American daytime soap Days of Our Lives seen on e.tv renewed for a further 2 seasons.

by Thinus Ferreira

The American daytime soap Days of Our Lives seen on e.tv has been renewed in the United States for a further two seasons.

Days of Our Lives got an additional pickup for season 57 and season 58. Production wrapped on season 56 in April and started again this week on season 57.

Season 56 saw the exit of Kristian Alfonso, Victoria Konefal and Greg Vaughan but marked the return of Alison Sweeney as Sami. 

Days of Our Lives is produced by Corday Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television and broadcast its 14 000 episode in America in December 2021. 

The soap is set in the fictitious Midwestern town of Salem and revolves around the families of the Bradys, Hortons, Carvers, DiMeras, and Kiriakises. 

"We couldn't be happier to bring our loyal fans two more seasons of Days of Our Lives and continue what has been an absolutely remarkable achievement in television," says Michael Sluchan, NBC executive vice president for scripted series & kids programming for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, in a statement.

"A big thank you to executive producer Ken Corday and the cast and crew for their incredible passion for storytelling that continues to reach new generations of viewers."

Ken Corday says "After more than 55 years of bringing drama, adventure and romance to screens around the world, we are thrilled and honoured to carry on the Days of Our Lives legacy for another two years. We are thankful to NBC for their enduring commitment to the show and grateful to continue this wonderful journey with our fans for years to come".

Steve Kent, Sony Pictures Television senior executive vice president for programming, says "We are incredibly proud of the work being done by Ken Corday, the cast and crew".

"They continue to tell bold stories through these iconic characters captivating audiences around the world. We are thrilled to continue the legacy of Days of Our Lives and for viewers to enjoy two more seasons."

Days of Our Lives producers Corday Productions suing Sony Pictures Television, alleging the loss of millions through alleged deliberate neglect in international distribution deals.

The producers Corday Productions of Days of Our Lives seen in South Africa on e.tv, is suing Sony Pictures Television, alleging that Corday has been cheated out of millions of dollars through deliberate neglect of the show in favour of The Young and the Restless when it comes to international distribution deals.

While Days of Our Lives was renewed for a 55th season in January 2019 on the NBC network in the United States, Corday Productions has started a lawsuit against Sony Pictures Television, including its Columbia Pictures and Screen Gems divisions.

Corday Productions alleges that Sony has hugely disadvantaged Days of Our Lives when it comes to international distribution - the audience, like in South Africa, seeing the weekday soap outside of the United States - and the money earned from these deals.

Deadline reports that Corday Productions claims that Sony that also distributes and fully-owns the other remaining American weekday soap, The Young and the Restless, has allegedly been favouring Y&R economically over Days when negotiating international syndication deals.

Sony TV didn't respond to a request for comment.

Corday Productions alleges that Sony Pictures Television left Days of Our Lives "completely unexploited for over five years".

"While the domestic ratings for Days of our Lives have remained largely constant, Sony's distribution receipts have decreased by over 50%," reads Corday's 33-page complaint it filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court.

"This dramatic decline is directly attributable to a decision at the highest levels of Sony management to eliminate any competition to its own wholly-owned series The Young and the Restless, also distributed by Sony".

"In the annals of Hollywood television, it is difficult to identify a distributor more guilty of blatant conflict of interest, deceit, perfidy, and abuse of market power. The only effective remedies are massive compensatory and punitive damages and immediate termination Sony's exclusive, perpetual distribution agreement," says Corday Productions.

Corday further alleges that Sony's is damaging Corday's income from Days for having failed to license the soap in "key foreign territories, including England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Canada, France, Zambia, and South Africa".

Days of Our Lives is however licensed in South Africa to e.tv after it the soap was dropped by the SABC on SABC3 in mid-2018.

Corday Productions further says that Sony Pictures Television is "enforcing its power of the show by imposing solely on Corday the burden of absorbing the multi-million dollar annual operating deficits due to an inadequate NBC license fee and mandating an inefficient, costly production schedule".

Days of Our Lives renewed for another year until 2017; 'we couldn't be more excited to bring fans new stories for the 51st season'.

The long running American soap Days of Our Lives shown in South Africa on SABC3 has been renewed for another year and its 51st season.

Days of Our Lives is produced by Corday Productions Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television. Sony Pictures Television is also responsible for The Young and the Restless (shown on e.tv).

Days of Our Lives is shown in 25 countries internationally, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in November 2015.

In a statement, America's NBC network that broadcast Days of Our Lives says it's "incredibly proud of the legacy of Days of Our Lives and we couldn't be more excited to bring its fans new stories for the 51st season".

"In a business where having a show remain on the air for two seasons is considered a success, what Days has achieved is extraordinary".