Beyond the Gates
‘Beyond the Gates’ EP’s Preview What Viewers Will Experience with the Landmark Daytime Drama
Beyond the Gates is set to premiere on February 24th on CBS (2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT), making it the first new soap opera launched on network television since Passions in 1999.
The soap will speak to a “different side of the Black experience,” as expressed by two of the series, executive producers, Michele Val Jean and Sheila Ducksworth, in their first joint interview.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, series creator, Michele Val Jean noted, “We wanted to have a show on the air that spoke to a different side of the Black experience Not the downtrodden, not the ghettoized. We wanted to show rich, Black people doing messy things.”
Photo: CBS
The series is set in a rich gated community of Maryland and centers around the main Black family, known as the Duprees. Ducksworth shared, “In these Maryland suburbs, there were some of the most affluent African American counties in all of America. So looking at that and the wealth of everything at Howard University, I felt that this was an area that was ripe for the picking. You get the upstairs, the downstairs of it all. It’s true to life.”
Val Jean spoke of her experience as a staff writer for Beyond the Gates’ predecessor, Generations, which ran from March of 1989 to January of 1991 on NBC. “We were the little soap that couldn’t, really, because we were opposite the last half hour of (The) Young and the Restless. Generations was very much ahead of its time. When it got canceled, to me personally, it felt like a death because I was so happy there.”
Photo: CBS
Now decades later, Michele shared that her new show will feature, “secrets and lies and betrayals and love and friendship.” Ducksworth expressed that Beyond the Gates will feature a, “really complex web of people and places and things that all intersect in a way that you would never believe. It’s incredibly unpredictable and really fresh and new.”
Val Jean teased, “This is a different kind of world. The characters are different from anything that I’ve seen in daytime. That’s what I’m excited about. We’re presenting something that hasn’t been done before.”
The fact that the series even got the green light was an amazing accomplishment in itself, given that no one ever thought with only three daytime dramas left on network television and only one on streaming, someone would take a chance on what has been perceived as a dying genre.
Ducksworth noted that getting greenlit was ‘revolutionary,” adding, “Nobody is making soaps anymore. The courage and belief that there could be something new that hasn’t been done in over a quarter of a century, it feels great that the people behind us recognized the need and wanted to make this happen.”
So, after checking out the thoughts of the premise of ‘Beyond the Gates’ from two of its EP’s, Michele Val Jean and Sheila Ducksworth, are you more excited than ever for February to come and to usher in a new soap to our daytime family? Comment below.
Hopefully this will be far more than what’s described, because casting people of color as rich characters doesn’t account for innovation. It’s not like there never have been any on TV. Primarily, this is an opportunity to be bolder and more relatable in storytelling. That may mean integrating characters of lesser means. But it’s a missed opportunity if we’re just getting more baby switches, back from the dead plots and psycho villains. Cue the rebuttals of “that’s what soaps are for.” According to whose rules?
100% agree. It really sounds more of the same.
I couldn’t have said it better but with veterans from the industry i doubt it will change
The show hasn’t even aired yet and people are already clutching their pearls.
They are Black Americans not people of color. The latter includes all people of color. And why isn’t it innovation? GH has a whole black family that they don’t even write for.
This is landmark! Daytime is a vital genre, its programs much more desired the repetitive talk, recycled news, badly behaved courtroom denizen, and reality reruns. Why wouldn’t any entity not get behind something new and fresh?!? I am so hopeful!
Why is it “landmark?”
My excitement for Beyond the Gates is hitting an all-time high point, and hearing both Sheila Ducksworth & Michele Val Jean speak about it in their interview with Entertainment Weekly is getting me beyond pumped!!! This is what we’ve been asked for in American daytime, and I just know we’re about to be given something special!
While I would rather Guiding Light be revived, I’m hoping for nothing but success for this show! Could soaps be alive and well. Here’s hoping!
This quote, “We wanted to have a show on the air that spoke to a different side of the Black experience Not the downtrodden, not the ghettoized. We wanted to show rich, Black people doing messy things.”
