{"id":1218273,"date":"2025-02-26T03:58:44","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T03:58:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/?p=1218273"},"modified":"2025-02-26T03:58:44","modified_gmt":"2025-02-26T03:58:44","slug":"beyond-the-gates-review-the-cbs-series-is-the-perfect-kind-of-messy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/pt\/beyond-the-gates-review-the-cbs-series-is-the-perfect-kind-of-messy\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Beyond The Gates\u2019 Review: The CBS Series Is The Perfect Kind Of Messy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Can you believe it\u2019s been over a quarter of a century since daytime soap operas have seen a new addition? Well, it\u2019s been even longer since the focus has turned to a Black family, which is almost a shock considering the gains made<\/a> from diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the entertainment industry (although it remains to be seen<\/a> if such progress continues under the anti-DEI Trump administration). Still, the latest update to CBS\u2019s daytime television lineup is determined to make its mark \u2014 and fittingly enough, during Black History Month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Enter \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d: the first one-hour daytime drama centering a Black family in decades and the first daytime soap to premiere since 1999\u2019s \u201cPassions.\u201d CBS Studios picked up the show<\/a> last April under its production partnership with the NAACP. The series follows a wealthy Black family, the Duprees, who reside in an affluent gated community in Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C. The series doesn\u2019t focus on the complex politics happening on Capitol Hill, though, but rather on the complicated dynamics of a prestigious clan that exudes Black excellence, at least on the outside. The real mess happens behind closed doors, as the posh walls of Fairmont Crest conceal scandalous secrets just waiting to seep out.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d is true to the daytime soap formula. There\u2019s jaw-dropping drama, over-the-top antics, forbidden romances, intricate plots, vile villains and more. And this only sums up the first week of episodes, which kicked off on Monday at 2 p.m. ET\/1 p.m. PT on CBS. (The show is also available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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celebrity.land\u2019s Erin E. Evans and Njera Perkins chatted about our initial impressions of the soap, its history-making moment, the cast that leads the show and all the drama that ensues between their characters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Let\u2019s Talk About The Cast<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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\u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d may be a daytime soap unlike we\u2019ve ever seen before, but it features a handful of familiar faces that have added to the excitement of this series for months. There\u2019s \u201cAs the World Turns\u201d and \u201cLaw & Order: SVU\u201d alum Tamara Tunie, who stars as Anita, the matriarch of the esteemed Dupree family, and TV veteran Clifton Davis (\u201cAmen,\u201d \u201cMadam Secretary\u201d), who plays the Dupree family patriarch, Vernon. Karla Mosley, who plays the fiery divorc\u00e9e Dani, is no stranger to daytime television, as she\u2019s best known for playing Maya Avant on \u201cThe Bold and the Beautiful.\u201d Daphne Duplaix, who stars as Dani\u2019s sister, has had a long-running acting career that includes a role on the retired ABC soap \u201cOne Life to Live.\u201d Some may also recognize Timon Kyle Durrett, who plays another villain-esque character following his credits on \u201cQueen Sugar,\u201d \u201cSingle Ladies\u201d and other shows. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The new CBS soap also boasts a cast of fresh faces like Brandon Claybon, Sean Freeman, Marquita Goings, RhonniRose Mantilla, Ambyr Michelle and more. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Altogether, this cast makes up the Dupree family and their affiliates, a multigenerational group that reflects the aim of \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d to reach a wide audience. However, the focus remains on the affluent and drama-filled Black family that viewers have been waiting to see grace their screens ever since the new soap was announced. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Personally, I\u2019ve been waiting for a Black-led show to take the reins of the daytime soap opera genre ever since Tyler Perry took over primetime with his iterations (\u201cSistas,\u201d \u201cThe Oval,\u201d etc.), so I\u2019m thrilled that \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d has claimed that torch. Tunie and Davis\u2019 characters have quiet presences on the show so far, but I look forward to seeing how they turn things up as the plot progresses. The younger actors who are a part of this bunch have been interesting to follow as well. However, Mosley\u2019s diva portrayal is the obvious standout right now and the main driver behind much of the juicy drama that takes place in the first week of episodes. She comes out of the gate swinging in the series premiere and doesn\u2019t hold back in any other scene with her melodramatic outbursts and zingers. (I\u2019m also thinking of that slap scene with Goings\u2019 Hayley).