We’re officially just two weeks away from the launch of “Beyond the Gates,” the first brand new soap opera set to debut on a broadcast network in more than 25 years, since the launch of “Passions” in 1999, and the first-ever one-hour Black-centric daytime drama series.
Premiering Monday, February 24 at 2:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT on CBS, and available to stream Live and On Demand on Paramount+, “Beyond the Gates” is set in a leafy Maryland suburb just outside of Washington, D.C. in one of the most affluent African American counties in the United States, and follows an affluent Black family who holds court over Fairmont Crest, a posh gated community that’s the center of luxury with wealthy residents harboring deep secrets.
In honor of the historic moment, CBS recently released a behind the scenes look at the show’s start of production, recapping everything from the studio’s ribbon cutting to the first script reading with the cast, the first walk through the studio featuring 27 sets, the first taping, and even the first photo shoots, among several other firsts for the new series.
“It’s an absolute thrill to be a part of this historic moment in daytime television,” said series star Tamara Tunie, who plays the show’s matriarch Anita Dupree. “Procter & Gamble with Sheila [Ducksworth, executive producer, and president, CBS Studios/NAACP Venture]… this was her vision. She and Michele Val Jean partnered together then it just became electric.”
“I’ve been living with this world in my head. I got here and there were faces to the characters, sets, clothes and so much hair,” commented the show’s creator Val Jean, who also serves as executive producer, showrunner, and head writer. “I’ve always wanted to create a show centered around rich Black people.”
“[In] the early 70s, remembering how difficult it was to find roles, and now we have African American writers,” pointed out Clifton Davis, who plays show patriarch Vernon Dupree. “It lifts my spirit to see how many advancements African American professionals in this industry have made.”
Quantrell Colbert/CBS
“You can’t beat this. This is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of gig,” said Brandon Claybon, who plays Martin Richardson, a congressman who lives outside “the gates” in a Washington, D.C., brownstone with his husband and two adopted children.
The video concluded with Davis playing the piano in the Dupree family living room, with his co-stars, including Tunie, Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree) and Daphnee Duplaix (Dr. Nicole Dupree Richardson), standing beside him and enjoying the entertainment.
Watch the full clip below and check out “Beyond the Gates” when it debuts in two weeks on CBS!
