Beyond The Gates Continues To Create A Buzz – New York Times Spotlights Historic New Soap

Everyone in the land of daytime drama is buzzing about the new show set to hit CBS later this month. The cast and crew of Beyond the Gates are certainly getting a lot of attention and a major publication, the New York Times, recently placed a spotlight on the soap, making a trip to Assembly Atlanta where the new show films to learn more about what’s to come.

NYT’s Talks To Key Cast Members

As sudsy fans know, the groundbreaking soap centers around an affluent Black family and showcases a predominantly Black cast, as well as many Black department heads who work behind the scenes.

Not only will Beyond the Gates be the first soap to debut in over 25 years, but it’s also the first-ever one-hour Black-centric daytime drama.

Actress Tamara Tunie, who plays Anita Dupree, comments on the soap’s debut, stating, “There is an audience out there that for decades had not been represented or catered to, to say, ‘This is for you.’”

Meanwhile, Daphnee Duplaix (Dr. Nicole Dupree Richard) notes, “The weight of what we’re bringing to the table for audiences and what it means is giant.”

CBS Offers An Official Statement

George Cheeks, CBS Entertainment Group’s president and CEO, who has been pondering a new daytime drama for the network for a while now, chimed in on Beyond the Gates’ premiere.

He states, “I really do believe that the genre may not look the way it looked before — in terms of every network has three soap operas, every single day — but there’s still an audience for it.”

The soap’s creator, who also happens to be the co-head writer and an executive producer on Beyond the Gates, Michele Val Jean, offered a powerful statement about her long-time vision for the soap.

She goes on to say, “I wanted to see a big Black family that’s rooted in their love for each other, and they’re accomplished and they’re smart and they’re rich and they’re not downtrodden.”

With that said, the soap may have never gotten off the ground without Sheila Ducksworth’s commitment, who is not only a co-executive producer on the show but also happens to be the president of the CBS Studios/NAACP venture partnership. She reveals, “This is really almost a 30-year passion, (to) the point of getting this made.”

Will you tune into Beyond the Gates? Comment below! Tune into the soap’s debut on CBS come Monday, February 24, at 2 p.m. ET, and visit this site often for the best updates, news, and spoilers from the land of daytime drama!