Os Dias Eram Assim (English title: Dark Days) is a Brazilian telenovela produced and broadcast by TV Globo.

The doctor Renato is the eldest son of Vera (Cássia Kis), owner of a bookstore in Copacabana, and has two siblings: Gustavo (Gabriel Leone), who goes out in the streets seeking freedom, and Maria (Carla Salle), who uses art as a way of expression and manifestation.

Raised into a conservative family, Alice, a Languages student, is the daughter of Arnaldo (Antonio Calloni), a contractor and supporter of the dictatorship who works for the government, and Kiki (Natália do Vale), who are always in conflict: Arnaldo constantly blames Kiki for their daughter's rebellious nature.

Alice goes against her parents' wishes and leaves her longtime boyfriend Vitor (Daniel de Oliveira), her father's right-hand man.

Infuriated by Alice's refusal to marry him, Vitor accuses Renato of subversion, which forces him to run away to Chile.