When a familiar space trickster traps the U.S.S. Enterprise crew in a classic soap opera, Pike finally mourns the loss of a life not lived.

Anson Mount (Captain Christopher Pike)
Ethan Peck (Lieutenant Spock)
Jess Bush (Nurse Christine Chapel)
Christina Chong (Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh)
Celia Rose Gooding (Ensign Nyota Uhura)
Melissa Navia (Lt. Erica Ortegas)
Babs Olusanmokun (Dr. Joseph M'Benga)
Martin Quinn (Lt. Montgomery Scott)
Rebecca Romijn (Commander Una Chin-Riley)

Deidre Hall (Dr. Eleanor Chivers)
Rhys Darby (Trelane)

Diane L. Johnstone (Proctor)
Alex Kapp (U.S.S. Enterprise Computer)
Anna Mirodin (Juliet Pike)

• The title is a riff on the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives intro: "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the Days of Our Lives".
  
• Dr. Eleanor Chivers is the ship's counselor.
  
• Deidre Hall (Eleanor Chivers) is best known for playing Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives for the past 50 years.
  
• Rhys Darby (Trelane) previously appeared in the season 3 episode "Wedding Bell Blues".
  
• Trelane's proctor wears an outfit very similar to Q in "Encounter At Farpoint".
  
• Martin Quinn (Lt. Scott) does not appear in this episode, though his name appears in the opening credits.