Have you heard about “Beyond the Gates”, CBS’s new Black soap opera?
If not, here’s a little tea.
“Beyond the Gates” is the first Black soap opera since NBC’s “Generations”, the first Black soap opera ever. It centers around a Maryland suburb (think a faux PG County) and the Dupree family, a well-to-do family in a gated community called Fairmont Estates. It is described as a powerful and prestigious multigenerational family, defined as Black royalty.
Several notable actors star in “Beyond the Gates” including Clifton Davis, Tamara Tunie, and Timon Kyle Durrett.
As a child in the late 70s and 80s, I watched soap operas with my mother, aunts, and grandmother. Soaps like “The Young and the Restless”, “As the World Turns”, “The Bold and the Beautiful”, “Guiding Light”, and “All My Children” were staples in my family and considered must-see TV. Characters from these daytime serials like Katherine Chancellor, Erica Kane, and Ridge Forrester were and are still deeply ingrained in my childhood just as the Cosby Kids and the casts of “Family Ties” and “Different Strokes”.
Black actors appearing in soap operas made for great storylines back in the day. Who can forget Jessie and Angie on “All My Children” of Neil and Drucilla on Y&R? They became integral parts of the storyline and even forty-plus years later, we are still talking about it.
Speaking of Katherine Chancellor, I will never forget how the producers of “The Young and the Restless” wrote her real-life plastic surgery into the storyline and broadcast it on national TV during an episode. Talk about TMI!
While there’s been a lot of buzz surrounding the new soap, there are still millions of people who don’t know how powerful of a medium a soap opera can be. I am sharing Six Reasons to Watch Beyond the Gates–check them out and let me know what you think.
Shake it up
With only a few remaining soap operas still in production, “Beyond the Gates” can help shake it up and introduce a new generation to daytime soap operas. With the reign of reality TV complete with their soap-opera-esque storylines, “Beyond the Gates” has the opportunity to regain a whole new audience and convert them into soap opera diehards.
The Tyler Perry Effect
Tyler Perry may be the king of Black movies but he also brought his storytelling to nighttime soap operas like “The Haves and the Have Nots”. I see “Beyond the Gates” following in the footsteps of Perry’s creations, which had solid ratings during its heyday.
A New Dynasty
In the tradition of families in the soap opera landscape like The Abbotts (Y&R), the Quartermaines (General Hospital), and The Forresters (All My Children), “Beyond the Gates” brings a new perspective to the family dynasty plotline. The Dupree Family is next up!
Black Stories
With a new dynasty centered around an African American family comes (hopefully) Black stories that can resonate with the audience and create impact and conversation that has been missing from daytime TV.
The drama
And you know there’s going to be DRAMA. According to TV Line, “Michele Val Jean — whose myriad soap credits include B&B, General Hospital, and Santa Barbara, as well as Generations, daytime’s first Black family-focused soap — is the creator, executive producer, and showrunner of Beyond the Gates”. So you know it’s going to bring the heat!
Snatch my wig
Can we talk hair, fashion, and STYLE? From the looks of the trailer and behind-the-scenes footage, drama won’t be the only thing being served. LOOKS galore!
You can watch the trailer for “Beyond the Gates” below. It premieres on CBS and Paramount + on February 24th. Will you be watching?
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