Things are about to get more dramatic during the day.
CBS is creating a new Black soap opera as part of a joint venture with CBS Studios and the NAACP, in partnership with P&G Studios.
“The series, titled ‘The Gates,’ follows the lives of a wealthy Black family in a posh, gated community,” the NAACP said in a statement March 6.
Veteran soap opera writer Michele Val Jean, who has won multiple Daytime Emmy Awards for her work on “General Hospital” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” will write and serve as the showrunner on the series.
What to expect on 'The Gates'
“The Gates’ will be everything we love about daytime drama, from a new and fresh perspective,” said Sheila Ducksworth, president of the CBS Studios NAACP venture.
“This series will salute an audience that has been traditionally underserved, with the potential to be a groundbreaking moment for broadcast television. With multi-dimensional characters, juicy storylines and Black culture front and center, ‘The Gates’ will have impactful representation, one of the key touchstones of the venture.”
Ducksworth is looking forward to providing content focusing on new characters.
“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,” she said.
When will 'The Gates' soap opera premiere?
There has been no announcement about when the show will premiere or who will star in it.
The last time a daytime soap opera focused on Black characters was when “Generations” premiered on NBC in 1989. It ran until 1991. Currently, there are only three soaps on broadcast television: “General Hospital” is on ABC, while “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful” are both on CBS. “Days of Our Lives” can be streamed on Peacock.
(Peacock is part of our parent company, NBCUniversal.)
Last month, CBS announced “The Young and the Restless” had been renewed for four more years through the 2027-2028 season.
“I’ve been coming to this studio for 44 years now and now we have another four years added to it. How wonderful is that?” star Eric Braeden said in an Instagram video message.