I still worked) I had no choice but to watch this Soap. I worked in an office of 15 ladies and all of them were Days of Our Lives fans. I hate admitting it, but I became addicted, too. Watching while I was not at work. I was introduced to the Bradys & the people of Salem. They became a part of my life for the time that I remained a fan.
I enjoyed reading your post!
So glad you stopped by and of course I understand the addiction to Days! Wow the whole office watched? I would have enjoyed being a part of that conversation.
Oh this really brought me back! My mom and I spent hours watching All My Children- VCR recorded and watched together with an after school snack. Sweet and slightly inappropriate? For sure! XO
Maybe so according to today’s parenting standards but when we were growing up it was just what we did and TV wasn’t so sex-y. I loved All My Children at one time but Days goes on and on for me.
I remember watch GH with my grandmother and my mom. It’s true how those daily shows can become part of your life. Had to give it up after having kids, no time:)
kids will do that. I went through a time, well several times off and on when I didn’t get to watch for a year or so at a time but caught back up.
I love General Hospital, One life to live and all my children. I also grew up watching with mom.
We would all gather on her round bed and draw those old red velvet curtains to watch Dark Shadows. Such wonderful memories.
I love the picture of that scene. Sounds wonderful.
I’m rooting for Victor and Maggie! Thank goodness for DVR’s. I couldn’t watch Days all week since the kids were here, so now I have all of last week’s shows to enjoy during lunch this coming week. Sweet!
Oh you are going to enjoy that! Not much about Victor and Maggie but some cool revelation about Sammi and Raf.
Plus, a lot of people don’t know that Victor (well, the actor who plays him) is Jennifer Anniston’s father. How cool is that!
I did know that and I think that is very cool. I like Victor even though he is a “kinda” bad guy. But Maggie has a good influence on him and he seems to be softening a little.