Correct me if I’m mistaken but when has any character on daytime soaps been characterized as “downtrodden and ghettoized?” On GH alone we have Portia co-head of GH, Jordan the ex-head of police now working with the mayor, Trina the intelligent, art aficionado, Felix the nurse, Epiphany head nurse, Curtis, detective and now CEO of Aurora, Stella the social worker, TJ the doctor, Isaiah Gannoln the doctor, back-in-the-day Edward Quartermaine’s son the lawyer, etc, etc. And on most shows today black people are always presented as wealthy and professional. Sorry excuse for a black soap with that rationale…
I don’t think they meant in concerns to daytime; I think they meant in general to how the GP see’s things. What’s sorry is “people” (and I purposefully use quotes) trying to tear down something before it even debuts, and a lot of it comes down to the ethnicity of cast, etc.
Please; black people are portrayed as extremely successful on GH as I mapped out. And the showrunners were referring to the soap genre. And even if they weren’t? We can all name a LOT of shows or films where black people are portrayed as successful or moreso than other races. Stop living in the past. This emphasis on race, which this show seems to be all about, annoys me. I’m sorry if that doesn’t sit well with you. I’ve given my reasons many times on different threads, and you can’t grasp it because it’s not your experience. If you want to jump up and down and roar with delight because a soap is about black people; have at it. I’ll still wait for ONE Jewish character to find their way to any of the remaining soaps; and one that’s not Sonny’s Jewish stereotypical, accountant, “Bernie.”
I’ve given my reasons many times on different threads, and you can’t grasp it because it’s not your experience.
No offense, but who said it wasn’t my experience? I’ve never once, on this site, disclosed my race. A generalization, such as this, is highly dangerous. I am not living “in the past” as many do on this site and in general, re: soap operas.
Note to you: when referring to one’s race, the first letter should be capitalized, ie: White, Black, etc.
Says who?
Names of racial and ethnic groups are treated as proper nouns, which means they are capitalized (e.g., African American, Asian American, Black, European American, First Nations, Hispanic, Native American, Latin, White). You learn that in school, Bill, when learning about nouns, etc.
Bye Racist.
Love it! Can’t even express an opinion about a black soap without being called a racist. Rhank you fir not disappointing. Lemme guess. Are you one of those people who jump to defend against perceived racism but tell Jews what antisemitism is or isn’t?
“This emphasis on race, which this show seems to be all about, annoys me.”
This comment is what makes you a racist. Do you get annoyed about other soaps that place emphasis on white characters? Rhetorical question.
Glad someone called them out on it!
And I’d repeat my feeling and it’s STILL not racist! The premise of the show, however, could be considered racist! To top it off, I’m kinda sick of hearing complaints that there aren’t enough black characters on GH, or each time a black character has a story where he or she loses the guy, or is in jail, or is framed, it’s because the character is black. When Esme set up Trina the accusation was because she’s black. Sean was in jail it’s about race. It’s like viewers never watched similar story lines happen to white characters for decades.
And as I’ve said before, diversity on soaps shouldn’t be just about adding black characters. GH, for example, has one trans, three gay characters, one Asian. No Jewish characters or characters of any other background or faith. So this emphasis on JUST the black race as far as inclusion goes, annoys me. That doesn’t make me racist. That makes me angry and resentful. I had one black viewer jacka-s tell me here that “Jews need to wait their turn.” I didn’t see you or anyone else telling him that comment was out of line. But suspicion of “racism?” That gets many of you clutching your figurative pearls
If there were zero gay characters, zero black characters, zero Latino characters, and the show kept adding more and more Jewish characters, I just bet all of you from the black, gay, Asian, and every other community that’s not represented would be jumping for joy, right? And then if a Jewish organization said we’re going to have an all Jewish soap, I bet you all would be be exclaiming your excitement and your “can’t wait to watching it feelings,” right?
Get outta here. The one-way street when it comes to diversity has been stacked for years now. And when one of the explanations of a primarily black soap is to show “non ghettoized, non downtrodden” black people, when black people are never portrayed that way on soaps, is a ridiculous statement.
I’m going to wager–though I have no inside knowledge of this–that the reluctance to feature identifiably Jewish characters on soaps comes from the same fear (or whatever it is) that’s driving the reluctance to identify the religious identity of most characters with any specificity. I think we’re led to believe, in a vague way, that most of the characters are Christian, but “Christian” covers a lot of territory, and being a Baptist isn’t the same as being a Catholic, or a Lutheran, or an Episcopalian, etc. And we rarely see any of them practicing their religion; we may see them in church at a wedding or a funeral, but their religion doesn’t play a significant role in their lives day to day. It’s always been that way, at least as long as I can remember (and I’ve been watching since the mid-70s), and the only reason I can think of would be fear of offending someone, though I don’t see why that would necessarily happen.
