“You haven’t seen a soap like this” — Beyond the Gates creators tease details that promise a soap opera experience unlike anything before

CBS' upcoming soap opera Beyond the Gates is set to premiere on February 24, 2025. This hour-long daytime drama is the first to focus entirely on a Black family, featuring a majority Black cast and creative team.

In a segment hosted by CBS News Sunday Morning on January 19, showrunner and lead writer of the series, Michele Val Jean, talked about realizing their vision when many people thought network television's soap opera genre was dying.

“You haven’t seen a soap like this. You just haven’t.”

The Dupree family is a wealthy Black household in a gated Maryland community near Washington, D.C. Vernon (Clifton Davis), a retired senator, is married to Anita (Tamara Tunie). Their daughters, Dr. Nicole (Daphnée Duplaix) and Dani (Karla Mosley), balance careers, secrets, and relationships. While love, ambition, and betrayal fuel the drama, the show's creators emphasize its relatable everyday struggles.

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Beyond the Gates is shot in Atlanta

Unlike long-running soaps like Days of Our Lives or The Young and the Restless, Beyond the Gates ditches Hollywood for Atlanta. That’s a first for network daytime TV. The motive behind the move is to make the show feel more authentic to the culture it represents.

CBS News Sunday Morning gave a behind-the-scenes look at the show's 27 elaborate sets, featuring everything from grand mansions to sleek, luxurious offices.

"It just feels at home. I know these people. It’s about family, it’s about fashion. We love to get dressed," costume designer Jeresa Featherstone, who worked on The Bold and the Beautiful, emphasizes style as storytelling.

Hair designer Wankaya Hinkson also makes waves. Natural hair textures matter, she explained on the CBS segment. She added that braids, curls, and locs can be as beautiful as straight hair. It’s about showing beauty without stereotypes.

"I do think that it will change lives. I think that TV has that power to do that. I really do think it’s going to open a lot of eyes. I think it’s going to change a lot of perspectives. I think it’s going to bring a lot of people together."

Further, on the CBS segment, executive producer Sheila Ducksworth added that this show will change perspectives and that TV has that power. She further added that the story connects various characters unexpectedly.

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What’s Next for the Beyond the Gates?

CBS will air Beyond the Gates on weekdays at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT, with episodes streaming on Paramount+. The cast finished filming the first 12 weeks, and teasers hint at political scandals, secret affairs, and a bombshell family reunion.

As for any show that debuts, ratings will determine the future. However, the team and crew seem confident about their show's potential. Atlanta’s film community backs the project, and CBS has already greenlit a second round of episodes.

Watch the full CBS News Sunday Morning segment for a deeper dive into the show’s sets and interviews.