As a millennial, I can honestly say the last soap opera I found myself glued to was Passions, but Beyond the Gates has changed that. If you have never seen the soap opera, let me get you caught up. Beyond the Gates follows the Duprees, a fictional, prominent Black family living in a gated community located in a suburb right outside Washington D.C. The matriarch and patriarch are Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis) and his wife, Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie), who both have similar lives mirroring legendary Black figures such as Jesse Jackson and Diana Ross.

But the drama lies in the Dupress children, daughters Dani and Nicole. Dani sets the show off with the most epic crashout when her now ex-husband, Bill Hamilton ( Timothy Kyle Durrett), divorces her to marry his daughter’s former best friend, Hailey (Marquita Goings). It’s so much mess going on, I can’t stop watching!

Millennials are loving Beyond the Gates on CBS

The writers behind Beyond the Gates have found the secret sauce in the hit series. The show embodies the contemporary landscape of social media influencer culture while serving reality TV-level drama with an attractive leading cast. One could think of Beyond the Gates as an upgrade from The Real Housewives of Potomac, but with real, rich, Black people’s problems. The show serves fashion, wealth, and drama within a messy family daytime dynamic.

However, this isn’t your grandma’s soap opera. The show doesn’t stop at representation with just having Black characters. The show tackles issues such as race, queer identities, unconventional relationships, class, and mental health freshly and innovatively, which resonates with its younger viewers. I mean, when was the last time you saw two Black sapphic baddies being an open couple on your TV screen?

Now that the show has been renewed for a second season, you can watch the season streaming currently on Paramount+. With over 150 episodes available, Beyond the Gates will make you appreciate TV writers and writing rooms.

And because we are getting a second season, I will do my best to post weekly recaps. This is your warning to bookmark this!