The only real exceptions I can think of were both ABC soaps. Ryan’s Hope’s core family was identifiably Catholic, and there was at least one identifiably Jewish character along the way, Dave Greenberg (there may have been others), though he didn’t last very long. One Life to Live’s Vega family was identifiably Catholic, and Nora Buchanan (nee Hanen) (and her sister, who appeared for short while) was Jewish, though as I recall that was largely ignored after her first few years on the show. Andrew appeared (to me at least) to be an Episcopal priest (and Viki an Episcopalian), though I don’t recall this ever being stated. (I might have missed it.)
But the rest of the soaps have largely stayed away from the whole subject, other than in a generic way. Harding Lemay even talks in his book about his time on Another World about specifically being directed to change Iris’s biological mother’s faith from Jewish to nonspecific to avoid possibly offending people.
None of that’s an excuse, by any means: I think a soap that had an identifiably Jewish family, for example, would provide a nice contrast and give the writers a different perspective from which to approach some of the standard soap storylines. TPTB are just too risk-averse to try it, or they have been so far, anyway, which strikes me as ridiculous in the twenty-first century. Or how about exploring atheism or agnosticism, especially with a growing number of young people rejecting traditional religion and churches facing a struggle to stay open in some cases because of the membership decline? The possibilities are there, and heaven knows we need some fresh storyline possibilities from somewhere, but I just don’t see it happening.
Hi Michael (not Fairman) Notice, though, the comment by “Dennis” below mine who has stated that “black people” built America.” I’m not sure if he’s the same poster that I had an altercation with on another thread but he told me that black people were American and Jews weren’t (shows the utter ignorance) and that Jews “had to wait their turn” to be on soaps. And THAT is what I’m also talking about. Between that and the antisemitism in the black community, I’m not jumping on and down for The Gates, nor do I jump up and down with every new black character GH adds. There’s a catering to one minority above all others. And if you’re not in a minority, especially one who many in the black community spew hate for, you wouldn’t be able to understand that.
Thank you though, for your polite and respectful reply.
Jewish isn’t a race. Black ppl built America before you or other minorities even arrived here. Please stop the racist nonsense.
General Hospital is not the barometer to which everything is measured. She is describing her vision for a new series, not a counterpart to General Hospital.
They were interviewed regarding the soap’s entry into the daytime soap genre.
In their first joint interview. Michele Val Jean noted, “We wanted to have a show on the air that spoke to a different side of the Black experience. Not the downtrodden, not the ghettoized. We wanted to show rich, black people doing messy things.”
Any black character I’ve seen on soaps is successful; not downtrodden or ghettoized.” But if we want to look at prime time? Who was the lead (the lawyer, the professor )and who were a few of her law students on How To Get Away With Murder? Who was the very successful, very sought after lead character in Scandal? Successful main cast in Black-ish? Queen Sugar? Queen Charlotte? Who’s the Queen in Bridgerton? The hero in Lupin? So many shows with black characters and/or black families in prime time, as well as films, that have successful, and/or powerful, black, characters. That’s not to say they shouldn’t create this soap. If it’s written well, no doubt it’ll be successful.
YES! I am so ready for “Beyond the Gates”
I just saw a commercial for this show (hurray!) last night while watching a nighttime show on CBS.
I have to say: the publicity so far is pretty concerning. The commercial basically looked like “Hey look: Black people behaving in over-the-top fashion instead of White people!”, and the interview presented here kind of leaves the same impression: “Black characters with money doing basically the same things White ones have been doing!”
I feel certain, given the involvement of Michele Val Jean and other people I respect, that this isn’t doing the show justice, it’s just the PR angle that’s being chosen. I sure hope so, anyway. There has to be more to BTG than what we’re being told/shown. And I don’t think it’s exactly clutching pearls to be concerned, given what’s happened to soaps over the last 30 years or so; the last four left are pretty poor, in my opinion (with occasional moments that still remind me why soaps once were great, and of course still any number of actors who knock my socks off), so I don’t think it’s out of line to wonder if executive meddling is going to wreck this one too, particularly given the number of cooks in the kitchen already (how many executive producers does it have, again?).
