New Daytime Soap The Gates Officially Ordered At CBS — When Will It Premiere?
Soaps fans will have even more tasty drama to sink their teeth into: CBS has officially ordered a brand-new daytime series titled The Gates, which is set to premiere January 2025.
The Gates will follow the lives of a wealthy Black family in a posh, gated community. Michele Val Jean (The Bold and the Beautiful, General Hospital, Santa Barbara) will serve as writer and showrunner. She will executive-produce alongside Sheila Ducksworth, Leon Russell, Derrick Johnson and Kimberly Doebereiner.
Val Jean also served as a script writer on daytime's first Black family-focused soap, Generations, which aired on NBC from 1989-1991.
The specific time period, launch date and other series details for The Gates — such as whether it will run a half-hour or full hour — will be announced at a later time, says the network.
The series was developed by a joint venture between CBS Studios and the NAACP. The CBS Studios/NAACP development deal "was established to help elevate a diverse range of voices as well as increase the visibility of Black artists on broadcast and streaming platforms in an ever-evolving media landscape."
Also notable is that the series marks broadcast television's first new daytime soap opera since the launch of NBC's now-defunct Passions 25 years ago.
In related news, CBS handed its long-running, top-rated soap, Y&R, a blockbuster four-year renewal. Meanwhile, the current renewal pact for Y&R's sister soap B&B expires in May 2025.
The pickup comes three days after CBS announced that The Talk will end its 15-season run in December.
What do you think, soaps fans? Will you be entering The Gates? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.