‘The Gates’: New Black Soap Opera In The Works At CBS From ‘B&B’ Writer, Could Be First New Daytime Drama Series In 25 Years

The Gates, a new, Black, daytime soap opera, is in development at CBS, and if it gets ordered to series, it could be the first new daytime soap opera on a major network since Passions‘ debut in 1999.

The project is a product of the joint venture between CBS Studios and the NAACP. The series “follows the lives of a wealthy Black family in a posh, gated community.” This would also be the first Black daytime soap opera since Generations in 1989.

Michele Val Jean is the writer and showrunner. Working on both The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital, she has written more than 2,000 episodes of daytime dramas and won multiple Daytime Emmy and WGA Awards.

Val Jean will be an executive producer alongside Sheila Ducksworth, Leon Russell, Derrick Johnson and Kimberly Doebereiner.

“The Gates will be everything we love about daytime drama, from a new and fresh perspective,” said 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.”

She added, “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. I also want to thank CBS’ George Cheeks, NAACP’s Derrick Johnson and P&G’s Marc Pritchard for their personal involvement and support to take our next step forward with The Gates.”

The Gates is produced by the CBS Studios/NAACP production venture in partnership with P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble.