Groundbreaking Series to Debut in January 2025
CBS is set to make history with the debut of ‘The Gates’, the first new Black daytime soap opera in a staggering 35 years.
The network announced the groundbreaking series order this week, marking a major milestone for diversity and representation on broadcast television.
‘The Gates’ will follow the lives of a wealthy Black family residing in an affluent, gated community. The juicy storylines and multidimensional characters promise to put Black culture front and center in an unprecedented way for daytime dramas.
First Black Soap Since ‘Generations’ in 1989
The last time a new daytime soap opera with a predominantly Black cast hit the airwaves was NBC’s ‘Generations’ back in 1989.
While Fox’s prime-time hit ‘Empire’ drew comparisons to nighttime soaps, ‘The Gates’ will be the first such series for daytime in over three decades.
“This series will salute an audience that has been traditionally underserved, with the potential to be a groundbreaking moment for broadcast television,” said Sheila Ducksworth, president of the CBS Studios/NAACP venture behind the show’s development.
Veteran Showrunner at the Helm
Helming ‘The Gates’ as showrunner and executive producer is Michele Val Jean, an Emmy-winning soap opera writer with over 2,000 episodes under her belt from iconic series like ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ and ‘General Hospital’.
No casting details have been revealed yet.
Daytime Soaps a Dying Breed
The buzz around ‘The Gates’ arrives as soap operas have seen dwindling popularity, with only four still airing – three on broadcast networks.
CBS itself is ending its long-running daytime talk show ‘The Talk’ after 15 seasons, potentially opening a timeslot for the new soap.
As the first big daytime soap centered on a Black family in over three decades, ‘The Gates’ is poised to make an indelible mark on television history when it premieres on CBS in January 2025.
