Earlier this month, shockwaves rippled through the daytime community when a report surfaced that the sand was about to run out of Days of our Lives' iconic hourglass. Now it seems that the panic has been dialed back a little bit -- and fans are finding some comfort in seemingly optimistic comments made by NBC executives.
"We don't make a decision for another couple months," NBC entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt told TVLine at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. "But I don't think it's over yet."
Greenblatt wasn't quite as sunny with Deadline, but he did reiterate that no decision has been made about DAYS' fate.
"We haven't made decisions, but we like that show," Greenblatt told Deadline. "I think we will know more in a couple of months. As they age, these shows diminish, there is a lot of delayed viewing and very little linear [daily] viewing anymore, you have to keep looking at that."
NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke is also quoted by multiple outlets as saying, "We hope that the show [DAYS] comes back."
Rumors of DAYS' impending demise first surfaced when People reported that some of the show's top on-screen and behind-the-scenes talent had been told that DAYS would not be on the air in 2018. Things looked even more dire when coupled with other big news at NBC: the network signed former FOX News personality Megyn Kelly to a blockbuster contract that would give her a daily talk show, and DAYS was moved to a different timeslot on New York's flagship NBC affiliate.
It was widely reported that NBC would give Kelly an afternoon timeslot for her show. But now insiders say that Kelly's show and Days of our Lives' renewal are two totally different issues. Broadcasting and Cable first reported -- and has continually maintained -- that NBC is eyeing a retooling of one of the later hours of Today.
Days of our Lives received a one-year renewal last year, which runs through September of 2017. If things were to sour and the network did decide to cancel Days of our Lives, Greenblatt indicated that the network "would try to be respectful" and give fans ample notice and a suitable series finale.
How are you feeling about Days of our Lives' future? Do you think the show will continue -- or are you worried that the network is only saying nice things in the media to prevent backlash? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
