‘Days of Our Lives’ to Air Exclusively on Peacock

Soap opera fans love a twist, but we’re not sure how they’ll react to this one. Vulture reports “Days of Our Lives” will only be available on Peacock starting September 12. It has spent the past 57 years (!) on NBC.

While the vast majority of streaming-exclusive shows are created for their native platforms, we have seen legacy shows migrating to streaming services more recently. In April, Disney announced it would make “Dancing With the Stars” an exclusive program for Disney+.

Peacock and Disney+ are playing with fire here. Ripping beloved shows from their free network homes risks alienating the loyal audience. The companies are simply calculating that any streaming subscribers they gain will be worth the audience they lose in the transition.

It’s also notable that these shows target an older, female demographic — the type of viewer who may not be lured by Peacock’s WWE wrestling or the Star Wars shows of Disney+.

While some fans may make the transition willingly, the challenge will be to supply them with enough similar content that they don’t feel as if they’re being ripped off. Yes, the “Days of Our Lives” audience may enjoy Peacock’s Bravo library, but an unscripted “reality” show doesn’t bring the same drama as a legacy soap opera. “Dancing With the Stars” fans won’t find anything remotely similar on Disney+, unless you count a handful of musicals.

“This programming shift benefits both Peacock and NBC and is reflective of our broader strategy to utilize our portfolio to maximize reach and strengthen engagement with viewers,” said Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “With a large percentage of the ‘Days of Our Lives’ audience already watching digitally, this move enables us to build the show’s loyal fan base on streaming while simultaneously bolstering the network daytime offering with an urgent, live programming opportunity for partners and consumers.”

Two seasons of the spinoff “Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem” have aired exclusively on Peacock. The streamer is also home to “Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas.”

This decision means there are just three daytime soaps remaining on American broadcast TV: “General Hospital” (ABC) and “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful” (both CBS).