I will grant, absolutely, that having powerful, affluent Black characters in the majority, driving a soap, rather than being add-ons or periphery to White characters, will be an important point of departure; I only hope enough people will actually tune in to make the show viable and keep it around for a while. I trust that MVJ and the rest of the team, if given the chance, will give us a rich canvas with meaty stories and memorable characters–but you’d never know it based on the publicity I’ve seen so far.
They had me the moment they cast Tamara Tunie (OK, they had me the moment they said, “New soap, first one in 25 years” and “Michele Val Jean is the creator,” but having TT back on my soap screen sealed the deal); I’m still looking forward to it. But I’ll admit I’m concerned.
The 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards are in the record books, and after the winners names were announced many of your favorite soap stars took their new gold statuette and then posed for photos at the Winners Walk.
For the first time in her career, Tamara Tunie won a Daytime Emmy, and for her leading role as Anita Dupree Williams, the matriarch of the Dupree family on CBS’ Beyond the Gates.
Tunie became the second actress in history to win for the newest soap in the competition, after Ambyr Michelle won earlier in the evening and became the first performer in the series history to win gold. Michelle won in the Outstanding Emerging Talent category.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
EMOTIONS RAN HIGH
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series went to The Bold and the Beautiful’s Scott Clifton, who won his fourth Emmy overall and second in Lead for his touching performances as Liam Spencer during Liam’s medical crisis storyline for an inoperable brain tumor, which turned out to be a ruse.
During his acceptance speech, Clifton shared, “This means so much to me, not the thing, the attaboy from my peers. I can think of few things that bring me more joy than that.”
Speaking on his fellow nominees which included the likes of Y&R’s Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) and GH’s Steve Burton, (Jason Morgan) Clifton said, “I am in awe of all of you, and you’ve taught me so much. It was a really hard year, and you made me invincible. You are my existential oxygen tank. And I don’t know what I would do without you. I love you, and I am grateful to you.
DECADES BETWEEN
In the Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress categories, two longtime names synonymous with daytime drama, Roger Howarth (Matt Clark, Y&R) and Beth Maitland (Traci Abbott, Y&R) won their second Emmys in their career. Roger 32 years after his last Emmy playing Todd Manning on One Life to Live in 1994, and Beth Maitland for winning 41 years after becoming Y&R’s first performer to win Emmy gold back in 1985.
General Hospital executive producer, Frank Valentini and his producing team took home the gold for the sixth year in a row for Outstanding Daytime Drama Series for the ABC soap. He later shared a moment with Scott Clifton, who started his daytime career as Dillon Quartermaine on GH.
During the ceremonies, the iconic Genie Francis (Laura, General Hospital) was presented with the Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award by her husband actor and director, Jonathan Frakes. After Francis received the award she posed for some snaps for the photographers in attendance.
Take a look at the photos below:
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Beyond the Gates‘ Ambyr Michelle with the well-deserved gold!
Photo: Hutchins Photo
Y&R’s Beth Maitland winning 41 years after her first Supporting Actress victory for the moral center of the Abbott family, Traci Abbott.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Genie Francis proud of receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions and performances as Laura on GH.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
Mandi Line, the costume designer for The Young and the Restless, took home the gold in the costume category.
Photo: HutchinsPhoto
General Hospital executive producer, Frank Valentini, sharing a backstage moment with former GH star and now four-time Daytime Emmy winner from The Bold and the Beautiful‘s Scott Clifton.
So, who were you thrilled to see win a Daytime Emmy from those who appeared in the Winners Walk after their big wins last night at the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards? Let us know via the comment section below.
Beyond the Gates
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Winners: ‘General Hospital’ Takes Drama Series, Tamara Tunie and Scott Clifton Top Acting Honors
The 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards have just concluded on Friday night, October 30, and it was ABC’s General Hospital who took home the top prize for Outstanding Drama Series for the sixth time in row. Executive Producer, Frank Valentini accepted the award on behalf of the show.
Beyond the Gates scored its first two acting honors in the young history of the show. Veteran actress, Tamara Tunie won her first ever Emmy for Lead Actress a Daytime Drama Series for her performances as Anita Dupree, while Ambyr Michelle took home the gold in the Emerging Talent category.
