After more than 50 seasons it almost seems unnecessary to go through the formality of a renewal, but NBC has done just that, announcing today that it is renewing the daytime drama “Days of Our Lives” for its 55th season.

Needless to say, the show, which has won 57 Emmys and is an iconic piece of the daytime TV landscape, is the network’s longest-running entertainment series. “Days of Our Lives” premiered on NBC on Nov. 8, 1965. Almost exactly 18 years before that — on Nov. 6, 1947 — NBC debuted the network’s longest running series of any sort: “Meet the Press.”

Bruce Evans, executive VP of Current Programming for NBC Entertainment, made the announcement.

“With writing that manages to weave together Salem’s iconic characters with current realities, Ken Corday and his team have ushered the show’s legacy into a new era that resonates with both longtime and new viewers,” said Evans. “The actors and crew have such a tremendous respect for ‘Days’ and what it means to fans. We believe that level of commitment shows through and touches our audience year after year.”

Click here for additional details in today’s announcement.