“Days of Our Lives” -- The Top 25 Programs of 2017, No. 17

Nobody energizes or reinvigorates a pooped-out soap opera quite like writer Ron Carlivati.  He did so on ABC's General Hospital back in 2010 and he’s doing it again as the new head writer on NBC's Days of Our Lives, which had become directionless and difficult to sit through during the last year or two.