If you been keeping track of the daytime ratings, you probably noticed that 'Days of Our Lives' has been on an upswing. NBC noticed. In fact, after a shaky year in which the threat of cancellation hung over their necks like the Sword of Damocles, 'Days of Our Lives' has been renewed for another year.

That means that this November, NBC and 'Days' will be able to celebrate 45 years on the air. In making the announcement, Marc Graboff, Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, said, "'Days of our Lives' continues to be a favorite of the daytime audience and we are thrilled to keep it going through its 45th season. 'Days' has shown year-to-year increases in key female demographics and remains both relevant and fresh creatively."

NBC seems determined to destroy Days of Our Lives, the last soap left on the network. After receiving a truck load of negative press for firing/letting go/dumping Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn, the producers are now dropping the axe on perhaps the most popular romantic couple ever on the show, Patch and Kayla. According to Soap Opera Digest, Mary Beth Evans and Stephen Nichols have been let go.

This may seem like an economic necessity for Days of Our Lives, especially since the soap only has a year-and-a-half to prove to NBC that it's still viable -- that was the length of the pick up it received when it was renewed in 2008 -- but to fans this is just another slap in the face.

Just a couple of weeks ago, all was fine and dandy in Days of Our Lives-world. Or so it seemed. The big fan shindig at Universal in Hollywood seemed to signal that the status quo was holding that the lone NBC soap still in production would be able to use the 18-month renewal granted by NBC to climb in the ratings and return to past glory. Now comes the shocking news that NBC has fired Days of Our Lives' two biggest stars, Deidre Hall (Marlena) and Drake Hogestyn (John). By the way, Deidre and Drake were at the fanfest. You think they knew the pink slips were on the way? Um, no.

This is all about money, folks, and instead of seeking other ways to trim costs, Executive Producer Ken Corday and company have used a hatchet and chopped off the top salaries. Don't be shocked to hear that more is coming. That could be Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso -- Bo and Hope -- the other iconic romantic couple on the show, right after Marlena and John.

Everyone thinks they can write. No, really. If you talk to anyone who likes TV and movies, invariably you'll hear that they have a great story. Well, some do and some don't. In the soap business, just about every kind of story has been told.

A show like Passions, which has recently come to an end, told wild tales about witches and sorcery and dwarfs and demons.

General Hospital has been firmly set in plots about mobsters in the manner of The Godfather, with Sonny Corinthos a latter day Michael Corleone.

As the World Turns, currently in its 52nd year, is rooted in traditional love stories and family conflicts, although you have to give them props for Luke and Noah, a frontline gay romance which is definitely a 21st century development.

Death on a daytime soap is kind of like death in science fiction: it may be the real thing, but then again, maybe not. Fans of One Life to Live were recently stunned by the death of Nash Brennan. His was truly a case of sudden death. One minute he was a vital part of the scene, negotiating to keep the land for his vineyard, the next he was taking a swing at Jared, falling through a skylight and fatally injured.

The chances that Nash's death is not the real thing seems remote. He was shown on his deathbed in the hospital, saying goodbye to his wife Jessica, making a heart with his finger to show her that he'll always love her. It was sad and poignant and final. At least, I think it was final. You can't always be sure on soaps, as I said.
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Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.

Today on TV Squad Daily:

• White Rappers, a new reality show on VH1 about (you guessed it) white rappers, claims to be educational and not racially inflammatory.
  
• A woman is pressing charges after she claims she was pushed down a flight of stairs while waiting for a seat to watch Oprah.
  
• Drake Hogestyn, actor on Days of Our Lives, fought back when an intruder surprised him with plans involving exorcism.
  

The video's embedded after the jump below, or you can download the file directly (Quicktime required). You can also subscribe to this vodcast via our feed.

Actor Drake Hogestyn, who plays 'John Black' on Days of our Lives and has perfected the 'smells a fart'-style of acting,had his very own real-life soap opera drama on New Year's Eve. He and his family were in the backyard of their California home when a deranged fan burst in with a bible, claiming he was going to exorcise the devil from Hogestyn. The man, Carl Raymond Cheney, obviously thought that Hogestyn was his alter-ego. He made reference to some older episodes of Days and claimed he could cast the devil from Hogestyn. (I don't keep up with Days, but I thought it was Marlena who was possessed by the devil)

Court records show that Cheney chased Hogestyn's daughter and pushed his wife before Hogestyn grabbed the man by the hair, swung him around and punched him in the chin. It was probably better than any action sequence that has ever aired on Days of our Lives. Hogestyn and his son subdued the psychotic fan with duct tape until police arrived.