New Soap Opera ‘Beyond the Gates’ Set to Premiere on CBS

DORAVILLE, Ga. – CBS is set to debut its new daytime soap opera “Beyond the Gates” at 1 p.m. on February 24, marking the first new addition to the genre on American television since 1999. The show boasts a production crew of 200 and aims to create 250 original episodes within its first year.

Filmed at the Assembly Studios in Doraville, the series is designed for speed and efficiency, featuring a control room that enables real-time camera cuts akin to live broadcasting. Each day, the production team completes around 20 scenes, translating to over 100 pages of scripted dialogue, five times the pace of a typical prime-time drama.

“It’s one of the biggest undertakings in TV you can ever imagine,” said Sheila Ducksworth, executive producer and creator of the show. Ducksworth drew inspiration from “Generations,” the first soap to feature a wealthy Black family in 1989, a groundbreaking moment she witnessed as a Yale University student.

“Beyond the Gates” follows the fictional Dupree family, who navigate life in an affluent gated community in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. The show has drawn significant attention for being led by Black creators and cast members, a rarity in a medium long criticized for its lack of diversity.

“For fans of soaps, ‘Beyond the Gates’ was earth-shattering news,” said Mara Levinsky, editor of Soap Opera Digest. “It’s absolutely breaking new ground. I am sure CBS anticipates this show will be the first to be largely consumed on streaming.”

The show’s cast includes veteran soap actors Tamara Tunie, Karla Mosley, and Daphnée Duplaix, and it features a variety of roles, from doctors to social media influencers. “Black viewers have long supported soaps,” Levinsky added. “But perhaps they’ve wondered: Do these shows love them back?”

Ducksworth hired Michele Val Jean, who made history as the first Black head writer on a soap, to lead the writing team. Val Jean sparked early interest before her career took off by working on similar series. “This is a chance to showcase the depth of Black experiences,” Val Jean explained.

The show aims to revitalize the soap genre, which has seen a decline in viewership over recent decades. In 2014, only four daytime soaps remained on air: “General Hospital,” “The Young and the Restless,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and “Days of Our Lives.” The latter has recently moved exclusively to streaming on Peacock, reflecting a shift in how audiences consume content.

The launch of “Beyond the Gates” adds to CBS’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in programming. “The crest of the country club features a lantern symbol for Harriet Tubman, who is from Maryland,” Ducksworth said, highlighting the show’s dedication to cultural representation.

With the premiere approaching, the cast expressed excitement about the opportunity to establish new characters and narratives within the soap format. “We are starting with a blank slate,” Tunie noted. “We can go anywhere. That’s exciting. And I think the audience is chomping at the bit to have this back in a new, fresh way.”

As it steps into the daytime spotlight, “Beyond the Gates” is committed to exploring themes of identity, family, and societal challenges through the lens of a contemporary Black family. Viewers can catch the series weekdays at 1 p.m. on CBS, also available later the same day on Paramount+.