A new daytime drama could be coming to CBS‘ popular daytime lineup as the network and the NAACP are teaming up to develop, “The Gates,” which would be the first new soap opera in 35 years.
“The Gates” will follow the lives of a wealthy Black family living in a posh, gated community. The show will be produced by a CBS Studios/NAACP production venture in partnership with P&G Studios, a division of Procter & Gamble. Emmy-winning daytime veteran Michele Val Jean, a writer known for her work on “The Bold and The Beautiful” and “General Hospital” will serve as writer, showrunner and executive producer. Val Jean has more than 2,000 episodes of daytime TV in her career.
“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 said in a statement. “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. 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.’”
There three daytime dramas in production: “The Young and the Restless,” which CBS recently gave a four-year renewal and currently in its 51st season; “The Bold and the Beautiful” which is in season 37; “General Hospital,” which celebrated 60 years on ABC last year and “Days of Our Lives,” which ran for 58 years on NBC before moving to Peacock.
