What We Know About Former General Hospital Writer Michele Val Jean's Historic New Soap Opera
When once there were almost 20 daytime serials — aka soap operas — on American network television, the number has dwindled down to four, two of which are on CBS: 51-year-old "The Young and the Restless" and "The Bold and the Beautiful," which is in its 37th season. ABC's "General Hospital" is in its 60th year, while "Days of Our Lives" has moved from the NBC network to the Peacock streaming platform in 2022 with its own 60th anniversary later in 2024. Despite those combined decades, the sudsers have been criticized for lack of diversity, but that's about to change.
In a March 6 article, The Hollywood Reporter discussed the fact that CBS is developing its first new soap since "B&B" premiered in 1987 called "The Gate," which revolves around several affluent Black families that reside in a gated community. This is historic because it's not only a brand new daytime drama, it's also the first Black-focused serial since "Generations" in 1989. Prolific writer Michele Val Jean, who's written thousands of episodes of soaps, including "Generations," will write the new series and serve as executive producer along with Sheila Ducksworth, Leon Russell, Derrick Johnson, and Kimberly Doebereine.
In February, Val Jean left "B&B" after a 12-year writing stint, and her attachment to the new show guarantees it will be top-notch. On the day the project was announced, Val Jean posted a QR code on Instagram that led to the news of the new show from Soap Opera Network. "So this happened and I don't know how to share on Instagram so I hope this works if you're interested in what I'm doing," she wrote in the caption.
The new soap opera will put 'Black culture front and center'
In its March 6 report on "The Gate," Soap Opera Digest detailed that co-executive producer Sheila Ducksworth 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."
CBS' press release, per Soap Opera Digest, also explained that the network was working in tandem with the NAACP on the show "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." Ducksworth also expressed her enthusiasm for this new series, stating, "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." This new soap opera could open up a new generation of daytime serials to come with CBS mirroring Hallmark's successful Mahogany brand of movies, which doubles down on diversity.
Soaps are known for giving many celebrities their start, and we're hoping that "The Gate" not only does the same thing but also brings back steamy scenes that are missing from today's shows. The new series is still in development, so no official airdate has been announced just yet, but soap fans are surely going to be looking forward to it.