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I say all that to say this cast works, and I can\u2019t wait to see what else they do with this material. \u2014 Njera<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Clifton Davis and Tamara Tunie star as the Duprees in CBS’s “Beyond the Gates.”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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I\u2019m so happy to see a mix of familiar faces and newcomers on this show. I still miss the great Tamara Tunie popping up on my screen in episodes of \u201cLaw & Order: SVU.\u201d But it\u2019s lovely to see her get some leading lady treatment here. I also recognize Trisha Mann-Grant from \u201cThe Family Business\u201d on BET+. I loved to hate Durrett\u2019s character on \u201cQueen Sugar\u201d; he was also a cheater on that show! Kim Coleman is the casting director of the series, and let me tell you \u2014 she is one of the hardest working women in Hollywood. I\u2019ve seen her name pop up so many times on shows and films with majority Black casts. \u201cCross,\u201d \u201cThe Upshaws,\u201d \u201cLovecraft Country,\u201d \u201cP-Valley\u201d and a bunch of Tyler Perry productions \u2014 Coleman is booked and always busy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I will say there are SO many characters on this show so it does take a minute to parse out who is who and who is related to who. But that\u2019s how soap operas are! They need a bunch of characters to stir up a bunch of mess; that way, you never know what to expect. But you\u2019re right, Njera, Mosley\u2019s portrayal is the exact kind of character I always think of when I picture a soap opera: dramatic, messy and somewhat predictable in how outlandish they will act in any scenario. \u2014 Erin<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The History-Making Moment Of This Show Coming To CBS<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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I had never really thought about the fact that networks aren\u2019t really clamoring to make new soap operas until the announcement of \u201cBeyond the Gates,\u201d which is the first new daytime soap opera to debut since \u201cPassions\u201d in 1999. (I was more of a \u201cSunset Beach\u201d fan myself, which lasted only for two seasons and began in 1997. My mom recorded \u201cAll My Children\u201d on her VCR at least until 2000.) \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d is also the first soap opera to center a Black family since NBC\u2019s \u201cGenerations.\u201d I\u2019m glad to see this series enter the daytime TV lineup simply because I looooove a messy show with low stakes that I can just put on in the background. \u2014 Erin<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I\u2019d like to think \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d is the kind of soap my grandmother would\u2019ve loved to see if she were still alive. Her daily soaps were the highlight of her day, and given that \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d is set just an hour away from our hometown of Baltimore, she would\u2019ve eaten this concept right up. It feels criminal to say a Black family hasn\u2019t been the center of a daytime soap since before the 21st century, but CBS\u2019s newest addition brings that chapter to a close. And happily so, because it\u2019s beyond time we see a family like the Duprees take up space in a genre that\u2019s been primed for revitalization. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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There are some other history-making moments I want to point out, too. According to Deadline<\/a>, \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d is one of the very first projects that executive producer Sheila Ducksworth pitched when she was named president of CBS\u2019s production partnership with the NAACP in 2020. The show was also created by the only Black writer for \u201cGenerations,\u201d Michele Val Jean, who was sought out by Ducksworth specifically to head up this new project. \u201cThere are certainly other very talented writers out there, but I didn\u2019t even once consider them. It was always Michele,\u201d Ducksworth told Deadline.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I\u2019ve never been particularly intrigued by soaps (probably because 27-year-old me isn\u2019t the target audience for most), but \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d had me at the first mention of a Black cast and creator\/writer. I guess that\u2019s the power of seeing folks who look like me in front of and behind the camera. I\u2019m also a huge fan of juicy mess and melodrama, so needless to say, \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d is right up my alley. I didn\u2019t know what to expect when I screened the first five episodes, but I\u2019m officially hooked after (what will be) Friday\u2019s cliffhanger. \u2014 Njera<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Karen Huger Moment<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Marquita Goings and “Real Housewives of Potomac” star Karen Huger in the first episode of “Beyond the Gates.”<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
