When Janet Drucker was made Executive Producer of the Peacock soap “Days of our Lives,” in August 2023, it was a big deal.
Drucker had been with the show since 1984. She was succeeding Albert Alarr, who’d been forced out after a litany of sexual harassmant claims and sued by one of the soap’s star, Arianne Zucker.
The word was the show would now be run by women.
Now Drucker is out after 20 months. She’s being replaced by Noek Maxam, her younger, male second in command. They say Drucker is retiring.
“Days of our Lives” is run by Ken Corday, the son of the couple who created the show in 1965, Betty and Ted Corday. He ran it so badly that “Days of our Lives” moved from broadcast TV on NBC to streaming on Peacock, where it often looks like summer stock. The sets are cheap, and the writing is more like a parody of soaps.
Still, it’s in production in some form, which is notable. One day someone will write a real behind the scenes story of what has gone on. No soap story will ever be that good, or full of more drama.
Zucker’s lawsuit has still not been settled.
