CBS Studios and the NAACP announced a future daytime series dubbed “The Gates,” featuring a predominantly Black cast, marking a watershed moment in the soap opera genre.
The show, located in a luxury gated neighborhood, will follow the life of a privileged Black family. According to The Hollywood Reporter, CBS has produced a soap opera with a largely Black cast for the first time since “Generations” began in 1989.
Michele Val Jean, a renowned writer and showrunner best known for her work on “The Bold and the Beautiful,” has joined the team behind “The Gates” project. The series aims to highlight stories about people of color while still providing the expected drama for daytime TV audiences.
According to People, CBS will determine whether to officially greenlight “The Gates” for broadcast placement at its current development stage.
“The Gates will be everything we love about daytime drama, from a new and fresh perspective,” said Sheila Ducksworth, head of CBS Studios’ NAACP venture.
According to the release, “The Gates” series will explore culture and character, with a heavy emphasis on the Black experience. The show aims to showcase a historically disenfranchised audience and could be a watershed moment for broadcast television.
With a focus on complex characters, interesting storylines, and the emphasis on Black culture, “The Gates” is expected to give impactful representation, representing one of the project’s main objectives, according to Ducksworth.
“I’m excited to develop this project with CBS and P&G, two of the longest and most passionate champions of broadcast and daytime television, and the NAACP, whose enduring commitment to Black voices and artists is both powerful and inspiring,” Ducksworth said in a press release.
“The Gates” has the ability to transform Black representation on television and revitalize the soap opera genre.
While stalwarts such as “Days of Our Lives,” “The Bold and the Beautiful,” and “General Hospital” have remained popular, CBS has not introduced a new soap opera since 1987.
The most current network soap opera, “Passions,” debuted on NBC in 1999. As a result, “The Gates” has the potential to significantly alter the landscape of representation and programming on daytime television.