Scott Clifton won his fourth Daytime Emmy overall, and second Lead Actor Emmy for his heart-tugging performance as Liam Spencer, who believed he was battling an inoperable brain tumor, only for it to turn out to be medical ruse to bilk Liam’s father out of $1 million dollars.
Courtesy/NATASYouTube
DECADES BETWEEN BETH MAITLAND AND ROGER HOWARTH LAST EMMY WIN
In the Supporting Actor and Actress categories, Daytime Emmy history was made with Beth Maitland (Traci Abbott, The Young and the Restless) winning her second Emmy 41 years since she won her first won, and Roger Howarth (Matt Clark, The Young and the Restless) following suit for the men with his coming 32 years after he won in 1994 for One Life to Live.
Courtesy/NATASYouTube
Jeff Kober picked up his second Daytime Emmy win for his role as Cyrus Renault on General Hospital in the Outstanding Guest Performer in a Daytime Drama Series category. He previously won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the role in 2022, following a nomination in the same category in 2021.
The Kelly Clarkson Show, meanwhile, won Outstanding Daytime Talk Series it its final year, while Sherri Shepherd won for Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host after finding out her talker had been canceled after four seasons.
Photo: NATAS/YouTube
THINK OF LAURA
General Hospital star Genie Francis (Laura) received the Lifetime Achievement Award and shared from the stage, “I know 50 years sounds like an awfully long time, but it doesn’t feel like that to me,” she said. “As they say, if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.”
Overall, General Hospital, Beyond the Gates and The Kelly Clarkson Show received the most gold statuettes for the night with four wins apiece.
Here’s a look at the honor roll for tonight’s big winners below:
Outstanding Daytime Drama Series
General Hospital
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series: Actress
Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree, Beyond the Gates)
Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series: Actor
Scott Clifton (Liam Spencer, The Bold and the Beautiful
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Daytime Drama Series: Actor
Roger Howarth (Matt Clark, The Young and the Restless)
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Daytime Drama Series: Actress
Beth Maitland (Traci Abbott, The Young and the Restless)
Outstanding Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series
Ambyr Michelle (Eva Thomas, Beyond the Gates)
Outstanding Writing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
General Hospital
Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series
Jeff Kober (Cyrus Renault, General Hospital)
Outstanding Casting for a Daytime Program
General Hospital
Outstanding Directing in a Daytime Drama Series
Days of our Lives
Outstanding Talk Series
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Outstanding Talk Series Host
Sherri Shepherd, Sherri
Outstanding Lighting Direction for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Costume Design/Styling for a Daytime Program
The Young and the Restless (Episode 13273)
Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, The Kelly Clarkson Show
So, who were you happy to see win a Daytime Emmy on tonight’s 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards? Do you think the right show and actors took home the gold? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section. In case you missed it, you can watch the replay of tonight’s livestream of the Daytime Emmy ceremony below.
Beyond the Gates
Who Should Win Outstanding Daytime Drama at the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards? (Poll)
Tonight at the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards, the top prize is Outstanding Daytime Drama Series. This year four soaps are in the running, will the best show take home the gold? Now it’s your turn to let us know your pick!
Going into the night’s festivities, The Young and the Restless leads all nominations this year with 18. Meanwhile, the upstart Beyond the Gates, in its first Daytime Emmy appearance in its history received a record 15 nominations for a first time entry into the Emmy competition.
Then, there is General Hospital who could win its sixth Daytime Emmy in a row for Outstanding Daytime Drama series and its 19th overall. Will they continue the streak?
Meanwhile, Days of our Lives looks to prove just because they are on Peacock and not on network television that they continue to be relevant, especially in a year where we learned Ryan Gosling and John Oliver where big fans of the show.
To watch the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards live, you can catch it on the NATAS/Emmy official You Tube channel here beginning at 8pm ET/5pm PT.
Now it’s your turn! Take the Michael Fairman TV poll below and then let us know in the comment section, which show you are rooting for tonight to take home the gold statuette?
‘General Hospital’ Alum Jeff Kober Accepts His Daytime Emmy Award After Being Unable to Attend the Ceremony
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Winners Walk (Photos)
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53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Winners: ‘General Hospital’ Takes Drama Series, Tamara Tunie and Scott Clifton Top Acting Honors
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53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Winners: ‘General Hospital’ Takes Drama Series, Tamara Tunie and Scott Clifton Top Acting Honors
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