Today marks DAYS OF OUR LIVES’s move to its new home on the streaming service, Peacock. Here, five faves from the soap discuss the change. Don’t have Peacock yet? To sign up, go to PeacockTV.com. Throughout the month of September, there is a limited time offer where you can subscribe for $1.99/month for 12 months or $19.99 for the full year.
Soap Opera Digest: How did you react when you heard the show would be moving?
Camila Banus (Gabi): I was excited. I see it as a great, fun, innovative move, so I am just there for the ride and to see where this is going to take us.
James Reynolds (Abe): I didn’t really know what to think in the beginning; I’m quite excited now. But it was different. We’re leaving this home of 57 years and going to something completely new, but I am embracing all the possibilities.
Deidre Hall (Marlena): We had heard rumblings about NBC maybe letting DAYS go, and I think there was such an enormous relief to have another home. And I think of Peacock as NBC so it’s the same family to me, so I’m pleased to be still in production and still shooting at home.
Eric Martsolf (Brady): I think it’s a good thing. I’ve seen the powers of streaming within my own home. My 16-year-old twin boys, they have educated me very quickly on how easy, how quick and how mobile their shows are. I think once we get the word out and people see how simple it is to make the transition, I think we’re going to be fine. Soap fans know change, they’re okay with change, and they will follow their family anywhere.
Drake Hogestyn (John): I need to come talk to your boys, because I’m probably like most of the older audience we have. I don’t have a smart television, I don’t have Internet connectivity on my TV set. I don’t know how to do that, but I’m going to learn how to do that. I want the audience to know that it’s going to be the same show they’ve always loved, the same compelling stories, the same engaging actors, and with better production values. It’s going to be amazing. Things are changing and it’s all going to be good.
Digest: What kind of tease can you give to the fans about what they can expect?
Banus: I think, like always, expect the unexpected. I think that’s what’s great about our show — we have so many different contract characters, and we’re all involved in multiple storylines, and that’s what makes it exciting. We have romance, action, comedy, just everything all at once and with Peacock, we get the chance to explore even more.
Hall: I think [Head Writer] Ron Carlivati always loves a challenge and this way, he gets to up the stakes a little bit, be a little more daring, a little more risqué.
Martsolf: The goal, I think, is to maintain the integrity of the show. It ain’t broken so we’re not going to fix it; we’re just sprinkling it with a little more freedom, probably a little more creativity. I think it’s going to actually open up storytelling.
Digest: Do you have anything you want to say directly to fans?
Hogestyn: I’m springing $1.99 a month, so that’s going to get me in and open up a whole new world to try to get me into the 21st century. I know there’s a lot of apprehension. You’re not going to see a lot of changes right now. The scripts we have are probably what you’re expecting. It’s our show. We haven’t gone off the deep end, like, “Wow, we’re on Peacock, we’re streaming, we don’t have Standards and Practices.” It’s none of that. We’re very respectful of the audience that got us where we are today. As we go on, the audience will let us know if they’re receptive to this, that or the other, but you have to stay tuned to see that. $1.99 a month, not a bad deal, plus you get a lot of stuff on NBC.
Banus: $20 a year is even cheaper!
Martsolf: I think these streaming services have yet to experience the loyalty that soap fans actually bring to the table. I think Peacock was smart to recognize this. I think there’s a reason they’re welcoming us in the way they are. Wherever we call home, I truly believe [the fans are] going to walk through.
Hall: What he said. Our fans are very loyal and known for it. And we’re doing everything we can to make it easy for them to find us and to keep enjoying the show.
Reynolds: We’re bringing a different kind of continuity that streaming hasn’t seen before. A show like BRIDGERTON, for instance, comes on the air, it goes off the air and season 2 follows a bit later. We have 57 years’ worth of experience on this show; this show has been running that long. We’re six months ahead on scripts. This show brings with it continuity and history and an audience that is completely dedicated already, so we don’t have to prove anything; we just have to keep up the excellent work we have done for decades.
Banus: I just want to say thank you to the fans for sticking with us, the ones that have already subscribed and the ones that are going to. We appreciate you guys making this move. We’re going to make it as simple as possible. It’s still going to be on five days a week; you’re going to be able to access it in the morning. It’s going to be so much better. It’s DAYS OF OUR LIVES-plus; it’s going to be bigger and better.