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Since the setting of the series is a suburb of Washington, D.C., it makes perfect sense that the casting team tapped Karen Huger, the grand dame of \u201cThe Real Housewives of Potomac,\u201d to make a cameo in the premiere episode. She portrays one of the members of the exclusive Fairmont Crest country club and witnesses the major showdown between Dani and her ex-husband\u2019s soon-to-be wife. Her one line is delivered perfectly. The timing of the episode is also quite interesting, since this week, Huger is set to be sentenced after being convicted for a DUI. \u2014 <\/span>Erin<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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I almost forgot Karen Huger had a cameo on this show until I saw her eavesdropping on Dani and Hayley\u2019s intense showdown at the country club. But I loved the subtle Potomac connection in this suburban Maryland setting. Although Huger only had one line, it was the perfect shady zinger to end the premiere\u2019s mic-drop scene: \u201cWelcome to Fairmont Crest.\u201d I imagine Huger would deliver some version of this on an episode of \u201cThe Real Housewives of Potomac\u201d (if she hasn\u2019t already). \u2014 <\/span>Njera<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Is There Enough Drama To Hook Audiences In?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Yes. There\u2019s no question here, lol. You never know with a new TV series if it\u2019s going to hook you in from the first episode. Pilots, notoriously, can be pretty rough to watch because you\u2019re trying to understand who the characters are and what they\u2019re going through and \u2014 most importantly, perhaps \u2014 if you care enough to stay tuned for more episodes. Thankfully, the first episode of \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d has so much going on that you want to stick around for more. \u2014<\/span> Erin<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Agreed, Erin. One thing you can\u2019t say about \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d is it lacks a healthy dose of melodrama. The first episode alone is filled with enough twists and turns to intrigue the casual viewer. The fallout of Dani and Bill\u2019s divorce and the latter\u2019s impending nuptials with his eldest daughter\u2019s ex-best friend is more than enough to sink your teeth into. But as far as we can tell, there are dark family secrets, scandals waiting to happen, betrayals, revenge and everything in between still in store \u2014 all the makings of a great daytime soap. \u201cBeyond the Gates\u201d gets it right straight out the gate (no pun intended), so be prepared to be on the edge of your seat for tons of episodes to come. \u2014 <\/span>Njera<\/span><\/em> <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Which Storylines Are We Following Closely<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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The Bill, Dani and Hayley drama are obviously running the show right now, but I think there\u2019s way more beneath the surface of that story. For one, I need to know when Hayley decided to pursue her ex-best friend\u2019s father while he was still married. Also, Bill\u2019s quid pro quo way of doing business with the Duprees obviously has shady undertones, so I can\u2019t wait to find out what he has over Vernon and Anita that made them convince the family (including Dani) to attend Bill\u2019s wedding with Hayley. Trisha Mann-Grant\u2019s Dana is an unsettling presence who clearly has ulterior motives (based on what happens in the fifth episode), so I\u2019m keeping an eye out for her and her daughter, Eva, too. There are some secondary characters who raise eyebrows, too \u2014 like Freeman\u2019s playboy character Andre \u2014 but things are just getting started. There\u2019s a lot already happening in the show, but plenty to keep your attention \u2014 and keep you tuned in every weekday. \u2014 <\/span>Njera<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Bill and Dani drama is the main draw for me right now, but there are some simmering storylines that the writing staff is also leaving breadcrumbs for as well. It seems like there\u2019s something we don\u2019t know about the Dupree matriarch and patriarch and their history. Then, there\u2019s the storyline with Dana and her daughter, Eva, which is very juicy, and to avoid even the hint of a spoiler, I\u2019m just going to say I\u2019m keeping my eyes peeled for how this storyline unfolds. \u2014<\/span> Erin<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n